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Televisions......

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions ARCHIVES: 2005 Mar. ~ 2005 May: Buyers Banter (ARCHIVES): Televisions...... users admin

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Whoami
Member

08-03-2001

Tuesday, March 08, 2005 - 1:05 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
OK, so now I need to know about all those new fangled tv sets out there.

We're looking for one for Mom's room, and one for the kitchen.

Mom's room have VERY limited space. The "depth" dimension of the table she wants to put it on is very narrow (12"). This just won't suit most 13-20 inch screens. Most of those cheaper sets are 14 or more inches in depth.

She's debating one of those new tvs that are 3-7" in depth. I believe they are LCD TVs. Are these types of TV's reliable? I seem to remember someone saying some type of TV doesn't do well in our climate/altitude (Denver area). But that may have been a while ago, and I don't remember what type of TV that was.

What are good brands? What are brands to stay away from? Any good ones out there under $300? Mom's almost willing to spend "that much on just herself" but she really balked when I found a Zenith 15" screen on Target.com for $399. So I'm guessing the nearer it gets to $400, the more unlikely she'll go for it.

And I guess "plasma" TV's are a whole 'nother animal? Like, in the "much to expensive to even think about" realm?

Schoolmarm
Member

02-18-2001

Tuesday, March 08, 2005 - 5:05 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I'm actually wondering the same thing about LCD and plasma TVs....HD vs. regular.

(I think that I would sleep in my bed more if I had a tv up there, and do more work in my home office if I had a tv there too...so I'm thinking about buying TWO tvs)

I love the look of the LCD TVs, however, I believe that they are made of the same materials that my Powerbook monitor is. I have actually "used up" a monitor after three years. At the prices of the LCD tvs, I don't want to have to replace it after three years. (Y'all know how dang cheap I am!)

I have a SONY flatscreen trititron in the living room. I really like it. And whenever I see the name trinitron I think of Curtis from BB1 doing the trinitron dance. LOL!

Techies? Help please!

Wendo
Member

08-07-2000

Tuesday, March 08, 2005 - 2:04 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
An LCD television can fit into places where regular CRT tv's cannot. If you're considering an LCD tv, Sharp makes the best, imo. Their Aquos line of tv's are quite popular, well made and continue to fall in price.

Plasma tv's are typically large tv's, 42" and larger. LCD tv's come in the smaller sizes though LCD technology continues to improve and come in larger sizes.

Plasma tv's are routinely best for those who watch a lot of sports and action programming. Early Plasma's suffered from color loss. Even after a year the colors started to fade and lose their luminosity. Newer Plasma's have rectified that problem to a certain degree though.

LCD tv's have stronger more vibrant colors. However, at this time, they're not ideal for those who watch a lot of sports and action content. When fast moving content is on an LCD tv, you'll see a bit of a ghosting trail. This problem, though, is becoming less and less as new models come out. Blacks on LCD's tend to pixelate a bit too.

Any flat panel tv under, say, 40" is going to be LCD. Over 40" the choices will be both LCD and Plasma.

Flat panel technologies each have their pros and cons. I suggest an internet search to familiarize yourself with those pros and cons.

Wargod
Moderator

07-16-2001

Tuesday, March 08, 2005 - 2:16 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Hey Who, no idea about new tvs, sorry, but I have a question. If moms room is small, why put a tv on a table? You can buy those thingamajiggies that hang on the wall to set the tv on and strap it too. I know how well she gets around (or rather how she doesn't get around too well) something like that might help to give her more room to move around in comfortably.

Maris
Member

03-28-2002

Tuesday, March 08, 2005 - 2:17 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I love direct view. If you are intersted here is a good review of the tv we have, it is a 34 inch tv but boy the picture is just awesome, from no matter where you are and the settings very easy to adjust and program. I am a loyal Sony customer and have never gone wrong.

http://www.guidetohometheater.com/directviewandptvtelevisions/104sony/

Wendo
Member

08-07-2000

Tuesday, March 08, 2005 - 9:50 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Mmmm, XBR Sony tv...Mmmmmm...Lucky Maris...

Whoami
Member

08-03-2001

Wednesday, March 09, 2005 - 2:39 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Thanks for all the input. Boy, I'd love to get that TV Maris! But right now we're looking for just small ones for bedroom and kitchen. I'd love to get a bigger one for the living room (we have a 27inch right now). But, its livable for now.

Wargod, I was just thinking of one of those types of things where the TV would swing around on a swivel arm. They had one like that in the hospital, and she loved being able to park it in front of her face and watch in bed. I wouldn't know the first thing about securing one of those to a wall though. And I'd hate to think of it coming crashing down on her face in the middle of the night. But its worth looking into. I wonder if one could be installed to hook over the headboard?

Draheid
Moderator

09-09-2001

Wednesday, March 09, 2005 - 7:55 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Whoami: I've installed several wall-mounts for televisions ranging from 13" to 27" units. The key is to find the center of stud in the wall and then you should use an electric power drill to drive the 'lag bolts' into that to support the bracket (you could drive them by hand but these are usually four 1/4" x 3" bolts and at the normal height to install them, doing so by hand can be very difficult). I've never had any problem with any of them I've installed (one has been up for several years in DS's room).

Julieboo
Member

02-05-2002

Wednesday, March 09, 2005 - 7:57 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Whoami, can you hire a local handyman to install it?

Kaykay
Member

01-21-2004

Wednesday, March 09, 2005 - 8:03 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Whoami, have you tried Overstock.com? I see a 15 inch Magnavox LCD TV for $339.99 and shipping is only $1. Just a thought...

Kaykay
Member

01-21-2004

Wednesday, March 09, 2005 - 8:24 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I also see a 13 inch flat screen Sony Trinitron for $ 179.99...

Maris
Member

03-28-2002

Wednesday, March 09, 2005 - 8:42 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Overstock is great. I buy so much from them and I have never had a problem. If you join the Club O, you get a bigger discount in this case it might be wroth it.

Kaykay
Member

01-21-2004

Wednesday, March 09, 2005 - 8:49 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Maris I love it as well - I buy quite a bit from them. Also if you go the site WOW-COUPONS.COM you can save some money buy clicking on the Overstock Site from there. There is also another link on that site to Smart Bargins - another good place to buy things - just FYI :-)

Maris
Member

03-28-2002

Wednesday, March 09, 2005 - 8:52 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I only bought from Smart Bargains once, I bought towel bars and when the box came, some bars were missing the hardware was missing and that did it for me with Smart Bargains.

Kaykay
Member

01-21-2004

Wednesday, March 09, 2005 - 9:08 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
thanks, that is good to know. How about Classic Closeouts? Any luck with them? thanks KK

Maris
Member

03-28-2002

Wednesday, March 09, 2005 - 10:26 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
never tried them.

Kaykay
Member

01-21-2004

Wednesday, March 09, 2005 - 10:29 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
THANKS :-)

Whoami
Member

08-03-2001

Saturday, March 12, 2005 - 2:52 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Got the two new tvs! Ended up with a 16" Samsung flat tube (one in Mom's room and one in kitchen). Even with just broadcast tv only, the pic ain't too bad.

Weird observation. Broadcast TV must be a hair sooner than cable provided tv. We have both living room and kitchen tv on UPN right now, and I can hear about a second delay on the one in the living room (hooked up to cable), as opposed to just standard broadcast.

I'll probably have to go out and get a tv stand to make everything fit for the dvr in my room, and then I'll be calling the cable guy to set up an appointment to get Comcast DVR, and cable hooked up to the new tvs.

Landi
Member

07-29-2002

Saturday, March 12, 2005 - 8:11 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
congratulations who! i think you made a good choice. then again, i was the one biased to comcast, because i have it. you know you can always ask me questions!

Rosie
Member

11-12-2003

Saturday, March 12, 2005 - 9:18 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Yay for two TV's.

Boo for my cyber-allowance tho

Wendo
Member

08-07-2000

Saturday, March 12, 2005 - 3:15 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Whoami, are you using a Tivo/DVR on the set with the cable tv (where you hear the delay?)

If so, DVR's do have a slight delay; it has to do with the show being recorded so it can be paused.

If not, well...dunno then. LOL!

Bob2112
Member

06-12-2002

Saturday, March 12, 2005 - 9:00 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Most cable and satellite delays have to do with decoding and encoding the signal. Satellites also add some delay compared to terrestrial broadcasts due to the distance the signal has to travel. Cable companies receive many channels via satellite and decode them for various reasons, so you could still get a delay even when not using a DVR.

Kaykay
Member

01-21-2004

Monday, March 14, 2005 - 6:35 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Good for you Whoami :-) gotta love new TV's!!