Comment on Is it possible to install my own OS on a "smart" TV? Is that a thing?

finitebanjo@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

• lousyd@lemmy.sdf.org ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  I was thinking that if somebody knows how to do that, they probably also have an opinion on which brands of TV are better or worse for it.

  I don’t own a TV right now but plan to in the future.

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  • finitebanjo@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨day⁩ ago

    Ah, well, the biggest thing you have to worry about is that most vulnerabilities that would allow users to get ROOT access have been patched for old and new TVs, so you might want to be selective if you don’t want to do it the hard way. You need to know which TV OS you’re dealing with before you can look for the necesary tools.

    The hard way is removing the SoC processor from the board, buying a custom mount for it, and using the debug pins to flash the OS. Most of the legwork has been done already for this method. www.synacktiv.com/en/publications/i-hack-u-boot

    Something to keep in mind is that the processors in smart TVs are almost always pathetically slow. Also, the streaming services compatible with these TVs require hardware encryption so if your modified OS mimics the old one but isn’t verified then they will refuse to run. You would get better performance from using a computer connected to the HDMI port, or even a Raspberry Pi as your TV Box.

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