The Ultimate Daddy Toy: HD Flat Screen TV

The wife has finally given me the ok to jump into the digital age. We have been spending time at a friend’s house who has a nice HD TV and Mommy Bacchus has finally seen what all the fuss has been about. I have had plans to start getting some for the house, but not until next holiday season. Fortunately for me, she has loved watching TV in HD and wants to contribute funds to the cause. So off I went to the internet and did my research. Talked to some friends and a good buddy developed the below list that I found very helpful.

• Darkest blacks possible
• 120 Hz is better
• DLP is the best for the price
• LCD is the best picture
• Plasma has a better picture but they’re about to be discontinued because of problems
• Mitsubishi probably the best big screen maker
• Measure how far your seat is from where the TV will be and get that distance away at the store
• Go HDMI – go digital its worth it but don’t buy expensive cables because digital is always digital – a 1 is a 1 and a 0 is a 0
• Fry’s is a good place to shop – online is a better place to buy
• Go with the picture you like the most and pay few hundred extra if you have to. You don’t want to be stuck with a TV you’re not happy with a year down the road and you could’ve spent just a few extra bucks.
• The TV will look bigger in your house than it does on the show room – trust me on that one

We were limited in the size that we could get, but got the best we could afford and fit in the space we planned for it. MB had been talking with her friends and decided that because of the two active kids we have, she made one hard requirement.

The Ultimate Mommy Toy: HD Flat Screen TV Wall Mounting

Because a couple of MB’s friends had children involved with some type of accident with the flat screen TV, she insisted that the TV be mounted on the wall. Initially it didn’t bother me because the mounts I saw in the stores cost a $100-200, but the real problem was the cost to get someone to actually do the mounting for you. Wow!!!! It was almost the cost I paid to buy the TV. I bit the bullet and got someone reputable. MB knows that I am good for finding a friend of a friend, but mounting a TV is not something you want to trust to just anyone. I decided to go with Circuit City Firedog service, and hopefully everything will go well.

Now What???

Since we needed the TV mounted and the existing TV stand would have to be taken down, MB thought that I would just leave the TV in the box and wait until the installers came. Nope, not gonna happen. I had the TV out of the box within 30 minutes after we got it in the house. Put it in the bedroom for the time being and watched my first show on fuzzing regualr TV. Oh, did I forget to mention that I now need to get a new satellite box that will bring the HD signal to the new TV. Oh, and you need to purchase HD wiring, Oh, and you need HD package for your satellite service……..IEverytime I looked up there was another “Oh.” I just hope everything will turn out ok. If anyone can think of anything that I missed, please share what you know.