Most smart TV owners do not connect their sets to internet

That is true, they could easily cram a smartphone SOC in there and call it a day.
Also its almost impossible to browse the internet with the TV even though it has one. Its extremely sluggish and renders websites VEEEEEEEEERY slow.

 

Sounds like it's better to connect a computer to the TV and use it as a monitor if you want to browse the internet with it, and do other things too of course.

 

I see a really huge security problem with all of these alternative internet devices.
They are designed primarily for user convenience and when connected to the internet, the user is very often engaged in recreational activities and probably not paying attention to security issues related to banking and downloading from a website suggested by a friend.
For many, I suppose a tablet, smart phone, or smart TV is their first internet appliance and they are pretty much oblivious to the potential danger of logging on to some of the 'fun' websites.
Another problem is the relatively immature security software designed for mobile devices (not including laptops) and the propensity for the casual surfer to ignore common sense procedure.
It seems that these devices are a hackers' paradise.

 

Definitely.
Its better to buy a small HTPC or a Mini Computer than using the Smart Features.

 

http://www.digitaltveurope.net/64132/connected-tvs-move-into-mainstream/

 

http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2013/07/02/philips-reports-increased-smart-tv-usage/

 

http://www.digitaltveurope.net/77522/smart-tvs-get-thumbs-down/

 

I have my 55 inch Sony connected to internet but could really care less. Use my tv to watch regular network shows, all the apps, netflix etc have zero use to me. I do not have to be connected all the time, I do not need a thousand apps available on my tv, I need my tv to watch cable, that is all, all the rest is fluff that networks seemed to have brainwashed the masses that it is needed.

 

I´m also not sure what to think about this smart TV stuff, connecting TV´s to the internet might be a security risk.

Over in Holland they are now offering HbbTV, that should make interactive services more mainstream. It looks kinda cool.

Btw, believe it or not, I´m still using an old skool TV, but I´m planning to buy a plasma soon.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/09/28/wtf_is_hbbtv/

 

Its a dumb terminal like WebTV. You can't download malware to a smart TV or set top box because there's nothing to download to!

 

The HTLML 5 standard in the works is supposed to overcome the problems associated with Flash playback.

 

A dumb terminal doesn't need full processing power. A Smart TV is essentially a glorified web browser. It has its use but most people know it will never do all that a computer can do...

 

Apparently it is indeed possible to hack smart TV´s.

https://securityledger.com/2013/08/samsung-smart-tv-like-a-web-app-riddled-with-vulnerabilities/

 

Maybe the thread title really means "smart | TV owners" rather than "smart TV | owners."

 

So they solution is, if you use Smart TV . . . unplug the LAN cable after every use or better get an HTPC.

 

http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2013/09/24/70-million-us-home-have-smart-tvs-by-2017/

 

http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2013/10/28/73-of-us-consumers-not-interested-in-smart-tv/

 

We have a smart TV, but we found the internet functionality too limited to bother keeping it connected. It doesn't seem to pre-cache video content and it doesn't remember account information for apps like hulu, netflix, and youtube. We are quite literally forced to sign into the apps each time we use it, otherwise we see a lot of pre-video advertisements, age restrictions on content, etc. Our only choice was to use a simpler account password or consider other options. We ended up streaming the content from a netbook that we tether to our big screen. It's much faster to setup and doesn't have the caching problems. At this point, the only reason to recommend buying one of these would be the big HD screen. We hardly go out for movies any more and instead rent movies on-demand (cheaper for multiple people). Snacks are cheaper too. Plus we have way better seats.

 

Will never connect anything to the internet that I don't have to. If I want to brows the net I use my laptop.

 

I don't have a 'smart' TV – but seeing this post reminded me of an article I saw on the Australian ZDNet web site the other day.
Titled - ''Smart TVs are dumb, and so are we'' – it makes for interesting reading concerning the possible security vulnerabilities of Smart TVs.

The opening comment:
''Security researchers have suspected for some time now that smart TVs, or at least the software systems inside them, are actually pretty dumb, and that these network-connected devices could be easy prey for hackers. At the Breakpoint security conference in Melbourne on Thursday, we found out exactly how dumb smart TVs can be''

Link:
http://www.zdnet.com/smart-tvs-are-dumb-and-so-are-we-7000022434/

 

Also in addition to touching on the "brainwashed" hysteria that's gone wild, let me add a very critical overlooked problem very present here in the U.S. States.

By eliminating analog TV completely instead of leaving it a USEFUL alternative or compliment to Pay Digital TV, they've restricted the population to only that in-house resource IN EVENT OF AN APPROACHING WEATHER CATASTROPHE such as where i live, the natural event know as Tornados!

In times before when severe storms took down a particular station, one could quickly access the others on another channel to stay current. And again if all electricity or "power" as it's commonly called now would go off, with a DC battery operated analog TV you would continue to receive analog broadcasts from any of the stations not disrupted and prepare against ruin or at the least stay informed.

Try doing that these days with Digital. It's pretty hard to overcome progress, but just how fully efficient is modern progress today.

It just takes an average rainstorm here to knock out the digital TV reception, and if power goes down? Silence.