I also stumbled across a diagram lately that showed how this data eventually flowed into displaying ads for medical products. The size of this platform behind the scenes would be huge.
changing the TV's DNS servers or disconnecting it from the internet entirely.
Chiming in as an Australian budget VIDAA owner.
I spotted that this TV attempts to query 8.8.8.8, regardless of your DNS settings. I implemented a port 53 (DNS) redirect so those queries get resolved by my local server.
I also figured out which servers are serving up ads/tracking. I fired an email to Pete and got them added to his list. You're welcome. I'm guessing a pi-hole would work with it.
I have a spectral analyzer installed on my phone JUST so I can pull it out to confirm if it's tinnitus or something in the room. You'd be surprised how often I'm the only person in a room that can hear a ringing sound that actually exists.
The car I was hitting was "owned" by someone who did nothing legally. I eventually figured out the reason he drove cars like they were stolen was because they were actually stolen.
A hardcoded IP is even easier to block.