Flat panel HDTV is now a "necessity"

We don't have cable at home, and I haven't had it since 1990. Although it's nice to watch the occasional program on the various educational channels, I can get the same programming through Netflix and watch it when time permits. These days, I spend far more time on the Internet than watching TV. At least with the former I learn something new. Likewise, and with the prevalence of video content on the web, I'm in no rush to get cable or satellite TV.
 
i can't get a flat panel tv because then i'd have to do something with the table where the tv sits. looks like a nice item for living on a boat though.
 
toofrugalformycat said:
I've noticed a correlation between how much couch time I spend watching tv and movies, and how "wide" I am. Right now I have a little 17-inch and watch very little, and my weight is almost under control. If I got a wide-screen.... yikes. Bring out the wheelbarrow.
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I spend more time in front of a tv than i spend at work. Have a BMI of only 18.5 so i'm not worried. Despite that much time spent watching tv i still don't think it's a necessity to have HDTV. The tube just broke in my 28" SDTV so i'm down to my back-up 19" which i will keep until it dies then and only then will i get a 32" 720p LCD HDTV. Definetly will spend less than $1000 including cables and tax.
 
Of the things to have for entertainment, the large TV doesn't do it for me. (we have an old 36" 500+lbs flat screen thing... kills you to move it). When it dies, I'll probably go to another 36". The only reason we have this large TV (did have a 27") was that my brother needed to sell it. So we bought it from him. (long story).

Bang for your buck, I bought a Tivo. Now I wouldn't watch TV any other way. I can watch a one hour show in 45 minutes, and no interuptions.

We almost never watch "live TV" anymore. Why waste time waiting for comercials. The Tivo makes my wife happy because then I don't flip channels like crazy during the comercials. Instead we pick a show and watch the show. Then pick something else and watch it. We have 80 hours worth of shows, and the thing picks up more shows we like to watch than we can watch... so there is always something that we want to see on TV.

I must admit as an entertainment purchase, the Tivo was a good one.

Laters,
-d.
 
I don't have a TiVo but I do have a DVR from the cable company. I don't think there's much difference for the lower cost. Now that i've had it for the last 3 years i too couldn't imagine not having it. It only costs about $10/mo with no up-front lump-sum cost like the TiVo. Very much worth it. The only time I watch tv live now is while watching a football game. Even then i'm usually a few minutes behind but i never miss anything if i have to go to the bathroom or want something to eat.
 
Bikerdude said:
I have heard that the projection TV's have two bulbs that last 2/3 years and cost $200 each to replace.:(
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The warranty includes one free replacement bulb. The part is "user replaceable" so they just mail it to you. We've had the T.V. about a year now, so if the first bulb burns out in the next year or so I'll be bummed. T.V. spends about 2 hours a day running, on average, so it should last longer than 2 years, I think the "one free replacement bulb" is a result of the short lifespan on the bulb. :( So far so good though, and the picture is amazing for a $1,000 T.V.
 
Bikerdude said:
I just got basic cable 3 months ago for $12/mo. I'm not ready to pay $85/mo. for HD cable.
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You may already have HD cable. If there are over the air HD channels in your area then the cable provider is legally required to include those HD channels at no extra charge.

Unfortunately, they're not required to provide the HD TV to watch them. But, you can buy a relatively inexpensive QAM USB tuner and watch the HD shows at whatever resolution your PC can manage. Here's one example but there are others:
DVICO Fusion HDTV 5 USB ATSC and QAM Tuner
 
lazygood4nothinbum said:
i can't get a flat panel tv because then i'd have to do something with the table where the tv sits. looks like a nice item for living on a boat though.
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I'm annoyed that HD will become mandatory in 2010 or whatever. I just bought my 24" Sony and it's just fine by me. I guess I'll have to buy the analog technical thingie that converts.

I love the picture on the LCDs but if I bought one I'd just stare at TV for more hours. That wouldn't be a good thing.
 
If the new TV quality is so good.... how come I can see the "oooo and ahhhhh" display pictures in their commercials on my current TV.... just fine?
 
Now that it's a necessity, maybe the government can use it in its "basket of goods" to help its goal of understating inflation. :)
 
Oldbabe,
According to the PioneerElectronics web site, in 2010 all TV must go Digital, and Digital TV is not necessarily the same thing as HD. All Satelite is digital. It is converted to Analog to go to a standard TV. So if you get the required converter/receiver, you will get a digital signal, but not necessarily a HD signal.
 
If I wouldn't have inherited the 40 inch Sony Bravia I have, I would never have bought an expensive TV like that..........

Funny story: I had a 20 inch color TV that I WON in a raffle as the main set. My sister came to visit one X-mas, and complained that her "holiday classics" like Rudolph and Frosty looked too small. So the day after X-mas, she told me she wanted to go to Best Buy to "get some stuff". When we got there, she made a beeline to the TV area. She picked out a Sony 27 inch TV, and bought it on the spot. Then she told me: "Merry X-mas".......:)
 
Damn! Now I'm without another necessity!!!

Oh well.... ;)
 
Bikerdude said:
I just got basic cable 3 months ago for $12/mo. I'm not ready to pay $85/mo. for HD cable. Maybe when I'm so old I can't do anything else I'll buy all the home entertainment bells and whistles.
In the mean time I'll take the money I save and buy a couple bottles of wine and 2/3 lbs. of Gulf shrimp or maybe some nice cigars each month. :D
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I have the "bare bones basic" cable, too, though I bought a 42" plasma HDTV last year when my tube set croaked.

I am planning for my income after ER to be significantly larger than what I have been spending. I am so accustomed to LBYM, though, and set in my ways. It is hard to imagine what I would add to my budget. The first thing will probably be a full digital cable package, just to see what (if anything) I have been missing. I might get one of those 65" projection TV's some day. And maybe some day I might spring for Netflix! :2funny: I know, I know. I'm thinking backwards here.
 
Man, what a bunch of grouchy-sounding old-sounding people!

Nature programs in HD - it's so fantastic!! Have you never seen PBS programs in HD? Total eye candy. The sound too!!!!! Makes old analog TV look so horrible. DVD movies look so much better too on the new screens, even though they aren't even HD.

Just love the new high def screens and images.

Audrey
 
Did ya'll try just plugging the TV into the cable system before paying for it?
I tried it and have basic cable for free.

Also with HDTV over the air signals - if you can get a signal you get clear HDTV - no snowy pictures.
 
audreyh1 said:
Man, what a bunch of grouchy-sounding old-sounding people!

Audrey
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I was expecting, some to say that they still were watching a black and whtie tv....btw, we have a 13 inch one that is about 25 years old that we use in the basement...;)
 
maddythebeagle said:
I was expecting, some to say that they still were watching a black and whtie tv....btw, we have a 13 inch one that is about 25 years old that we use in the basement...;)
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does the small bw tv on the kitchen counter counts?
 
audreyh1 said:
Nature programs in HD - it's so fantastic!! Have you never seen PBS programs in HD? Total eye candy. The sound too!!!!! Makes old analog TV look so horrible. DVD movies look so much better too on the new screens, even though they aren't even HD.

Just love the new high def screens and images.

Audrey
Click to expand...

Am with you on this one. Never thought I'd enjoy my 46" 1080p flat screen and home theatre system like I have. Nature shows and sports are awesome. Life is too short to mess around with just getting by with 20th century technology.
 
I had an old 20" that weighed a ton, which I didn't mind for TV programs. But I got tired of watching DVD's that took away the top and bottom of the screen. Then trying to read subtitles was even more difficult with my 'old' eyes. So I got a 32" LCD which is great. And shortly after I bought it, I gave my old TV to a family at work who's house burned down.
 
Kwirk said:
You may already have HD cable. If there are over the air HD channels in your area then the cable provider is legally required to include those HD channels at no extra charge.
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Kwirk - Are you saying Time Warner has to provide me free access to my local broadcast HD channels or that they have to include the local HD channels for free on any HD tier to which I subscribe?
 
Or,,,,,you could plant yourself in the middle of the Ozarks where the choices are much simpler. I asked the Dish guy about HD and he replied, "you must be from the city, huh?" Then the cable guy told me that there will never be a cable here in his lifetime. (Damn--he looked 20 years younger than me.):mad:

But I do have to say the DVR Dish peddles is one of the finest inventions ever, :cool: right up there with, uh, and yeah, that other thing.
 
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