For years, when I got a new smart TV, I would simply pretend it wasn’t smart and go straight to my streaming box. This started when I got a Google Chromecast, it continued when I swapped to a Fire TV Stick, and it still continues with my bedroom’s Roku Ultra. When I had my Sony Bravia, I did the same thing by using an Apple TV 4K instead of my TV’s Google TV interface. I just never saw the need to use those interfaces if I already had a streaming box, and that meant there was no reason to have my TV connected to Wi-Fi.
I didn’t need the latest software update for my TV since I didn’t rely on it for anything, so it never made sense to have Wi-Fi turned on. The worst-case scenario is that I’d get some update that would break VRR or something, so I took away the possibility of that. All of this changed when I got a Fire TV that came built-in with Alexa+.
Alexa+ is a voice assistant that comes with the TV, and instead of picking up a remote to talk into, I can just talk to my TV without picking anything up. I use it quite a bit, and it’s how I turn my TV on and off. Even for basic tasks like turning the TV on, I need an internet connection, or Alexa doesn’t work. This means my Wi-Fi needs to be on all the time, and it’s a price worth paying if you ask me.
Alexa made me break my one rule
I’m a rule breaker now
A lot of people keep the Wi-Fi turned off on their TV due to privacy concerns. There was a lot of chatter about LG TVs spying on you, and the way to avoid that was to keep them offline. That’s never been the reason I kept mine offline, but I suppose it’s one of the benefits of doing so. There’s obviously something to be concerned about with your TV having a microphone that’s always listening to your every move, and I completely understand people who don’t want to deal with that.
I’ve used my fair share of smart devices over the years that are always listening, so this is nothing new to me. What’s surprising is that the Alexa voice controls don’t seem to be nearly as sensitive as something like my Google Home. Your mileage may vary, but my biggest concern is that the TV would pick up on something I say during a conversation and start talking to me, but that hasn’t happened. That’s not to say it won’t happen to you, but I can rest easy knowing one of my fears isn’t a reality.
Voice controls are an interesting thing because I never realized how much I relied on them. I switched to a universal remote for my TV, Apple TV 4K, and receiver, and in doing so, I ditched my Apple TV remote. My universal remote doesn’t have voice controls, and I found myself typing things into YouTube that I would’ve otherwise used voice controls for. This is a situation where I can use both, although it means I have to use my TV’s YouTube app for search instead of the Apple TV 4K, but it’s really not that bad in practice.
It’s just such a convenience to be able to swap my HDMI port or turn the TV off without having to reach for anything. It sounds weird, but it’s stuff like this that makes technology feel like it’s moving forward into the future. I know voice controls have been around for a while, but being able to leave the remote on the couch feels revolutionary, at least for me.
You usually don’t need to have your Wi-Fi on
If you don’t use your TV, you don’t need it
A lot of people buy smart TVs, but it’s not for the TV’s smart functionalities. If you’re searching for better picture quality or audio, it’s often in the form of streaming boxes. People rave about the Apple TV 4K’s performance, and if you have one of those, you don’t need to rely on your TV’s smart TV capabilities at all. At that point, you’re basically buying the TV for its screen, which is how things used to be.
If that’s how you treat your TV, then there’s really no reason to connect your TV to the internet. I can think of some outliers, like how my Sony Bravia X90J received an update after it came out that gave it VRR capabilities, so that was an obvious reason on why I needed to connect to the internet. Aside from things like that, you’re probably fine with keeping your TV as a “dumb” TV if you have an external source like a streaming stick or box that you use. Of course, doing this would lock you out of Alexa+ as well, so that’s something you’ll have to weigh too.
