Feb 12, 2009 01:26 AM
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Every one wants a TV which is a value for money but unfortunately in this statement Money is the only tangible and value is so intangible!!
I am going to write a little about my journey on the value side of the story. I have started, I believe, in 1990 and helped my family to get our first TV which was a 21" Thomson TV and then we upgraded it after 3 years to another 21" Sharp TV with a big Subwoofer stand.
I personally bought a 14" Samsung TV in 2000. By 2003, with all my experience and helping friends to buy the best VFM TV in market, I have realized that Sony makes the best TVs and so bought a Sony CRT 21" for Rs 21000.
Guess what, Sony might be making the best CRTs but I found not much difference except in my pocket;) Then times changed and it was 2006. I have helped my friend with 52" plasma from Samsung and it was awesome. I knew that I wanted it but it was beyond Rs 2 lakhs, I believe, and is way beyond what I could really afford. So, I took the short cut for large picture and got myself a projector from Infocus.
The projector is awesome, huge picture, real movie experience (ofcourse, when paired with good speakers) and I thought I have cracked the mystery of large screen. In few months time, I have realized that projectors were impossible for a Sunday afternoon movie (because of the sunlight), start up times are high, setting up the right ambience was tiresome etc
Then I bought myself a Toshiba 32" TV which was amazing. I had a great relationship with it for an year and half. Last week, I realized that it was time for me to move up for a 46" LCD from Toshiba. So I sold off my Toshiba 32" a week back and now I am with out TV for full SEVEN DAYS.
For those who are looking for an advice to buy a new TV based on my experience, here it is. Any TV that you buy, if you are like me, you want to sell off and get a better one in 1-3 years time (Actually this is applicable for anything that you buy, because you only might get promoted, get a new job, have a succesful business etc which will eventually let you have more money in your bank!!)
->So buy the TV from a decent brand (LG or Samsung or any known brand is decent. Sony or Loewe who want us to think that they are premier and so expect us to pay premium price is not done) one size higher than what you want to buy (Ex, If you are looking for a 25" then go for 29". The logic is simple, the money in your account might reduce more than otherwise, but it is still a number where as the one size up TV is a reality)
->If Samsung 29" is same price as LG 32" go for LG. Do not worry too much about the minute details. Let us say a 15W speaker system vs 20W speaker system should not be a deal breaker
->If 1080P 32 " panel is priced as 720P 37" panel, still go for 37"
->See the TV before you buy, you should be happy with it in your living room
->Check for all the ports for connectivity
-> Betwen CRT, LCD, PLasma go with LCD
-> Check out the buy back options from the shop for future purposes
->TV buying is like buying Brinjals in the market, when it comes to bargaining!! If it helps, it is said that there could be in total upto 60% markups at various distribution points. Since you are the king who is giving out money, use the purchase power to bargain for price and any freebies if you are interested
-> Festive offers are very good and so if you can wait, please wait. Actually if you can wait then just wait.
Having reached the point of waiting, if you are looking beyond and wondering what I am going to buy now, please read below and PLEASE give it a thought. I am not getting any TV any more, I guess!. In the past 7 days, I have realised how much time I got back from the TV time (example writing this review) and this feels awesome.
Ofcourse, I have many friends who do not have TV at all and we had many heated discussions and so I had that bent of mind. Or may be this is a passing phase and a month down the line the Toshiba 46" will make me go for it.
But if you are in the process of buying a new TV (but of course, otherwise you would not be reading this verbal diarrhea) why don't you take a berak just for 15 days and see how it feels. If it helps write to me back and may be we all together can start a "SAY NO TO TV!!" campaign :) Eitherways, have a good time!
