Television Withdrawal

Last night I decided to watch TV and veg out. So I turned on the TV. Great picture but no sound. I got up and wiggled the white and yellow input plugs which usually works, but nothing. So I checked all the connections, turned the TV off and on, checked the connections again...the works. I even tried a new set of audio/video cables and checked to see if the sound worked when I played a dvd (it didn't). My parents' 15 year old analog TV had finally croaked. This wouldn't be so bad if money weren't so tight right now. It also means I'll eventually have to buy a new beast and learn all about the assorted tech stuff since televisions today are unlike any sold 20 years ago.

Today I decided to go online for information about how to buy a new TV, what to look for and be aware of. While the internet is a wonderful thing, I'm amazed at the number of people post "how-to" info on sites like e-how.com, who can't spell, have no sense of grammar or have so little content that you wonder why they bothered posting the article in the first place. I had noticed this of late in a number of articles online but it really was visible in the realm of electronics. The people writing these articles know so little it's astonishing. Especially if I notice, since we know I'm no tech wiz.

Most of the info is basic common sense, such as measure the space for the TV. But then there are comments like "pick brands you're familiar with", which makes no sense if you haven't bought a set in 15 years. Also comments like "decide how much you can spend/know your budget" seems blindingly obvious. Am I just being overly critical? I don't think so. After spending 20 minutes, I don't learn anything that I didn't already know.

After much whining, grumbling and hunting, I am happy to say I found almost everything I needed to know at a PC World site. So if you find yourself in the market for a new television, be sure to check this and all the links associated with it. You'll find extremely clear, concise and balanced information. (I'm not associated with PC World, just think it's a great site.) Oh, and till I can afford to put my new knowledge to use and actually buy a TV, I'll be fending off TV withdrawal by watching Hulu on my computer.