Jim StormdancerOur TV just went kaput (after 11 years, thank you for your service) and there's no way I'm getting an Internet-connected TV because I'm already worried enough about my blood pressure. There don't seem to be many consumer options, but is there some reason why we shouldn't just get a commercial display intended for digital signage, like this one?
Cort@mogwai_poet YMMV, but I have this article bookmarked for when it's time to buy another dumb TV. It's got some brand recommendations toward the end. https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/12/the-ars-technica-guide-to-dumb-tvs/
Andrew Plotkin@cort @mogwai_poet I just went through this a couple of months ago. There are almost no non-smart consumer TVs left.
I bought a commercial display (Samsung BEFX-H) and, guess what, it has a smart-tv app in it *anyway*.
But I am able to use it without signing into anything or giving it my wifi password. The app has a switch to turn off wifi, and I *think* it's being honest about it.
@cort Yeah, this looks useful
Jesse Morris@mogwai_poet At the escape room we have now-normal modern smart TVs and just never give them the WiFi password and that works totally fine. They can still show HDMI!
@aubilenon Yeah that seems sensible
niven's theorem@mogwai_poet you can just get a smart TV (they are dirt cheap because they are subsidized by ads) and then install android/linux on it
@mogwai_poet AFAICT the difference between a "display" and a "TV" is that a TV has a number of input options and a way to change between them, as well as built-in audio and ways to control said audio.
@cosine @mogwai_poet True, the Samsung I got was labelled as a “business-class TV". Has sound. (My partner thinks I need to add a sound bar, though.)
@zarfeblong @cosine Yeah the internet consensus seems to be to just make sure it's one of the ones that still works if you don't give it the wifi password and you'll be fine
sbszine@mogwai_poet I've got an LG G3 smart TV and it's quite happy to be a dumb monitor for my Apple TV. The TV itself has never had an internet connection and works wonderfully, so if you can find one of those you're good. If you want to avoid consumer TVs entirely a big computer monitor is your best bet I reckon.
@mogwai_poet Also as others mentioned you will need some way of switching inputs & providing speakers if you decide to avoid a smart TV. An AV receiver is best but that's extra money. Make sure whatever screen you buy comes with a remote or can wake on an HDMI signal.
Declan@mogwai_poet fwiw I got a Sony (a80j) because any internet stuff is completely skippable, and there’s no nags once it’s set up. It literally just displays the things that are plugged in, and I don’t have to worry about adding an account, connecting to WiFi, ads, spying, or anything other creepy modern TV thing. Not sure on more recent models, but maybe worth checking?