HDMI-CEC was supposed to make home theater setups a lot easier to work with. At first, it seems like the kind of feature that would just work, but then the problems arise. The annoying part is that the protocol isn't broken exactly. It just has issues when it comes to handling the way most people actually build their setups. So it's better to turn it off.

Blu-ray may very well be the last physical media we get when it comes to video content, but if history had gone just a little differently, it would be HD-DVDs being frantically collected by media nerds today, and not Sony's gift to image quality purists.

Buying a high-end monitor and then plugging it in with whatever cable came in the box is something most people do without thinking twice. HDMI is everywhere; the port fits, and the picture shows up, so everything seems fine. The problem is that there are plenty of issues that no one talks about. The cable and port you're using matter more than most people realize, and HDMI specifically has some limitations that aren't obvious from the outside.

Smart features on a TV can be very useful. You can stream content using apps such as Netflix or control your TV remotely with your smart home. You need to connect your TV to the internet to use some of these features, and doing so can expose a lot of your data.

Most people treat Bluetooth earbuds as a passive accessory, something that sits in your ears and plays audio. The security conversation around them, when it happens at all, tends to focus on whether someone can intercept your music or track your location. Many devices can be hacked, and your Bluetooth earbuds are no exception.

If you look at the back of your TV, there are many ports that you probably never use. Some older TVs include an RS-232 serial port similar to those that you'd find on the back of old PCs. While the main uses of this port include professional diagnostics and servicing, there are several ways you can use your TV's serial port for other things.

Streaming services have made watching movies almost frictionless. However, most people don't think much about what they're giving up for it. Every time you open Netflix or Hulu, you're not just watching something; you're being watched in return. The platform logs what you pause, what you skip, how long you hover over a thumbnail, and that data feeds into profiles that eventually get sold. If you've ever felt vaguely uneasy about how well an algorithm seems to know you, there's a reason for that, and buying used DVDs with cash is one of the few remaining ways to actually opt out.

If your Google TV seemed fast and smooth at first, but is getting slower the longer you own it, you're not alone. One of the most frustrating aspects of a smart TV is how great they are at first, but eventually get laggy, stutter, and run out of storage space. A quick unplugging helps for a few weeks, but then it's back to running slow. Thankfully, you just need to adjust a few settings, kill background tasks, and free up some space.

Fire TV remotes are pretty good. They're stripped back and easy to use, and they put all the most common features right at your fingertips. But the lack of extra buttons makes the remote look quite limited. In fact, a series of long presses and button combos unlocks a host of shortcuts that many people never discover. Here are the best of them.