[opendtv] Price equality
- From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 26 Mar 2006 20:00:06 -0500
Yesterday I spent some time again at Circuit City and Best Buy. I think
we have already reached price equality between monitors and integrated
ASTC TV sets. I mean this in the sense that set prices differ more from
brand name than they do by having or not having the built-in receiver.
In one example, a Philips 26" LCD set with built-in receiver cost $70
less than a Samsung 26" monitor which was discounted because it was in
an open box. The same sort of price non-impact is evident in other sizes
too, like 37" and 32". The bigger sets for the most part include ATSC
receivers.
Given that this seems to be the case (apparently happened at Costco
first, but these other stores caught up), my prediction is that monitors
will suffer the same fate as the Sony Profeel. Why buy a monitor when
you can get an integrated set for the same price or sometimes even less?
So one would think that unavailability of good STBs with recent
generation receivers doesn't matter all that much, right? Buy a Digital
Stream, Humax, or Samsung STB to use with an existing monitor, or buy a
new integrated set which will have a recent vintage receiver. That could
work in a pinch, except for the lack of ATSC recording devices.
Okay, so why not buy a cheap DVD recorder, there are many available, and
marry it to an STB? Not good enough, because the existing crop of STBs
have only simple timers that tune into the last channel used. The timers
don't allow for channel switching.
So we're almost there, but not quite. In spite of the gnashing of teeth.
I asked the store clerk at Best Buy, "Where are the ATSC recording
devices?" Seems like a simple question. His response was to show me the
existing analog tuner DVDRs, then he said, "No one has ever asked me
that." Didn't he wonder, without being asked? Amazing.
Also: Sharp has a line of LCD TVs with PAL/NTSC tuners(!!). Now that
analog is on its way out, they come out with interesting analog stuff.
Hint: do the same with digital, for heaven's sake. How hard can it be.
The DVB-T guys would even benefit from a darned good equalizer.
Oh also, I noticed that both Home Depot and Lowes do carry a decent
assortment of TV antennas, both indoor and outdoor, antenna amps
(Philips with 5 dB noise figure at Lowes, not bad), and antenna
distribution amps. Circuit City has some as well.
Bert
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You can UNSUBSCRIBE from the OpenDTV list in two ways:
- Using the UNSUBSCRIBE command in your user configuration settings at
FreeLists.org
- By sending a message to: opendtv-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the word
unsubscribe in the subject line.
Other related posts:
- » [opendtv] Price equality