I have a smart LG connected to a blu-ray player and a computer for gaming/streaming. It has never been joined to the wifi. It is hooked to the network for firmware updates via cat5 wire, but that wire is physically unplugged all the time. If I want something streamed, I stream it off the computer. I've not seen any degradation from the TV, it just works. Problem solved?
LG TVs can be updated from a USB drive. This lets you get firmware updates without needing to do a factory reset to remove the ads that would otherwise be downloaded when you connect to the internet.
If a TV is being used only as a display for external devices such as Apple TV or gaming consoles, it is a reasonable assumption to assume the TV will never need a firmware update.
At least in my 15 years of using flat panel TVs, I have never seen a need for a firmware update.
> At least in my 15 years of using flat panel TVs, I have never seen a need for a firmware update.
Never had any HDMI negotiation issues or CEC issues or OTA demuxer crashes, I guess? Or adaptive backlight dimming issues... Lots of software in TVs these days.
HDMI version updates may cause machines with older decoders to not work without an update. Its no biggie until you attach a streaming service dongle and it can't send its encrypted HDMI.
Smart TV companies are going to begin to move to tech like this to pick up the telemetry when a jogger comes by with an airtag type device in their wallet:
It could happen with one of the firmware updates you plug in for, and when you plug in it could also dump stored telemetry, in some cases (Samsung) including screenshots of your desktop if you use your TV as a monitor.
