So after dinner tonight, we hit up Costco and Best Buy to see what sort of New, Shiny, HD, Widescreen, Flat Screen TV we might be looking at. Good prices at Costco, We sort of decided that a 40″ was what we were looking for (as we discussed various fantastic ways of mounting a TV larger than the existing space into the existing space*). There was a good-looking Toshiba (40RV52, $750), and over at Best Buy there was also a Sony (KDL-40S4100, $999) and a Samsung (LN40A530, $999) that was attractive (including a nearly duplicate Toshiba 40RV525U, $799).
After we got home, I spent a couple of hours looking up these models, looking at specs and reviews and strengths and weaknesses, as well as evaluating how it might fit in with the existing receiver (which supports composite video but not the oh-so-chic HDMI). Insight, angst, confusion, inspiration, uncertainty, determination, concern, decisioning …
Okay, we’re getting the Toshiba! Concern over how the Yamaha A/V receiver will deal with multiple types of input (DVD not having composite video, Yamaha not having HDMI, etc.), but, yeah, let’s go the thrifty route and get a HDTV that looks actually very good, and, yes, it’s a lot of money, but, despite the rather pleasant quiet and lack of pressure to watch TV shows we like, dammit we’re missing The Daily Show!
And, before calling it an evening, I try the old TV.
And, of course, it comes on, as it didn’t over several other retries.
So …
Well, we probably won’t be running out and buying a new TV tomorrow. Um … unless the TV doesn’t start up tomorrow (now that we’re caught up on a few days of The Daily Show.) If the TV can hold out until the new year, probably all the better, as far as pricing goes.
But there’s still also a kind of also a … emptor interruptus, as all the research and angst and worry and planning is abruptly derailed into … well, heck, I guess the old TV has a pretty picture, especially when you haven’t watched TV for three days.
Let’s see what tomorrow brings..
* One option involved an extended wall mount that would work just fine, save that it cost 560 frickin’ dollars.
Damn. We almost had you joining the HDTV Zombie Death Cult. Lookit the brains! LOOKIT THE BRAIIIIIIINS!
OK, that doesn’t make any sense. It’s early and I’m still on my first cup of coffee.
If you can hold out until March (or is it February) you’ll be able to pick up 32-inch SONY CRT tv’s on the curb for free.
Friend of ours gave us theirs. Man, that’s a nice TV, though it will need a digital converter. And as a bonus, it’s so heavy that my house will never blow away in a tornado.
Heh.
Well, the TV is still working this morning. No idea what the problem was, or when/if it will recur. But at least I have my notes, and I’ll know more next time what I’m looking for.
And as I put it to Margie, it’s not like prices are going to go up and the features down.
Notes for future reference:
What is composite video: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-composite-video.htm
What about component video vs HDMI: http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/34579/122868.html