How to de-Google my Sony TV?

GraphyTaffy

I have successfully migrated to a gos phone and it feels good. Thanks to the gos team.
But now, there is that darn google TV. My threat model is just Big Data. I don't want it to report back my local wifi networks and bluetooth environment and I want to be able to clear state (cookies?) whenever I want paired with a new IP address so I can reset my online fingerprint. I've done all that with my desktop, but the TV will make all that work useless until I can do the same to it.
Any pointers to resources will be appreciated by myself and others trying to do the same.
Thanks!

makik41438

GraphyTaffy Do you have any way to use USB debugging on it?

inomfood

GraphyTaffy I don't know if this is what you're looking for, but I use a Linux computer plugged in to my Sony TV. Sony TVs (and all google tvs) allow you to set them up in "basic mode" the first time they are powered on. This just allows it to be used as an HDMI monitor essentially.

wrtfrk

GraphyTaffy

TVs are just spyware devices by themselves. The only way to protect yourself is to disconnect them from the internet altogether.

If you want a similar android TV experience you could get an android TV box like an nvidia shield or similar and flash a clean AOSP OS on it. LineageOS supports a couple of these devices. It's not very secure but at least you don't have any software you don't control spy on you. Would be nice if pixel devices could also get an android TV mode so you can permanently connect a pixel tablet to your TV or something (paired with a remote).

missing-root

Use it as a monitor with a separate device. Amazon fire TV sticks are incredibly small, no idea how they can do that. I am doing the same with my Chromebook (running mrchromebox coreboot and Fedora Kinoite)

GraphyTaffy

missing-root What do I do with the TV Android OS? I still don't want Google reporting my network environment and whatever else it's doing.

FishTank444

I prevent my TV from getting access to my home network and use an old computer with Linux and one of those Logitech keyboards with the trackpad built in to control it. The keyboard sucks but there may be better ones out there and I'm willing to make that compromise.

GraphyTaffy

FishTank444 How do you stream? With a different broadband service than the one for your home?

spammerofspam

GraphyTaffy The TV shouldn't have any way to send data home if it's not on your network / some network with Internet access. Even if it collects data, how would it send it home without network access?

pebcak

GraphyTaffy

Read books and listen to music instead

FishTank444

GraphyTaffy The computer uses proton's always on VPN. Just access streaming platforms on their desktop sites.

GraphyTaffy

FishTank444 Ah, thanks. I have a paid proton account, but never used it for streaming. Does it work well with Amazon, Netflix, and Youtube?

FishTank444

GraphyTaffy Proton has a VPN. You can choose to have your browsing routed through your own network provider or you can choose to turn on the VPN and have it routed through there instead. Privacy implications aside, it doesn't make a difference for streaming whether you have it on or off unless you need to access content that is only accessible from certain countries.

AlphaElwedritsch

GraphyTaffy Does it work well with Amazon, Netflix, and Youtube?

then you can keep your Sony TV with Android.
either you are consistent or you can save yourself the whole hassle.

GraphyTaffy

makik41438 I don't know. I've never rooted or unlocked it, if that's what you mean.

GraphyTaffy

inomfood set them up in "basic mode"

Is that still possible? I reset to factory about 3 months ago and was blocked until I entered my Google creds. I didn't seriously try to get past it, so maybe I missed something.

Residence2005

I dont know tour needs. Maybe a BASIC IPTV + Torrent movies are enough. For this Kodi can pretty much deliver this for your.

GraphyTaffy

Residence2005 I'm a newb at all this, so I'm considering all setups. But my basic needs are avoiding tracking as with a desktop or gos phone.

For those with a basic PC and dumb TV/monitor, does Netflix and Amazon reduce the resolution down to SD? I heard this on another forum about unlocking the boot loader of Android TVs and/or rooting them which caused the DRM to revert to the lesser L3 which caused all content to only be delivered at SD resolution.

I have an old GeForce gaming rig with unregistered Windows that I could dual boot into something else that is safe. Can I setup something with a remote control. Do I just run everything through a browser? Is it still 4K?

FishTank444

GraphyTaffy Just try it man. The TV will just be a monitor. You can answer these questions for yourself if you plug it in and see what happens.

GraphyTaffy

FishTank444 LOL, if I thought this was a great idea, i would.

missing-root

GraphyTaffy this is the only way.

GrapheneOS is not just Android with a bit of debloating. It is huge work to make it private. And Android phones are based on the FOSS AOSP.

I am not sure about Android TV, but they will likely have a ton of additional proprietary stuff on it, for like everything. The UI etc?

You simply cannot use any random TV privately, if you are not able to build an OS that has the correct drivers (hardware) and features (software) you need.

I use a Chromebook as my "TV". There is no Linux Desktop that works well, apart from Plasma Bigscreen, but not sure.

Depends on your media consumption too. No idea what you do. I am really happy with my TV user account, movie collection, and remote control via KDE Connect.

Speeduser7533

Basically just plug your streaming device (Firestick, Roku, etc.) into an HDMI port. Do not setup a network connection on the TV itself, either hardwired or wifi.

On my network, I run a pfSense router with pfBlockerNG. It stops boatloads of traffic trying to reach my streaming device.