[baroffoos]

This is getting really hard with some devices. I got a bose soundbar at the start of the year and it comes with a remote that has a few basic features but it is almost impossible to use properly without configuring it via the app and the app demands that you first create an account and then give the device your wifi password.

In the end I eventually caved and installed the app and connected it to the internet to configure and then blocked the device from my router.

[eikenberry]

No worries with sound. There are plenty of audio enthusiasts that will have nothing to do with a system like this and there will always be plenty of options because of them.

[pmiller2]

I know this isn't your central point, but you should know that a speaker can be used as a microphone, and vice versa. Granted, a speaker won't be a very good microphone, but it is possible one could design an exploit that uses this capability to record audio and send the results off to who knows where.

[B1FF_PSUVM]

> then blocked the device from my router.

Hmm. Thanks.