This is the real answer. If you don't have any benefit from connecting it to the Internet, don't. Use a separate device for streaming, if you have to. I guess Apple TV or NVIDIA Shield, or Chromecast? I need to look into the benefits, but I don't want to support Roku anymore...

I'm not sure about generally, but on Roku specifically, the first step is to kick it off your network. I Mac address banned mine because it was connected to wireless. Then I could use the menus. I used them to factory reset the TV. During the reset process you hit "do this later" on anything that is trying to get you to connect to the Internet. Afterwards, you've got a plain dumb TV.

I've heard that too. I've also verified that the only unsecured network in range is my own mobile hotspot, and never once seen my TV (or anyone else's in my apartment building) connect to it. We really need to stop saying that this is a thing that's happening when the only evidence for it is "someone somewhere said it once"

Definitely not at a loss. Just with a smaller margin.

I know smart TVs get a lot of shit here, but I get the desire to have one remote, no need to configure a universal remote, and no need to manage inputs.

Personally, I think HDMI CEC is the best way to simplify remotes and input management, but I can understand why my folks would not even want to think about external devices and would want to buy one rectangle that has all the things in it already, including an app for their cable channels.

It’s an appealing user experience proposition, but it’s often executed poorly, and creates more e-waste.

That's insane. I know it's a ball ache to move them but I'd have taken that thing right back and gotten a refund.

I have a Sceptre tv. I use it as a TV and computer monitor. I don't remember exactly when I bought it, but it has been at least several years-maybe a decade, and it works great.

The only issue is I think I damaged the screen slightly a year or two ago while cleaning. Most of the time the damage isn't visible and is very small, so I don't worry about it. Well...and I had to replace the remote once as some buttons stopped working properly. Otherwise I have been using it without problem.