HDTV frenzy

[susandennis]

My brother told my mother that she needs to get a new television and it needs to be HDTV. There must also be a station in Charleston that just started HDTV broadcasts because she is also seeing news of it on her TV. I have no idea what in the world he was thinking, if anything, but for the past two days I've been answering her HDTV questions to the best of my ability and with every answer stating in a dozen different ways - 'you don't need it'....

Last night she reported that in addition to the HDTV which she say costs $1,000, she also needs to get a decompressor [sic] for it which costs $799. Lord knows what she's watching. But, whatever it was, self corrected the situation this morning. The news is that with HDTV she'll be able to enjoy football and basketball a whole lot more. She says this could be true since she does not enjoy either one at all right now.

But, now she has it in her head that HDTV is for guys who like football. So she does not need to worry about it any more. This gopher may well be back in the hole for good. Let's hope so.

Comments

[amai-unmei.livejournal.com]

But, now she has it in her head that HDTV is for guys who like football.

Yup, between wealthy football lovers and A/V geeks who are too easily parted with their money, those are the only people who could justify buying an HDTV set now. Perhaps you should also pass on to your mother that your brother is probably filling her head with this garbage so that HE can go to her house whenever he wants to look at sports. As for the viability of the technology, let's just say that I don't think it's anything that she will have to worry about anytime soon.

Take it from me, an A/V geek. :D

[susandennis]

Sadly, my brother isn't that bright - and he lives 4 hours away. He works with a bunch of football loving AV geeks who, I'm sure, are filling his little half brain with this stuff and he's just walking out with the outline. Poor guy.

Mom, on the other hand, hates to miss out. But, she's more in love with the idea than with the reality. Right now she can't use her VCR because a tape is stuck in there and she can't remember to call somebody to come fix it.

Every couple of months or so she gets a wild hair up her ass that she needs a TIVO. (If I were there to help her with it, maybe, but I'm not so no TIVO for Mom.) I just remind her that she can't swap tapes with her friends if she has TIVO and she says 'oh yeah.' Now the reality is that if she could get it all figured out - the TIVO and the VCR - and it was set up correctly, she could indeed swap tapes.

But, she'd never figure it out and they never swap tapes because none of them can really figure out how to work their VCR's OR they have a tape stuck in them and can't use them.

Her computer - email and internet - that's her specialty. One technology at a time when your are 80 - that's my motto.

[estis.livejournal.com]

If I am not mistake, Big Brother has decreeded that all tv's sold within a couple of years must be HDTV. Can't remember tho' if this was passed while Bill was still prez or under Dumbya or if I am just totally confused. Now I like color and stereo tv but really B/W was just fine too.

[amai-unmei.livejournal.com]

That was passed back when the government had a surplus and was planning to subsidize part of the conversion; now that the government has a huge deficit, I doubt highly that the HDTV conversion will be on schedule. Theoretically, the analog signal was supposed to be turned off in 3 years, but that won't happen. I can tell you that right now. The conversion has been set back, probably by a decade (best case scenario).

HDTV is entirely superfluous at this point, and not worth worrying about for the forseeable future.

[susandennis]

Wow. Thanks! That's the clearest explanation of the situation I've ever heard. Thanks!

[estis.livejournal.com]

you are probably right tho' I have never been one to under-estimate the stupidity of our government esp. when money is involved.

[susandennis]

Yes there is legislation affecting the manifacture of tv's sometime in the future. I forget when but I know it's not any time soon and nothing to worry about now.

[tinman.livejournal.com]

HDTV is cool, but hardly necessary (yet). TiVo, on the other hand, is the single best piece of home electronics I've bought in a LONG time!

[susandennis]

Hear hear!! I'm right with you. You can take away a lot of my toys but touch my TIVO and you are in serious jeopardy. But helping Mom use it from 3,000 miles away is just not something I'm ready for.

Just Say NO to Technology

[joyofmacs.livejournal.com]

I have a SONY WEGA TV. I can buy this alleged module to make it HDTV as it came HDTV ready (yeah right).

As far as I know HDTV has been pushed way back.

I am satisfied with my TV and have been since the late 70's.

Now as for this TiVo I finally saw it demonstrated on Ohpra (did I spell her name right?) I ws impressed with the demo. She really likes it. I always thought she was jerky but I actually enJOYed her show, too. Well it was a happy show and not one where she starts bawling. You name it she has had it happen to her.