View Full Version : My TV Died
I was watching TV this weekend and the thing just went dead (similar to when there is a power outage).
The TV is maybe 10 years old. Is it worth it to have it fixed or should I buy a new one?
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Doctor Manhattan
10-06-2003, 05:56 AM
Buy a new one. If you watch DirecTV/Dish Network/Digital Cabel and/or DVDs you'll be happier with a better picture than the 10 year old TV you had.
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KC2OSO
10-06-2003, 05:56 AM
It depends on what kind of TV it is. If it's one that you spent $300-$400 on 10 years ago, it's not worth it. By the time you pay the bench fee for an estimate, you are already half-way into a new TV.
If it's a big screen that you spent alot on, it might be worth it.
I'm auctioning this TV (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2195427777&category=3638) now on eBay. It's 50 years old, doesn't work and weighs about 250 lbs. but it looks real nice.
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FUNKMAN
10-06-2003, 06:22 AM
treat yourself and get a nice new one, you deserve it!
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TooCute
10-06-2003, 06:53 AM
Get a new one!
Here's a question though: We recently switched from regular cable to IO and despite what they said, I think the picture quality has gone way down. Big areas of a single color look pixelated (like looking at a photograph in 16 colors instead of millions) - it's particularly noticable in things like expansive shots of a blue sea (because when the water moves you can really see the edges of the different colors) or oddly enough, on some cooking shows where there are a lot of closeups of white chefs' clothing. Also, stuff that seems to be shot on video generally looks awful (like Bobby Flay's Boy meets Grill show) and fuzzy like the pixels just aren't changing color fast enough, and it has a tendency overall to cut out for about two seconds; usually happens to me about 3-4 times a day (taking my cable line for my computer along with it). Never had this problem with regular cable. OTOH I'm happy to have like 25 gazillion channels with stuff I can watch all day so I'm not THAT upset. I mean, I got to watch Anaconda last night and Josie and the Pussycats the night before!
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Mike Teacher
10-06-2003, 07:45 AM
Unless it's some spectacularly high-end unit, a new TV. It's going to have all the stuff most TVs didn't have 10 years ago ie. front A/V jacks and more inputs/outputs in back to hook up surround sound system, and dedicated R/G/B inputs, plus all the digital stuff like comb filters.
Toshiba is making a flat screen TV with a VCR and a DVD player built right in. It's just an unbelievable display; so much brighter then the others I drool at at the local electronics places. And flat screen make a Huge difference for me, looks like a movie, even when youre watching TV.
That's for a CRT; if you're talking 60 inch Widescreen rear-projection units, that's a whole different ballgame.
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Mike Teacher
10-06-2003, 07:53 AM
Big areas of a single color look pixelated (like looking at a photograph in 16 colors instead of millions) - it's particularly noticable in things like expansive shots of a blue sea (because when the water moves you can really see the edges of the different colors) or oddly enough, on some cooking shows where there are a lot of closeups of white chefs' clothing.
I get Home Stereo, so that's it for me. But this sounds like classic pixelation. Definately happens with white; I see it on my setup too. I guess it's either bad movies they're showing [but that would mean the pixelation occurs exactly the same each time].
I think it's caused by the Bit Rate slowing down. I still have no idea how they fit those hundreds of channels on a cable. DVD recorders, at least the Panasonic I looked at, record, at 'best picture' at a around 10MB/second. That's some serious data stream! The DVD-R blanks hold 4.7 Gigs EACH, and those are single-sided, many DVDs you buy now have two layers sandwiched, giving God knows how much info.
Sheesh, what will these numbers be like [number of channels available, computer power, etc.] in five years??
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schmega
10-06-2003, 08:45 AM
Get a new one!
Here's a question though: We recently switched from regular cable to IO and despite what they said, I think the picture quality has gone way down. Big areas of a single color look pixelated (like looking at a photograph in 16 colors instead of millions) - it's particularly noticable in things like expansive shots of a blue sea (because when the water moves you can really see the edges of the different colors) or oddly enough, on some cooking shows where there are a lot of closeups of white chefs' clothing. Also, stuff that seems to be shot on video generally looks awful (like Bobby Flay's Boy meets Grill show) and fuzzy like the pixels just aren't changing color fast enough, and it has a tendency overall to cut out for about two seconds; usually happens to me about 3-4 times a day (taking my cable line for my computer along with it). Never had this problem with regular cable.
is the sharpness on your tv turned all the way up? if it is, bring it down. its pixelated because its digital, and digital video needs a lot of bandwidth, which the cable has a lot of, but its gotta split it between all the channels you now have as well as for the internet. bringing down the sharpness will blur the picture just enough so you wont notice the lack of bandwidth thats causing the pixelation. and if that doesnt fix it, blame the cable company. its ALWAYS their fault. ALWAYS, ALWAYS. i'm not kidding.
JustJon
10-06-2003, 05:50 PM
Like they said, get new one. For the price of a repair, you can get a decent one and it'll be better quality.
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sr71blackbird
10-06-2003, 05:59 PM
Ive been wrestling with this myself. I have a 15 year old 19 inch panasonic tv, and I can get a 20 inch tv now for $130!!! Im lloking all over for the best deal, but Id say I'll have a new tv within 2 weeks. I just want a new one because I cant watch my DVD on my old tv, it doesnt have the new S Video jack, that I need. Try BJ's or Costco.
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yarpwizard
10-06-2003, 07:31 PM
Simple, just get a new one. This is a disposable society, it's much cheaper to buy a new one. The same TV I bought for $400.00 5 years ago is now $188.00.
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McNabbShouldDie
10-06-2003, 07:38 PM
I agree, just get a new one.
The ol' family TV at my house "died" a lil over a year ago and my mom went to have it fixed but didnt cause she found a 29 inch used TV at the shop and bought it was 120 bucks. So in my case, getting a new(used) TV worked out nicely because it was a bigger and better then the old one, and about the same price as the one we used to have.
Buy used TV's though, not new ones. Even if they dont come with a remote, get one of them universal ones, they work great.
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monsterone
10-06-2003, 07:39 PM
there was a revolution, it was televised, and you missed it. haha
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Aggie
10-07-2003, 06:06 AM
Maybe that's why the Red Sox are actually winning. Don't get a new TV until the baseball season is over. :)
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East Side Dave
10-07-2003, 07:59 AM
You should definitely get a new t.v. And a dog; oh please, please get a dog. Then we'll name him Pup-pup; or no, we'll name him Kit! And we'll teach him to act like a car and make him bark with an English accent! Oh, but we won't let that nazi-sympathizer Hasselhoff get near our little Kit this time! You stay away, Hassy! You go back to your beach, Hassy-hoffy! You go!
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