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Comment on Are Expensive TVs Actually Better? An Analysis of TV Prices and Review Scores

Does anyone still use a tv? What do you use it for?

As we’ve built up a plethora of small screens in the house, we almost never use the big screen anymore. I wonder if this is going the way of landlines, and cable - a huge expense that is no longer relevant.

With all the choices of media and activities, it’s not like we have a family activity of sitting to watch whatever dreck, on the broadcasters schedule. We’ll still probably be in the same room relaxing at the same time, but the kids will be gaming, the wife will be cackling at Instagram, and I’ll probably be doomscrolling. We all have screens that are more suited than the big screen, and the big screen would just interfere with someone else’s enjoyment

I suppose we did watch the Super Bowl together, but that may be it for the last few years. Is a big tv worthwhile for one event? Even when I’m home alone and want to watch something, I have a better suited small screen (heck, that bedroom tv hasn’t been turned on in years)

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roofuskit@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
This is absurd. Not because of your personal preferences but because you are so naive and narrow minded as to be incapable of imagining another viewpoint. This thinking is why the world is falling apart.

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- AA5B@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
  Wow, narrow minded because I asked for other viewpoints? Narrow minded because I wondered if it there’s a trend or if it’s just me? Maybe you should revisit your definitions
  
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dmention7@lemm.ee ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
Not to knock on you, because everyone’s got different priorities, but I think calling it a “huge expense that’s no longer relevant” is a pretty loaded framing. A decent 75-ish inch TV can be had for about the same price as a middle-road flagship phone.

Sure, I can certainly watch a movie or play a game on my little 6" phone screen, but it’s an entirely different experience–in the same way that eating a protein bar and eating your favorite meal will both technically nourish you.

Granted, I’ve spent quite a bit in excess of the cost of a decent TV on the audio system to go with it, but pretty much anything other than watching rando youtube videos or playing idle phone games, I would rather do in front of a large screen with immersive sound–gaming, shows, movies etc., even if it’s just me alone.

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- AA5B@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
  That’s all part of my reasoning, at least for myself.
  
  I used to spend a lot for an excellent tv and sound system for the immersive experience. However over time I tend to choose options for convenience. The sound system stopped being used and no longer exists. I use the TV itself less and less.
  
  This is the same pattern as for music. Over time I found connected speakers in every room more compelling than my good sound system, and stopped spending money on it.
  
  I could argue a similar pattern for cable, for a landline, for CDs, for computer desks, for many things I’ve left behind.
  
  Some of these similar patterns left behind are a trend, not just me
  
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rob_t_firefly@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
Collective viewing is still best on a TV.

If you are alone there may be functionally little difference between sitting on the couch watching TV and lying in bed with a smartphone balanced on your chest, but as soon as you’re sharing the viewing experience at all there’s still value in having a big shared screen.

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underfreyja@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
We use our TV extensively. I much prefer watching shows or movies on it, we watch Hockey and Football (Soccer). We play games on it.

Sure we all have tablets and it permits us to do things away from the big screen but our TV is the communal screen.

Hell, I’m currently looking into buying a used tv for. my bedroom because I don’t like holding my tablet to watch a show in bed.

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- AA5B@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
  The only thing keeping me from taking down my bedroom tv, is that I’d have to patch the holes (and it’s old enough I wouldn’t offer it to anyone)
  
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tankplanker@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
Live sport (Football/F1), family movie or TV night, its a social gathering point as much as anything. There is still stuff we want to watch together on a high quality screen thru a proper AV setup, although we moved back to a 2.0 setup from a 5.1.

Its also my main screen away from my desk, I like watching on a big screen even if its my youtube videos of woodworkers or trains or whatever.

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- AA5B@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
  For sure, maybe one of the reasons we almost never use the big screen is I haven’t hooked up broadcast TV yet, but one of the reasons I haven’t bothered is live sports is increasingly paywalled. It was all too easy to say I’m not that interested in watching the Patriots every Sunday, when there are more barriers to watching or enjoying (and the Bellicheck/Brady era is over: I’m not sure I can name a single player anymore)
  
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  - tankplanker@lemmy.world ⁨1⁩ ⁨year⁩ ago
    Yeah we gave up and paid for live sports streaming once it came in 4k HDR for sports. It isn’t cheap but no real alternative that doesn’t have risk and unreliability associated around it. Anything that isn’t live there are plenty of reliable, high quality ways to obtain things for free, but live, I need it to work and not look like a potato on a large screen if I have people round. I did try that method for a few years, its ok on a phone or laptop with just me as I will put up with the problems but absolutely not on a big screen.
    
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