Question Where are the Dumb TV's (monitors??)

[oldtimer114]

I would like to get a larger screen TV. I'm been using an old Emerson 32 inch 1st Gen flat screen for over 15 years now. I would really like to get a larger screen. But I do not want a Smart TV. I'm a privacy and security freak and although I have been told you can turn off the two way connection on a smart tv, I don't believe it and don't trust either the manufacturers or the software people. I too well remember Microsoft and Google's attempt to spy on people thru their smart TV's. Nope! Don't want to risk that. But the price of dumb tv (a monitor??) of similar size to the available Smart Tv is at least 4 times the Smart TV. I can buy a 55 inch Smart TV for less than $500 from a number of stores. and a 70 inch for around $700. But the best I've been able to find a 55 inch monitor is $3500.
Any suggestions?
Is there any truth to the idea that the reason Smart TV's are so cheap is that the services really are actually gathering personal info and reselling it just like they do on our smart phones? (I have one of those but I don't carry it and rarely use it.)

 

[COLGeek]

Smart TVs are much like big tablets. If they aren't attached to a network, they are, in effect, dumb devices. That is completely up to you, whether to network enable or not.