Dumb TVs are a nostalgic waste of money

The question of whether you can still buy a “dumb” TV comes up quasi-regularly in tech journalism. I understand why. On a basic level, that’s how TVs worked for decades, and it’s not like smart tech is essential. You can still tune into over-the-air broadcasts if you’ve got an antenna, or hook up an external Blu-ray or DVD player if you’ve got a decent library. Other people just loathe the idea of having to pay for features they’re not going to use, or have concerns about data collection. Those aren’t entirely unfounded, given how many sets have ACR on by default.