I got this popup ad on my TV **while watching a DVD**
we live in hell
I don't even understand the pitch? you have the disc playing, in your hands, your ownership, no buffering, no subscription required. and they're saying....hey do you want a worse experience?
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You can save the cash and just never let it connect to the internet.
Be careful because they automatically ping around for passwordless wifi
Really ? Not surprised in the least, but do you have a source for this?
Fire Stick auto connecting: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25275350
Samsung Smart TV auto connecting: https://web.archive.org/web/20210830002600/https://forum.developer.samsung.com/t/if-you-choose-to-not-connect-your-samsung-smart-tv-to-wifi-it-will-secretly-connect-to-your-neighbours-passwordless-wifi/7926
Faraday cage it is!
Holy shit. That sucks.
Thanks for replying!
Easy workaround: live in the countryside with no neighbours.
This. It's a simple as a really good router or a pihole at home or similar. Just block their domains they ring home to.
Yes, and now an option for the 99% of population that has no IT background lol
Serious question: How much of a brick risk is opening up one of these smart tvs and ripping out the wifi card? Can't connect to the internet if you don't have the hardware to do so.
(Obviously pretty high if legit caveman-style ripping out. Could also be really hard, I have no idea).
Works fine, I have two smart TVs I did that to.
This would work, but why not just not connect it to Internet?
They could have a partnership with xfinity to use all those "open" WiFi networks, for one. Or some other sneaky way of sending data.
This was my thinking as well, plus addressing the 'solution for those without IT experience' bit. Search for video/article on removing wireless connectivity hardware, grab your screwdriver and get to work.
Still takes some work, obviously, and a lot of people are scared to void warranties/open up consumer electronics, but from the outside it sounds more straight-forward than futzing about with network settings. IMO worth it if concerned about the connectivity bits, willing to do it and the price is right for the TV as a dumb TV.
Alternatively, use used dumb TVs for as long as you can.
It's not particularly hard to open and disconnect the Wi-Fi antenna. But it probably voids the warranty.
I'm not excited for the day they realize that HDMI allows the transmission of network traffic through the device it's plugged into.
Why that's in the design, I don't know. But I also don't understand why HDMI has fucking DRM built into it.
If I remember correctly, the DRM was a result of pushback from the MPAA back when Blue-Ray and HD-DVD were coming out. They didn’t want a digital signal that could be easily recorded like S-Video or composite.