I wonder whether buying "smart" TVs, flashing "dumb" firmware onto them, and selling them at a slight markup would be a viable business model. I guess you'd be at high risk of being sued, even if it's entirely legal.
Maybe if I sell Orange Pis with something like Plasma Bigscreen on them set up and ready to go I'll make a website that also lists privacy friendly hardware alternatives with links, like these "dumb" TVs. Getting some ideas from these posts.
Sorry, streaming from a browser on a Linux PC is limited to 540x860 due to an inability to establish an HDCP chain. Have you tried using the TV's native Netflix app instead?
I was reinforcing your point about using a monitor and a Linux PC not being able to replace all the things a smart TV can do. You said streaming would work, but regular TV channels wouldn't, and I pointed out that even streaming would be limited as the major streaming services don't allow full quality via a browser, especially on Linux where HDCP can't work.
Because I like to take advantage of subsidized pricing and I have yet to encounter a brand that's been able to break through my pfSense box's adblocking coupled with bimonthly reviews of traffic logs from suspect devices