i already said why. there are stories where an update now injects ads into the tv, more than were there when you bought it. so after you can’t return it, well, now it’s “updated” and can’t take the piece of shit back.

using a 3rd party device still leaves you in some sort of control. i use an nvidia shield, which definitely does add better functionality, but if it starts acting stupid, i flash it back to defaults/roll back any updates or i replace it, tv unchanged.

and power usage is negligible at best.

here is one story - https://choice.community/t/samsung-now-injecting-ads-into-your-smart-tv/26124

spying - https://money.cnn.com/2015/02/09/technology/security/samsung-smart-tv-privacy/index.html

phone updates can do the same - https://old.reddit.com/r/ShittyDesign/comments/1fqy9rh/samsung_wants_to_turn_my_charging_screen_into_ads/

bottom line, if you don’t control the device, you have no say in what gets update/installed/“upgraded” to support more ads. on an external device, i know how to wipe it/block updates. on the tv, best i could do is factory reset it, im IT, not TV.

also, samsung tvs have a “sleep” mode where with the right button presses, can turn into a recording device where an attacker can see/hear everything in the room. built in backdoors!