Do you have a large TV, if so how much to do you use it?

Texashiker

Lifer
Dec 18, 2010
18,811
198
106
My wife and I are looking to upgrade our living room TV during one of the black friday sales. We currently have a 36 inch, and are looking at upgrading to around a 47 inch.

The thing is, we mostly use our living room TV to entertain company. When we get a new DVD we will usually watch the new movie in the living room, but that is about it.

The treadmill is in the living room, and I watch TV during my workouts.

That is about the majority of our TV watching. The rest of the time I am on my computer playing a game on steam - left 4 dead 2, borderlands,,,,. My wife plays games on facebook.

I do not watch any sports at all, no baseball, no football,,, nothing.

From comments posted here in the past, a lot of members have large TVs. But how often do you use the TV? Do you spend a lot of time watching the TV, or is the majority of your time spent somewhere else?
 

rcpratt

Lifer
Jul 2, 2009
10,433
110
116
I have a 50" in my main room that I tend to watch sports on, and occasionally a TV show or two with company. I have a 42" in my bedroom which I watch TV/movies on streamed to my PS3.
 

zokudu

Diamond Member
Nov 11, 2009
4,364
1
81
I have a 32" in my room. I don't watch it much like you if I have free time I spend it on my PC. We have a 52" in our living room that gets used a lot but my family tends to watch a lot of television together.
 

nageov3t

Lifer
Feb 18, 2004
42,808
83
91
pretty regularly.

when I'm by myself, I'll eat dinner in the living room while watching tv and surfing the net on my macbook. there are also a few shows every week that I need to watch live or else my coworkers will spoil them the next day.
 

waggy

No Lifer
Dec 14, 2000
68,143
10
81
in the living room we have a 65" wich i usually on watch sports and movies
in my office i have a 36" This one i watch the most.
in the bedroom we are still useing a 32" CRT. I don't care for a TV in the bedroom at all.
 

Texashiker

Lifer
Dec 18, 2010
18,811
198
106
My wife and I were looking at a 54 inch, but the price is around $800 - $900.

Walmart is going to have around a 47 or 48 inch on sale for around $500 on black friday. I dont think the extra 7 inches is worth another $400.

That extra $400 could come in handy in December.

I would like to have a 54 inch, but my wife and I measured the furniture the TV sits on, and a 47 inch should fit nicely.
 

J-Money

Senior member
Feb 9, 2003
552
0
0
I have a 60" plasma. It gets used quite a lot, moreso by my wife than me since I spend most of my free time on the computer.

When I do use though, I use for:

1. Bluray movies look amazing
2. XBox 360 looks amazing
3. HD NHL games look amazing (I watch every single Canucks game every year, so that alone is 100+ games per year including playoffs)

Wife uses a lot for:

1. Certain shows she likes
2. Wii Fit
3. Sims 3 (uses laptop connected via HDMI to TV)

When we are just relaxing at home together, we usually have it on. I'd say in a given week with ~3 Canucks games on and a normal weekend for myself and my wife I'll personally use it for about 15-20 hours a week.

If you aren't really an avid TV watcher, like no shows you always watch and no sports, but want something a little better and "more impressive" than a 36 inch when entertaining guests you would probably be fine with a 47 inch. But see if when you are in the store if you can stand back roughly how far away you watch TV to see the general size. Worst feeling ever to buy a TV than later think "Wish I went with a bigger TV".
 
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rcpratt

Lifer
Jul 2, 2009
10,433
110
116
I regretted only buying a 50" about a month after I did. I'd love a 55" or maybe even a 60", but it'll probably be awhile.
 

SlitheryDee

Lifer
Feb 2, 2005
17,252
19
81
I have a 40". That's not exactly huge by today's standards, but it's the biggest I've owned so far. I use it extensively every day because my HTPC is connected to it and it pulls quadruple duty as my DVR, blu ray player, primary computer, and gaming system.

I'm never going back to a regular monitor. My TV stand can accommodate up to a 50", so that's definitely the next thing I'll get.
 

allisolm

Elite Member
Administrator
Jan 2, 2001
25,193
4,760
136
My wife and I are looking to upgrade our living room TV during one of the black friday sales. We currently have a 36 inch, and are looking at upgrading to around a 47 inch.

Target has 46-inch Westinghouse LCD for $298 for Black Friday sale (NOT a doorbuster special.)
 

jessieqwert

Senior member
Jun 21, 2003
955
1
81
My .02

Ignore Black Friday, especially in store. Not worth the hassle and there are great online deals.

Secondly, buy a TV that fits your room and where you sit
 

Paul98

Diamond Member
Jan 31, 2010
3,732
199
106
I have a 120", I watch tv shows, movies, sports, really if there is anything I really care about watching I watch on that. I also have a computer and video games hooked up to it but those don't get used on it too much. I also have a small tv in my living room that I watch stuff I don't really care about on.

I also have a high quality sound system for the 120", and a high quality stereo sound system for the small tv. Good quality sound is also very important, and a lot of people don't seem to upgrade even while spending a lot on the tv. And unlike a tv speakers will last you a long long time. If you go surround sound they can be upgraded in parts. Starting with mains+sub, then surrounds, finishing off with center. Also must be paired with a decent quality receiver. It really makes a difference, I have an easier time watching on my small tv since i have good sound than I do on many peoples big screens due to audio problems.
 

slayer202

Lifer
Nov 27, 2005
13,679
119
106
I've got a 40" in the bedroom and to be honest, it could be bigger, and it's only a couple feet from the foot of the bed. Before this I had a 32" which seemed fine at the time.
 

ViviTheMage

Lifer
Dec 12, 2002
36,189
87
91
madgenius.com
I actually got rid of my bedroom TV, and only have the 1 50" plasma I got 3 years ago...love it. Me and the GF watch everything on it. I'll watch live TV/recorded TV/blue rays on it.

I do stream a lot of stuff as well from my server box.

I just watch off my iphone when I am in my bedroom and feel like I want to watch something. Thank you remote potato + Win MCE!
 

Paul98

Diamond Member
Jan 31, 2010
3,732
199
106
For the price that tv's are at right now you can get a good upgrade. I am guessing since you have a 36 inch it's a CRT and not HD? You should be able to find a nice tv for really not too much now days flatscreen and HD. Seems like you might as well, it will most likely get more use due to the upgrade also.
 

rsd

Platinum Member
Dec 30, 2003
2,293
0
76
60" in the living room
47" in the sunroom
32" in the office (it doubles as the pc monitor)
42" in the bedroom

Just my wife and I in the house :) Maybe a little overkill. Each one has its uses though. We use the 60" and the 42" the most really but I like having the option of the others as well.

EDIT: Oh and as one person said forgot Black Friday. I got just about all those TVs for amazing prices using Slickdeals/Fatwallet. For example, got the 60" with an excellent mount for $1k even (semi-price mistake that was honored). The 47" for under $600 (LG 3D TV), etc etc.
 

Tweak155

Lifer
Sep 23, 2003
11,448
262
126
Normally it is 42" in the bedroom, 55" in the living room which is perfect. Right now we have the 55" in the bedroom.

Whichever TV is in the bedroom gets used daily.
 

RockinZ28

Platinum Member
Mar 5, 2008
2,171
49
101
58" plasma - daily for 1-6 hrs, especially with Skyrim now out lol. Use it as my monitor now for the most part too.

55" LED - In living room, watch it for a few minutes a day while I eat dinner usually. GF mostly watches it, and company. I do watch most every Yankee game on my ps3 with MLB.tv with this tv during bb season.

50" plasma - bedroom, maybe once or twice a week. Just has an HD antenna hooked up to it since I canceled cable.
 

manimal

Lifer
Mar 30, 2007
13,559
8
0
keep in mind that that 47 inch widescreen will not be much bigger than a 36 inch 4x3 crt.



Since the family and I dont go to the movies very much anymore we use our 120 inch screen in the basement for the MOVIE experience. While I am all for restraint and staying within your budget keep in mind that once you buy it you cant trade it in for something bigger without losing your shirt on the tv.

50 inch is considered midsize these days lol

oh btw we have a dedicated forum for these questions...
 

I Saw OJ

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 2004
4,923
2
76
42" which is my only tv and is used daily. Wouldn't mind getting something bigger with a better looking picture.
 

GT1999

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
5,261
1
71
Sammy 46" EdgeLED LCD... I've had it since last winter. Use it a lot.