This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
Raspberry pi with OSMC (Kodi on Linux) OSMC remote control (A Vero is good too.) Large storage drive
You can get a plug-in to watch YouTube, you can watch local movies, you can build your own media library using local software and it'll be small enough to carry it around in your pocket.
DVD player and a library card
I need a library card.
I hear they're extremely affordable.
But then THEY know what you took home from the library!
Borrow randoms things alongside what you really want to scramble data
How is using a government service that literally keeps track of everything you borrow, avoiding surveillance?
Not hating on libraries at all, they are awesome. But you do realize that it would be trivial for the federal government to obtain that data, right?
Most public libraries delete identifiable records as soon as you’ve returned the materials, post-Patriot Act. Your librarian should be able to tell you how long your local system keeps your data. Public librarians, on the whole, fucking hate government surveillance.
Source: I am a former public librarian.
Either use over the air TV and don't connect your TV to the internet or pirate whatever you want using a VPN or seedbox.
Or buy and rip content.
HTPC + wireless mouse
All other solutions are memes.
Don't need to use a wireless mouse, could probablyget a Bluetooth remote and set up an app to launch on startup or an operating that supports it.
I've not used these as I just use plex on my android tv, but they sound like they might work and will probably try them at some point as the android part of the tv seems to be getting slower with every update:
https://alternativeto.net/software/stremio/about/
https://alternativeto.net/software/plex/?license=opensource&platform=linux
if you want a pragmatic answer, apple tv with emby or jellyfin+infuse works for me. not saying apple is perfect but at least their business model is not 100% dependent on monetizing your data and targeted ads.
I've never personally messed with it but if you have a Chromecast already then you could try installing LineageOS
Jellyfin and biiiig collection of series & movies.
Plex tracks everything you watch
Why did I write Plex? I moved to Jellyfin maybe 3 or 4 years ago and never looked back. I have to edit my comment.
s/plex/jellyfin/
In the meantime, you can turn off a lot of Google's tracking, or at least their record keeping. Make sure you've disabled all of the tracking you can.
Ironic, I use a smart TV that's not connected to a network as a monitor. It can view some DVBT too, but only a handful channels. I basically never watch actual TV, just sometimes a video. TV feels like a gigantic waste of time.
Over the air broadcasts, DVD and Blurays from thriftshops bought with cash, jelly for your dowloads you get over VPN.
Are over the air broadcasts still a thing? Sorry if that's a stupid question. Used DVD's and Blu-ray's are a certified fuck yeah.
Yes. We don't watch it a ton because of ads, but it absolutely exists. In fact, I assume that's how most people watch major events like the Super Bowl (US) or the Olympics. We get a couple dozen channels, maybe more (haven't counted), and the only ones we watch regularly are PBS (kids cartoons, informative shows) and the local university's channel.
Oh, and radio also exists, in case you're too zoomer to know. :) I listen to it every day on the way to/from work in my car.
in case you’re on the older side, in addition to what they said in the other comment OTA broadcasts are now digital HD.
We just use a dumb TV and free antenna service.
Check Tyler the Antenna Man, he knows more than I..
If by mainstream channels you mean major streaming services then there is no perfectly private option. But I would recommend an AppleTV as the closest thing (it also doesn’t have ads which I really appreciate).
Other than that your options are devices that can’t access major streaming services at greater than 720p and are hackily put together on multiple levels but are fine for streaming local media you host yourself or more expensive than ATV devices and modding them with alternative launchers.
Like the actives on that card aren’t tracked.
