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Comment by cameldrv | Hacker News Reader

Ultimately, few people understand that this is a problem or that they should want a dumb TV. The manufacturers make money from the smart features by selling the data and by getting a cut of subscription revenue, so smart TVs can be sold cheaper than dumb TVs.

The FBI issuing a warning about this is helpful. It may help create a market for dumb TVs that cost more than smart TVs.

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so is the fbi just reporting on the cia now? I mean, Project Weeping Angel is pretty well-known by now, right?

ref: https://wikileaks.org/ciav7p1/cms/page_12353643.html

>The manufacturers make money from the smart features by selling the data and by getting a cut of subscription revenue, so smart TVs can be sold cheaper than dumb TVs.

Yeah, this is like how a laptop can be sold cheaper with Windows OS than with Linux: the Windows version is preloaded with a ton of crapware that the mfgr gets paid to preload, so even with the enormous (as a fraction of BOM) price of the Windows license, the laptop comes out cheaper.

Make a deal to bundle Roku sticks with the TV to reduce the cost maybe?

I understand, but recall seeing literally zero "dumb" TV options at Best Buy at the size I was looking for.

Because who is going to buy a more expensive dumb TV? I just buy the smart TV and don't connect it to wifi.

That works if your TV allows that. I'm pretty sure I've read that some models simply won't work if they don't have internet access.

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