Buying a Television

Back to first Five Things

Thing No. 6  

Accessorize on an as-needed basis.

High-quality coaxial and AV cable will improve the experience by degrees if this is the central home theatre in your home and you want the most intense experience.  If you're really playing in the deep end of the home theatre pool, look for a comb filter on the TV – this is a whole colors/lines/resolution thing.  Most high-end TVs will have plenty of outputs for speakers or video cameras, but if you're going smaller or lower-end, just make sure it has the outputs that you need.  After that, you're on your own with progressive scan, channel block, picture-in-picture, commercial skip timers and other such gadgetry.  We cannot know everything that goes on inside your life.  You have to make some decisions yourself. Go on now, you can do it.

Thing No. 7  

Decide on extended warranty based on the cost of the set.

Truth is, most TV sets do not need repairs.  However, if you’re spending a small fortune, you’re probably scared because if you are the unlucky exception, the repairs are also a fortune.  The high-end sets like LCD, Plasma and CRT-based projection are highly integrated systems, meaning, when one thing blows, the whole thing is blown.  Everything needs to be recallibrated. it's a bad scene.

Thing No. 8  

Buy Online

The bricks and mortar retailers (both electronics superstores and mass merchandisers) cannot compete on selection with the online powerhouses like www.amazon.com.  The mass merchandisers and warehouse stores suck even more on selection – they tend to offer low-priced brands almost exclusively and the service blows.  You can get the lowest price, the best selection and great service with an online retailer plus, you don't have to carry it in the house.  People seem to be happy with their jronline and buydigg purchases.  Sometimes you can score no shipping costs and, with those NYC-based electronics giants like Crutchfields, unless you live in the state, you won't be charged tax.  Of course, you already know to check pricegrabber.com or nexttag.com -- look for 5 star average ratings with over 10,000 reviews

Thing No. 9  

Don't be a dork.

Our superstore sales people tell us they are dumb-struck (and they're not the brightest bulbs on the tree to begin with) by how many people return TV sets because they don't fit in the space or figure out that they can't fit it in their car or that they don't know how they're going to get it out of the car and into the house.  Then there's always the Kramer situation. They don't know where they parked the car.  Take a moment to get it together people.  And, delivery is a nice splurge.