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this post was submitted on 10 Feb 2025
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TechTakes
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Big brain tech dude got yet another clueless take over at HackerNews etc? Here's the place to vent. Orange site, VC foolishness, all welcome.
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Re: Smart TVs, what works for me is a Roku TV, skip all of the sign-in shit (don't even connect it to the internet
update firmware via USB if necessary^1^). Then, plug in whatever devices and navigate to them. Close enough to a dumb TV for me.
I almost have Android TV figured out: Bought a cheap Onn Android TV box, sideloaded SmartTube in case I need to rewatch The Gemsbok's Video performing an existentialist reading of Fucking Dark Souls^2^, installed MullvadVPN^3^, and sideloaded whatever other apps I needed. The only reason I say it is almost figured out is I couldn't bypass the Google account creation/login
an insufficient stopgap is to create a throwaway account, though it's very hard to do this in a way that isn't linked to your real identity, I think.
(This will be part of my "how to privify/securify your shit" series, if I ever learn to write.)
1: it isn't
2: this sounds angry but it's more pumped up, this shit rules
3: note that "block connections without VPN" is built into regular Android, but not Android TV, as far as I can tell
I tried something similar with my Steam Deck (Bazzite + Gamescope works OKish) but I got tired of using a KB+M.
I will let you know if I figure out any way to bypass Google account creation. I have this old bullshit Amazon Fire HD 6 (Fire 6 HD? Who fucking names this shit?) that I am trying to fuck with and you can bypass connecting to the internet at all by
clicking any SSN → back → not now, so maybe it's possible on some Android TV devices. Or maybe not and I can finally get around to reading Don Quixote.Edit: turns out you can remove your Google account from the device after you've reached the home screen, which is a better solution. Also, should have mentioned that I replaced the stock launcher.
That's awesome. :)