Friday, October 19, 2007

Sharp SH12U

This is a 26-incher. They seem to be sold at Costco and similar places. When I compared it to a similar Westinghouse the difference in the quality was quite visible to me. I've read that Westinghouse keeps their prices low because the brand is now owned by an LCD manufacturer. Well, I did not like the quality of the LCD. At the store, while the demo HDTV signal was displayed I could see the difference in the areas that were supposed to be a certain pure color. Red, for instance. On the Westinghouse unit I could see some pixelation even when I was not standing close to the screen. I mean, it's ok. You can probably get used to it. But Sharp simply looked better. I have been reading some reviews later and it appears some of the Sharp's units are really among the best. Visually it is certainly true. I would say that there are only two nuisances about it. I don't think the speakers are loud enough. I very much dislike loud sounds, but I think that in the summer, when the air-conditioner is on, this TV will have to be set to the highest volume possible. So, it is a huge plus if you have some kind of separate sound system. Also, it takes a second or two to go from channel to channel. And it takes a few seconds to warm up when you turn on the TV. But if you are not a channel flipper you'll be just find. The good news is, however, that you can see both digital and analog channels on the same remote, so to speak. Ordinarily I would not think twice of it, but after having seen a Mintek LCD/DVD combo I appreciate this feature. On the Mintek you would have to switch constantly between digital and analog channels!

This LCD TV has a QAM, as well as a terrestrial HD tuner. This is nice, because if you have standard cable chances are that you can get all the free HDTV channels available off the air in your area.


  • Screen Size: 26"
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Resolution: 1366 x 768
  • Contrast Ratio: 1200:1
  • Brightness: 450 cd/m2
  • Response Time: 6ms
  • Lamp Life: 2 60,000 hrs.
  • Viewing Angles: 176°H x 176°V
  • Tuning: NTSC/ATSC/QAM
  • Stand: included
  • Limited Warranty: 1 year parts, 90 days labor
  • Dimensions (w x h x d) (in inches): 26-5/16 x 17-3/4 x 4-9/16 (TV only) 26-5/16 x 19-11/16 x 9-9/16 (TV and Stand)
  • Weight (lbs): 25.4 (TV only), 28.4 (TV and Stand)

Thursday, October 18, 2007

New distance

There is no debate whether cell phones make us more connected in a technological sense of the word. However, interpersonal connections are affected by cell phones in strange and interesting ways. Yes, it is certainly priceless to be able to get a hold of our friends and family any time, anywhere (as long as they keep their phones on and charged, darn it). But let's look at the limitations of 'cellular society', and then perhaps try to detect some signs of danger.

A typical mobile phone user knows well at what times the calls are free, where one should expect roaming charges, and with whom he or she can talk for a long time without paying a cent (i.e. people on the same network). Oddly enough, we may be able to communicate more easily with someone in a different state, as opposed to family members in the same town. We can become locked in within a certain group of people simply because we chose a specific service provider. It is no big deal for most of us, but for those who tend to talk a lot cell phones can help build relationships following a rather unnatural framework. Cellular networks are the new distance.

Text messaging, in my opinion, is a different story altogether. It is a cheaper, more democratic technology. But some troubling trends that can develop here. 'Texting' results in downgrading the level of personal connectedness between people. You cannot 'text' your true state of mind, your disposition towards the addressee. The possibilities for misinterpretation are also enormous. One can spend hours waiting for a reply, while being fully aware that no other mode of communication is possible for any number of reasons. The obvious objection can be that this is no different from email. The difference, however, is in the fact that computers occupy only specific locations in the spatial make-up of our individual lives. We can step away from them. Text messaging devices become attached to us and this causes them to have a greater affect upon us. We are more likely to put on a mask, to create a separate persona while texting than at any other time.

Cell phones are ushering in a new world of interpersonal relations, but this world is not going to be intrinsically more cohesive and transparent. There will also be new opportunities for compartmentalizing of individuals and wide-spread dystopia in the society.

Cell phones in restaurants?

People should be discouraged from using cell-phones in restaurants that find it inappropriate to have their patrons needlessly disturbed. I am far from suggesting a complete ban. Rather it seems as if establishments should make their own choices. I know a couple of restaurants where the atmosphere is such that one could care less (and it is so noisy there that you could not use a phone anyway). In fact, it would not be such a bad idea to have cell-phone licenses issued to restaurants. This would indicate that noise pollution and additional high-tech nuisances often associated with mobile phones are generally not welcome in certain public areas.

There is also another, more important issue. By making a choice about the use of cell-phones in locations typically understood as safe havens of human existence, we are preparing ourselves for other decisions that will be dealing with technologies that have not yet fully evolved. If mobile phones are primarily 'hated' as agents of sonic and social distraction, imagine how much worse things will become when popular personal devices allow one to project a 40-inch holographic videophone screen from a pen-size device.

Our ancestors in their wisdom decided that when gentlemen go inside, their horses must stay outside. By getting it right with cell phones we save ourselves some trouble in the future.

Official TV

As it stands now, if I am not mistaken, Sony is the official TV of NFL, and Sharp is the official TV of MLB. What should one choose? I am partial to both sports. Baseball, however, lasts longer. Sounds like a better investment.

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

new TV or a vacation?

Here is one way to look at it. A new LCD TV will last for years. A vacation will only last a week or so.

Here is another way to look at it. A good LCD TV will last many years. A good vacation will last forever...

LCD myth confirmed

I just realized the reason why my TV died two months before the two-year Costco warranty was due to expires. It is often thought that home appliances and electronic devices, LCD TVs not excluding, are programmed to die after two years of service. The trick is that I got mine as a floor model, so it probably had worked for a few months prior to its demise. So, I consider the myth about cheap LCD TVs confirmed. It's too bad those floor models are not so easy to snatch!

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

My cheap LCD story

This is totally inspirational and uplifting. At the time when cheap LCD TVs are getting cheaper and cheaper it appears as if I was able to snatch the ultimate cheap TV. A free one. That's right. Zero dollars. The downside is that I had to return it. Well, here is what happened. Almost two years ago I got a little 19" Proview LCD. It did not even have a HDTV tuner, which was eventually rectified through the purchase of a Samsung DirecTV receiver. I got this unit at Costco for about $300. You'll say that it's not free? OK. Two weeks ago the thing broke down during a baseball game. The big question at the time was how much I'd have to pay the city hall to have it removed. Surprise! As it turned out, Costco extends manufacturer warranty on TVs up to 2 years! I was able to return the unit for full refund. That's what it means to have owned a real cheap LCD TV for almost two years!