Because it’s not so much brand specific as it’s device specific. Companies are still testing the waters with adding this to their differently priced lineups to see what backlash they get from each group.
If you’re one of those customers who has to do this, connect it via ethernet, do the setup, then forever leave it disconnected. Never give it your wireless credentials. I personally wouldn’t trust the TV to forget the credentials and not phone home and make itself the ad machine the company wants it to be
If you don’t have this ability because the TV isn’t close to a router or if the manufacturers get so scummy that they no longer include Ethernet ports, you could accomplish this by setting up a “burner” hotspot on your phone and doing tethering. Change the name and password to something you’d never use and then let the TV connect to that and then change it to something else. TV may remember it but it won’t find that exact combo again unless you want it to :)
nobody has answered this question on multiple fora for me: is it necessary to connect a smart tv to the internet?
can i keep it forever on “aeroplane mode” or whatever and use it as a dumb tv? can i never connect it to the internet if that’s what i want?
No. You can keep it offline as much as you want and use external sources to view on your TV. You do not have to use the operating system included.
You do not have to connect it to the internet to have your TV work.
Generally not required, but some are starting to require at least one time connection during TV setup process to use it.
I keep seeing this posted but I have yet to see anyone mention which brands are actually doing this.
Because it’s not so much brand specific as it’s device specific. Companies are still testing the waters with adding this to their differently priced lineups to see what backlash they get from each group.
If you’re one of those customers who has to do this, connect it via ethernet, do the setup, then forever leave it disconnected. Never give it your wireless credentials. I personally wouldn’t trust the TV to forget the credentials and not phone home and make itself the ad machine the company wants it to be
If you don’t have this ability because the TV isn’t close to a router or if the manufacturers get so scummy that they no longer include Ethernet ports, you could accomplish this by setting up a “burner” hotspot on your phone and doing tethering. Change the name and password to something you’d never use and then let the TV connect to that and then change it to something else. TV may remember it but it won’t find that exact combo again unless you want it to :)
If a tv requires me to sign up, it’s either getting returned or an axe through it.