Any TV buying tips?

[MonkeyMama]

I think a lot of people abandon "old" technology just to get the latest thing rather than thinking about whether or not they really need the latest thing or if there is anything wrong with the "old" thing they already have.

Once you use a DVR, you would never go back to a VCR. Plus, it's extremely time saving, convenient, etc.

It's like comparing the internet today, to, I don't know, the internet in the 1980s (or whatever the equivalent was back them).

I think forward progress is a GOOD thing. You couldn't pay me to use an old VCR.

[disneysteve]

Once you use a DVR, you would never go back to a VCR. Plus, it's extremely time saving, convenient, etc.

It's like comparing the internet today, to, I don't know, the internet in the 1980s (or whatever the equivalent was back them).

I think forward progress is a GOOD thing. You couldn't pay me to use an old VCR.

I'm not saying the new technology is bad. It is almost always a big improvement over what preceded it. Where I tend to have a problem is when people feel they must upgrade even if what they have is working fine and meeting their needs. Yes, the picture from a DVD is far better than that from a VHS tape. But so what? That doesn't mean you have to run out and replace all of your VHS tapes with DVD versions. I still have a cassette player in my car and I still have a ton of cassettes that I listen to. Would the sound quality be better from CDs or MP3s? Sure but until my cassette player dies, my tapes wear out or I get a new car, I've got no problem using the old technology.

[photo]

Really great information here!

Our TV is also 15 years old, but fortunately still works. We don't have cable or satellite, so the TV has one of the little converter boxes for digital that we had to buy (but had a government rebate coupon), but one day when ours dies, we'll be shopping for a new one.

To those who are familiar with the newer TVs, are there any disadvantages to LED other than price?

Where I tend to have a problem is when people feel they must upgrade even if what they have is working fine and meeting their needs.

We have about 50 pre-recorded VHS tapes and still enjoy watching favorite movies on them. And, at least a dozen of those tapes are Disney movies ("Little Mermaid" anyone?) that my children loved when they were little. I just can't quite force myself to say good-bye to them.

[snafu]

Photo, I believe there are processes to convert VHS tapes to DVD. One method is direct to DVD, a 2nd method is via computer.

I agree DS, great that you and mom are both still using VHS machines and tapes. At some future point in time you may want to convert both favorite cassette tapes and VHS to disc. The most efficient method would likely be to hire a teen who would appreciate some pocket money. Most kids have awesome understanding of electronics.

BTW, are you still enjoying your iPhone?

[disneysteve]

BTW, are you still enjoying your iPhone?

Absolutely! Best piece of technology I've ever owned. Browsing the web at 3G speed is frustrating at times but being able to have full internet access 24/7 wherever I happen to be has come in handy way more times than I could begin to count. I could go on and on about all of the ways I've used my iPhone but suffice it to say that yes, I am still very much enjoying it. I can't recommend it highly enough to anyone considering getting one.

[disneysteve]

TV Update!!

I went out TV shopping tonight. I visited 5 stores: Best Buy, hh Gregg, Sears, Target and WalMart. I discovered that the selection of 26" LED and LCD TVs is pretty limited. Each store had only 1 or 2 models. WalMart had a Vizio that was 1080p for $278 but the picture was just flat, not sharp at all. I think it was because of a low contrast resolution (20,000:1). hh Gregg had an LG for $329 that was only 720p but the contrast res was 1,000,000:1 and the picture was crystal clear. Now it could be that the Vizio just wasn't adjusted properly but I didn't really want to take that chance and I figured LG was probably better quality than Vizio anyway. The price difference wasn't enough of an issue to me to be a deciding factor. So I went with the LG.

I got it home - very strange being able to just pick the thing up with one hand and carry it into the house. I joked that it weighed less than my daughter's school backpack (which is true). Hooking it up was very easy and I had it up and running in no time. The picture is nice. It is just small compared to what we were used to (we had a 27" tube). Also, I had thought that with the 16:9 ratio, there would no longer be black bars at the top and bottom of the screen like there were on the old TV but they are still there making the actual image even smaller. You can zoom in but then you lose the sides. Any tips for that would be appreciated.

[kv968]

Congrats on the TV Steve. Instead of zooming, see if there's a stretch mode and use that. You'll keep all of the picture but things will look fatter and squat. For some reason when I've checked this mode out I really notice this effect on cars in a scene. Of course the best way to get rid of those side bars is to get an HD box from your cable company and just get the picture in true HD. It might run you about $7/month for the box, but I'm sure you'd really like the picture. I know you might not want to spend the extra money on something you really don't need, but remember you didn't want to get an iPhone either but once you got it you really enjoyed it Not saying HD is the same as an iPhone but I know once I got HD I find it hard to watch tv any other way.

Another option would be to get an HD antenna (if your TV is HD ready which it probably is). That way you could pick up the regular stations from Philly in HD.

[disneysteve]

see if there's a stretch mode and use that. You'll keep all of the picture but things will look fatter and squat. For some reason when I've checked this mode out I really notice this effect on cars in a scene. Of course the best way to get rid of those side bars is to get an HD box from your cable company and just get the picture in true HD.

We played with the stretch mode a bit. It is more noticeable on some shows than on others.

As for getting HD service, that's not happening anytime soon. I know the picture would be better but I'm not willing to pay for it.

[skruggie]

You can get over the air broadcasts in HD for free, which is what I do - I have an antenna that I purchased at radio shack, and I get perfect digital signals for free. I don't even need the converter box anymore, my dvd recorder has a built in digital tuner.

I flat out refuse to pay a monthly fee for television.

Oh and I also still use my vcr's and have no intention of abandoning the technology, outdated or not

[Frugal]

Buy a flat screen, in my opinion.

[Nightfly]

This isn't a "what TV to buy post" (that's been pretty well covered already), just something to try: we went cable-free for a few months before moving a month ago and finding out our over-the-air antenna didn't work. Between Hulu, the rest of the web, and Redbox - we decided we only needed local channels. Called up the folks at T.W. (you know what those initials stand for) and asked them specifically for local-only channels, which they allowed us to get for about $20 a month. You don't see that advertised by them, so you have to ask. My two pennies.

[disneysteve]

This isn't a "what TV to buy post" (that's been pretty well covered already), just something to try: we went cable-free for a few months before moving a month ago and finding out our over-the-air antenna didn't work. Between Hulu, the rest of the web, and Redbox - we decided we only needed local channels. Called up the folks at T.W. (you know what those initials stand for) and asked them specifically for local-only channels, which they allowed us to get for about $20 a month. You don't see that advertised by them, so you have to ask. My two pennies.

I would be perfectly happy to go cable-free. There is not a single show that I would miss that I couldn't watch online. In fact, NCIS is the only show that I do watch on a weekly basis, and most of the time, I watch it online because I'm not home when it's on. However, my family wouldn't go for it.

[NetSkyBlue]

My only advice is to make sure you look at the actual model in-store. Sometimes two TVs can seem very similar in specs, but you may vastly prefer the actual picture quality of one.