Friday, February 27, 2015

Televisions

There isn't a thing wrong with our old TV.  It's a plasma set, which means it does use quite a bit of electricity; but the picture is fine, and it's just the right size (46 inch).  My only complaint is that I can't hook up a Roku or antenna to it because there's no place to plug them into the television.  The only place I could hook up either one of those is used by the Directv box.  I'd really love to be able to use both an antenna AND the Roku alongside our Directv.  

The main reason I want the antenna is that our public TV station, KCPT, has three antenna channels.  One seems to be nothing but cooking (19.3), but the other extra (19.2) has the same sort of educational programming that the original broadcasts offer, except there are shows you can't see on the original channel.

I know all this because some time back I invested in a small TV for the bedroom, just so I could experiment with Roku and an antenna.  Even though we are thirty miles from Kansas City as the crow flies, a tiny, cheap set of rabbit-ears brings in all the local stations amazingly well.  

I'm thinking a person might do something with an A/B switch.  But what I REALLY would need is an A/B/C switch, and even then, it might not be so desirable if it forced me to get out of my chair and fish around behind the television for a switch... using a flashlight, of course, because it's dark back there, and the television weighs a ton.  The advantage is that I would see all those cobwebs that collect back there and deal with them as a good wife ought. 


You can see the problem with fiddling around the back of the television.  Also, we already have enough things plugged in over there to give an electrician nightmares.  

It isn't that we can't afford another television, but no more TV than the two of us watch, I am not about to invest in a new "smart" TV.  Every time I'm tempted, I lecture myself with the reminder that we really do not watch that many hours of television.  

If you've followed my electronics adventures in the past, you probably think I will end up doing the stupid thing and purchasing a really expensive new TV, but you'd be wrong about that.  This time the balance is too much in favor of waiting until the current one stops working... in other words, doing the sensible thing.  Let's see, it must be about twelve years old.  Surely it won't last forever.

7 comments:

  1. Now that you've said all this, you know you jinxed the old tv and soon a new one will have to replace it.

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  2. My children got a new tv for me as a Christmas gift two years go and a roku box. I've thoroughly enjoyed it. These days there seem little to watch on regular tv. The new technology available is amazing. Winter is my time for watching tv, but when the weather finally gets nice I'll be outside more than not.

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  3. Like you I have a large heavy TV, but it works great. We have another flat screen that would work with anything, my husband claims it. I don't watch TV all that much either. I don't know but it could last 10 more years. Smile. Take care.

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  4. For about $16 + shipping, Amazon can fix you up with an a/b/c switch for coax connectors (F-type ) . If what you need is a automatic, remote capable HDMI connector switch, that'll set you back almost as much as a monorchid purebred Angus calf.

    http://www.amazon.com/Cables-41016-High-Isolation-Switch/dp/B0002GV8Z8. And don't forget to order a coax cable to go from the switch to the TV if you haven't got one. Local Radio Shack might have one real cheap, what with going out of business and all.

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  5. So you are going to cheer for your old tv to die? LOL

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  6. I miss the good ol'days when we simply plugged the TV in and watched "Gunsmoke". I no longer have cable. I've given up.

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  7. Mine is going to give out any time. It's one of those big kind and is about 18 years old. (I think!) I don't watch much TV either, so I'm just waiting for it to die, so I can figure out what I want to do.

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