I would like all communication unnessary to basic function reduced to zero if possible, but mostly I just don't want shitty devices acting as security holes in the local network. I guess I could isolate them to their own network, but I know phones constantly ping everything around them, are these doing the same? I just want a dumb fucking device that plays netflix & hulu or whatever, that I can also link to plex or side load something if I want. Like tv without spyware...?
Discussion
I can ask about a system that can do this that’s not basically a PC.
I don’t trust integrated TVs. Fuck those things.
I guess a Roku (separate device from TV) isolated and only able to connect out to respective services could work.
You’d have to get network engineer creative in terms of what you’d want it to access on your network as well.
Might be a good exercise in terms of what’s out there in general.
I hate smart TVs…
Yeah the tv's seem worse than the separate devices, but they are all bad.
The real problem is that even if I bought a PC I don't know if there is really any software with a simple normie friendly UI to manage netflix & hulu & whatever with a remote.
I'm trying to update my parents' whole network & make sure there are no devices slowing things down, while also ensuring there aren't major security holes. I'm putting openwrt on some routers which is already a pain in the ass. And it seems like a waste of time to do that & then put the passwords into a $40 piece of pure spyware.
As ridiculous as it sounds, Ubuntu with icons enlarged & a bunch of stuff removed & the right shortcuts to netflix & hulu web portals & a decent remote to move the mouse or select things might work 🤔
There has to be something that would work...
Thats what i am trying to do too. I got brave browser, install the website for the service as an app and then its an icon on the desktop one can click on. Still in process of onboarding fam but its doable.
I literally did this for my dad, using big iDesk icons and a wireless keyboard/mouse combo, HDMI-ed to his big screen.
He wasn't well at the time, and he passed away two months later, so I couldn't really say if this is a good way to do it.
His Kodi RPi was working, but the TV-style five button interface and deeply nested menus kept losing him.
Put the untrusted devices on a guest network.