| Author | Message | ||
     Ewan Talisker McEwan Member Username: Ewan_mcewan Post Number: 458 Registered: 02-2008 |
Here in the states, TV's going to switch over to HDTV sometime in February. So, if you don't have a TV that's compatible with it, you'll be left sucking hind tit. This is enough to get me off my arse, finally, and make me buy an HDTV-compatible flatscreen. Though this crowd seems primarily obsessed with music, as opposed to visual entertainment, does anybody have any recommendations? Any flatscreen tubes they've had particular good luck with? Also, plasma or LCD? | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 1271 Registered: 08-2006 |
I'm using this whole switch-over as an excuse to go TV-free once and for all, but I do love me some HDTV when I see it. | ||
| joe Member Username: Dogmansuede Post Number: 539 Registered: 07-2006 |
i'm a firm advocate of the tv-free rob! the likes of commercials, reality and tv "news" infuriate me. don't get me wrong, i'm no kill-your-tv type and i get a fix of a couple of hours of vh1 whenever i visit my mum every few weeks, but i haven't had any tv at home for a couple of years and find the setup indescribably calming. plus, makes me feel better about having spent so much money on records. | ||
| Ewan Talisker McEwan Member Username: Ewan_mcewan Post Number: 461 Registered: 02-2008 |
Hmmm....If I didn't have TV, I could interact with people, do productive things with my time, read a book or two...Euuwww! Sounds bloody 'orrifyin'! | ||
| Allen Belz Member Username: Abpositive Post Number: 1227 Registered: 09-2006 |
I've been 99% network/cable TV-free for many years, but as is quite obvious I'm a film/DVD freak. What bugs me is how this latest movie format conversion is a far-from-subtle way of noodging people towards buying the big-screen TVs, because on a regular set there's not that much difference between DVD, Blu-Ray, Hi-Def etc. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 1801 Registered: 03-2005 |
It's a racket, just another thing to make the shopped-out American spend retail money. I'm virtually TV-free now. How long do you think the crappy Chinese-made flat screens will last compared to your old TV? I had a Mitsubishi TV for years. I inherited it from a friend who went flat screen with they were new. The Mitsu was already 10 years old when he gave it to me. I couldn't kill it with a gun. I ended up giving it to a destitute friend. But the new stuff? C'mon, how many of you have heard of these big new TVs only making it for five years? That's totally unacceptable when they cost as much as they do. And how much juice do they use? Rob's got the right idea. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 1442 Registered: 10-2004 |
I've been tv-free for several years. Not a single tv in the aparment. I just watch DVDs on my laptop and can usually find the odd bit of TV that I for whatever reason cannot miss (like the presidential debates) by streaming it online. I absolutely hate tv because it sucks me in. Like a sailor trapped in a siren's gaze, it lures me in and I become a helpless zombie. So, having no TV is totally liberating. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 2401 Registered: 05-2005 |
Ewan, in Australia there is a thing called a set top box, which you plug into your old TV. This allows the old analogue TV to receive a digital signal. There are different set top boxes for standard and high def. Some also have a built in hard disk recorder. Surely there is something similar in the US? I'm going to have to get one eventually. The switch off date for analogue here is not until 2011 I think though. | ||
| Ewan Talisker McEwan Member Username: Ewan_mcewan Post Number: 462 Registered: 02-2008 |
Sure - you can get set top boxes here, but where's the fun in that? I WANT to get a big, honkin' flatscreen - the HD conversion is just my excuse. I have been pretty addicted to cable news of late, so I can relate to those who have their addiction issues surrounding TV, but I'm thinking I'll probably go cold turkey on news, once (I guess I should probably say "if") Obama's elected. The dilemma will be what to do with the old humongous, Buick-size TVs. I think I'd be willing to give them away if someone would just come get 'em. | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 1272 Registered: 08-2006 |
I have some friends who have big ol' flatscreens, ETM, and I totally understand the appeal. When I'm over watching a Bulls game, I feel a little woozy, like an AA member watching someone enjoy a cold martini. But I've gone without cable my entire adult life, and at this point it seems like I should just keep the ball rolling. Given the choice between retrofitting two old TVs to get broadcast HD and chucking the whole lot, I guess I'll pick the latter. But if you do get the monster set and you're showing the Bulls anytime this season, lemme know. I'll bring some homemade salsa and a 12er. | ||
| Ewan Talisker McEwan Member Username: Ewan_mcewan Post Number: 463 Registered: 02-2008 |
I'm a big believer in the life is too short principle - why deny yourself pleasure? And TV is such a benign pleasure. Watching sporting events is at least 25% of the impetus for getting it, so hells yeah, you're on the guest list. What I'm most interested in, though, is all of the great series, like the Sopranos et al. Really, other art forms may suck in the current age - movies, much of music, etc., but TV, despite all of the dreck, the reality TV and various junk, is in a real golden age. The best of the series they're making now, not just the Sopranos, but the Wire, Mad Men, Deadwood and Entourage, to name a few, are really as good as the finest films. So that, coupled with the fact that 90% of movies coming out today aren't even worth the time, let alone the money, the home theater concept makes a lot of sense. Problem is, don't know how much of a monster set I can get, given the somewhat meager dimensions of my apartment. Sigh...the 50 inch thing is probably not happenin'. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 2687 Registered: 05-2005 |
Its a difficult one isn't it, picking a TV nowadays, its like working out your electricity or gas bill, its a feckin minefield, and the mines don't get cleared. Most of what I have seen, in TV stores or what have you looks pretty feckin shit. The quality of the image is absolute bollocks, and you can pay 5 times the amount for the privalege. I am yet to be convinced, so I am hanging on to my old TV, as long as I can make it work. Randy's right, its a feckin right racket, although Randy, put the gun down!! Only joking. Rob's right too. However I agree with Ewan, life is too short, its great for watching DVD's obviously, and my kids watch cbeebies the dedicated chanel, its FREE and pretty damn good too and there's soe old vfaves I like to watch like Have I got news for you and the odd docu thing. So much better than the pile of shit UK TV has turned into. I always rated, to a certain extent TV over here. Music years a go was brilliant, Whistle Test and its relatives, The Tube Jools Holland, etc some of the soaps, comedy wise, Friday noights on BBC2 or Channel 4 were really worth staying in with a bottle or two for. But over the years, our TV started to resemble US (no offence to anyone in the US of course) style TV, loads of useless rubbish and tons of channels trying to sell me shit all day feckin long. That's where it all went down hill for me. | ||
| frank bascombe Member Username: Frankb Post Number: 385 Registered: 01-2007 |
Well I got a Pioneer plasma 3-4 years ago and don't regret it. It is a great TV, but it is as only as good as the quality of both picture and programmes being made. There is good stuff on the beeb and Channel 4 but you just have to choose and be selective. Last night was Neil Young night on BBC4. What you really need is a digital recorder I'm back with my old sky+ box. This IS great just point the remote press record series link it and all the progs in that series are recorded. I did have an HD recorder box but over the year I ended up having 3-4 boxes in that time so cancelled the subscription. I would get a 1/2 decent TV but get the recorder as well as this does improve your quality of life. I'm waiting for the HD freeview | ||
| Ewan Talisker McEwan Member Username: Ewan_mcewan Post Number: 470 Registered: 02-2008 |
I plan to eventually, budget permitting, get a blu-ray player, Frank. A blu-player with a good HDTV is hard to beat - they seem realler than mere reality... | ||
| Allen Belz Member Username: Abpositive Post Number: 1228 Registered: 09-2006 |
This is just one person's opinion, but it might be worth taking some heed to... http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/108657 | ||
| Ewan Talisker McEwan Member Username: Ewan_mcewan Post Number: 471 Registered: 02-2008 |
That is interesting. Mayhap I'll hold off on the blu-ray. Also, I wonder if we're just a few years off from having everything on a big old hard drive, which'll render everything else obsolete...Storage is soooo cheap. Still gettin' the big flatscreen, soon's I can scrounge up the grand or so it'll take. Also thinking that, due to the tanking economy, there'll probably be some phenomenal deals leading up to the holiday season that I can capitalize on, hopefully... | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 2708 Registered: 05-2005 |
Ewan hope u get it man, if i see one over here i'll post it over | ||
| Ewan Talisker McEwan Member Username: Ewan_mcewan Post Number: 478 Registered: 02-2008 |
Thank you, sir. Any weed you can spare would be appreciated, too! |