TCLs are 'dumb' tv's with a Roku built in. They're quite popular so I might be missing why these are to be avoided and/or network disabled and Roku over HDMI is preferred?
If I turn on my PS4 with the controller, it turns on the Vizio TV and the Yamaha receiver, and sets it to the correct inputs.
If I turn on the PS4 on the TCL, the TV does turn on even though CEC is enabled. I have to turn on the TV manually. A dumb tv would go back to the input I left it on, but the TCL goes to the home screen. I have to go and pick the PS4 input every time I turn on the TV.
So I have just wanted dumb TVs before. When setup properly and everything works properly, they're great. But there has also been a time when turning the PS4 on in the main setup would turn everything on, but then put it on the wrong input (ARC is on 1, PS4 is on 5, it would switch to ARC whenever the PS4 home button was pushed). There is a big blurry line between smart and dumb which is more inconvenient than either.
At least, there is on my TCL roku tv.
One annoyance with mine using the RokuTV speakers is that speakers drop out and don't maintain a consistent volume level whenever the WAN connection is lost. Something is taking up too much processor time trying to connect to the outside world. The speakers are unfortunately the only way to get AGC in a stereo system because the TV itself can't do it for whatever reason.
Last time I checked their privacy policy they admit to using content ID systems on their TVs, but I'm on mobile and don't have a citation on that at the moment.