OT: smart TV....

[DR]

We have a couple Visio smart TV's, older and I'm not so the sure how smart these really are.

My wife is the one who uses the TV's, she watches local stations via an antenna. Recently on one of the TV's she was no longer able to access the local channels. Visio has a good customer service so she got a tech who said they had now enabled local stations on the TV. The tech told her how to watch them and all is good now. Oh, and the other identical TV still acts the way it did using an antenna for locals (apparently it wasn't enabled??). The tech was obviously not a native English speaker consequently some of what was told to my wife was far from clear to my wife.

My question comes down to can and do smart TV's get updated as was described to my wife. These TV's have no direct internet connection, just wi-fi.

[I make chips]

Sounds like she changed the input from antenna to something else. The tech got her back onto the antenna.

[Michael Edwards]

These TV's have direct internet connection via wi-fi.

FIFY

[Mike Amick]

Dr must edited his post (weird that it doesn't note that) but his current post doesn't say anything about internet hookup. I think
I make chips got it.

[mikey553]

TVs, even older ones, have several inputs, including an antenna or cable input. You can switch from one input to another via a remote control. If this TV was used exclusively for watching local stations via an antenna, she may have accidentally switched the input from antenna to another one.

[RB211]

No internet but has wifi? Does the Wifi provide internet? If so, its on the internet. Yes, they will update firmware if connected.
Smart TV's are great for streaming services.

[Glug]

There are many reasons to not allow your 'smart' tv to access the internet.

[I make chips]

There are many reasons to not allow your 'smart' tv to access the internet.

Yeah, same with our computer, phone, alexa, siri and so many other devices. We all will be surprised at how many things we own that report back to the mother ship. Stoves, ovens, fridges, health devices and so on. So many of these have a built in wifi system and these systems will burrow into your house wifi and happily send data to our overlords. And you have no idea it happens.

[RB211]

It's too late, our data is already stored.
This past trip I flew into LAX from Japan. I have to get cleared through customs before I am allowed back into the USA, just standard stuff. The customs agent did not ask to see my passport, just look into the camera. He then said, "Welcome back Mr. Xxxxx Xxxxx. He knew who I was just by the camera looking at my face.

[deltap]

It's too late, our data is already stored.
This past trip I flew into LAX from Japan. I have to get cleared through customs before I am allowed back into the USA, just standard stuff. The customs agent did not ask to see my passport, just look into the camera. He then said, "Welcome back Mr. Xxxxx Xxxxx. He knew who I was just by the camera looking at my face.

Same with the cruise ships. Process 3500 passengers in a short time.

[ChazzC]

It's too late, our data is already stored.
This past trip I flew into LAX from Japan. I have to get cleared through customs before I am allowed back into the USA, just standard stuff. The customs agent did not ask to see my passport, just look into the camera. He then said, "Welcome back Mr. Xxxxx Xxxxx. He knew who I was just by the camera looking at my face.

I lost 90 lbs a few years ago, after I renewed my passport & Global Entry (both using existing on-file photos that were 10 years old). I got a new Driver’s License, but when I asked CBP about the passport & GE they said “don’t bother: with the facial recognition we have you’d have to have had major facial bone damage to need a new photo.”

[bborr01]

If your television is hooked to wifi it is on the internet and yes they do automatically update software if the settings are enabled to do that. Several years ago we got one of those wifi hotspots that allowed us to use 15 Gb of high speed data before they throttled it back. Brought it back to our trailer in the middle of nowhere and it worked great. Got up the next day and checked our usage and we had used about 2 Gb of data with very little usage. It was because when we hooked our televisions and devices to the wifi they all updated and it took a lot of data. The people at the store that sold us the hotspot told us to turn off auto updates which we did and it saved a lot of data. We just updated when we were on unlimited wifi.

[JRouche]

My TV, and yes, I like to watch TV. So you anti TV folks can just say No at this point LOL My TV is a "smart tv" my first and only. I wanted to shut it down, listening? . They are all different.

I kind of like it now. I disb;ed the microphone, you should too. JR

[SLK001]

If your TV is connected to the internet (any way), it can update its own software. Depending on the update, an entire "reboot" of the TV will be necessary - ie, a complete setup, which includes a rescan of all available channels. If you connected your TV to the internet, I hope that you are at least streaming some video - otherwise, don't connect to the net.

[Joel]

- otherwise, don't connect to the net.

No internet, no guide. IIRC, some other functions didn't work either. I did delete my Roku account after setup though. Ridiculous, but that is the world we live in now - you are stuck (if you don't agree to EULA's, you simply can't use products, for example). At least everything is really cheap...