Instead of ‘splurging’ on a dumb tv bc they’re more expensive now thanks to the data sompanies sell off of smart tvs I was considering getting a smart tv and dumbing it down. Is the way to do this never connecting it to the internet? And is that the only way?
You would want to make sure the model you get doesn’t require agreeing to its terms & conditions or letting it update its firmware before you can select an input port.
Also, the only way to be sure it can’t give away your data is to open it up and physically disconnect its wireless network module(s). (And never plug in a network cable, of course.) You could instead simply not give it a wifi password, but then you would be gambling on the hope that it won’t quietly connect to whatever neighborhood or drive-by open networks it finds on its own.
Also bear in mind that buying a smart TV signals to vendors that those are desirable, and rewards manufacturers for producing them, thereby making the problem worse in the long run.
I avoid the issue by using a projector or computer monitor for watching video. If I were to buy a TV, I would consider dumb models from the likes of Sceptre, and console gaming monitors like those from Philips.
Here’s a relevant discussion and article from last year:
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35484594