[bgwhn]

I'm with you, and I prefer "dumb" devices, but you can still buy these blu-ray players and not connect them to the internet.

The internet connectivity is sold as an additional feature so that you can use your blu-ray player to watch Netflix. I agree that I don't want logging on a device like this, but if I was going to connect one of these to the internet, I would at least want regular security updates.

[RandomBacon]

Vote with your wallet. Don't buy these internet devices.

All it takes is for a visiting family member or friend who wants to watch Netflix while you're in another room/asleep/etc to click okay.

[chrisBob]

That’s what my in-laws did. “For some reason you hadn’t connected your smart TV to the internet; instead of using your Apple TV, we gave TCL your WiFi password. Aren’t you proud we figured it out on our own?”

[RealStickman_]

Better be sure and block the TV from wifi then.

[untog]

Easier said than done. It’s increasingly difficult to find a “dumb” TV these days. Almost all have smart functionality.

(and besides, most TVs have other ways of watching Netflix that ought to be more convenient for a visitor. A $30 Roku stick is all you need)

[amiga-workbench]

Don't buy a TV then, buy a monitor. https://www.dell.com/en-uk/work/shop/dell-55-4k-conference-r...

[RandomBacon]

In the US, you can get a 55 inch dumb 4K TV for less than half the price.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sceptre-55-Class-4K-UHD-LED-TV-HD...

[ekianjo]

Is there any difference in display quality between a monitor and a TV with roughly the same specs?

[amiga-workbench]

I really doubt it. My 2015 Sony bravia has a similar 4K VA panel that I'm largely happy with. I absolutely hate that TV for reasons besides it's panel. And I regret blowing £850 on it.

You're not going to find IPS or OLED panels on those large form factor monitors for a sensible price, so do consider that.

Also keep an eye open for NEC digital signage displays on eBay, they're quite common coming from liquidated businesses. I bought a few of them for the office on the cheap and they're solid as long as you avoid the really old plasma models.

[userbinator]

Traditionally, a computer monitor would be superior in quality since they are used at a closer distance where things like dead pixels are much more noticeable, in contrast to a TV that's mainly used for video at a longer distance.

With LCD monitors being available in sizes as large as TVs and with the same resolutions, I suspect there won't be much difference but perhaps panels intended for TVs may still have more allowable defects.

[RandomBacon]

Sceptre makes 4K dumb TVs (Walmart).

You can also find other brand 4K dumb TVs on Amazon.

A guest might not see it plugged in and not know to try all the HDMI inputs before selecting the easy, built-in option on the TV.

[dreamcompiler]

Wow. I hadn't thought of this vulnerability. Time to set up MAC address blacklists on my router.

[13of40]

If you're going to that sort of length, maybe just filter DNS requests from the TV to whitelist Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, etc. but block everything else. A custom router might go one step further and only whitelist outbound traffic to IP addresses that were previously resolved through DNS.

[HelloNurse]

Are Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Youtube etc. IP addresses stable enough to be whitelisted, er, allowlisted without frequent updates?

[ptx]

If it's developed with the assumption that they can deliver rolling software updates, the software it ships with might be unusably buggy.

[Merad]

> you can still buy these blu-ray players and not connect them to the internet.

Unfortunately this is only a temporary solution IMO. Within the next decade I think you'll see these smart devices shipping with built in connectivity that's difficult or impossible to disable, especially if Starlink or other satellite based services really take off.

[wartijn_]

I don't think these kind ofdevices will use Starlink or an equivalent service any time soon. Starlink needs a "pizza box sized" satellite dish that constantly adjusts its position to stay in contact with the satellites. I assume they won't work inside, like other satellite based antennae.

If smart devices will have build in connectivity in the next decade, I think 5g will be a more likely candidate. But I don't see that happening either. Why would a company pay for the data of its users when most people will just connect it to their wifi?

I. Couldn't find a source on "pizza box sized", but I remember Elon Musk has said that. Also here is a picture of one of the antennae: https://www.reddit.com/r/Starlink/comments/hruzck/new_photo_...