[RickyN29]

Wow, old people drive me nuts. My grandparents will not listen to a word I say. Their TV died, so they wanted to get another. I have a lot of knowledge about electronics and such, but they wouldn't listen to me.

They went and bought a Sony LCD 40" 1080p set, for $3500.......to hook to a VCR and watch analog broadcasting.

I had to share, because I am cracking up. They keep telling me what a wonderful TV it is (when they saw it in the store) and now they don't understand why it looks like **** sitting in their living room playing Oprah and Soap Operas taped on VHS.



I told them for that price, they could have gotten a much larger Plasma, or even a DLP projection set. If they are going to spend that much, they might as well get a large set (they have plenty of room for it).

They refuse to use a DVD player, and they don't understand HDTV at all.

They completely waisted their money.

Hell, they could have gotten a 40" Sony Tube (CRT) and would have been better off bang for buck.

GGGRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[ScotZ]

Originally Posted by RickyN29

Wow, old people drive me nuts. My grandparents will not listen to a word I say. Their TV died, so they wanted to get another. I have a lot of knowledge about electronics and such, but they wouldn't listen to me.

They went and bought a Sony LCD 40" 1080p set, for $3500.......to hook to a VCR and watch analog broadcasting.

I had to share, because I am cracking up. They keep telling me what a wonderful TV it is (when they saw it in the store) and now they don't understand why it looks like **** sitting in their living room playing Oprah and Soap Operas taped on VHS.



I told them for that price, they could have gotten a much larger Plasma, or even a DLP projection set. If they are going to spend that much, they might as well get a large set (they have plenty of room for it).

They refuse to use a DVD player, and they don't understand HDTV at all.

They completely waisted their money.

Hell, they could have gotten a 40" Sony Tube (CRT) and would have been better off bang for buck.

GGGRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

They're OLD. They have little understanding about new electronics. Talk to them about value and cost. Get them set up with some kind of digital signal. Direct TV or cable or something. Be very patient. You may be ****ing up your inheritance

[truckchick]

Same thing is going on at my grandparents lol. Hurricane Katrina left them without their cable for months. One of my uncles went & bought a Direct TV set up for them, it even has TIVO. At least once a week someone has to go over to their house because they manage to unprogram it. No one has figured out how, but they manage to erase all but 2 or 3 channels. My grandfather managed to TIVO everything, then he got crazy mad at not being able to change channels because the tv was recording stuff. lol They would have been completely happy with some video tapes & rabbit ears.

[grogie]

I recently bought a Sony 32" (XBR) LCD and I'm just using rabbit ears for now to pickup the digital network channels (FOX, ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS). Their LCD should do a search for the digital channels via rabbit ears (such as channel 13.1 instead of 13). Then just program out the analog channels for them. The digital broadcast for now of standard shows (like Oprah) should look about the quality of DVD's (480). At least they'll get something better then VHS.

My XBR has a beautiful picture with a 1080 HD broadcast. Better IMO then plasma, plus there is no glare on the screen.



http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?ProductSKU=KDLV32XBR1&Dept=tvvideo&CategoryName=tv_flatpanel_26to42

[jeepsgotnutz]

One benefit at least in their favor. In another year or so, the Government mandated phase out of analog broadcast will be in full swing, and they'll be ready to roll. While everyone with older analog sets will have to purchase a new $100-300 converter box to receive the HD signal and change it back to a compatible signal for their set. For those that don't know, this has been in the works for the better part of 10 years. Each year for the last few years, the govt has regulated how many analog televisions could be produced, with the number getting smaller every year. Thats the reason you see so many HD Ready "monitors" in the stores. By dropping the Tuner and making it a monitor, they get by the restriction. Let em enjoy it, although they did pay too much for it. We have some 42" Plasmas w/integrated tuners for well less than that. Thats the joy of working where I work. I have a 32" HD in the LR, a 17" LCD for my desk, and a 55" HD that I just havn't brought home yet.

[Blake]

February 'something', 2009 is when they are going to stop over-the-air analog broadcasts. Who knows when the major cable companies are going to go to all digital programing.

[frontmounted]

Originally Posted by Blake

February 'something', 2009 is when they are going to stop over-the-air analog broadcasts. Who knows when the major cable companies are going to go to all digital programing.

You are correct:

On Wednesday, February 8th, 2006 - President George Bush signed the “Deficit Reduction Act,”
which also included the “Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act”.
This sets February 17th - 2009, as the "final-cut-off-date" for "OTA" (Over-The-Air) Analog TV Broadcasts."

[jeepsgotnutz]

Just to insure this doesnt become a "flame the Pres" thread, this legislation wasn't introduced by the Bush Admin. It's been in the works for close to 10 years or more.

[Juju]

so can someone please explain the social benefits of everyone having super technological tv? and if you don't understand why this is such a silly idea, please explain that to me as well.

[Jeeples]

Originally Posted by truckchick

Same thing is going on at my grandparents lol. Hurricane Katrina left them without their cable for months. One of my uncles went & bought a Direct TV set up for them, it even has TIVO. At least once a week someone has to go over to their house because they manage to unprogram it. No one has figured out how, but they manage to erase all but 2 or 3 channels. My grandfather managed to TIVO everything, then he got crazy mad at not being able to change channels because the tv was recording stuff. lol They would have been completely happy with some video tapes & rabbit ears.

TiVO has a setting called "Suggestions", based on what they watch or what they give a "Thumbs Up" or "Thumbs Down" to, the unit will automatically record a TV show.

I have a TiVO and thought this was cool for about 2 weeks, then turned them off since it would be recording something almost every hour.

[Jeeples]

Originally Posted by caju21

so can someone please explain the social benefits of everyone having super technological tv? and if you don't understand why this is such a silly idea, please explain that to me as well.

Not so much a social benefit, but it will reduce the "airwave" clutter so to speak. Plus it will probably help save energy since broadcasting towers use tons of juice.

[jeepsgotnutz]

mmmm.... theres always the thought process of Higher Cost televisions produce higher tax incomes for the government from the sell of said tv's.

$199 27" TV x's 8.25% sales tax = $16.41

$2500 42" HD x's 8.25% sales tax = $206.25

Multiply that by 50-100,000 units and tell me which one you want being sold

[Jeeples]

Originally Posted by jeepsgotnutz

mmmm.... theres always the thought process of Higher Cost televisions produce higher tax incomes for the government from the sell of said tv's.

$199 27" TV x's 8.25% sales tax = $16.41

$2500 42" HD x's 8.25% sales tax = $206.25

Multiply that by 50-100,000 units and tell me which one you want being sold

I think you belong in this thread:

http://www.jeepforum.com/forum/f7/who-has-seen-loose-change-316591/


EDIT: Oh, and I thought sales tax is generally set by State Government, not the Federal Government, which is who mandated the change.

8.25%? I pay 6.6%

[PhilipJ]

Good thing Oregon is a close drive.. no state sales tax. I head down there once or twice a year to buy big items, particularly for x-mas shopping.