uhmm...is this HD obsession thing rampant?

[allycat0303]

Hey ladies,

Well, I''ve been with my guy for 11 years, and I always figured after 11 years, there''s not much that surprises you. In any case, about a year ago I casually mentioned that "flat screen TVs are cool". Now my guy is not a techno-geek. He''s not into phones, gadgets, ipods, computers ZILCH. And at that time his eyes LIT up (like scary) anyways, since then, he''ll mention how much he wants one (maybe once a day for the last 365 days). I''ve always thought it was this awful waste of money, I don''t know, we have a normal TV, and I like it fine (and it''s about 3 years old). So every time we would pass a store he would stand and watch and say "look at the amazing picture" I was pretty firm on the fact that we were NOT buying one for 2-3 years.

Then I noticed that him and his friends will spend at least 10-15 minutes per conversation discussing this HD thing. Every time I have friends over (that are guys) they mention HD. It''s like some sort of chant.....HHHHHDDDD...

Anyways, I''m wondering if any of you ladies have men with this particular affliction? Or am I in some warped land?? I know he''s crazy for HD, and so are his friends, but I always thought it was some isolated, weird-my-guy-has-weird-friends-thing.

PS. Yes. I did cave. I bought one for him today, it''s my first day of vacation, it''s a 47 inch BRAVIA sony 1080.... (ask me what that means???? I have NOOOO idea. The guy was talking to me in some techno babble about pixels, projectors, contrast) It''s a surprise for my guy, because he wanted a 40" and he has NO IDEA it''s coming (it''s not his birthday, anniversary or anything) I haven''t given ONE hint that I was relenting on the whole NO HD stance, although I''ve been thinking of buying him one for months now. I thought it would be cute to put the thing in our living room with a big red bow on it. But I''m having a little buyers remorse right now.

Thanks ladies!

 

[basil]

My fiance is so cheap he doesn''t even get cable...he has an antenna and gets 2 fuzzy channels.

But when we''re in Best Buy or walk by the Sony store in the mall, he''s always like "We''re going to get one of those someday, right? Can we get one of the really fancy big ones?" I think it''s kind of funny.

That''s really nice that you got that for your fiance, though! I''m sure he''ll be so psyched and surprised!

 

[anchor31]

My dad has one and he loooves it. I think it's nice, but a normal TV suits me just fine. Heck, I didn't even have a TV for the last 2 and a half years...

My FI is a big techno geek and is big on gadgets. He did some pretty good money on his business trip last winter and was thinking about buying one... Until I said "How about we wait until we have a house to put it in?". So he put it aside with the rest of the money he has saved for a downpayment we'd like to make in 2 or 3 years.

Anyway, must be a guy thing.

It's sweet that you got one for your guy, though!

 

[allycat0303]

Basil, that is such a CUTE story. I kind of don''t get it you know? I get cars (status symbol, the roar of the engine...besides I''m a BIG car girl, I even kind of understand power tools...but this HD thing is beyond me. IT''S. A.TV. I honestly, honestly CANNOT tell the difference with the TV we already have.

Anchor, Can you tell the difference between the two though? I can''t. I have bad eyes though, and I''m not super observant, it''s not like "oh my gosh, normal TV is poopy next to this" but I guess it''s a guy thing. It was really surprising to me to learn he was obsessed with this 1 year ago. It was something I would have NEVER guessed about him. Since your guy is a techno-freak, I can only IMAGINE what your living room is going to look like

 

[neatfreak]

My FI loves gadgets and has no desire for a big screen anything, and doesn''t really mention HD. He DOES think the flat screen-can- hang-on-the-walls TV''s are cool though and kind of wants one of those. But he hasn''t been bugging me for one or anything and he has no desire for a big screen.

 

[chiefneil]

I''m the opposite. DW has been wanting a flat-screen for a couple years but I''ve been holding off. I finally got a flat-screen LCD and mounted it on the wall in the den as part of a remodel, but our main tv is still a regular tube tv, although it is sort of HD-lite since it displays 480p.

The issue for me is that to get a true HD signal, you need to subscribe to digital cable or satellite, both of which require a set-top box and I''m not eager to get yet more electronics attached to the tv. And even then the channels may or may not be true HD. Or you can get an old-fashioned antenna, which is also yet another gadget attached to the tv. I''ve also been waiting for the technology to mature a little, as it''s still in a rapid state of evolution and mass confusion and misinformation is the order of the day. I think next year I''ll probably cave and get one along with a custom built-in entertainment center/wall unit to house it.

Oh, I did find out that cable companies do include some HD channels with the basic cable. They don''t advertise it because they want to charge people big money for the digital service. That''s what I mean about mass confusion and misinformation - there''s no mention of these free HD channels on my cable provider''s web site, so you have to do a lot of research and trial and error to find what''s out there.

 

[allycat0303]

chiefneil: I'm a little worried now. We've always had satellite, and I did talk to the satellite provider and they said that it was
10$ more a month and that we needed to buy a new box. Aside from that there was power bar (it needs a special power source or something...clueless, I tunned out). I don't know anything about channels, regular channels etc. I hope I didn't just dive off the deep end

. I'm going to have to have him check to see if there are already a lot of HD channels already included in our package. It's all a little strange to me. Thanks for the advice!

 

[luckystar112]

Women are to diamonds as men are to TV''s.

-the bigger the better
-always looking for an upgrade
-the opposite sex doesn''t understand

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 6/12/2007 7:17:39 PM
Author: basil
My fiance is so cheap he doesn't even get cable...he has an antenna and gets 2 fuzzy channels.


But when we're in Best Buy or walk by the Sony store in the mall, he's always like 'We're going to get one of those someday, right? Can we get one of the really fancy big ones?' I think it's kind of funny.


That's really nice that you got that for your fiance, though! I'm sure he'll be so psyched and surprised!

I am the cheap one and caved to a flat screen but we had a tube and antenna a few years back ago. Now I see the difference.

That is sweet that you got him the HD TV!!!

 

[sumbride]

We both love our HD tv, but yes, you DEFINITELY need the fancy power strip! I had no idea how surge-y our current is, but ours has a digital readout and it changes constantly. sometimes by a lot! It''s an expensive thing to not have a good strip.

You also REALLY need the HD programming for it to be remotely worth it. A tv that large will not look good with regular programming. Sad but true... the bigger it is, the more you have to have a good signal. We have DirecTV with HD... and they had to put in a different-shaped DISH as well as the fancy box. And the HDMI cables are PRICEY too! You have to have a good cable to get the full signal from the good box from the fancy satellite....

it''s a huge can of worms.

Are you sure about this??? I just want you to know what you''re getting into!

I can REALLY see a difference between HD and regular, but it''s definitely a luxury item.

 

[codex57]

Hahaha, you gals better watch it. HDTV is to us guys as those pretty little rocks are to you ladies. Just accept that we''d love a big HDTV like you guys would love a giant upgrade stone.

It does get expensive fast. Price wise, it''s actually about the same as an e-ring. The TV, then you need a decent receiver, speakers, HD signal (like cable or satellite), all the wiring, etc. It all adds up.

All this HD stuff is a little early. If you can hold out, do. The satellite providers are rolling out more HD channels and high def DVDs are still going through a format war. Home video camcorders don''t have a good standard for HD recording yet. Lots of stuff is still up in the air so you know if you buy anything now, it''s guaranteed to be really outdated soon enough.

Don''t buy an analog tv if you can tho. The US Gov''t has mandated that over the air stuff go digital in a couple of years. If you buy a new analog tv, that''s buying something with a known expiration date. Yeah, there are converters and stuff, but you''re adding needless complexity. If you don''t understand what I just said, ask any male, or any worker at a home electronics store.

Sumbride: look into www.monoprice.com They have any wiring you would need for home theater. At VERY cheap prices. Their quality is just as good as Monster, which is a famous wiring brand that''s horribly overpriced. AVForums is the Pricescope of home theater and nearly everyone on there shops at monoprice.

 

[allycat0303]

Sumbride!

I don't know! It IS a CAN of worms. It's not just buy the TV. It's buy the power bar, pay 10$ more a month, buy the cable for the playstation 3, and buy the new satellite box. Honestly, the sales guy kept going on and on about how much better it was then normal TV and I was like "this is so useless". But at the same time, he's always doing things for me which I'm sure he finds useless. When we bought the house, it had new proceline tiles in the 2 bathrooms and the kitchen, but I prefer tavertine, so he had tavertine put in everywhere for me. Same thing with hardwood floors in the basement. And he's totally clueless about decorating, he couldn't care less about floors. He's always doing things for me which I'm sure he precieves as totally useless, so I kind of feel obligated to do a compromise.

And hearing his friends talk, I feel like I might be keeping him in the dark ages with my HD ban. You know like when EVERYONE had DVD players, yet some people were still watching their movies on video? All his friends have HD, but I'm not sure if it's some isolated fad-thing.

I CAN STILL CANCEL THOUGH! I left a deposit, but I'm going tomorrow for the rest of it. It's supposed to be delivered on thursday, so if I back out, I'd much rather do it without him ever knowing it was planned.

Thanks so much for the imput!

Codex: Sooo...here's another angle....do you think the price on this TV is going to drop in a year? I'm also a little concerned because when he first wanted the TV he wanted plasma, but now that was an absolute NO. So I'm kind of worried that next year this thing is going to be worthless (if you could take a look for me it would be REALLY nice) I understand zilch about TV's.

 

[pyramid]

You said projection, was it a rear projection model he wanted, there seems to be 3 types from my limited knowledge,

Rear Projection
LCD
Plasma

Just checking as you said you tuned out, because if he talks the talk with the guys about them, he will know which type he wants.

From what I have experienced with someone buying one that was a very important part of the decision.

 

[TravelingGal]

We got our HDTV in Dec 05. Most of our friends had HD by then, so I felt we were late in the game, only to find out we''re still considered early.

I LOVE the HDTV. So clear!

And you don''t need a cable box if your TV comes with a cable card slot. Cheaper to rent than the box. Only caveat is that it''s a one way thing...meaning they can send signals to you, but not the other way. That means you can''t get PPV through the TV. No biggie for us.

As with anything electronic, prices are going down. I''d say buy a HDTV if you are in the market for a TV anyway. But if you are happy with what you have, wait a little while longer (about a year or two.)

 

[allycat0303]

Pyramid,

The sales person said projection (I''m repeating what he said) he was comparing between two TV''s, a 52 inch one which was less expensive then the 47 inch I bought. And he was explaining to me why and I didn''t really get it. I thought the 47 inch one''s picture looked clearing then then 52 inch one, which is why I bought the 47 inch one for him.

I think the no-plasma thing was because he can''t play video games on them (oh my gosh, I''m making him sound so mature??). I think. I briefly recall that during a coma-inducing conversation about HD.

Now I have to admit, I''m getting a little freaked out. Now, I don''t know if I bought the RIGHT one.

Travelinggal: so yes... what is this about a cable box? We have a satellite dish box thing, and it has a card in it, is that what you are referring too? The satellite box (with recorder thing) is $600 (it tapes HD..which I don''t really care about) but if we could get HD with the satellitte box we have now and only tape numeric shows that would be ok. But I was under the impression you needed the HD box, to get HD signal (and if I just wrote something terribly stupid I''m sorry!), so I would LOVE to avoid buying it if possible.

 

[TravelingGal]

Allycat, I don''t know anything about satellite, as we''ve always had cable. We would have needed to exchange our regular cable box for the HD one, but opted for the card instead. Sorry I am not of more help there.

I would recommend you check out www.cnet.com . Lots of reviews there and there are also forums out there where serious tech geeks will put in their two cents. Our Sony model, while a CRT (I didn''t care, as I felt plasma and LCDs were not where they needed to be yet) rated tops in pic and quality...they used the model to compare all other HD TVs with that model year. The picture is awesome.

One thing I''d say is take the TV off "vivid" or bright mode. A lot of TVs come with this setting as the default. That is so it looks brighter than other TVs when it is on display at the store. Vivid is way too bright and isn''t representative of true life colors which (to me) are much more pleasing to the eye. Not to mention it can burn out the TV faster!

 

[sumbride]

Honestly, he may want to be involved with this... as great a surprise as it is, if he knows what he wants, and you don''t understand it, maybe let the surprise be "Ta-da! Pick it out!" or something like that?

Ours was my FI''s engagement present. He resaerched, I researched, we talked to friends, we shopped around, and when he narrowed it down to brand and model number, I said "guess what? It arrives next week!" he was ECSTATIC, and me too because at least he got exactly what he wanted... much like me and my ring.

And yes, prices continue to drop. If you don''t really need it now, next year it will be better and cheaper... but that''s true of anything electronic.

More worms... did it come with a stand or wall mount or do you have to buy that too? Who is going to install/hook it up? Is it complicated?

Oh, and Codex, thanks, but it''s too late for me! We didn''t buy Monster cables because I wouldn''t let him! but our HDMI cable was $199!!! I''m still in shock. When he handed it to me I thought it was $19.90. Yeah, a stupid little decimal point. But it was what his friend bought, so therefore its what he wanted. damn peer pressure!

 

[WTNLVR]

I think it's sweet to surprise him. However, saying that and being married to a totally HD obsessed man, I feel I can speak from experience. I would tell him before it's delivered what you did. My guy had done so much research and knew exactly what he wanted, that it would have been a dissapointment to him had I "surprised" him with something some salesperson convinced me to buy. Imagine if he surprised you with a yellow gold 1 carat heart shaped solitaire when your dream was a 3 carat cushion set in platinum. It's the same thing really. I love our HD sets but I never would have been able to get such a good deal and set up if I had done it by myself. Costs go thru the roof after you get the set home. Cable boxes, special cable wires to hook up to the stereo ($100.00 a pop!), etc... It's a huge investment. Worth it if you watch lots of movies and sports, not so much if all you watch is the news. Good luck!

 

[allycat0303]

Sumbride: I negotiated the stand and the power bar into the price (it came out to less then 100 dollars for both...and I really love the stand) I aslo purchased 2 leather couches at the same time, so they were willing to negotiate with me. The price they gave me for the TV was $250 lower then all other places for the TV at all the other stores I shopped (I did about 4 stores...) I was pretty sick of hearing about HD at the end of today. I also got an EXCELLENT price for the couches. And actually and excellent price for the TV if I compare it to the other stores.

I'm actually really confused about all the other details though. Like is the satellite box essential? Or could I do standard cable for the HDTV? Although he has this thing called NHL center ice which he says he will die without

and I think that's satellite. I'm cramming my head with it. Thanks so much for all the advice!

Travalinggal: I'm on the site. I have to admit though that the language and terms confuse me. Thanks for the tips!!

 

[anchor31]

Haha, no, I can''t see the difference. Not at all. And our future living room... Eeep! I prefer not to think about it.

FYI, my father uses Videotron''s illico digital HD cable, which is pretty much the only HD thing available through cable around here. Works well. I''m not aware of all the specifics, though. He''s thinking about buying a new cable module that can record programs (I think someone here said something about always wanting to upgrade?

), so if we can use his current module for non-HD digital cable (not sure about that one), he''ll give the old module to us. It''s sweet of him, but I really don''t care about cable!

 

[marvel]

AlleyCat, I think you did the right thing!! Try not to have buyers remorse. I'm like a guy when it comes to cars and my TV. I love having a nice car and I LOVE my TV. I always have the biggest and the best TV. When the tube went out on my last TV, I went and check out the HD's. I got one of the biggest, 52" (I think) and I love it!! I did have to purchase the DVR box to get the HD channels, which I didn't know about and the cables, blah blah. The one thing I don't really care about is the surround sound, which I think most guys are into. I think he will love it!! I know I LOVE LOVE my HD!!!! Hope that helps some.

 

[allycat0303]

Ugh. My brother just told me that it''s hideously expensive and he would never have paid for it. So now I''m totally feeling like I did a stupid thing. I''m saying to myself though, "honestly, if it was a diamond, I wouldn''t blink an eye at the cost" so maybe I''m just being a total selfish about it you know?

I''m going back and forth, back and forth over it.

PROS

a) he watches a lot of TV. We don''t go to the movies much or anything but we watch TV A LOT. We''re always renting movies).
b) If I don''t buy it now, I KNOW I will HAVE to buy it later. That''s a given. The most I can probably put it off for is another year (maybe at best 2 years)
c) He is going to love. I know he''s going to love it.

CONS:

a) The start up costs of setting this thing up are making me feel sick. (I know I need a cable for his playstation and a new satellite box. So another 1000$) I''m just terrified there are more *cables* or *stuff* I need to go with it.
b) We really could have stayed with the old TV for another two years without any issues whatsoever.

Marvel: You''re so cute! I love your attitude! I want to get there (and fast might I add, because this thing needs to be paid for tomorrow)

 

[chiefneil]

Just a few quick tips for you. The critical thing with HDTV is resolution. That''s equivalent to "cut quality" in diamonds. Resolution is number of lines on the screen. You''ll see "p" and "i". P is progressive and is better than i, which is interlaced. The highest quality is 1080p, which is also somewhat rare and expensive. 1080i is more common. Further down the food chain is 720p, which is about as low as you want to go. You mentioned rear projection - many rear projectors will claim 1080 (either i or p) but in fact are lower, so you might want a set that claims "true" 1080p.

To muddy the waters, full 1080p isn''t really useful on sets below 50" or 60". Sort of like getting vvs2 in a 1ct, when you''d really need a 3ct to appreciate vvs2 quality. So if your 47" set isn''t 1080p, I wouldn''t sweat it.

Rear projection is considered a "stopgap" technology between CRT and LCD/Plasma. It''s much cheaper, but the lamps are a wear item and will need replacement eventually. They''re also not as bright and vivid as LCD/Plasma. Major advantage is cost. They''re not suitable for a very bright room. Rear projectors will eventually follow CRTs down the dinosaur path, but right now are a very reasonable cost-effective option.

Name-brand cables aren''t necessarily worth it. Monster is overpriced and overrated, IMHO. But one HDMI cable replaces several regular cables, so for a one-time splurge you might want to indulge your guy''s lust for Monster so he can have bragging rights.

One thing to be aware of is that if you''re getting a wide-screen tv, which almost all hdtv''s are, then standard resolution shows will either have black bars on the sides, or will be stretched to fill the screen and will look slightly distorted. As a result your standard definition shows on a wide-screen tv will look smaller because the image is narrower but wider, so you might be disappointed in a 47" widescreen when compared to a 36" regular tv.

 

[Sparkster]

Date: 6/12/2007 8:09:58 PM
Author: luckystar112
Women are to diamonds as men are to TV''s.

-the bigger the better
-always looking for an upgrade
-the opposite sex doesn''t understand

Not in my household. For years I wanted a plasma tv yet FI had no interest. He would easily go out and spend $5,000 on two tailor made suits yet would baulk at paying that sort of money for a tv because it''s not what interested HIM. He has not problem with me spending big money on clothes and shoes because he likes to see me well dressed.

He finally realised that he was being mean and we got a Pioneer 50 inch plasma (with inbuilt HD tuner) and now he is loving it just as much as I am. And like a true bloke, he loves loves LOVES watching sport on it. I can''t stop watching the Lord of the Rings dvds on it and have never realised how visually stunning the movie was until we bought the plasma.

 

[aljdewey]

Honestly, Ally, I'd go for it and not return it.

My hubby wanted an HD when we first moved in together, and I said 'oh, let's defer until we buy the house after we marry." I figured no point in moving it around, and we'd just bought an entertainment center that wouldn't do widescreen to the extent we'd want.

He was true to his word and we didn't look again until we'd been in the house a year. Other priorities were met first, and he really wanted it, so I agreed happily. He bought a 56" tv.....larger than the mid-40s that we were looking for, but we agreed it was precisely what we'd be happy with.

YES, there is a noticeable difference in the picture quality.

Now that we have this TV, wouldn't go back for anything! Totally a good move.

As you pointed out, he indulges your diamond stuff, so great that you're willing to compromise in his favor too. Smart gal!

 

[Gypsy]

Honey, just give it to him. You''ve bought it, you were excited... don''t be influenced by your family. YOU know what''s in your heart and in your relationship. He does lovely things for you your brother would think were wastes of money (including diamonds I''m sure)...

JUST GIVE IT TO HIM!!!

If it''s not perfect you both will still have the joy of the moment when he sees you cared enough to surprise him. And then he''ll take over and get what''s needed.


You did a wonderful, openhearted, IMPULSIVE thing.

Ride the wave now to it''s end... when you get to the beach he''ll be there waiting for you with a big hug and a thank you... and you''ll see the happiness in his eyes.

That''s all you need to know.

DO IT!

 

[TravelingGal]

I don't know if your Sony has it, but our Sony really does a nice job of stretching out a standard picture...keeping the proportions in the midddle and stretching a bit on the ends. It's nice.

Also, re: 1080p, it would be nice to have now, but you're not even gonna notice it, believe me. No one I know of broadcasts in 1080p right now...only 1080i. It would be nice if you have high def players, or of course, gaming console. 1080 is the lines of resolution, as chiefniel said. If you are confused, you're not alone. The simplest way I can help a person understand is this:

Imagine instead of 1080 lines, your TV only has 20 lines to create a picture. So mentally take a picture and make 20 even horizontal divisions/lines. Now number the lines (segments of picture) 1-20.

In an interlaced TV, the picture will fill in every other line. So line 1,3,5,7,9, etc will appear first until you hit 19. Then it will go BACK and fill in lines 2, 4, 6, etc until you have a picture. Obviously it will do it very fast.

Progressive is just that..it fills in the lines in order. 1,2,3,4...etc. This makes a clearer picture. Holy grail of HD at the moment.

Trust me, 1080i will look great because you've been watching SD. However, don't be shocked if something broadcast in SD looks way WORSE on your HDTV. Again, this has to do with lines, but I won't go into it further.

ETA, I agree with the gals who say keep it. It is a nice thing you did. Plus you didn't get a chintzy TV...the Sony Bravia is a NICE TV. TVs are one thing that Sony still does pretty darn well.

 

[allycat0303]

Aw Gypsy, Aljdewey you gals are totally right about this. I barely slept a wink last night thinking about this and reading your messages this morning, you gals are right on the money. My guy is really indulgent, and beyond that I''m so grateful to him for sticking by me during the some really tough times. That''s the reason I decided to do this in the first place, because I NEVER surprise him, and it''s something he could have easily bought for himself but has held back because of me. Yes it''s expensive, and I don''t value it, but I''m SO excited to see how he will react. He''ll probably pass out with joy. Thanks you! I''m mentally letting the dollar amount go. It REALLY doesn''t matter. I get really fixated on "oh my gosh this is expensive" and about 1 week later, I usually totally forget about what things cost.

Travelinggal: Well it''s suddenly very obvious to me that I know SO much less then I should about HD television

Thank god for my fellow PS ''ers who seem to know something about EVERYTHING. I looked up the description of the TV on Sony, and it says 1080p which I''ve gathered is good? Unless it''s the effect cheifneil wrote about which is *true 1080i* or claim *1080p* which I''m confused about, but it does have 1080p in the specifications.

http://www.sonystyle.ca/commerce/servlet/ProductDetailDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=10001&productId=1003066&navigationPath=32050n100188

It''s this TV (except a little larger). Although the 1080p thing is buried far in the specifications, so I don''t know if that''s what I should be looking for. I can still easily change my order for another one (if it''s after it''s been delivered I''m going to have to pay a 50$ restocking fee though). THANK YOU!!!

 

[ljmorgan]

ally,

Don''t second guess yourself, it looks like a great TV and he is going to be psyched! Just imagine how thrilled he is going to be when he sees it in your living room! Just be careful though, he might nearly pass out! My husband is the biggest...technophile...ever. We''ve had HDTV for years, just got a NEW better HDTV last month, even our speaker wire has to be this very specific kind because if you listened to my husband, you would think that plain speaker wire barely sounds better than pure static! I think it is hilarious and cute. Yes, TV is to men as diamonds are to us!

 

[winternight]

I''m sure he''ll love it, but you''re nervous. So just tell him about it - he''ll still be thrilled and then he can confirm that he''ll be happy with the choice. Its a big investment. I''m actually in charge of shopping for a plasma for us - but my fiance asked his tech savy friend for size, make, model, etc. I think its a little hard b/c he might have a ''dream'' set in mind and then again he might not. Once its delivered I think it would be hard for him to talk to you about getting a different set.

As for the thing, well I think a nice TV will be larger and for my fiance sports will look great. Costs aren''t expected to go down much anymore FYI from what I''ve been reading, in fact they might go up a bit.