OT *mindboggling* I need some help here..

[QueenZen]

We had to upgrade our DISH sat. tv. system this week. NP for HIS tv in the den. My tv set in the livingroom hath crapped out and went the way of the DODO bird. It will not function on the newer sat. system for assorted reasons, like the picturetube is dying and so forth on my nice ancient 20 inch annolog tv set that WAS working fine, especially on the older sat. dish set up.

But my tv DIED this tues. and the poor chap from DISH could not do a thing with it on the newer spiffier sat. tv set up he gave us here. He did laugh sayin we had one of the oldest best working old Sat. Dishes, he had ever seen, and thought to put it into a museum !

So I has to buy me a new tv set.

I have begun the websearchin searches on what is out there
and what to possibly buy and...GAH !

What happened to the old days of just going out there and buyin a tv set that *made sense to me* without NUMBERS of mathmatics ? _

So any suggestions ye younger modern folks, can offer me would be appreciated.

What I am looking for, for the *livingroom* is basically a 20-30 inch screen,
it does not need tons of bells and whistles on it but it has to be natch sat. tv capable from get go as #2 tv set in house, yet tv viewing is not a top priority in my life I prefer to HAVE it, than atm not having my own tv set, to watch, as of this tues. and in my OLD AGE I prefer a clearer screen image to a foggy lookin one even with or without my *specktacles* on me.

About all I bother to watch on tv. is NCIS, Covert Affairs, White Collar, In Plain Sight, CNN HLN, and local bs, and now and then a comedy or two. That is about it for my tv viewing.

Any *movies* dvds, we'd play IN the den, on his tv set/set up.
I don't even fool with that on the tv in here.

The *living room* tv set ie mine is the *2nd* on the new dish system, ie main tv is his in den on set up #1, to run independant from HIS/MINE.

Suggestions: brand names ? or whatevers ?

Price range; I can't see blowing more than $300 prefer spending even less, for MY tv. set, nor can I see having a larger one over 25- 30 inches, in this already full of stuffs livingroom of mine, like 2 computers, stereo system, livingroom furnitures etc. in my livingroom.
-----------
Eventually HE will need a new tv set too, his will be the pricer bigger sized newer bs, but we will cross that bridge, when we get to it, atm his old tv IS working just fine, so np yet.

NO clue what to even BUY, in regards to the myriads of brand names out there, brand names I don't even recognise any more, for tv sets, that MIGHT suit my needs. Thus any suggestions ye youngsters have for me, would be appreciated, before I go out and blow the rl cash on one !

 

[Beli Mawr]

Har... the problem is not the set. It is the programing. CNN burns up all TV's, even the newer ones.

If you switch over to FOX, your TV's will last a life time.

 

[QueenZen]

HAHA !! Yeh I just shut them off on the tv in the den. Was kinda hopin for my morning NEWS feed but ..another year perhaps.

Whether those news networks burn up tv sets faster or not no clue...but to PROTECT my mind I just turned em OFF ! Would hate my head get torched with their so called news.

I got kinda got sick of same stupid trial, day in day out, after all this time ... or the alternative *news* of an egotistical idiot showin off what he musta thought was his unique looking wee willie wonka and he isn't even remotely good looking; as their CNN HLN perma headliner news... story lines. BORING !!!!


The world could en tomorrow or today, won't matter be irrelavant cuz all those reporters seem focused upon for so called news is STUPID CRAP ! lol

 

[Hera - Siege]

Any of the big names are going to be great.

Essentially a 32" Sharp/LG/Samsung are all going to do very well and these days are ridiculously inexpensive.

I have a 32" Sharp that I got about a year and a half ago that I've been really pleased with, but all three of those consistently get decent reviews.

If you're budget strapped, pick the cheapest and run with it.

-H

 

[QueenZen]

Ah thank you.

No not budget strapped, just we know that sooner or later the BIG tv will die *too* and that one will cost us, a LOT more !!

For what little I bother watching tv in here, yeh 32 or less inches and not pricey will work. I too am amazed how cheap the smaller ones have gotten lately in prices. Even saw a vizsio whatever brand, nearly 30 inches big, at wally world for like 198 bucks, but I am not familiar with that brand name either, for tv sets.

But one nasty day in the future yet, the BIG old annalog tv in den will DIE...and I can about take bets hubby will want some mega wide screen pricey bs in there.

Especially since FOOTBALL is watched in our den by both of us *usually* unless it's his teams verse mine. . then we watchin on separated TV sets.

In here it be TOO much, too big, and I hardly fool with TV shows, cept when he is watching some manly tv shows, that eventually BORE ME ...
one can only watch American Choppers tv shows, so many times ya know plus reruns. He will watch em over and over same with westerns and war movies and so forth. Best way to sustain a marriage, is 2 tv sets, his and hers.

Ima like um husband dear ...ya know sooner or later they will build/blow up that Bridge over the river kwai or whatevers they need to do.......just like they DID the last 799999999999999999999 zillion times, ya watched it ! ZZZZZzzzz

Would be nice to find a deal on buying 2 tv sets at once, cuz sooner or later his big tv will die anyhow, but till then, one a time I guess.

 

[Skylark SP]

QZ, I would suggest checking out this Samsung 32" 720p LCD TV model which is under $400. I did a lot of research on LCD/LED/plasma TVs for my parents last year, and the one they decided on was the predecessor of the one I linked (basically the same specs). It has a nice picture, with good contrast ratio, a good variety of inputs/outputs, and good range of viewing angles. The sound bar is decent. So far my parents have been very happy with the ones they bought (at Sam's Club, which was the best price I could find).

Although the newer TVs are available in 1080i/1080p, I knew my parents would not be taking advantage of any of the latest HD stuff for a while (if ever) so the 720p is fine for what they want and currently have, which is watching TV via cable delivery, and playing DVDs.

LG also has some very nice LCD TVs in the same price range.

 

[QueenZen]

*Holds a requim for her 30 yr. old, 20 inch ZENITH color tv set, that has died this past Tues*

I successfully managed to hook up a *transitional* LED or is is LCD whatever, 1080p whatsits, 60Hz whatevers, 24 inch flat screeny new color tv set in me livingroom, yesterday, harder part for me was figuring out the lil stand it came with. Well I didn't wanna put it on backwards ya know. I don't want it mounted on the walls, when I have a very heavy, pretty *sturdy* wooden *entertainment center* in here, that even 2 fiesty shelties can not knock over, which has successfully held my old school heavy stereo system, and old school heavy annolog TV, all these yrs. thru storms, even our one local, earthquake.

Anyhow, all I got was an inexpensive, 24 inch generic BEST BUY in store brand, Insignia, with LG parts, just a tad larger, than the 20 inch TV set that died on me. I do not profess to fathom all the MATH, all the numbers * ports & the so called extra 'features' that I got no use for, on this TV set.

I read em all via the online web reviews, on tv sets too this week, plus yalls suggestions, here on forum too.
The Best Buy in store brands, get very 'mixed' reviews,
negatives and positives, more negatives perhaps,
than positives, regarding buying anything @ Best Buy, in general, even.

About only one of their own store brands of TV Sets, gets more postive reviews and that is the one I got, with the LG parts;
but even there, what purchase isn't a crap shoot, with fully made or parts made, in China today, regardless of brands/price$ ?

But then, [unlike most Best Buy customers], I got a 20s yr. old something, GEEK squader, [living right next door to me], whom I have known for yrs.

That kinda changes the 'dynamic', for me at least, being a BB customer locally, cuz I just go in and bug the neighbor *kid* all the time.
---
Last night, I sent a picture of this new tv,
from my new gizmo cell phone to hubby's and kids' cell phones,
after I got it set up and running.

My kids all immediately called back with ...
OMFG you did that, ALONE, good job mom, it's lookin good, and it's working, even ? !!

I said: 'yesssssssss I did it all by myself, imagine that !!!
Got all my DiSH signals a'going, the remote, and everything is working, so far nice picture, nice colors, nice sound, & every channel/station even, is functioning for me, 'atm'. Aside from the dogs barking at it, when it came to life for me, like it was an invader, so far it's all, AOK !

Then hubby calls from Connecticut, where he spending his father's day weekend, with our son, saying to me;

"I can't even remember WHEN we had to last BUY a tv set, 30 yrs ago maybe ?? I haven't even figured out how to take photos with my cell phone yet, but you my lil wifey, ya even got me beat, there, + settin up this new tv set, all by yourself."
---
Now considering the DISH guy said he would come back over once I got the new tv, any tv, to help me if need be, to get it hooked up, and considering my next door neighbor, a GEEK squader on tv sets, also offering to help me in the house, I did it myself ! Had to try.

Ya aint gonna learn nothing ever, having someone else, DO stuff for ya, all the time, in this modern age. I had to at least TRY to set it up myself, FIRST, before calling in the troops, but if I needed them, nice to know, I coulda called em, to come over !

When ya have had annalog tv sets, [which have lasted 30 yrs +++ for us, without ANY issues], and finally one by one, they're dying on ya, you know in your heart you can not turn back the clock, to oldschool TVs, ya fathomed better, that were primarily also, Made ONLY the USA, once upon a time, that lasted/worked fine for, DECADES !

I just mosey'd on in there, went up to the neighbor *kid* and told him:

"I read the Best Buy TV set reviews, some horrid, some praising, of one of your in-store brands, the newer ones with LG mix, quite a few reviewers positively said ...

'good/great 'entry' level modern TV, for the cost, that even an idiot'
can easily get to working fine & set up, all by themselves.

Sounds like the new TV set for me, for NOW.
Which TV is that, toss it in the cart & ring it up !"
----
For what little I spent on it, even if it craps out in a year,
I still spent then, less that a buck a day for it.
It is [in theory] supposed to last for minimum/maximum of 2 yrs. I spent $228 + extra $ for warranty.

I told my neighbor *kid*

'you know I will come hunt ya down
if this new tv gives me issues, too early on,
Ima gettin your warranty;
but I will tell ya, if this goes bad [before it should],
and 'you' do not resolve whatever issues, regarding this tv set with me;

I will be tellin your new girl friend, stuff about you,
you may not want her, to know ! LOL

BTW 'neighbor' ya still owe me $30 bucks,
so, he paid for my warranty. LOL

I think I am *covered* [for the time being], for better or worse! LOL

Whenever, we have to buy the BIG TV set in the den, which even at annalog size, is much larger than the TV set, I had in here, we will no doubt be a 'lot fussier' with purchasing that costlier investment ! WE can LEARN off of this new lil tv set in the meantime, while it lasts !