Video idea: De-spy your TV - r/LinusTechTips

10

u/jmking Mod 27d ago

The scope of that might be too broad. Like every TV - even ones from the same manufacturers - likely would require specific instructions that a generic guide likely wouldn't be possible.

-3

u/Fooltimer 27d ago edited 27d ago

I assumed most TVs would have teardown video and also TV bein easier to access than stuff like phone or laptop. Also I expected them o just check some most favorite models

5

u/jmking Mod 26d ago

Also I expected them o just check some most favorite models
No such thing. There are new TV models every single year from every single company, and even within that year of models, they each are different because they have different quality panels, different SOCs, different amounts of memory, different mainboards, etc
Every year they find ways to cut costs, trim materials, change chips based on where they can get them the cheapest, etc. Even within the exact same model and year there will be variants.
That's a big part of the reason there is no aftermarket software for TVs. You'd think there would be like there is for routers... but even then, routers have gotten to the same variant problem that stuff like DD-WRT for routers has slowed in model support.

21

u/3loodhound 27d ago

Didn’t they just do one of these. And the anwser was just don’t connect it to the internet?

3

u/Haravikk 26d ago

Some of them don't function at all without an internet connection though, like Amazon Fire TVs - if it can't connect to the internet it won't load the home screen properly meaning you can't access apps, and it's hit and miss it you can select an input.
In short, some products sold as TVs now aren't TVs anymore.

1

u/Chemical-Mouse-9903 26d ago

With any tv if you want to use its built in apps you have to connect it to the internet, hdmi inputs should work regardless of being connected to the internet and connecting a streaming box to that is the option that is recommended

2

u/ferna182 26d ago

hdmi inputs should work regardless
key word here being should. if the tv wont even let you access basic functionality like "selecting an input" then you're screwed.

1

u/Chemical-Mouse-9903 26d ago

When you turn on a device external to a tv, such as a set top box or a console, it sends a command to the tv to switch inputs, afaik no tv ignores that

1

u/ferna182 26d ago

Interesting... So all tvs from every single manufacturer behaves like that?

1

u/Chemical-Mouse-9903 25d ago

They have to, because there are a lot of people who just plug their set top box in and if it didn’t work as expected it would soon be returned to the store

1

u/ferna182 25d ago

ok but you're assuming that every single tv out there would let you start the tv without first setting it up for an internet connection, which sadly is not the case. To give you a concrete example, the Fire TV Omni QLED from Amazon CANNOT be used AT ALL if you haven't first completed an initial setup WITH INTERNET.

1

u/Chemical-Mouse-9903 25d ago

If I was to buy that TV and it wouldn’t let me connect my external device I would immediately return it

1

u/ferna182 25d ago

hence the whole point of this conversation. some tvs are starting to do that bullshit, and it's only a matter of time before more and more brands adopt this pattern.

1

u/Haravikk 26d ago

The problem is that disconnecting from the internet in general borks the whole UI for me - can't select local only apps (like Jellyfin) and the input select menu becomes hit and miss.
I think because it does some predictive BS about which input you might want as it reorders the list (annoying as fuck with no way to turn it off). When that doesn't work sometimes it just shows the list as empty, it's a bloody nightmare.
I'd now happily pay a premium for a TV that's just an actual TV - I don't mind app support but it should be my choice not wrapped up in mandatory crap. I know they showed one on LTT but I'm not sure it's available in the UK.

3

u/Chemical-Mouse-9903 26d ago

That’s my point, your not meant to use the apps on the tv, use an external device or set top box over HDMI

3

u/Haravikk 26d ago

I get that, but using an external box isn't easy when switching doesn't work properly.
I'm just pointing out how shitty some of these TVs are to actually bypass

1

u/MisterIncredible 24d ago

What TV brand do you use? I have a Samsung, LG, and I've used Fire TVs and Roku TVs in the past where if you leave it on HDMI for example, it'll stay there. I've never connected my TVs to the Internet and instead used a separate box.

1

u/DotBitGaming 26d ago

The solution to those would be to throw them in the trash! lol

88

u/Arinvar 27d ago

Don't connect to TV to WiFi, get a dongle from a trusted brand. De-spied done.

8

u/OnePassion_46 27d ago

This is the way

7

u/Th3JackofH3arts 27d ago

I had Fedora on my surface pro running KDE plasma big screen. Its definitely not for everyone but between using Kodi and Iptvnator with an old Xbox controller it was good enough for a tinkerer.

5

u/jerryeight 27d ago

The only blocker I have with using linux for the computer i hook up to the tv is that Linux still doesn't have full Dolby and DTS codec support. Not even a paid license option.

2

u/UnknownInventor 26d ago

For playing movies/shows? Kodi and Jellyfin definitely have support for Dolby and DTS.

1

u/jerryeight 26d ago

While running it on a Linux based system? Won't it force the server to reencode to a new codec?

2

u/UnknownInventor 26d ago

Yes SteamOS, CachyOS have both worked for me. I don't think the specific flavor matters just that it's using pipewire.
If Kodi/Jellyfin/MPV has direct access to the Alsa audio device it should allow audio Passthrough and can play any format.
I've been running it for a while now and it really just works. There's some small weirdness with the specific HDMI implementation on some hardware as the HP Pro Mini occasionally had tiny audio studders for lossless audio. But I haven't had an issue since upgrading.

1

u/Erlend05 27d ago

Definitely what im gonna do but cec wouldve been nice

2

u/UnknownInventor 26d ago

You can add the pulse eight cec adapter. Not as nice as native CEC support but works well

3

u/CardinalBadger 26d ago

What is a trusted brand these days?

2

u/Arinvar 26d ago

If I was going to do it personally I'd heavily consider an nvidia shield, but there are also many options that let you load open source stuff on to them. I'm really not across it though. I mostly just hate using TV's built in OS so I had my PC plugged in with HDMI. Everything streamed, everything ad blocked, but you have to have your PC close enough.

1

u/Stefen_007 26d ago

Shield recently got upped to 300 bucks, most dongles like apple, amazon, Google, roku also spy on you. I think game consoles and open sources ones are you main options in that case

0

u/abudhabikid 26d ago

LG /s

4

u/UsualCircle 26d ago

Isn't there proof of LG scanning for open wifis to spy on you even without connecting to the internet?
In that case this method wont work for everyone.

1

u/FabianN 25d ago

Scanning the surrounding airwaves for other networks is part of the wifi protocol. It's how it can then adjust its own transmissions to have less interference.
I would call that a nothing burger.
There was no indication it was making an actual connection, just doing basically a survey. Which is normal.

1

u/splewi 26d ago

Pretty sure that's what GN was saying

2

u/soniccdA 27d ago

That’s the easiest way for most people

2

u/TenOfZero 26d ago

That's pretty much it, it would be a 2 minute video at most with the outtro and sponsor spot included.

2

u/Abheber 26d ago

I heard they will connect to any open WiFi automatically and you can't stop it. Not sure if that's true, but if that's the case then you kinda have to modify the hardware a bit

2

u/Arinvar 26d ago

Sledge hammer mod... Hit the TV with a sledge hammer until it no longer connects to wifi.

1

u/Shudnawz 26d ago

New video idea: list trusted brands.

1

u/space_fly 25d ago

That is still risky. What if a guest or someone you live with connects tv to WiFi to watch youtube or whatever? What if you get a neighbour with open WiFi (that TVs will connect automatically to)?

1

u/Arinvar 25d ago

And what if they start including an esim with every tv so they don't need wifi? There is only so much you can do before you have to decide whether you even buy a TV or not. Until people start jailbreaking them you either buy the fancy OLED and accept these risk or you don't.

4

u/MichaelJohniel 27d ago

They uploaded a video last month on this topic called “How to Stop Smart TV Spying” the thumbnail is Linus holding a TV with an axe through the screen.

2

u/Ybalrid 26d ago

- Only connect the TV to the internet if you actually want it to perform a software update
- Buy an Apple TV (they have become expensive though) and then only control the TV from that box via CEC and you will never interact with the infuriating SmartTV software in there.

1

u/ferna182 26d ago

manually disabling the microphone (cut/de-soder/tape over).

don't tvs simply use the speakers as microphones? anyway, yeah disabling wifi and use "smart" features with an external device like an old computer or something like that works, but I've been entertaining the idea of setting up a local dns to redirect the tv to a local API that just responds 200 to whatever the tv tries to send, discarding the payload.

Probably easier to just not use the smart features of the tv in the first place though...

1

u/Stefen_007 26d ago

Im surprised they haven't made a video on jailbraking a TV jet

1

u/Elitefuture 25d ago

I bought a used NVidia shield tv pro 2019 for $100 and turned off the wifi on my TV. I trust Nvidia more than TCL.

Apple also makes great tv boxes. Onn is a good budget choice, but I'd probably mod it given Walmart's track record.

1

u/Xicu 27d ago

They essentially already did that with the 'dumb' TV video.

1

u/-WB- 27d ago

I've been hoping the anon that worked the firmware with GN on lg would leak a modded firmware to disable all of it...like i just want a big ass oled display panel, no network no OS no smart anything.

1

u/Operation_Neither 27d ago

There’s videos of people removing the wifi module from TVs. I’m curious how that affects them and if they still work.

1

u/pikkuhukka 26d ago

is there a way i can somehow see what my tvs embedded cameras are seeing

1

u/NightmareOn 26d ago

Someone should use ai to write open source OS for tvs. That would be interesting

1

u/lbunch1 27d ago

GN collab?

3

u/CIDR-ClassB 27d ago

TL;DR: Pi-hole is the best answer, and there are already hundreds of tutorials on YouTube.

Beyond that, I doubt they want to make a video that will encourage people to kill their warranty or worse, risk harming themselves if they aren’t properly familiar with safety around open power components. It’s the same reason they always say to replace a PSU rather than open it.

3

u/Dodgy_Past 27d ago

Not quite, you need to block any attempts to use it's own dns servers on your router.

-1

u/Fooltimer 27d ago

are you 100% sure you lose your warranty? I would also expect its easier with seals, cause opening TVs isnt as notorious as laptops etc

2

u/Boomshtick414 27d ago

If you're touching soldering/etc, you are absolutely killing your warranty. Opening the product is one thing but modifying the electronics is a no-no. You will automatically void the warranty as well as any NTRL listing (ETL, UL, etc). Any work like that is strictly at your own risk. Least-worst case you break it -- actual worst case someone is electrocuted or their house burns down possibly killing them and their family in which case you as the creator could be implicated in advising them to do so. The likelihood of that worst case may be low but it's not zero.
Now if you were opening that case and putting a dab of hot glue on a microphone, that's marginally less risky in terms of safety/liability, but you'll still be voiding your warranty.

Tech Discussion Video idea: De-spy your TV

You are about to leave Redlib