# I have a grand in my pocket and the New TV Fever **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 7, 2014, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-grand-in-my-pocket-and-the-new-tv-fever/690239 "2014-06-07T01:58:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2014, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-grand-in-my-pocket-and-the-new-tv-fever/690239/21 "2014-06-08T18:01:59Z")
Go to a store, look at several tvs, then go home and Google them to see if you can get a better price online. Often you can plus no sales tax. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2014, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-grand-in-my-pocket-and-the-new-tv-fever/690239/22 "2014-06-08T19:43:55Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Go to a store, look at several tvs, then go home and Google them to see if you can get a better price online. Often you can plus no sales tax. He already bought one. See post #8. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2014, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-grand-in-my-pocket-and-the-new-tv-fever/690239/23 "2014-06-08T20:48:10Z")
> [@RandMcnally](#): > > I have a Chromecast and I really like it. We only use Netflix and hulu either way, so it isn’t very limiting for our needs. I only wish it had Amazon instant watch, but at least the PlayStation does. The TV I got has this has wifi and a built in Google browser and a Netflix app. There are some limitations I haven’t figured out yet (no big surprise, as I don’t get it until next weekend), so I apparently have to get some other gadget if I want to use it as a wireless monitor. I’m seeing prices ranging from about $50 to $150 – not sure if it’s worth it for the offline stuff I do at home. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2014, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-grand-in-my-pocket-and-the-new-tv-fever/690239/24 "2014-06-09T20:30:00Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I just came back from buying an [LG 47G2](http://televisions.reviewed.com/content/lg-47g2-3d-smart-led-lcd-google-hdtv-review-updated) for $700. It was an unbeatable deal Sorry I didn’t see this earlier… that is not a great deal. I got a bigger, better set recently for $200 less and it is a 2014 instead of a 2012. As far as the advice to buy a $200 used set… you were wise to ignore that advice. Anyway, the deal is done and I’m sure you will have fun with it… just wish I had more time to chime in and help you out. Not everyone is on here 24/7 to respond. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2014, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-grand-in-my-pocket-and-the-new-tv-fever/690239/25 "2014-06-09T21:17:32Z")
> [@Spud](#): > > Sorry I didn’t see this earlier… that is not a great deal. I got a bigger, better set recently for $200 less and it is a 2014 instead of a 2012. > > As far as the advice to buy a $200 used set… you were wise to ignore that advice. > > Anyway, the deal is done and I’m sure you will have fun with it… just wish I had more time to chime in and help you out. Not everyone is on here 24/7 to respond. What did you buy? ---
**Author:** ![Aestivalis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Aestivalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aestivalis)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2014, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-grand-in-my-pocket-and-the-new-tv-fever/690239/26 "2014-06-09T23:09:58Z")
I’m interested as well. My existing 46" Samsung looks tiny when viewed from where my sofa sits us now, about 12’ away. Do I go as big as my budget allows, ignoring features? I’m looking at the Sharp [LC-65LE643U](http://www.amazon.com/Sharp-LC-65LE643U-65-inch-Aquos-Streaming/dp/B00JEVHX9C) at the moment, and it might accommodate my needs nicely, even if it only has 3 HDMI inputs. All we normally watch is our DVR, we have a DVD player, and once in a while we might hook up an XBox 360 (and the kids might need to use the Wii in the basement). Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2014, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-grand-in-my-pocket-and-the-new-tv-fever/690239/27 "2014-06-09T23:27:46Z")
Well, for all the poo-pooing my choice is getting, it has 4 hdmi inputs and 3 usb inputs. And what is your budget? There were lots of TVs I could have got with bigger screens and fewer features. I wanted lots of internet capabilities, and and one name for the type of TV I got is “Google TV”. Similar functionality is available from several brands – a built-in browser, apps for common sites like Netflix, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Aestivalis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Aestivalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aestivalis)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2014, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-grand-in-my-pocket-and-the-new-tv-fever/690239/28 "2014-06-10T00:13:23Z")
I will spend less than $2k, but I’m a cheapskate so ideally the cheaper the better! The Roku streaming stick included in the Sharp set I mentioned provides some Smart TV capability, but I already have a Chromecast that I don’t use. I don’t have Netflix or Hulu Plus yet, so I don’t care about those either. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2014, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-grand-in-my-pocket-and-the-new-tv-fever/690239/29 "2014-06-10T01:39:21Z")
> [@Aestivalis](#): > > I will spend less than $2k, but I’m a cheapskate so ideally the cheaper the better! The Roku streaming stick included in the Sharp set I mentioned provides some Smart TV capability, but I already have a Chromecast that I don’t use. I don’t have Netflix or Hulu Plus yet, so I don’t care about those either. I looked at your TV, and saw it had one USB in, which would be taken up by the included Roku stick, or could be taken by your Chromecast. With that kind of budget, you ought to be able to do a lot better on features. Than again, if you’re a cheapskate, how much are you REALLY willing to spend? Maybe the question is, how much cable TV do you watch vs. how much streaming TV do you watch? If you don’t use Netflix or Youtube or Hulu+ a lot, maybe you don’t need much in the way of a smart TV. I dunno about xbox or Wii – do they both have hdmi outputs? My 4 hdmi inputs will be used as follows: cable box, computer, dvd player, and maybe dvr if I get one. OTOH, I could use my computer as a dvd player, even upgrade it to a Blu-ray, and have another input for something else. OTOH, I din’t have kids running around so I don’t need to worry about someone else’s devices. Something I’ve been learning (I’m years behind in high tech stuff) is that a lot of people want to use their smart tv as a giant monitor for their smart phones. In fact I see a lot MORE comments about making the TVs work with phones than I do about laptops or desktops. I never would even have thought of it – I don’t have a cell phone let alone a smart phone. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2014, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-grand-in-my-pocket-and-the-new-tv-fever/690239/30 "2014-06-10T01:52:33Z")
[Here’s another Aquos](http://hometheater.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=hometheater&cdn=compute&tm=48&f=00&tt=3&bt=5&bts=77&zu=http%3A//www.sharpusa.com/ForHome/HomeEntertainment/LCDTV/Models/LC60SQ15U.aspx)with a 60 inch screen, 4 hdmi and 2 usb ins. But it also has more internet functionality – built-in browser and such. $1700, though I haven’t price shopped for it and maybe you can get a considerably better price. I got essentially the same functionality, with more inputs though admittedly with a significantly smaller screen, for $700. One other thing – for me, a big product like this one is not something I’d buy online. I want to be able to know where to go and who to talk to if any issues arise. So maybe people can indeed find better deals online, but I’ll spend extra to buy local. I think I got a great deal, others’ snark notwithstanding. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-have-a-grand-in-my-pocket-and-the-new-tv-fever/690239.md?page=1)