Do you need a Google account on the TV?

During initial setup, the television is fairly insistent about signing in. It can be skipped, though it is not always obvious how.

Skipping it

The sign-in screen usually has an option along the lines of "Skip", "Set up later" or "Use without an account". Sometimes it is hidden behind "Other options".

If it appears nowhere, try setting the television up without connecting the network. Many wizards skip the account entirely when there is no internet, and you can connect Wi-Fi afterwards from the settings.

What you lose

Play Store. This is the significant one. No account means no store, and you have to install everything manually over ADB.

Google Assistant and voice control.

Recommendation syncing across devices, which is precisely what many people want to avoid.

Automatic app updates.

What you gain

The television stops tying your activity to an identity. It still sends device telemetry — that does not change — but it is no longer linked to your personal account or cross-referenced with your search or YouTube history.

That is a real privacy improvement, not a cosmetic one.

The middle option

Plenty of people do this: a fresh, empty Google account used only for the television. You keep the Play Store and updates, and mix nothing with your main account.

Not perfect, and the best balance for most people.

Installing without a store

If you decide against an account, apps get installed like this:

adb install application.apk

Download APKs only from official sources: the developer's website or their repository. This site hosts and distributes no application file, and is not going to: it is one of the limits we set ourselves and it is explained here.