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help for a television luddite

3 months ago

last modified: 3 months ago

Hi, I'm buying a tv after not owning one in maybe 20 years. What do I want to look for? Are there new features I should know about? I assume we'll be mainly watching sports (my son) and movies. Does one still get cable? Apple tv? Only internet access? I'd like to hang it on the wall and ideally bury wires. Does an electrician do this? In tandem with someone who mounts it? Thanks for bringing me up to date.

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Comments (5)

mtvhike
3 months ago
Several questions you need to think about:

Are you going to have an antenna for OTA (Over The Air) reception?

Are you going to have cable (in the event OTA doesn't work in your case)?

Are you planning to have an internet connection (for Netflix or other services?

How big?

Most (all?) modern flat-screen TVs accommodate all of those services. You might also want to be able to connect your computer using the TV's HDMI port(s).
my B
Original Author
3 months ago
Thanks @mtvhike! i have internet access, will kit gave an antenna.
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Your cabinet and painted tile are both attractive, but they would look better if there were fewer distracting decor items around them. IMO the painted tile should be the star of the show. To my eye, the black frames and bright white picture mattings don't look good with the softer colours of the cabinet and tile. I'd find another wall for all those smaller pictures - a hallway is a great place to put pictures this size because you can go right up to them. And cluster them closer together. Then, TV over the cabinet with no decor items on the cabinet. Larger picture (or maybe a round mirror?) over the new mantle. The vase looks great with the tile and should go closer to it, e.g. on the mantle. Maybe one other thing on the mantle.
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Alan Strassberg
2 months ago
last modified: 2 months ago
https://www.rtings.com/tv

and

https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-tv/

Some great deals right now on last year's models as the fresh crop comes out at the end of this month. My $0.02 - get the biggest you can, the LG C2 is the best money can buy in terms of bang-for-buck (until the C3). Forget cable, just stream.
my B thanked Alan Strassberg
mtvhike
2 months ago
I currently (I think) have cable, but yesterday we had a number of power outages and each one killed my internet connection. When power came back on, the internet usually came back, but sometimes it took a half hour or so. In the evening, which was after the last power restoration, I tried to look at the local news channel and there was no cable signal. Fortunately, that station had a real-time streaming service, which I used. After the news, I wanted to watch PBS, and still nada. But I had signed up for PassPort and that gave me the current content over the internet, which was find. My wife, however, noticed that the sound quality was inferior.

Some of the services which advertise cable cutting don't actually carry PBS (such as Direct TV's).
HU-867564120
2 months ago
Your new TV will certainly be an LED model. The naming may have changed this year, but as an example using Samsung, you will have the option of basic LED models ($), Quantum LED sets ($$), and OLEG (organic) LED models ($$$). The Quantum and OLEG sets have much better or much much better contrast levels and color availability, as well as other electronic enhancements (120hz refresh for sports, etc., etc.). As a middle of the road approach, I went with an 85" Quantum from Costco.

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