The Big TV
So, we have finally joined the modern age by getting a flat-screen, Hi-Def TV.
For way too long, they were way too expensive, and I just didn't see that much of an upgrade in picture quality. And certainly not thousands of dollars worth of picture quality. Recently they have dipped close to $500, which is more like it.
Plus, our old tube TV had developed this faint line that danced across the lower part of the screen. It wore on the soul.
It went down like this:
I was in Target, combing the clearance shelves, and happed upon a Blu-ray player with a built-in wireless connection for $75. When I called my wife to clear the purchase, as our family policy, she said she'd been to Walmart that day and had seen a big 47" TV (which she's been wanting for 3 years now) for $700. I was right by the TVs so wandered over and noticed they had the TV she was describing for about $500. She said, "I'll be right there." To which I responded, "We're buying a TV today?" She said, "Probably."
We get it home and the brackets they sold us to mount it on the wall were a foot too short. I call the bracket company because they implore you to call them in the instructions if you have any questions whatsoever. To my surprise, they answer, even though it's Friday night. I'm told I have a bracket that's been recalled, and I should return it and get the new one.
Off I go. I have to return it to Target, who doesn't have the new one, so I jet over to Walmart, who does. And it's cheaper. Yay.
Get home, and discover the mounting screws for the bracket are either too long or too short to work, including with the various spacers in the kit.
Off to Lowes where I spend at least a half hour deciding if I should get new screws, different spacers or whatnot. At home I discover the spacers I bought are one washer-width too short.
Off to a neighbor to sift through his can of loose screws and such, and he has only 3. Visit another neighbor, same drill, but now I have enough washers.
The bracket is mounted and now it's time to put the wall-mounting piece up. Much discussion and agonizing about correct height and getting it level. Everyone winces when we hear the boards in the wall creak and crack a little bit as I'm ratcheting in the monster screws. Hand becomes very tired.
The moment arrives, the wife and I hoist it up, and it clicks in beautifully. I spend about 20 minutes running cables, then sit with remote in hand (MPC1 was instructed to read the instructions and school us when the moment arrives), quivering slightly with anticipation and fatigue. It's 10:00 PM.
Click!
And this is what we see....
We sit there in silence at first. Then, for about 15 minutes, we explore the concept "how much does THIS suck?" Our daughter brings things to a close by remarking that we are now officially the Griswold family. Laughter breaks the spell, and we head off to bed.
We end up coming home with a bigger TV the next day.
2 comments:
The purchase of our flat-screen HD blah-de-blah was so painless in contrast to your experience. My wife believes that unless there is something entertaining playing on the screen, the television is an intolerable eyesore. Thus her only directive re: the purchase was: make sure it fits inside our existing entertainment unit (which also hides our Flintstones-era stereo system). We took a tape measure with us to the box store, found what we were looking for at $700 and change, took it home and cued up Star Trek: First Contact ... it's been magic ever since. Now I never want to leave the house.
I have to admit true HD through and HDMI cable is amazing.
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