Google’s latest Chromecast was announced last year and announced the eventual transition from Android TV to Google TV. But unlike custom skins, this new interface – with features like the Live tab and better Assistant integration – is also made available to third-party TV makers like Sony and TCL. We now learn that these sets will also come with a basic TV mode that strips them of their intelligence.

Spotted by 9to5Google on an ADT-3 dongle, the new mode will be available as an option during the initial setup process on TVs that ship with Google TV. Basic TV mode only offers live TV and support for external devices while doing away with pretty much everything Google TV offers, including the ability to stream content.

Google TV vs. Basic TV

As you might expect, the home screen in this mode is pretty … basic. There’s a dedicated button for the dashboard, and there will likely also be buttons for quick access to live TV and HDMI inputs. The screenshot below does not show these buttons because the ADT-3 does not have the necessary inputs to trigger these UI elements.

The good news may be that it won’t be too difficult to switch to the smart experience if users want it to. There is a permanent banner on the home screen and a prominent notice in the settings menu that will allow users to quickly switch to the smart side of things. However, users who want to switch from Google TV to Basic TV seem to have to perform a full reset.

Google says the new mode was designed with users who don’t have internet access in mind. This can satisfy the needs of those who prefer the simplicity of a mute TV. Get out those bunny ears!