[wilsonnb3]

Don't connect your TV to the internet and you won't have a problem.

Most TVs have a setting to go to the last used input or a specific input on startup, so set that to whatever box you use to watch stuff and you won't have to look at the menu.

[dave_sullivan]

I do the same thing, don't hook it up to internet, never update, don't use smart features, watch everything off a separate Kodi box.

But TVs have become so hopelessly enshittified I would support legislation at this point. I am sure they are making a lot of money serving these ads ensuring the behavior will only continue and no "normal tvs" will even be sold.

[MBCook]

I’ve recently learned some Roku TV have an LED that will flash at you whenever they’re not connected.

“Just use tape”

How long until it’s a message on-screen covering up what you want to watch? Or even preventing you from watching?

There is only one fix: regulation. Good luck with that. We’re doomed.

[woleium]

or just purchase a digital signage screen instead of a tv

[ajdude]

Are there any 4K digital signage screens as high-quality as some of these OLED smart TVs?

[MBCook]

OLED would burn in, I doubt you could find that.

But can you get 120hz? Or VRR? Low latency? Any other good feature?

I doubt it. I suspect (as it seems you do) that if you want anything past a bog-standard tv you’re out of luck.

[upon_drumhead]

Actually, I'm curious as to why someone would buy a Roku tv and not hook it up to the internet?

[MBCook]

Since they’re subsidized by all the spyware/services they’re cheap.

So people buy them, even people who (like many ok HN) hate “smart TVs” and intend to only use it as a monitor for an Apple TV, Chromecast, cable box, etc.

[sp332]

I don't know of any actual TVs that have this, but Amazon's Sidewalk network seems ideal to route around this. If you have an Echo device hooked to the internet, any Sidewalk device within hundreds of feet now has a low-bandwidth internet connection that could phone home usage information.

Or they could just build a cellular modem into the TV. It's all about whether the payoff is worth the cost.

[brandonjcooper]

My Samsung’s auto HDMI switching and CEC (ATV, Xbox, Blu Ray) works 95% of the time. I hardly see their switching menu.

I went to settings and opted out of everything I could, and only hook up via Ethernet to update firmware.

[toast0]

It might be a bit more work, but Samsung also posts their updates so you can put them on a USB disk and upgrade from that and never need to connect your TV to the internet.

[jwells89]

Yep. Some Android TVs even offer a “simple TV mode” that switches off the bells and whistles.

My Sony doesn’t have that mode but it works great totally offline hooked up to receiver and Apple TV nevertheless.