Does anyone like TV shopping?
 

Having trekked the old "big" (40") TV all the way down to Florida, ArcheoGirl has found the hdmi and component ports are not working.) She especially wants the component port for the old Wii that she enjoys playing. It seems to me that current TVs no longer have this, but you can buy adapters for this purpose for less than $25.

Beest always looked after all this sort of shit because he enjoyed it and am just not interested so easily overwhelmed by it all, but I want my girl to be happy and settled and he is no longer here so I would like some help. I know that was shit English.

1) am I correct about the adapters? This is what a quick initial search popped up for me https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...UI3DQ0NB&psc=1

2) If you see/find any good deals for a reliable basic 40"ish (maybe even a tad bigger, but not ginormous) TV delivered or available locally in Tallahassee FL, or have any relevant recommendations please share.
She doesn't actually watch TV at all -just hooks up her computer to watch Netflix or Youtube, or plays Wii. I can't look locally for her because I'm back in MI, and she is super-busy getting to grips with her new student life. I see they're not super-expensive but I want to avoid a lemon, and if there is a good back-to-school or similar saving, I'd of course prefer to take it and she would feel better because she feels bad about how much her move has cost and I don't want her to.

TIA, darlinks, oh and please remember to use layperson's terms. :)

I'm not sure WalMart can be beaten. I think you can shop and pay online, and she can pick it up at the local (to her) WalMart. They may even deliver.

That's not a lot of help, I know. But it's all I got.

Is there a factory settings reset button/menu option on the old TV that she could try? She may need to disconnect everything from the TV before doing that.

The price of TVs has been dropping wildly in recent times. At this moment Amazon Prime offers up a 43" Toshiba for $199 and free delivery.

I'm as disinterested and easily overwhelmed by technology as you are, but I can at least offer this general side note: pawn shops always have older TVs in stock, presumably with the older inputs she may be looking for. Just pick one in a not-completely-ghetto neighborhood, and the staff there should be able to help with making sure she's got the right one for her needs.

dunno will ask, thanks may be too old for that? Is not a smart tv I think

Right, just don't know how to pick a good one :/

It's the old TVs that may have it. New TVs diagnose and repair themselves.

At the minimum, get a 4K TV, at any size display. Must have 4k.

Samsung, Sony, LG, Panasonic, Toshiba, Philips. Maybe JVC. Some say Vizio, but I dunno.

I have a mostly uninformed belief that you really can't go wrong by just getting the biggest Samsung that you can afford. Just remember that you have to eventually move it too.

Modern TVs have streaming options built right in, if she is a Netflixer or Youtuber, or you can buy a Chromecast and cast anything from the Internet to the TV.

But you don't have to get her a another tv, you can get her a tw and have the old tv working about the time she graduates. :lol2:

:bolt:

thanks. We mooted the idea of 2nd hand for this reason, but it would be better for the future if we can make it work with current technology :) And I know she wouldn't be comfortable going into a pawn shop yet -still figuring out when not to go. Fortunately she has a few locals for advise on that. :)

I told her and she said she found some sort of sequence that involved the power button to do this, but it didn't work.

thanks

thanks. she really doesn't want huge. Vizio is what the current one is, I think.... It's over 15 years old and was working about 18 months ago -at least the hdmi was. Yes, we neglected to check it was working before we chucked it in the truck, although they did pad it like it was a newborn baby :(

Vizio has a website of manuals for older sets.

It was worth a try. The sequence is listed here. There are other troubleshooting possibilities like the port may have bent pins, HDMI connecting cables can go bad, drivers might need to be updated ...etc. At 15+ years old, soon after you fix one thing, another thing might go wrong with it. A new TV may be in order so that it's not a distracting aggravation.

The Toshiba UT linked to has decent reviews and is a good value especially if mostly for gaming.

The latest, greatest, budget TV is a bit more expensive; but, reviewers say it's worth it for a significant step up in image quality:

https://www.amazon.com/TCL-Class-Dol...ateway&sr=8-10

This is the new darling, a new model closely related to others that have been holding best in price class.

A typical review:

https://www.tomsguide.com/hands-on/t...ies-comparison

I expected this thread to be on Home Shopping Network addiction.

Is that a confession?

Picture quality is similar in all models. All that is standardized. Serious problems exist with discount TVs (ie Seiki). The controls are bogus. Its CPU sometimes can take up to 10 seconds to respond to some remote functions. Or the remote receiver only receives in certain directions.

For example, a better TV should put up the Sleep function without going into the Setup section. Samsungs do that. Elements and some other discount brands require searching in other categories.

TVs are so easily repaired. For example, the board that includes functions such as HDMI was replaced on a 60 inch Element TV for about $80. It is only one board so it is the only part that has a defect. Only needed was a screw driver, needle nose pliers, and care with what screw goes where.

If only used to play games, then any old TV (with HDMI) is just fine - even one without tuner functions and remote. Craigslist is also a good source since so many discover later that they need to eliminate the Element or Seiki due to poor remote response times and function layouts.

Ability to switch from TV to other input devices is embedded even in Comcast remotes. But Comcast conveniently makes that function not work. Comcast controllers can select the input pages on a TV (setup codes for that TV's function are in the remote; just not published). But Comcast does not enable the arrow function. You can view the page but not select the other input ports for those other devices (DVR, game, internet TV) that are not provided by Comcast. You must go find the remote provided by that TV manufacturer. IOW one must keep two remotes available - so that one will eventually get lost.

That recovery technique is bogus. Written by people who have no idea how electronics work. Some electronics have a safety lockout. That lockout is reset only by disconnecting the power cord for a few seconds. Nobody needs the 30 seconds. Holding down the power on button does absolutely nothing.

Power is simply removed for a few seconds. Then everything inside electronics is fully discharged. That also resets the safety lockout (if it exists and if it tripped).

To make TV damage easier, plug that TV into a plug-in protector. Such power strips do not even claim to protect from surges. Better protection inside the TV can be circumvented by a plug-in protector. In FL, other solutions from responsible manufacturers are recommended. And much more necessary that in MI. Using a plug-in protector could explain HDMI damage.

:lol2:

I thought the 'two remotes' comment was cute.

lol I'm not the king of mental hygiene but there's one issue I don't have.

Especially since with today's TVs, you can download the software to turn your smartphone into the remote...even add an AI app for voice control.

thanks!

PoloGirl (first practice Tuesday) says thanks, all :)

any thought on this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...ustomerReviews
?

For the $70 price difference, I think you'll end up kicking yourself for not getting the upgraded version of this, that I linked to before, with the auto gaming mode and other refinements.

I expect the newer model will become the Amazon Choice after availability increases and it gets more reviews. The newer one is the Class 5 (43S525) upgrade over the old Class 4 (43S425) that it's based on.

I think in this case (the user being a gamer) the choice draws the line between being frugal and being cheap; unless, the price difference just isn't doable … then I would take the older TCL over something like the Toshiba. One indicator is that 3rd party protection plans for the Toshiba only go up to 3 years. They go up to 4 years on both of the TCL models. Those 3rd parties analyze the repair rates on older models and extrapolate them for new models before offering extended coverage.

thanks

UPDATES: Last time I looked at the Toshiba UT linked to, the extended protection plan went up to 3 years. Now it goes up to 4 years. Last time I looked at the Toshiba it was $200. Now it's $250.

Last time I looked at the TCL I linked to, it wasn't in stock. Now it's back in stock. Price is unchanged, at least for now.

passed on, thanks

Hey Polomom, can Pologirl get to China by October 1st? They're giving away 620,000 32" TVs! If not, maybe she knows a Chinese national going to school here who can get a couple. It's not too late for delivery by airfreight.