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New TV time - I don't want a "smart" TV

6629 Views 44 Replies 27 Participants Last post by teachsac, Nov 6, 2019

theandies

Discussion Starter · Oct 17, 2019

My 42 inch Panasonic Plasma is starting to fail so I'm in the market for a new TV. Damn I wish plasma's were still made.......anyway looking at my options it seems that I cannot buy a panel without "smart" features. I don't want any of that Alexa crap or even connect to the internet. I know some will answer "just don't connect it" but that is not an option. All I want it to connect my devices to the panel and use them. There had to be a panel out there like this. I'm looking for a good NON-SMART 4k HDR panel for $1000 or under.
Thanks

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skschatzman

· #2 · Oct 17, 2019 (Edited)

theandies said:
My 42 inch Panasonic Plasma is starting to fail so I'm in the market for a new TV. Damn I wish plasma's were still made.......anyway looking at my options it seems that I cannot buy a panel without "smart" features. I don't want any of that Alexa crap or even connect to the internet. I know some will answer "just don't connect it" but that is not an option. All I want it to connect my devices to the panel and use them. There had to be a panel out there like this. I'm looking for a good NON-SMART 4k HDR panel for $1000 or under.
Thanks

You are looking for an answer that doesn't exist. All 4k TVs in your price target are smart capable.

The answer you don't want to hear is the only answer anyone has to offer. Just don't connect it to the internet. You can still connect your media devices to it.

I fail to see a valid issue.

Reactions: 5

theandies

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 17, 2019

There has to be a panel that fits my wants. There has to be others that don't trust these big corporations and their "privacy" policies. I don't trust any of them. I guess I'll have to go with a computer monitor with HDMI inputs.

skschatzman

· #4 · Oct 17, 2019 (Edited)

theandies said:
There has to be a panel that fits my wants. There has to be others that don't trust these big corporations and their "privacy" policies. I don't trust any of them.

If you don't connect the TV to the internet, then there is no way they can collect your information.

As I said before, I fail to see a valid issue.

Reactions: 2

afrogt

· #5 · Oct 17, 2019

All 4K TV's are SMART now. And unfortunately the easiest answer is not to connect to ethernet or WiFi. That's a pretty simple solution.

Reactions: 2

cpmusic

· #6 · Oct 17, 2019

theandies said:
There has to be a panel that fits my wants. There has to be others that don't trust these big corporations and their "privacy" policies. I don't trust any of them. I guess I'll have to go with a computer monitor with HDMI inputs.

The only TVs I've seen that aren't smart models are low-end standard HD sets 32" or smaller. We're talking house brands for the most part (like Insignia) and most are 720p rather than 1080p. It's unfortunate, but it is the reality of the modern TV business.

However, smart TVs have an End User License Agreement (EULA) to which you have to agree before the smart features are activated. If don't accept the EULA, the TV won't run its smart features, even if you're connected to the Internet.

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Frostyboy115

· #7 · Oct 17, 2019

You will probably have to go with a lower-tier brand to avoid 'smart' functionality. I, too wish the major manufacturers would get rid of their smart functions and use that cost to making their tvs better for the same price. I just use a Roku or FireTV on all of my tvs regardless of whether they are smart or not. Oh, well.....it is what it is.

However, check Walmart's website and look at Sceptre tvs. They are pretty basic models but some do have have HDR (without smart functionality). I have had a 55" 4k (non-hdr) model for just over a year. It is used at my bedroom TV and it works fine. It probably cannot compete picture quality-wise with the top and mid tier manufacturers but my picture quality is decent enough and the pricing on their tvs is low enough that you don't have to sell a kidney to buy one. It did take me awhile to get the color and tint setting to where my wife was happy with them (she's a BIG Samsung fan) but eventually I did get them set to our liking.

Talked a 'frugal' buddy into getting a Sceptre 1080P model over 5 years ago after his 32" CRT tv died and the Sceptre is his main TV. He hasn't had any problems with that one, either.

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Cheddarhead

· #8 · Oct 17, 2019

If you search for "Industrial 4K Monitor" you can find some non-smart monitors AKA no tuner available.

Be prepared for $TICKER $HOCK" and there won't be any reviews available. The non-SMART TV market is too small to justify the vendors spending R&D, testing and inventory dollars on.

Alternatively you can talk to some A/V specialty houses that do custom installs but again be prepared for "$TICKER $HOCK".

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sk373

· #9 · Oct 17, 2019

theandies said:
I know some will answer "just don't connect it" but that is not an option.

Why is this not an option?

sk373

· #10 · Oct 17, 2019

Anyway, here is a 50" RCA UHD TV with no smart features. Have no idea if it's any good though.

Reactions: 1

theandies

Discussion Starter · #11 · Oct 17, 2019

sk373 said:
Why is this not an option?

I do not trust any of these companies "privacy policies" and don't even trust them enough that even if I turn WiFi off (if possible in the settings) that how do I really know it's off. My bother has a Alexa device and we were just stitting there talking when all of a sudden Alexa started giving us information on the topic we were talking about even though we never asked Alexa anything. I don't want big corporations in my living room. I'm probably being too paranoid but it's better to be paranoid than have your identity stolen and get ads on your TV. No thank you.

Thanks for the link to the RCA, seems to get good reviews.

TwayneP

· #12 · Oct 17, 2019 (Edited)

Lol wow. Yeah, you're just really paranoid.

I'd go on craigslist and look for an old Plasma or a big LCD. Problem solved. Save money and no smart features. Look for USED TV's because that's what you need.

If you have WiFi, then you're going against your beliefs. You're on the internet. You probably have a smartphone yeah? Your information is already out there in some way. Just roll with it.

You can get a new TV and not connect it to your internet connection. That is an actual thing and is possible. It can't magically connect to your internet without a password or any kind of verification. Unless you have an open network, which, well, DEFINITELY goes against your beliefs.

Reactions: 5

skschatzman

· #13 · Oct 17, 2019

theandies said:
I do not trust any of these companies "privacy policies" and don't even trust them enough that even if I turn WiFi off (if possible in the settings) that how do I really know it's off. My bother has a Alexa device and we were just stitting there talking when all of a sudden Alexa started giving us information on the topic we were talking about even though we never asked Alexa anything. I don't want big corporations in my living room. I'm probably being too paranoid but it's better to be paranoid than have your identity stolen and get ads on your TV. No thank you.

Thanks for the link to the RCA, seems to get good reviews.

It doesn't matter if the wifi is enabled or disabled. The TV can't communicate online if it isn't connected to a network. If you do not connect the TV to a network, then there is no way for it to be online. It blows my mind how people are so paranoid, they completely throw common sense logic out the window.

Reactions: 5

pilotart

· #14 · Oct 18, 2019

@theandies I bought the last Samsung w/o "smart" ability (2013), problem was since it was 'entry level', PQ was unacceptable and I had to return it. My reason for dumb TV was that my Blue-Ray had better 'smarts' than my existing smart Sony. If you intend to 'stream' 4K, source must supply HDMI-2 or you're limited to HD or less.

Once you've given your new TV your WiFi password. it will remember it forever (even across a "Factory" Reset), so an Ethernet connection has an advantage in being able to be disconnected. For WiFi, just establish a "guest-account" for it, that you can easily control or remove at will.

Art

Reactions: 1

DJR662

· #15 · Oct 18, 2019

I wish they would still make "dumb" TVs.

I have no use for Netflix, Youtube or any apps on my TV whatsoever. Further more, I don't like to be spied on either. So I just leave my TVs disconnected from the Internet at all times.

Cheddarhead

· #16 · Oct 18, 2019

pilotart said:
@theandies I bought the last Samsung w/o "smart" ability (2013), problem was since it was 'entry level', PQ was unacceptable and I had to return it. My reason for dumb TV was that my Blue-Ray had better 'smarts' than my existing smart Sony. If you intend to 'stream' 4K, source must supply HDMI-2 or you're limited to HD or less.

Once you've given your new TV your WiFi password. it will remember it forever (even across a "Factory" Reset), so an Ethernet connection has an advantage in being able to be disconnected. For WiFi, just establish a "guest-account" for it, that you can easily control or remove at will.
Art

Good call, do a DHCP reservation for the TV on your wi-fi router then configure the firewall to block all outbound traffic for the associated IP address.

Alternatively configure a "guest-network", connect the TV to the guest network and then block the guest network from the Internet.

Multiple ways to prevent a "Smart TV" from accessing the internet.

You just have to be smarter than the average bear or maybe TV. Right Boo-Boo.

Reactions: 1

acefr

· #17 · Oct 18, 2019

The only way the TV is able to spy on you and send the data to an evil person is through the internet. If you never put in your wifi password to your TV, you TV is not smart enough to figure out what your password is. If it does not know what your wifi password is, then it cannot connect to the internet and send any traffic outbound even if it "hears" what you say. Just don't connect your TV to wifi, and you will turn your "smart TV" into a "dumb TV".

Panson

· #18 · Oct 18, 2019

"Ask the Editors: What’s the Best Non-Smart 4K UHD TV"

https://www.avsforum.com/ask-editors-whats-best-43-non-smart-4k-uhd-tv/

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picturequality

· #19 · Oct 18, 2019

Here is a little history on smart TVs. The price of HD TVs was dropping like crazy and the manufacturers were wondering what they could do to increase the price of the TVs. A light bulb went off why dont we just throw some unnecessary apps on it and call it smart that is a cool buzz word that could justify a price increase and the smart TV era was born.

Reactions: 1

jadams2484

· #20 · Oct 18, 2019

theandies said:
I do not trust any of these companies "privacy policies" and don't even trust them enough that even if I turn WiFi off (if possible in the settings) that how do I really know it's off.

1. Put your wifi in WPA2 mode with a password
2. Never enter the password so it cannot connect

I have one of the VIZIO TVs that was infamous for leaking information years ago. I've never connected it to the internet and my router has never recorded a transmission from the TV's MAC address in the several years I've had it.

Hope this helps

1 - 20 of 45 Posts

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