Smart TVs are the boons of the world of entertainment. People have loved using smart TVs and the comfort it brings them to watch all the movies and TV shows on the smart TV.
Smart TV companies’ use of data recording for improving recommendations
However, Smart TV companies aim to use the data recorded when you use features like a microphone to improve your recommendations on the TV. This is an openly claimed fact by these companies that the data recorded is sent further to third-party providers who work to improve the TVs’ characteristics.
According to consumer reports, Smart TVs use ACR to collect data about your viewing habits, which can be turned off on some models to limit data collection.
However, completely stopping all data collection may require disconnecting the TV from the internet.
Keep in mind that ACR may be referred to by different names on some smart TVs, and it can be difficult to locate the controls for it.
Therefore, some TVs also come with a camera which means that you are recorded as well whenever the camera feature is being used. So let’s see where these cameras and microphones are placed in a Smart TV so that you can be careful about it.
Location of cameras and microphones on Samsung Smart TV
So, it is so important to see where the camera is located on a smart TV so that you can place it so that it doesn’t hamper much by collecting the data recorded in it. Therefore, the camera is located in the center part of the TV, and this was usually common in previous years. However, nowadays, smart TVs don’t have a camera anymore.
Now, microphones are much more common on smart TVs, and they are located on the screen’s bottom and also on the remote control. However, the placement of the microphone can vary from brand to brand. It isn’t that different, but you can see how they differ. You can, however, make out the cameras very easily because you know how they look on your phone as well.
The camera’s location will be different for every brand of smart TV. Sometimes they are located in the lower frames and anyways it is located on the top center of the TV.
Microphones are also present in a smart TV, and some of them even come with a remote as well.
How to know if your Samsung Smart TV has a camera?
It shouldn’t be that hard to find the camera on the Samsung SmartTV because, by the user manual, the camera is also located on the top center of the TV frame.
How to check for a camera?
So when you are buying a smart TV, you can always ask the professionals to guide you into telling you where you can find the microphone. There can be two ways you can find a camera on TV; first, you can physically locate the camera on the TV. The second process is to use a user manual to find where the camera or microphone is on the TV.
The physical procedure of checking the Smart TV
This has to be the easiest process of locating the camera or the microphone. You can see a circular shape on the top center frame of the smart TV, and that’s your camera. The camera looks almost like the front camera on your phone.
The microphone on TV however depends on the brand. Some brands only have a microphone on the TV itself, whereas some brands have a microphone on the TV remote. However, some brands have microphones on both the Smart TV and the TV remote.
How to turn the camera off on the Samsung Smart TV?
It is comparatively easy to do it on the smart TV.
- First of all, go to the main menu on the Samsung smart TV.
- Click on the Settings icon and scroll down the terms and policies.
- Now you can find the “Turn off the viewing Information Service option.” Select it, and this will disable the camera option.
If you are worried that somebody is spying on you from the camera, you can press this option and close the camera easily.
How to turn the microphone off on Samsung Smart TV?
Usually, you can leave the microphone on as if you are not using it; it won’t violate your privacy. However, if you are still concerned about it, you can follow the following steps to understand how to do it:
- If you have a newer version of a Samsung Smart TV, go to Home.
- Now click on the settings icon.
- Under the settings head, you will find the Expert Settings option.
- Now select the Voice Interaction option and turn off the microphone.
If you are using an older version of the TV, follow these steps:
- Go to Settings.
- Now select the Smart Features option.
- Under this, there will be a Voice Recognition option. Select the option to switch it off.
However, Samsung smart TVs that have microphones on the remote cannot be closed off.
How to turn ON the microphone on a Samsung smart tv?
You can turn ON the mic by visiting the setting section > General settings. Then clicking the turn ON the mic.
However, if you see the button grayed out, that means your TV has a physical button as well.
It is a very small switch that activates the microphone located under the Samsung logo.
To find it, shine a torch on the edge of the TV under the logo and look for a power symbol next to the switch.
Usually, its size will be around a few millimeters only.
When I purchased my Samsung QN90B smart tv, I used this method to turn on microphone switch as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
For new Samsung smart TVs, go to Settings and then Support and scroll down to Terms and Policies. You can turn the Viewing Information Services off, Internet-based advertising, and Voice Recognition Services.
Not really. The only way to do that is not to buy any appliances that have Alexa in them. You can mute them but not turn them off permanently.
Select the main menu and click the settings icon. Now select the support button and scroll to the terms and policies. Here you will find the Voice recognition service option to turn off.
You can use a webcam that comes with a USB connection and is also compatible with your Samsung TV, and then you can connect to it to further connect with your friends.
Yes, it is. Because every device that comes with a microphone can listen to you, initially, they were made to improve your data suggestions, but now people exploit it by collecting that as personal data.
It is usually visible on the top center of the TV frame if there is a camera even. So it cannot be hidden from you. You can find the edges of the lens easily if you look closely.
Yes, you can easily use the video call feature on your Samsung smart TV by using a compatible USB that connects to your TV. You can use apps like Google duo, and Zoom to make these video calls.
No, it cannot record your conversation if the feature isn’t turned on. The feature can be easily turned on and off by the user.
The final words
Since most of the Smart TVs work to improve the recommendations, they make for you and also pick you as the perfect audience for the advertising agenda. This factor is usually known as ACR, and it can be enabled/disabled at your own will.
It is a big privacy concern if you think about it, which is why smart TVs now do not have a camera feature. However, all smart TVs have a microphone that uses the data you speak into the microphone of your TV.
The data is used by a third party that works on adding new features to the TV, and therefore this means that anything that you say will be heard. Therefore, it is your choice if you want to use the smart TVs that come with these options. However, newer versions of these TVs don’t have cameras in them because of the same reason that people thought it violated their privacy.
Therefore, we can say that you can easily locate the camera and microphone by simply locating them on the TV or in the e-manual of the TV. We hope you liked the post.