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What are some stories you have? Does this annoy you?
I remember when flat-screen TVs first hit a price point at which many could afford them, back in 2004 or 2005 or so. Many bought them, but the number of people who watched high-definition or wide screen programming on them was much smaller. Instead of informing themselves about the HD programming available, or the fact that most cable systems carried the HD versions of their network affiliates for free (not to mention there were free HD channels available over-the-air), most just continued to ignorantly connect them to their cable set-top box or DVD player with standard RCA jacks.
A person I knew bought an Xbox 360 soon after it was released at a hefty price of $400...to be used almost exclusively as a DVD player. I still remember hearing the looping sounds of the O.C. theme at night through the floor when she fell asleep and banging on her door telling her to shut it off.
My first HDTV was a rear projection and there was no HD on cable or over the air, at least not here. Did have a "progressive scan" 480P DVD player and that is as good as it got, for a while. My choice to buy, my choice how to utilize.
We bought a rear-projection HDTV in 2003. It did not have an ATSC (OTA TV) or QAM (cable) tuner, so all we could watch with it were DVDs. We upgraded our Dish Network receiver to one capable of receiving HD signals about six months later. I remember we got about 6 HD channels...Discovery HD Theater, HDNet, HDNet Movies, HBO HD, and Showtime HD, and one or two others. I was stunned by the video quality and became an absolute fan of HDNet.
LOL You sound like an electronics snob. Don't worry about what other people buy/get suckered into buying, it serves a purpose. If the "early adopter" type people, who know how to properly use their equipment, be it stereo, video, gaming systems, etc... if they were the only people who ever bought this stuff, prices would never fall and manufacturers would take a lot longer before upgrading to the next generation of stuff.
It's silly to get annoyed over how other people use their own equipment.
There are far more egregious examples of buying things "for show" than ordinary electronics like TVs.
How about BMW cars? How many people that buy a 3 series have any idea what displacement engine they have in their car? Or what about women and their $1000 purses? Those are items that get seen. Who sees that someone bought a XBOX that sits in their living room?
And I don't see a thing wrong with buying a LCD flat screen and watching SD on it.
Maybe they want to hang it on a wall? Maybe they are sick of a huge TV stand holding a 225lb TV in the middle of the living room and want a sleek stand to hold the 45lb new TV?
Now people who buy a BMW because the neighbor has an Audi? That's messed up.
I don't care what anybody does with their money. I don't necessarily understand the obsession with "I've got to be able to hang my TV on the wall" (mainly because, right under that TV on the wall is, guess what? A friggin' stand that holds the cable box, receiver, gaming consoles, etc.), but it certainly doesn't annoy me.
My favorite is people hanging TV's above the fireplace.
Its there a worse place to put one?
Not only is it, HELLO!, above a flaming smoking device, but they are almost ALWAYS far too high. Nothing like having to crane your neck or lay down or recline WAYYYY back to watch TV. TV's should be at, or just below, eye level for the best ergonomics.
But it's the "thing" to do.
Doesn't annoy me at all.... unless I am watching TV there. hahaha
My favorite is people hanging TV's above the fireplace.
Its there a worse place to put one?
Not only is it, HELLO!, above a flaming smoking device, but they are almost ALWAYS far too high. Nothing like having to crane your neck or lay down or recline WAYYYY back to watch TV. TV's should be at, or just below, eye level for the best ergonomics.
But it's the "thing" to do.
Doesn't annoy me at all.... unless I am watching TV there. hahaha
It's not the best place because of the height, but...
1. In smaller rooms, there is often no better place to put it.
2. The fireplace is traditionally the primary focal point of a room, so the TV often needs to be near it.
3. When a decorating force is involved, ergonomics often goes out the window. It's all about appearance.
4. As long as there is a 6" or larger mantle above the fireplace, there is little issue with heat. If smoke is coming out of the fireplace into the room, there are much bigger issues than the TV placement.
5. A flat panel mounted on a wall 3' above the floor (eye level) looks silly. I'd never do it, nor would I recommend it to my clients. They can be mounted lower than above-the-mantle-height, but there is some compromise between ergonomics and appearance.
6. Perhaps the furniture is too close to the TV in your example?
I don't care what anybody does with their money. I don't necessarily understand the obsession with "I've got to be able to hang my TV on the wall" (mainly because, right under that TV on the wall is, guess what? A friggin' stand that holds the cable box, receiver, gaming consoles, etc.), but it certainly doesn't annoy me.
We used to have a big rear-projection TV and put our satellite receiver / DVR, DVD player, stereo receiver, and center channel speaker on it.
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