Talk me out of Satellite & HDTV? (part 2)

[AndyM]

OK, everyone...
Bob has made his decision, and I have stood my ground until now, but things at our house have changed a bit since Christmas.

The AndyM-in-laws bought a home theater system for us for Christmas. It's not some fancy high end system, but everyone here who knows me knows it more than enough system for us.

I still maintain that we don't need cable tv or satellite, but now I'm starting to look at the speakers on the wall and all of the components in our entertainment center, and that 19 inch television is starting to look a little puny...

Now I'm thinking we might have to upgrade to something a little larger, in the 27 to 32 inch range. I don't want to get excessive on the price, so what features do I want to look for, while still keeping the price down? I see 32 inch televisions in the 300 dollar range. How long would this be compatible with the pending DT upgrades a couple years down the road? Should television play that large of a role in our lives that we need a bigger television, or should I be satisfied with what we have?

 

[AndyM]

More remote controls to confuse me...

Now we have one for the stereo receiver/tape deck/cd changer/turntable (to play my records!), one for the VCR, one for the television, one for the dvd player, and one for the home theater system.

I guess I could get a universal remote, but 60,000 buttons on one remote might confuse me even more! /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Bob_K]

Look at it like this New toys for the family. While your out on yours.

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( in-laws bought a home theater system for us for Christmas )</font>

I bought one for one of our daughters 'cause that's what she wanted; had no idea what to look for or buy; just had to rely on my grandson to tell me which one. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[billbill1]

Andy, we bought a 32" JVC that comes with a universal remote for between $300-$400 at Best Buy. It has a great picture, better than the 13-19" models that we have. The most bang for the buck IMO. The oldest son has a 32" Samsung that is a close comparison for $250-$300. I watch sports and Law & Order but the Direct TV bill is about $100 per month, the wife has a TV on anytime she's in the house. (movie nut)

 

[PineRidge]

<font color="blue"> to play my records! </font>

Andy whats a record? Didn't they phase those out with Beta VCRs and 8 track tape players? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I don't think that we are a good one to give advice on TVs. We still use an old Magnavox 52" that we purchased new some 14 years ago from Sears. It has always worked well and the only thing that we do is remove the screen and clean out the color guns (3) and clean the mirror assembly. When it finally dies we'll give it a proper funeral before we throw it in the burn pile. Then we are going out and get another 52" projection with the new bells and whistlesHope it last as long as this one.

 

[trkbldr]

AndyM, I will not attempt to answer your technical or personal questions. However, I would advise you to measure the opening in your entertainment center before you buy. I know someone who made that mistake /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Andy . . . be really careful about measuring the space in the entertainment center before you buy the TV. Just as someone else who posted knows someone who might have mabye bought a TV too big, I might also maybe almost know someone who made that very same mistake about 15 months ago when the bedroom TV crapped out. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif What I (I mean my friend) found out was that many of the newer TV sets are very DEEP and will poke out the front or the back of the TV cabinets.

As for buying a TV, that is really up to you, but I would not buy a TV that was not a DIGITAL TV. Digital is NOT also HDTV, but HDTV is digital. Digital sets have come way down in price, 27" sets were in the $350 to $500 range 15 months ago when I was shopping for the bedroom TV. They are probably MUCH lower now. But if you get an Analog set today then you will need to buy a digital conversion box in 2006.

As for buying the remotes, I strongly favor HARMONY remotes. They are amazing. 1 remote will replace an entire drawer full of remotes and they are SIMPLE to use. Downside is that they are expensive (about $175) and they are complicated to set up. You actually program them on your computer and download the setting into the remote.

I also have had good luck with ONE FOR ALL brand remotes. They are cheap, a good one (not the best but good enough) will run you about $39. If you buy one, look for one that has at least 2 "Macro" keys that you can program. A macro key will let you run a whole string of commands so you can set one for watching a movie, and it will turn on the surround sound system, then turn on the TV, then mute the TV, then switch the TV to channel 3, then flip on the DVD player . . . all with one button. I had one that I used for "sleep" and it would shut off the VCR and surround sound and then flip the TV sleep timer to 30 mintues and lower the volume. It was great for use after we watched a movie at night.

 

[Moon]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Should television play that large of a role in our lives that we need a bigger television, or should I be satisfied with what we have? )</font>

Hey Andy,
I do not think the size of you TV indicates how large of a role it plays in your life. However, the bigger size can, to me at least, make the time we spend watching it more enjoyable. I'd venture a guess that a 19" TV for your main living room / family room area might be the smallest of anyone here on TBN. Prices have come down so much on these that it makes it easier to afford one of the large screen models.
We paid just over 700 for a 27" Sony in the early 90's. Just last January we upgraded to a big ole 57" Sony 16:9 screen. The 27" did not seem small when we had it, but visiting others with larger sets gave me TV envy.
I think any 32" or 27" that you buy today will be functional with any changes that the industry comes out with. For HDTV they will have converter boxes which will allow any 21st century TV to show a HDTV picture.
Take the plunge buddy, I think you'll be glad you did.

Moon of Ohio

 

[billbill1]

Andy, what we are really saying- buy another tractor and keep the TV you have. You won't have time to watch it anyway.