A writer used Claude to fix his LG TV's slow startup and loud apps

A writer at How-To Geek used the AI assistant Claude to fix several things that annoyed him about his LG TV. It now starts up in seconds, keeps Netflix and Disney+ at similar loudness, and shows famous paintings instead of a boring screensaver. The catch is that he first had to root the TV, a step that is not for everyone.

What changed

Rooting means unlocking full control of a device, beyond what the maker normally allows. The writer, Adam Davidson, did it to install a privacy app. He had seen a Gamers Nexus video with allegations about how much data LG TVs send back to LG. One feature, Automatic Content Recognition, can tell LG what you watch by examining the video and audio, even from a DVD or Blu-ray.

Rooting also let him turn on SSH access, a way to connect to the TV over a home network. He set up Claude to use it, so the AI could look at settings and software, make changes, and write programs that run on the TV.

What Claude fixed

• Slow startup: the TV took 10 to 15 seconds to become usable. Now it takes a couple of seconds in the evening.
• Uneven volume: a script remembers the volume for each app and restores it when you switch apps.
• Dull screensaver: a new app shows rotating artworks, with the title and artist, after ten minutes idle.

For startup, LG's Quick Start+ setting helps, but it keeps the TV in a lighter sleep that uses more power. Claude set the TV to wake at 5 PM, turn Quick Start+ on, and switch it off again later in the evening, so it does not draw extra power overnight.

For volume, the TV might sit at 12 in Netflix and jump to 16 in Disney+, so both sound about equally loud. Each app needed its level set once. After that, the switching happens on its own.

What to watch out for

Rooting is a risky step that suits confident tinkerers. The article does not walk through how it was done, so it is not a how-to for beginners. It also gives Claude deep access to the TV, which is a lot of trust to hand to any tool.

The privacy payoff is also unproven. The writer says only that the TV is hopefully calling home far less. He did not show measurements. He also notes that Claude could not fix every annoyance.

What to do

Most people should not root a TV. The article does show what is possible, and it points to settings worth checking on your own set, such as screensaver ads and power-hungry quick start modes. If you worry about a TV tracking what you watch, look through its privacy menus first.