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Stopping the smart TV from being used against you

Stopping the smart TV from being used against you

speckx

Comments (106)

  • fckgw
    It's shocking how many comments here didn't bother to read the article. At all.They're not talking about putting the TV online. The TV is completely offline.They're talking about plugging the TV into a PC or laptop via HDMI or Displayport (like if you're running an HTPC), which then triggers a companion app update on the PC via Windows Update. This was a news item a few weeks ago with their monitors. They then also discuss a hardware blocker for HDMI or DP to prevent this.Again, this has nothing to do about the TV's smart apps.
  • mtlynch
    I couldn't understand what this article was saying.There's nothing nefarious about EDIDs. EDIDs are just a way of the monitor to announce its capabilities to the device so that the device and the display can agree on things like resolution, refresh rate, etc. EDIDs are just blobs of data without capability to execute logic, as far as I'm aware.It sounds like the author is claiming that Windows does some sort of driver update in response to EDID announcements, but OP doesn't explain it at all. If that's true, that would entirely be on the Windows end not on the EDID's end. It sounds like Windows is recognizing LG as the manufacturer declared in the EDID and then downloading a driver for LG. I don't think there's any way for the EDID to declare to the OS that it wants to perform a driver update.
  • advael
    It boggles the mind that there are still people out there using windows
  • roscas
    Wise words "Never give ANY smart device internet.".That is just stupid to give internet access to a "smart" tv or a "smart" phone. You have zero control over it.
  • derf_
    Warren Buffett has often said, "In looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if you don't have the first, the other two will kill you."The exact same logic applies to devices you buy. These companies have shown they do not have any integrity. So why would you want buy something from them that is "smart" and never sleeps?
  • pico303
    The solution for smart TVs is to not connect it to the Internet and attach an Apple TV. Sure they’ve gotten expensive, but how much is your privacy worth?
  • robotnikman
    >You know what? There's really nothing good to watch on TV anyways. If Hollywood has to subsidize the television industry just to keep its base, it doesn't have any money to invest in anything new. Every channel just wants to brainwash you. So throwing the Flat Panel into the garbage might be a good idea anyways.Definitely have to agree with the author on that. Only use for a TV for me is for playing on the Steam Machine.
  • hahajk
    > Oh, there's a driver update for the LG television. Makes sense, right? It's a fairly recent television, and the drivers will help us take advantage of all of the TV's features. Of course, I'd like Microsoft to download it.At this point I assume the author was making intentionally bad choices out of morbid curiosity. I can't imagine anyone technical thinking drivers should be required to connect to a TV via HDMI. (or maybe I'm not technical enough)
  • Arubis
    A periodic reminder that you can buy a TV that's not smart. It won't be the fancy Samsung wall-art one and it won't be the absolute shiniest display tech out there, but it will be good enough, it'll be dirt cheap, and it won't have a network port or an 802.11 radio.[Sceptre](https://www.sceptre.com/TV/4K-UHD-TV-category1category73.htm...)'s 4K series is sold at Wal-Mart, often for under half the web-listed prices. I’ve bought a few at the 42” scale for like $180 shipped. They’re fine and they’re incapable of all the spyware bullshit.
  • fg137
    > Amid the overall electronics boom thanks to A.I.What is it talking about? What boom?
  • hackernudes
    I don't actually believe the claims of this blog. A driver for a monitor from Windows update allowing mcafee antivirus and/or other programs to be installed automatically? I think more details should be shared. Also contains a long rant about EDID which I think is unwarranted.
  • VCFundedGenYer
    This is a solved problem and this article completely missed the forest for the trees.Smart TVs are to be plugged in to be updated, and that's it.Their default state is to be permanently offline.Hook up an Apple TV if you want apps.
  • a1o
    Interesting, I knew about these EDID devices to use to pair with KVM for a slightly better experience, but never thought about their use on this perspective!
  • radicaldreamer
    It's not a matter of "cheap", even the high end Sony TVs have spyware on them by default. The best thing you can do is get Claude or Codex to adb into your TV and uninstall all the malware, then keep it disconnected from Wifi and use an external box like Apple TV to watch.Just disconnecting from Wifi often doesn't work because the TV will connect to insecure wifi to upload data and fingerprint what you're watching and who you are.
  • TacticalCoder
    > https://www.s-config.com/microslop/For that link only TFA is worth it.
  • katzgrau
    > crackhead@blorb.localhostChecks out, and I mean that in the kindest way possible
  • testing22321
    > You know what? There's really nothing good to watch on TV anywaysIn Australia TV is colloquially called “the idiot box”A foreign friend asked, “is that because there are only idiots on there, or because you turn into one if you watch too much?”Yes.
  • dpark
    This is an exhausting read. From the diminishing use of the word “rape” to the steam of conscious delivery to the blogspam cliches of hyperbole and exclamation.The malware installed by LG on Microsoft PCs and the spying by smart TVs are both despicable. But I couldn’t get through this article.
  • kova12
    One day someone would reverse engineer the data TV feeds back to mother ship, and makes a fake driver to feed it garbage. Or not garbage. I could see some fun and profit a crowdfunded poison data could generate
  • like_any_other
    The reason this keeps happening btw is because we haven't sent anyone to jail over it. Not even when it's clearly criminal, like when Google tracked location data despite opt-out [1], or when LG did what they're doing now but forgot to bury something about it deep in the EULA [2] (we're all totally on board with click-through EULAs having such power, right?)The 2nd story is crazy - I wonder if I hack LG and start downloading all their trade secrets, when caught, the government would just let me stop the download and face no punishment, if I say I just forgot to ask them for consent. Or maybe it's different if I do the hacking through a backdoored cable I sell them, like they hack us through backdoored TVs.[1] https://inews.co.uk/news/technology/how-to-stop-google-from-...[2] https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/smart-tvs-that-send-data-wit...
  • jqpabc123
    Setup the TV up in "store" or "demo" mode and use it as a simple display without internet access.Connect a mini-PC to provide any "smarts" required.
  • CommanderData
    Samba, a media intelligence company have several partnerships with manufacturers to take screenshots and collect metadata.Who the fuck invited them into the living room? They say it's optional and opt in but I really don't believe that.Edit: it's called ACR and a much bigger problem then I originally thought. Wow.
  • dreamcompiler
    Me to my normie friends and family: "Never connect your TV to the internet."Them: "But then how will I get Netflix?"Me: "Get an Apple TV and connect it to the internet. Then connect that to your TV with an HDMI cable."Them: "I don't need an Apple TV. I just bought a TV!"Me: "Apple TV is not a TV. It's a little box."Them: "Then why does Apple call it a TV?"Me (snarky): "I told Steve Jobs not to call it a TV but he did it anyway."Them: "This is all too confusing. Just buy the things and hook it up. Here's my credit card."Me: "OK"Them (one month later): "Hey our new TV is working great!"Me: "Good!"Them: "Except it shows us an unskippable ad whenever we turn it on, and the ad seems to know a lot about us."Me: "Um...that shouldn't be happening."<investigation begins>Me: "This TV knows your wifi password!"Them: "Oh yeah! After you left last month the TV asked us if we wanted to 'finish the setup process'. So we did what it told us and now it's happy. Aren't you proud of us for figuring that out all on our own?"Me (to myself): choose words carefully before speaking, self
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