Hey #Fediverse, has anyone heard of a #FreeSoftware / #OpenSource "Smart TV" project? Something like what #OpenWRT is for WiFi routers?
@rysiek you mean like Kodi?
@tbr yes, but specifically able to run directly on a "Smart TV" as its OS.
I would be interested in being able to replace whatever BS proprietary OS is running on a TV with something under my control.
@kravietz @rysiek someone already mentioned openelec, which is a minimalist distro intended for Kodi.
Kodi as "User interface" is also known to run on other embedded operating systems, e.g. distros built using Yocto and the openembedded frameworks.
There's nothing stopping you from running that directly on a TV, except of course reverse engineering the tuner and other interfaces.
I run my bedroom "TV" from an embedded board into a simple LCD screen. openelec+kodi
Never looked back.
Some smart TV run proprietary OS, some run Android. But even with the latter it's nothing different than vendor-supplied #android in smart phones - packed with spyware and proprietary apps.
While reflashing smartphones is well engineered, I don't think this is the same case now with smart TV.
So probably best get a "dumb" TV and just run OpenELec on a plug-in stick like the one mentioned by @tbr
Are you sure it doesn't run all the spyware stack in the background anyway?
@randynose @kravietz@social.privacytools.io @tbr thank you for your valuable input. I would have never thought about not connecting the TV to my network. Not to mention that this completely solves the related security issues - after all Bluetooth and WiFi are known to be rock-solid secure, especially in embedded devices like TVs. You have been of great help.
@randynose It would matter of course. Some TV has voice command features that run all the time, on who knows what else. @kravietz @rysiek @tbr
@randynose No surrender. It would be just a matter of time till the TV gets connected somehow, a visitor, a neighboor, DLNA, screencasting, open network from a Hotspot, bluetooth, TNT, who knows.
@kravietz
Guys!
Just because the TV is a "smart" TV doesn't mean you have to use the TV app. Use a computer or whatever hooked up to the TV as a monitor. Don't enable or use the parts you don't want.
@rysiek @tbr