Plan B

I have been lurking here and posting for a couple of months now. Original
intent was to buy a HD plasma with quality peripheral equipment. I was
prepared to spend $10 - 15,000, in the expectation that whatever I got would
most likely see me out (I tend to hang onto things, the stuff it's replacing
dates back as far as 1976). Subsequently I went on to Grundig and Loewe, but
still with a wistful eye on the plasma (and LCD).

Now I'm thinking of dividing by 10 - buy a cheap 4:3 CRT, STB without time
shift and maybe a DVD player - preserve the remainder of the money for two
years and then invest in my lifetime equipment. Reason is it seems to me
that there will be a lot more changes in that time, both in broadcasting by
FTA stations and probably in the area of DVD recorders. Also STB's may
replace recorders or manufacturers could produce inbuilt decoders and
recorders or any number of other innovations could arrive. Prices will also
tumble, probably, so I'll probably get a lot more for the same money, (or
pay less to get the same). The newness of DTV is exciting, but it's
direction seems to be uncertain as yet.

Any thoughts or advice would be welcome

Steve

"Steve Wallis" <swallis@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message =
news:AWWxb.31733$aT.20417@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
snip -
> preserve the remainder of the money for two
> years and then invest in my lifetime equipment.=20
> Any thoughts or advice would be welcome

snip-

Hehehe.. lifetime equipment in this day and age. Not too many amps =
getting software upgrades for DPLII still I see...
Things are always going to evelolve and make you envious to sell your =
dinosour, in fact, this is why these companies still exist I think... =
keep bringing out improvements, and technology helping brings a 4 year =
cycle rather than 15 year cycle (if that!) of the 70s,early 80s.. (sound =
like a granny don't I?)
Regards
Tony
>=20
> Steve
>=20
>

"Steve Wallis" <swallis@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:AWWxb.31733$aT.20417@news-server.bigpond.net.au...

> Now I'm thinking of dividing by 10 - buy a cheap 4:3 CRT, STB without time
> shift and maybe a DVD player - preserve the remainder of the money for two
> years and then invest in my lifetime equipment.

At least get a widescreen telly if you do that, they start at $1000 and
you'll be able to enjoy both digital TV and DVD a lot more.

After that, I don't think you'll need to wait long, after the new year
there'll be sales anyway, but yes, in six months to a year prices of "new"
technologies like plasma screens and STBs will have dropped even more. DVD
players have dropped by about 3/4 in the last two years. It all depends on
how long you want to wait as opposed to how much you can justify spending.
Good luck.

Your plan B is the wise decision,
for all the reasons you specified.

BTW 4:3 screens are so cheap that, even allowing for black bars,
you should be able to buy a bigger picture area for a smaller price,
than you would with a corresponding wide screen.

"Steve Wallis" <swallis@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:AWWxb.31733$aT.20417@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> I have been lurking here and posting for a couple of months now. Original
> intent was to buy a HD plasma with quality peripheral equipment. I was
> prepared to spend $10 - 15,000, in the expectation that whatever I got
would
> most likely see me out (I tend to hang onto things, the stuff it's
replacing
> dates back as far as 1976). Subsequently I went on to Grundig and Loewe,
but
> still with a wistful eye on the plasma (and LCD).
>
> Now I'm thinking of dividing by 10 - buy a cheap 4:3 CRT, STB without time
> shift and maybe a DVD player - preserve the remainder of the money for two
> years and then invest in my lifetime equipment. Reason is it seems to me
> that there will be a lot more changes in that time, both in broadcasting
by
> FTA stations and probably in the area of DVD recorders. Also STB's may
> replace recorders or manufacturers could produce inbuilt decoders and
> recorders or any number of other innovations could arrive. Prices will
also
> tumble, probably, so I'll probably get a lot more for the same money, (or
> pay less to get the same). The newness of DTV is exciting, but it's
> direction seems to be uncertain as yet.
>
> Any thoughts or advice would be welcome
>
> Steve
>
>

I second this plan
Very sound, incremental upgrade now and see what technology and cost
reductions bring in the near future.

The only thing I would suggest is if possible get a wide screen CRT, It will
cost a little more but I think the benefits are worth it in this case.

You could also look at this way. you old gear is from 76 how much better is
a wider screen crt and STB going to be than this, and @ a 10th the price of
the plasma? A major upgrade at a modest price I would wager.

No drought the Plasma would be nice but I personally can not justify this
sort of money, $15,000 would provide a very nice upgrade to my current car
!

Greg


"Steve Wallis" <swallis@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:AWWxb.31733$aT.20417@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> I have been lurking here and posting for a couple of months now. Original
> intent was to buy a HD plasma with quality peripheral equipment. I was
> prepared to spend $10 - 15,000, in the expectation that whatever I got
would
> most likely see me out (I tend to hang onto things, the stuff it's
replacing
> dates back as far as 1976). Subsequently I went on to Grundig and Loewe,
but
> still with a wistful eye on the plasma (and LCD).
>
> Now I'm thinking of dividing by 10 - buy a cheap 4:3 CRT, STB without time
> shift and maybe a DVD player - preserve the remainder of the money for two
> years and then invest in my lifetime equipment. Reason is it seems to me
> that there will be a lot more changes in that time, both in broadcasting
by
> FTA stations and probably in the area of DVD recorders. Also STB's may
> replace recorders or manufacturers could produce inbuilt decoders and
> recorders or any number of other innovations could arrive. Prices will
also
> tumble, probably, so I'll probably get a lot more for the same money, (or
> pay less to get the same). The newness of DTV is exciting, but it's
> direction seems to be uncertain as yet.
>
> Any thoughts or advice would be welcome
>
> Steve
>
>

It's done!

I followed the advice from Kevin & Greg and got a widescreen 68cm Teac, put
that with the Strong 5200 and an LG DVD / VCR combo and drove away with it
all for $1500 exactly (please don't tell me how much cheaper I could have
got it, I'm happy with the deal and prefer to live in blissful ignorance).

Now I just have to put it all together - RTFM x 3 - and get used to 3
remotes.

Thanks for all the advice, in this and my previous posts.

Steve

(who wrote):

>I have been lurking here and posting for a couple of months now. Original
> intent was to buy a HD plasma with quality peripheral equipment. I was
> prepared to spend $10 - 15,000, in the expectation that whatever I got
would
> most likely see me out (I tend to hang onto things, the stuff it's
replacing
> dates back as far as 1976). Subsequently I went on to Grundig and Loewe,
but
> still with a wistful eye on the plasma (and LCD).
>
> Now I'm thinking of dividing by 10 - buy a cheap 4:3 CRT, STB without time
> shift and maybe a DVD player - preserve the remainder of the money for two
> years and then invest in my lifetime equipment. Reason is it seems to me
> that there will be a lot more changes in that time, both in broadcasting
by
> FTA stations and probably in the area of DVD recorders. Also STB's may
> replace recorders or manufacturers could produce inbuilt decoders and
> recorders or any number of other innovations could arrive. Prices will
also
> tumble, probably, so I'll probably get a lot more for the same money, (or
> pay less to get the same). The newness of DTV is exciting, but it's
> direction seems to be uncertain as yet.
>
> Any thoughts or advice would be welcome
>
> Steve
>
>

"Greg" <greg@mail.com> wrote in message
news:8Fayb.32982$aT.18791@news-server.bigpond.net.au...

> No drought the Plasma would be nice but I personally can not justify this
> sort of money, $15,000 would provide a very nice upgrade to my current
car


Our car gets used for 30 minutes a day, our telly 3 hours or more. No
contest! J

Steve.

"Steve Wallis" <swallis@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:ZmGyb.35049$aT.11222@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
> It's done!
>
> I followed the advice from Kevin & Greg and got a widescreen 68cm Teac,
put
> that with the Strong 5200 and an LG DVD / VCR combo and drove away with it
> all for $1500 exactly (please don't tell me how much cheaper I could have
> got it, I'm happy with the deal and prefer to live in blissful ignorance).
>
> Now I just have to put it all together - RTFM x 3 - and get used to 3
> remotes.
>
> Thanks for all the advice, in this and my previous posts.

Yes! New toys at a fraction of the price! And in a year or so you can get
much bigger bang for your buck.

Have fun.

Gee, I never thought of it like that... :)


"Steve Wallis" <swallis@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:1xGyb.35066$aT.1915@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>
> "Greg" <greg@mail.com> wrote in message
> news:8Fayb.32982$aT.18791@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
>
> > No drought the Plasma would be nice but I personally can not justify
this
> > sort of money, $15,000 would provide a very nice upgrade to my
current
> car
>
>
> Our car gets used for 30 minutes a day, our telly 3 hours or more. No
> contest! J
>
> Steve.
>
>