not with a bang but with a wimper

[cellio]

Our previous TV died in a lightning strike, with accompanying sounds and smells. That was, I think, ten years ago, and we've been thinking idle thoughts about upgrading the current one, but haven't because (1) it works fine and (2) it weighs 200 pounds and is on the second floor. (Ok, maybe not 200 pounds, but heavier than the two of us can lift, let alone carry down steps.)

Tonight I turned on the TV and got a click, a brief flash of white light, and then nothing. Tried the actual power switch in case it's the remote; tried unplugging and replugging in case something had gotten jostled loose. No dice. Swapped the batteries in the remote anyway just in case the physical switch has been dead for years (who'd know?). No dice.

Well that's inconvenient.

Off to research modern TVs, then. I guess I know what I'll be doing tomorrow afternoon...

Comments

[alaricmacconnal.livejournal.com]

We've been very happy with our Samsung flat screens.

[dsrtao]

The size vs resolution chart here http://carltonbale.com/1080p-does-matter is based on 20/20 vision.

I suspect that for you, the interesting factors will be largest size in your budget, number of appropriate inputs, and overall longevity.

The most energy efficient screens available are LED-backlit LCD. They are likely to last longest, too.
Plasma looks very good but consumes almost as much power as a CRT.
A great warranty is probably better than any brand reputation for quality. Buying with certain credit cards (notably AmEx) can add a year to your warranty.

[steven.livejournal.com]

Get one of those fancy new COLOR models. They even have the antenna buried inside!

[loosecanon.livejournal.com]

TVs are often cheaply available the days after the Superbowl.
I am also very pleased with our Samsung.

You can likely get a CRT tv from someone moving to flatscreen for cheap or free.

[littlekatydid.livejournal.com]

Oh man, when our 200 lb tv died last year we had so many issues. The company we bought the new one from said they'd haul it away, but then when they got there said it was too heavy for them to haul away so it sat in the front room for like a year until we moved and had to figure out a way to get rid of it!

[nsingman.livejournal.com]

I promised myself that I wouldn't replace our CRTs with flat panels until they were either dead or moribund. I've been pretty good so far, but the televisions are getting close to shedding their electro-mortal coils. I'll try to behave and not define down "moribund."
:-)

Good luck with your purchase!

[dragonazure.livejournal.com]

I forgot to chime in on this....

When searching for a new flat-panel display, also check the screen refresh rate and the anti-blurring technology that comes with it. When ealdthryth and I started looking into a replacement for the WEGA, we noticed that the larger screens (even with the high resolution) looked blurry because the screen isn't completely refreshed by the time the next refresh cycle starts.