# Help me convince my wife that we NEED a widescreen HDTV **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 12, 2003, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-convince-my-wife-that-we-need-a-widescreen-hdtv/207048 "2003-10-12T21:50:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2003, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-convince-my-wife-that-we-need-a-widescreen-hdtv/207048/21 "2003-10-13T04:01:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sezyou \* > A good quality 36" TV can cost close to $1000.00. Well, maybe. Depends. What do you consider “Good Quality” ? An analog 36" TV can be had for as little as $650-ish. A “flat screen with go-fasters” model runs about $1000ish. A digital HD 36" 4:3 set may cost in the $1100-$1500 range. All of this is for “direct view”, e.g. A Big Tube TV. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2003, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-convince-my-wife-that-we-need-a-widescreen-hdtv/207048/22 "2003-10-13T04:09:47Z")
For God’s sake be a man. Tell her no wide screen HDTV, no more sex. ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2003, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-convince-my-wife-that-we-need-a-widescreen-hdtv/207048/23 "2003-10-13T04:54:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by don’t ask \* > \*\*For God’s sake be a man. Tell her no wide screen HDTV, no more sex. \*\* Alright, I was gonna say this but didn’t… Wait til you’re actually “in the act,” near the… crescendo… then stop. THEN ask her for the Big Screen! ---
**Author:** ![misstee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@misstee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misstee)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2003, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-convince-my-wife-that-we-need-a-widescreen-hdtv/207048/24 "2003-10-13T20:58:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sezyou \* > I just need a guinea pig. My sister has sevral hamsters she needs to get rid of, you want one ??? [hijack] You ever considered an IOWADOPE, **sezyou**? I know some pretty cool Iowa dopers. [end hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2003, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-convince-my-wife-that-we-need-a-widescreen-hdtv/207048/25 "2003-10-13T22:01:02Z")
Don’t just go for a flat screen, go for a flat panel - plasma or LCD. They hang on the wall and take up vastly less space. ---
**Author:** ![HelenGawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@HelenGawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HelenGawn)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2003, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-convince-my-wife-that-we-need-a-widescreen-hdtv/207048/26 "2003-10-13T22:05:08Z")
> [@](#): > > Has she ever watched one? If you can get her to watch a fave movie or show on one, she will be convinced if she has any tv soul. Seriously, this is the best advice you’ll get. There’s a high-end consumer electronics store here with a very nice viewing room laid out like the typical living room. I took two of my favorite DVDs with me and they let me watch for about an hour with no real hard-sell. They understand that the merchandise sells itself, but it sometimes takes a few visits to talk yourself into it. And damn, was it gorgeous. ---
**Author:** ![sezyou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b77776/32.png) [@sezyou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sezyou)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2003, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-convince-my-wife-that-we-need-a-widescreen-hdtv/207048/27 "2003-10-13T23:05:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by misstee \* > \*\*You ever considered an IOWADOPE, **sezyou**? I know some pretty cool Iowa dopers. > [end hijack] \*\* CORNDOPE. Has a nice ring to it! Distinct possibility misstee. Perhaps we could coordinate something like this. Would be fun! Wife and I are going to MN on the 26th for VikeDope, I’ll see how that goes and get some ideas.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![White\_Ink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@White\_Ink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Ink)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2003, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-convince-my-wife-that-we-need-a-widescreen-hdtv/207048/28 "2003-10-13T23:08:10Z")
If you promise to underwrite a year’s worth of massages/spa visits/whatever her fancy is I’m sure she’ll come around to your way of thinking. Of course you have to bribe her, duh! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![lucky\_henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bc8723/32.png) [@lucky\_henry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lucky_henry)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2003, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-convince-my-wife-that-we-need-a-widescreen-hdtv/207048/29 "2003-10-14T00:47:37Z")
**squeegee** - The one we have now is 30 inch diagonal. > [@](#): > > If you use, say, a 42" widescreen to view pillarboxed 4:3 video, you’re basically using the equivalent of a 25" ‘classic’ TV. I didn’t really think of that. We only watch 2 or 3 videos a month…maybe what I really want is the largest 4:3 tube TV on the market? Looks like I’ve got a lot of research to do between now and Xmas. **sezyou** - Sounds like a good argument. **don’t mind me** - There is a similar store here. I’ll have to go check it out. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2003, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-convince-my-wife-that-we-need-a-widescreen-hdtv/207048/30 "2003-10-14T02:37:24Z")
> [@](#): > > I didn’t really think of that. We only watch 2 or 3 videos a month…maybe what I really want is the largest 4:3 tube TV on the market? That would probably be [this.](http://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start;sid=dHL99mWzSwH981o4Fkn3_Sq8MwkrY01aBcI=?CategoryName=tv_36%22to40%22TVs&ProductSKU=KV40XBR800&Dept=tv) 40" 4:3, HD 1080i (no ATSC). $2500 MSRP. 300 hundred friggin pounds. Definitely get in-home delivery and setup. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2003, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-convince-my-wife-that-we-need-a-widescreen-hdtv/207048/31 "2003-10-14T02:39:12Z")
As far as content, do you live in a large metro area and recieve good on-air broadcast signals? If so, you’ll see more and more widescreen material as time passes. If not, probably little or none anytime soon. ---
**Author:** ![RealTronic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9dc877/32.png) [@RealTronic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealTronic)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2003, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-convince-my-wife-that-we-need-a-widescreen-hdtv/207048/32 "2003-10-14T03:06:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by squeegee \* > \*\*If you use, say, a 42" widescreen to view pillarboxed 4:3 video, you’re basically using the equivalent of a 25" ‘classic’ TV. Sounds like a waste of money, unless you view a LOT of widescreen material. \*\* That is wrong my friend. A 42" widescreen translates into a 34,5" standard (4:3) television - quite a lot larger than the OP’s original 30", so it’s not a waste of money at all. (A 25" standard TV is roughly a 30" widescreen TV, something you don’t see very often) Well when it comes to TV-technology (because I’m not even going to debate whether to go wide or standard, wide is a given) you better not choose rear-projection, because unless there’s been some MAJOR improvements over the last year, the quality still sucks compared to classic CRTs or flat screen (LCD/Plasma). LCD quality is still a bit shaky I think, although you can get a big LCD relatively much cheaper than a plasma of equal size. Regular CRTs have a size limit of 36" so if you want bigger than that, better cough up the dough to get the flat screen. ---
**Author:** ![lucky\_henry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bc8723/32.png) [@lucky\_henry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lucky_henry)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2003, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-convince-my-wife-that-we-need-a-widescreen-hdtv/207048/33 "2003-10-14T03:40:38Z")
Yes, I do live in a major metro area. If a 42" widescreen allows for viewing anywhere around 34" in 4:3 mode, then that sounds like what I want. I’ll take a tape measure to the store this weekend and make sure. I do agree that all of the rear projection TVs I’ve seen are severely lacking in picture clarity when compared to a picture tube. Thanks again to everyone for all the feedback! ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2003, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-convince-my-wife-that-we-need-a-widescreen-hdtv/207048/34 "2003-10-14T04:08:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RealTronic \* > That is wrong my friend. > > A 42" widescreen translates into a 34,5" standard (4:3) television - quite a lot larger than the OP’s original 30", so it’s not a waste of money at all. OK, I’ll give that one to you. I was mis-estimating a bit. Apologies. A 42" widescreen picture @ 16:9 would be 20.58" tall and 36.54" wide. See [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=176533) for the math. Since we’re viewing pillarboxed 4:3 video on that screen, the constraining factor is the 20.58" height of the 16:9 screen screen. At 4:3, a 20.58" tall image would be 27.44" wide or 34.3" diagonally. If you watch mostly 4:3 material, I still think that that’s a waste of money. A 42" plasma is, at very minimum on a good day, around $3000. A very good digital HD 4:3 34" (or, more likely, 36") TV is around 1/2 to 1/3 that price. A 42" or whatever size rear-projection at any aspect isn’t worth buying, but maybe that’s just me. (Then there’s the oddball 14:9 (or whatever aspect it is) sorta-widescreen movies that are seen often on DVD. Black bars on whatever screen you watch it on. Let’s not even go there.) I guess it depend on how much 16:9 v 4:3 material you watch. I live in non-broadcast-land and get my signal from satellite because I hate my cable company, so I bought a really big a 4:3 digital set because 95% of what I watch is 4:3. In 3-5 years, I’ll reevaluate. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2003, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-convince-my-wife-that-we-need-a-widescreen-hdtv/207048/35 "2003-10-14T04:13:42Z")
> [@](#): > > Yes, I do live in a major metro area Then maybe widescreen is for you. I’d check what stations in your area do now or plan to broadcast HD signals in a reasonable timeframe. As someone posted, it looks like many parties may wimp out on the 2006 date, so if there hasn’t been a good rollout in your area and one is expected in “a year or so”, it may not happen soon. If some or several stations already broadcast HD, and other stations are promising to get HD online very soon (weeks) then it probably will. Check what HD programming you can get now or soon _that you really want to watch_ before making a decision. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2003, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-convince-my-wife-that-we-need-a-widescreen-hdtv/207048/36 "2003-10-14T04:17:19Z")
And maybe someone who actually recieves HD broadcasts over-the-air (since I do not) can comment on the amount of network material that is broadcast in HD is 16:9. Anyone ? ---
**Author:** ![finn1911](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d78d45/32.png) [@finn1911](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/finn1911)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2003, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-convince-my-wife-that-we-need-a-widescreen-hdtv/207048/37 "2003-10-14T04:24:55Z")
off topic… but this reminds of an ad I once saw in a bargain-finder type paper “New CD-Burner for sale, never opened. Wife got mad… must sell.” ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2003, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-convince-my-wife-that-we-need-a-widescreen-hdtv/207048/38 "2003-10-14T04:49:26Z")
I heard that Mr. and Mrs. Jones have 2 of them. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2003, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-convince-my-wife-that-we-need-a-widescreen-hdtv/207048/39 "2003-10-14T06:05:57Z")
Tell your wife if she plays those “homemade bedroom videos” on the TV you want, it’ll make your dingus look bigger. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2003, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-convince-my-wife-that-we-need-a-widescreen-hdtv/207048/40 "2003-10-14T06:11:04Z")
And her bosom will have a wider aspect. 🙂 - Tars Tarkus [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-convince-my-wife-that-we-need-a-widescreen-hdtv/207048.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-convince-my-wife-that-we-need-a-widescreen-hdtv/207048.md?page=3)