Classic Television Shows; Re-Introduce Your Family Today

“They don’t make ‘em like they used to.” You hear this said about everything – cars, houses, toys, clothes… Well, they don’t make TV shows like they used to, either. If you grew up watching classic TV, you probably have some very fond memories of sitting in front of the television with your family watching some of the classics at night. There are very few modern television shows that the whole family can sit down and watch together. Either they are geared towards kids and the grown ups aren’t interested or they are geared for adults and are inappropriate for the kids.

There is good news for families who would like to share some time in front of the television together, though. Many of the classic TV shows are being released on DVD, usually a season at a time. Families can now enjoy TV classics from the 50’s, 60’s 70’s, and 80’s on DVD’s that include lots of extras like interviews with the cast members and outtakes.

One of the biggest perks of watching the shows on DVD – no annoying commercials. Today, we’re used to watching television on our terms. We fast forward through commercials on shows we’ve recorded on DVRs. When these classic shows first aired, there was no fast forwarding. Viewers had to sit through the commercials or flip the channel (sometimes manually!) often only to find more commercials.


Think about it. You can now introduce your kids to TV classics such as Happy Days, season by season and show them the first time a television show literally “jumped the shark.” Retro is cool right now, and it doesn’t get much more retro than Happy Days. It was retro from the day it debuted.

What’s available on classic TV DVD? Just about anything you’re interested in.


Variety Shows. Remember a few years back when Nick and Jessica attempted a Christmas special variety show? If your kids were interested in that, then they would probably be interested in The Sonny and Cher Show or The Donny and Marie Show. Sure these 70’s shows were high on the cheese factor, but the performers had some real talent.

Another great variety show from the 70’s that the family will love is The Carol Burnett Show. You’d be amazed at how much today’s kids appreciate good, clean, funny comedy when they are actually exposed to it.





Some of the best episodes of variety shows were the Christmas specials. Sonny and Cher and Donny and Marie had their share of Christmas specials, but the master of the Christmas special was Bob Hope. Many of his classic Christmas variety shows are available on DVD.

Classic Sitcoms. I Love Lucy. The Honeymooners. The Dick Van Dyke Show. Leave it to Beaver. The Brady Bunch. The Beverly Hill Billies. The Cosby Show. Family Ties. The Jeffersons. Happy Days. Mash. The Monkees. Did you sit around watching these shows (or reruns of these shows) with your family when you were a kid? Chances are you did. All of these classic television sitcoms are available on DVD. Wouldn’t it be great to sit back with your kids and a great big bowl of popcorn and watch The Cosby Show’s Claire Huxtable tell her husband Cliff to please go upstairs and kill the children? Now that’s classic tv.

Classic Drama/Adventure. Most dramas fall into the one hour crime show genre nowadays. They aren’t always pleasant to watch and they certainly aren’t appropriate for the kids. Adventure type shows like 24 or Prison Break aren’t for the kids either. But McGyver. Now there’s a show the whole family can watch together and learn a thing or two about how to make a bomb from a piece of chewing gum, a paperclip and a pencil


Little House on the Prairie. Gunsmoke. Bonanza. The Waltons. Wonder Woman. Murder She Wrote. Columbo. Emergency. The A Team. Mission Impossible. The Lone Ranger. The list of classic drama/adventure tv shows on DVD goes on and on.

Talk Shows. It seems like anyone can get his or her own talk show these days, but they don’t last long. The king of all talk show hosts is Johnny Carson and classic excerpts from his late night talk show The Tonight Show are DVD. Show the kids some real talent and real class by introducing them to Johnny

Instead of renting a movie this weekend for the family enjoy, why not try renting a season of a classic TV show to introduce the kids to?

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Classic Television DVD: Shows on DVD Give Rise to Growth in Collectibles Demand

TVLand and Nick-at-Night are not the only places we find classic television shows. They are cropping up more and more places. Classic TV collectibles are popular items on auction sites such as Ebay. Enter “Classic television show collectibles” into your Google-powered search engine and you will find around 170,000 possibilities.
Run through a few of those results and you will find everything from classic television DVDs, lunch boxes, costumes, watches, salt and pepper shakers, vintage posters, and dolls. A quick search on Amazon.com found “The Best of Donny and Marie (DVD) Volume 1 (1976).” There are websites and online stores whose sole purpose is to sell classic television paraphernalia. These sites are capitalizing on the baby boomer’s affinity for nostalgia. Collectors are scooping up the vintage collectibles.

There are companies who are bringing back the collectibles by manufacturing “New Vintage” collectibles. New metal lunch boxes with Donny and Marie, Superman, The Flintstones, Scooby Doo, and even the Dukes of Hazzard are popping up all over the place. With true vintage lunch boxes going for hundreds of dollars, these “replacements”, although lacking authenticity, are an affordable option for those who just want to revisit the good old days of classic television.

The release of classic TV DVDs has made it possible for people to sit back and enjoy hours of their favorite shows from yesterday. The appeal of these shows for many is the “down-home” nature of the comedy. They don’t rely on profanity, off-color remarks, or blatant sexual angles for their humor. They remind us of a simpler time. Donny and Marie, Sonny and Cher, The Partridge Family, The Walton’s, The Brady Bunch, and many more shows take us back to a time when it was okay to say things like “Gosh” and “Golly.” It was more than okay to love your family and country. It was expected. It was safe to turn on the television with the family and enjoy a nice show together.

The collectibles associated with these shows are gaining in popularity. As many from those generations begin to find more time for hobbies and have a little extra disposable income, the collectibles are becoming more desirable. Donny and Marie dolls, which were released in August 1976 with an accompanying “TV Studio”, are popular finds. Sonny and Cher costumes are popular at costume parties. The Partridge Family memorabilia is making a strong comeback, as well.

Some of these classic television shows are enjoying a rebirth due to remakes of the originals. The Brady Bunch surged forward after a new generation was exposed to a less-than authentic version of the show in the 1995 version. Even with the tongue-in-cheek style of this movie, many people began seeking authentic Brady Bunch memorabilia and collectibles. The market for these items soared. The same held true for the Scooby Doo collectibles after the 2002 release of the movie. This one was so popular a sequel was made. This remake has brought about a whole new market for Scooby Doo collectibles, new and old alike. After the movie was released classic Scooby Doo DVDs were flying off the shelves. With the popularity of these classic television remakes it is not unrealistic to expect many more to follow.

As with any commodity, as the demand increases, the price will rise. Many collectors search for pieces to round out their collection for a more intrinsic value, rather than simply price. A collection of classic television show collectibles may be worth a substantial amount of money, but it is the nostalgia that holds the true value. You can’t put a price on the memories those collectibles will elicit, or the feelings locked deep inside that are released when you hold that Donny and Marie lunchbox just like the one you had as a kid.

To find that special classic TV DVD or other collectible it may be as simple as hitting search on your search engine. Whether it is a find at a garage sale or a purchase off the web, it is the joy of releasing that inner child and finding that peace that simple joys bring that makes classic television collectibles true treasures.

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Wanna Buy Cheap Lcd Television?

LCD TVs are known to be on the expensive side and their reputation has suffered severely because they are seen as the TVs that require to sit right in front of them to have a proper view of the picture. But that was quite some time ago. The time might not appear to be that long considering the fact that the technological improvements take place on daily basis, and these improvements are incorporated in the products on monthly basis. In view of that it has been quite a while since LCD TVs have been improved to eradicate much of what it was criticized for.

The use of the TFT or Thin File Transistor technology ensures that the problems associated with angular resolution are resolved to a large extent. The same goes for what is called 'ghosting' troubles associated with cheaper LCD TVs of the bygone times.

The cost factor, however, has stayed, and there is no denying the fact that the LCD TVs do cost a tad more. However, the technological advances and proliferation has made it possible for the companies to offer the LCDs for much less than they used to.

To LCD televisions, the only viable competition comes from Plasma TVs, which, though great at producing quality pictures, wear away with time and are high on energy consumption. Besides, the newer versions of the LCD televisions give sharper picture, take less space and need far less electricity than the ones belonging to the last generation.


LCD came as a competition to regular tube TV and have evolved enough to stand in competition against Plasma TVs. They are much thinner and far lighter than tube TV and Plasma TV both. Of course, in terms of thinness and weight, the difference between a Plasma and an LCD is not as great as that between an LCD and a tube TV. But LCD does score over Plasma on that count.

Price factor is an important aspect and must be carefully considered. So, to find an affordable LCD TV, look around in those nearby stores that are known to offer variety and good service. In all likelihood you'll get all the information needed to make an intelligent choice. Product rating by the experts and consumer reviews are also dependable sources. Collect all the information available, compare prices and features, consider reviews and rating and it will be quite easy to decide which one of the LCD TVs suits your needs and comes within the amount you allocated for it.

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Plasma Flat Screen Television

The plasma flat screen television was invented in the 1960s, and although it made a brief appearance in the market in the 70s, it did not quite catch on. Nowadays, the plasma flat screen television is defining what a home theatre should be, and most people who pride themselves on having a fine home theatre own a plasma flat screen television along with other high-tech innovations, such as surround sound speakers. The plasma flat screen television truly gives one the feeling of sitting in the cinema, and, if mounted on the wall, it can save a lot of space. Although the price was once out of the range of the average consumers, plasma flat screen televisions are slowly moving into the range of affordability.

A plasma flat screen television uses technology that is quite different from the typical cathode ray television. Neon and Xenon gases move between two flat panel glasses. These are inert gases and are not dangerous. The result is amazing color; the typical plasma flat screen television produces 16 million unique colors and provides great contrast between dark and light. The screen has a “perfect black” that gives it a cinematic feel. Although the plasma flat screen television is much larger than the conventional television, with all of its devices, it is usually no more than four inches thick. This allows one to install a plasma flat screen television on the wall to save space.

Although the cost of a plasma flat screen television keeps decreasing, you should take into account the amount of power these televisions can use when you figure out the cost in real terms. While there are many energy-efficient models, a larger plasma flat screen television uses a lot of electricity. However the technology of the plasma TV is being developed and improved constantly, and, before long, using a plasma TV will conserve energy.

One advantage to the plasma flat screen television is that it has a relatively long life; the typical set has 60,000 hours to half life (half-life occurs when the screen quality is reduced by half). When you purchase your plasma flat screen television, ensure that you have an excellent warrantee and that you can have it serviced for free or at a low cost.

One thing to be aware of with your plasma flat screened television is that it is quite delicate, and the slightest bump can cause problems. For instance, if a child throws a ball at the screen, hundreds of individual tubes can lose their ability to glow, and repair for this is expensive, if it is possible. It is therefore a good idea for parents to install their plasma flat screened television so that it is high enough to avoid such interference (and don’t let your kids play ball in the TV room!). There are tilt wall mounts that allow you to install your plasma flat screened television at an angle if you store it high.

Along with the plasma flat-screened television, you can purchase plasma furniture or special cabinets and stands for your plasma television. If you prefer the classic, hardwood look, there are home entertainment cabinets specially designed to hold plasma flat screened televisions along with other equipment. For a more contemporary look, you can find metallic curved stands with simple glass shelves or just a short stand to place on top of an existing cabinet or table.

An important tip to keep in mind when choosing plasma flat screened television furniture and supplies is that they should be well-tested for sturdiness, since a plasma TV cannot handle a bump, much less, a complete fall. Make sure that all surfaces and mounts are sturdy enough to hold your set or more weight, just to be on the safe side.

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Hello From Nova Scotia - Part 11 - The Mackinnon-cann Inn: Where Home And Garden Television Meets The Travel Channel

I had spent a wonderfully rejuvenating night wrapped up in the soft high-thread-count sheets and comforters of my temporary home at the MacKinnon-Cann Inn in Yarmouth. After an exciting drive down the Evangeline Trail yesterday that included a very informative tour of the Bear River First Nation Heritage and Cultural Centre, followed up by an early-evening walking tour to admire Yarmouth’s Victorian heritage areas, I had definitely needed a good rest. But a new day had broken and I was ready for more adventures.

First on the plan was of course breakfast, so I got myself ready and walked downstairs into the tastefully decorated dining area of the MacKinnon-Cann Inn. Neil Hisgen, one of the co-owners, was working in the kitchen to prepare breakfast and occasionally dropped by to see how the guests were doing. I caught him for about ten minutes to find out more about this property and his own personal background.


Neil is originally from Racine, Wisconsin, and hails from a family with six children. He spent six years in the navy following which he briefly returned home, only to move to Fort Lauderdale in Florida where he started his hospitality career. He started working at the front desk at the Marriott Hotel and for the next 18 years worked in various hotels and restaurants, gaining experience at the front desk and in the kitchen. He capped his employed career after 15 years with a general manager’s position of a major hotel.

Neil met his business and life partner Michael Tavares at the end of 1997. Neil had made a good return on the sale of his first house and decided to invest it in a bed and breakfast. At the time Michael owned a 200-acre property on a peninsula near Yarmouth which they used as a vacation home. Michael had invited him to spend about a month at his farm near Yarmouth and Neil loved it. Being from the mid-west, he had always enjoyed the change of the seasons.

Neil and Michael were thinking about what they wanted to do and decided they were ready for a change, so they went ahead and opened a bed and breakfast in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia where there was a beautiful Victorian residential district waiting for them with many restoration opportunities. At this point Neil unfortunately had to go back in the kitchen to continue working, but Michael, his co-owner, joined me at my table to give me a more in-depth overview of their projects and his own life story


Michael is originally from Boston and grew up in the southern part of the city. During college he majored in education, but after school he went into real estate and started his own brokerage firm. He was always fascinated by old buildings and illustrates this with a story from his childhood: at 12 or 13 years of age there was an old farm house nearby, and Michael always wondered who had owned it and lived there. So he talked to his mother about it and she took him to the land registry office to do a title search, obtaining a record of all previous owners of the property.

With these documents in hand he approached the current owners and gave them the historic ownership records of the property. They absolutely loved it, and from that point forward Michael was hooked on the mystique of historic properties. In his words, he loves to “peel back the layers of time” and started to buy and restore his own historic buildings. Over several years he completed eight restoration projects in the south end of Boston.

After Boston he moved to Key West and became a tropical landscape architect. He spent five or six years living and working in Key West, completing many garden design projects for the local gay community. In the 1980s he finally bought a 200 acre farm as a vacation property in Nova Scotia together with several friends. This was when his love affair with Yarmouth began. Michael moved his permanent residence from Key West to Fort Lauderdale where he met Neil in 1997 at a fundraising event. They lived together for a year and Neil helped Michael in his landscaping business. In the summer of 1998 Michael invited Neil to his property in Nova Scotia because he wanted Neil to share this part of his life. So for the last eight years Neil and Michael have been residing in Nova Scotia. Their first Yarmouth property was a run-down Victorian brick mansion which they lovingly restored in 1999 and turned into the present Charles C. Richards House, a historic bed and breakfast with three guest bedrooms decorated in the 1930’s Art Deco Period. Each room at the Charles C. Richards House features a private bath, cable TV with DVD players and period furnishings.

The MacKinnon-Cann Inn where I was staying was built in 1887 and is an example of the Italianate Victorian style. The house was built as a duplex for two female cousins, and to this day the inn features two staircases side by side. Michael and Neil rescued the property in 2000 and took it from a condemned state to the stunning mansion that it is today. All seven guest rooms are uniquely decorated in a style reflecting a different 20th century decade, from the 1900s to the 1960s. The main floor features five lavish parlours and Michael pointed out the beautiful patterned wood floor that was installed at great expense throughout the dining area. Neil is a talented glass artist, and many stained glass windows throughout the MacKinnon-Cann Inn and the Charles C. Richards House feature Neil’s artwork.

Michael explained that he is very active in Nova Scotia’s heritage community and mentioned that he is a member of two historic organizations: he serves on the Board of Directors of the Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia whose mission it is to preserve and protect the heritage properties in the province. Both the MacKinnon-Cann Inn and the Charles C. Richards House are provincially registered heritage properties. Michael is also a member of the Provincial Heritage Owners Association of Nova Scotia which encompasses 265 provincial heritage properties. Both inns have won several awards, including the 2005 Restoration Award from the Yarmouth County Historical Society and the L.B. Jenson Award as a contribution to the development and economic health of the Yarmouth Heritage Community.

In addition to the two inns, Michael is also currently renovating the property right next door to the MacKinnon-Cann Inn, another Victorian heritage property which he is thinking of turning into a restaurant that will serve the tourists and local community of Yarmouth. The fourth recently renovated property owned by Michael and Neil is a blue-coloured Victorian heritage property located right between the MacKinnon-Cann Inn and the Charles C. Richards House. In essence, Michael and Neil have single-handedly transformed an entire street block, rescued four historic properties and turned them into stunning examples of architectural revival.

As an astute tourism marketer, Michael Tavares is also the President of the Nova Scotia Association of Unique Country Inns, a collective marketing and branding group that promotes upscale heritage tourism in unique historic properties. Michael is generally responsible for the inn’s marketing while Neil’s responsibilities focus more on hospitality and innkeeping.


Michael’s restoration mindset is based on a commitment to the preservation of buildings and a respect for the historical integrity of the property. He approaches his projects with a certain humility which he says many renovators today are missing since they are only looking for the highest return on investment. He is a strong believer that the cultural renaissance and economic revival of a town begins with heritage restoration and then trickles down to Main Street.

At the same time he also recognizes the need for protecting his investments, and as a member of the local Yarmouth Town Planning Council he has a chance to participate in shaping the future of this town. Michael and Neil have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars and countless thousands of hours in their heritage properties and business ventures. Their efforts make a significant contribution to the economic well-being of the town.


The beginning was not easy since Michael was an outsider with new ideas in a town with long-standing traditions and established power structures. He was the new kid on the block. In addition, it took some time to gain acceptance, particularly as a gay couple in a rather conservative community. Conflict arose originally since Michael was also very outspoken and questioned the old ways of doing things.


However, his commitment to the community became evident in his renovation projects. Michael would call together all the contractors for each project, such as electricians, plumbers, carpet layers, etc. and told them that he would deal exclusively with them as local merchants instead of choosing a big box home renovation store as his main supplier. This commitment to local merchants has earned him a lot of respect and goodwill in the surrounding community, and today many people call him for his opinion before a debate of important issues that will affect the town.

After I completed my delicious fruit salad and omelet breakfast, Michael took me on a tour of all four properties. We started off with the smaller Victorian house currently under renovation where the entire first floor has currently been stripped down to the bare walls. As with his other projects, Michael is going to do the vast majority of the project himself and will call in specialized contractors only where needed. He is one of those people who have that special gift of spotting a diamond in the rough and taking it from a derelict hovel in danger of collapsing to a stunningly updated and stylish historic jewel with all modern conveniences.

We then went over to the recently restored blue Victorian mansion that was renovated by the previous owners according to Michael’s recommendations since Michael and Neil were going to purchase the property. We capped the visit off with the Charles C. Richards House, a stunning Victorian brick mansion with gorgeous architectural details, built for a wealthy local businessman. It was started in 1893 and took two years to finish and was the first brick house of this class to be built in Yarmouth. Most of the special building materials, i.e. the brownstone, granite and brick, were imported from the United States and make this house unique. Michael told me that it took him a whole season to strip the many layers of paint on the ornately carved porch and 32 weeks to repaint it, using eleven different colours.

I admired the wonderful details and stylish décor of the various rooms, including the flower-filled conservatory. Michael and Neil posed for me in front of the intricately carved wooden staircase that leads to the upstairs bedroom and this was the fitting ending for my introduction to architectural preservation and heritage tourism in Yarmouth. I thanked them both for their welcoming hospitality and got ready for my next item on the itinerary: an exploration of Yarmouth history at the Yarmouth County Historical Museum, located right across the street from the Charles C. Richards House.

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Classic Television on DVD bring late night's Carson back to fans

Who could forget the smooth sound of Ed McMahon’s voice announcing with practiced timbre, “Heeeeeeeeere’s Johnny!” each night to millions of Americans as they sat up in their living rooms ready to watch another round of Johnny Carson giving his low-key monologue with the hard-to-resist deadpan delivery that we all came to know and love. Even today in the new millennium, thanks to classic TV DVDs, we are still able to see the comedic genius at work, albeit it doesn’t have to be in the wee hours of the morning.
Johnny Carson’s primary claim to fame was as America's late night king of comedy. For thirty years he hosted NBC television's Tonight Show, and because of his up-to-the-minute monologues, flippant characters and lighthearted sketches he entered more homes via the television than any other performer had ever done before. His late night set provided the launching pad for many budding stars and starlets, gave widespread publicity for hundreds of books, movies and gadgets and never failed to offer a laugh (or two or three) to the millions of viewers tuned in.

Carson was well known as getting his start in the world of magic at a very young age in his hometown of Norfolk, Nebraska. Performing feats of prestidigitation was his first love, but that was interrupted by World War II and a couple of years in the US Navy. After the war, Carson decided to attend college and chose the field of radio as his major. This proved to be a good choice for a young guy who had no idea of the impact that entertainment, particularly television, was about to have on the world at large as well has his home soil. After graduation he started a job as a radio deejay, but shortly thereafter the advent of TV began to take the country by storm.

Starting out with television at its inception must have been an exciting time. Johnny Carson got in on the true ground floor and never left until his retirement some 40 years later. What a mark he left on the industry. His first stint on the visual air was hosting an afternoon program broadcast out of Omaha, Nebraska, called The Squirrel’s Nest. He pretty much had the run of that show doing local interviews, practicing his vast array of characters by performing skits and sketches and learning how to perfect his inimitable timing in the delivery of jokes and stories. Today some of his earliest works can be seen on classic TV DVD selections where a young Carson displays the same endearing grin he charmed audiences with decades later.

Johnny Carson decided to try television in a big way when he made the decision to move to Hollywood in the 1950s. During his fledgling years in Hollywood, Carson hosted a gamut of television shows ranging from such titles as Carson’s Cellar, two different versions of the Johnny Carson Show, and two quiz shows called Earn Your Vacation and Who Do You Trust? During this time he also worked as a writer for the Red Skelton Show. All of this was merely practice for what many say is his greatest achievement - replacing the retiring Jack Paar and hosting the Tonight Show.

It was in the Fall of 1962 that Carson took the seat behind the famous desk that was to be his for the next 30 years. Even though he had a completely opposite style from Paar, Carson did not need long to win over his audience. Before a half year had passed, the Tonight Show ratings were exceeding Paar’s by almost 500,000 viewers. It was an unprecedented event when within a decade and a half on the air, the Tonight Show doubled its audience numbers. Johnny Carson had left his mark on the world and became an icon of classic television. Film critic, David Edelstein, put it so well when he wrote Carson was the “naughty genius of late night”.

Johnny Carson was an entertainer who drew viewers in night after night with his droll expressions, edgy comedic sketches and compelling, humorous interviews. His comedy was as timeless as his slim, dapper, boyish good looks. Through the emergence of classic television on DVD, Johnny Carson’s comedy is being relived by his fans and seen for the first time by a new generation.

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Ipod Movie Downloads - Download And Save Movies

IPOD movie downloads is a very good way for getting the latest movies quickly and without the hassles of traveling to the video rental location. You can download movies fast and easy. There are many locations right on the web that can provide you with the best of the best for much less. There are several locations that do offer a wide range of choice when it comes to free IPOD movie downloads. Some offer more than others or they offer a better quality product. It will take a little looking to find the most affordable choice that is also the one that has what you would like to download.

Once you find the right location for your ipod movie downloads, you can easily and quickly (it seems almost instantly) download them to your PC, your notebook, or you can check out iPod movie downloads as well. There are specific services that are available to provide you with the ability to get great quality movies on your iPod. If you choose iPod movies, you can find the right location to download from on the web to your iPod, take the movies with you wherever you decide to go and, if you like them; you can even burn them to CD.

No matter if you choose iPod movies or find a few great movies to download to your PC, there are many services that are providing this ability to you. If you are skilled, you can even find a few free iPod movie downloads or free movie downloads to tap into as well. Of course, to get the best products available, you may want to go with a paid service. It also pays for you to take your time in checking out a few of the services for their fees and their membership details. With so much competition out there, you are sure to find a great deal being offered to new members. Movie downloads are fast becoming the best way to get the movies you want to see quickly. I have listed a site you can click on the link at the top of my site. It is one of the best I have tried.

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Secrets to Buying a CRT, LCD or Plasma Television

Each type of TV has positives and negatives. Before purchasing a possibly expensive piece of furniture for you home it would be wise to learn a little about each technology. This may prevent you from making a big mistake when you are ready to buy. Once you understand which type of television is right for you it's a lot easier to take the plunge.

If you are more than 10 years old you probably grew up watching television on a CRT type of TV. CRT stands for cathode ray tube. These televisions are still very popular due to a few advantages they still hold over the newer plasma televisions and other newer types.

If you've ever watched a plasma or LCD TV from the side you have probably noticed that the picture is darker from that angle. One of the great things about CRT televisions is that they are still bright even when viewed from the side. Sure, the LCD or plasma television has a great quality picture from the front, but if you plan on placing your TV in an area that will be viewed often from the side you should be testing out all of the different models in that regard. It would be very disappointing to see the great plasma picture quality at the dealer and then get it home and have a darker picture from your viewing point of view.

Another positive with regard to CRT displays is their price. They are more inexpensive than the more modern types of televisions while still producing a very clear and bright picture. They also show the color black truer than most newer models and have no danger of burn-in. On some of the newer models it's possible to have a bright picture burn into the screen and be faintly visible for the life of the TV.

With all of these positives why are the CRT displays diminishing in popularity? There are two main reasons. One, these television sets are usually bigger, bulkier and heavier. And two, if you want a large wide screen TV that is 42 inches, 50 inches, 60 inches or larger you just cannot find a CRT display that big. So if you have a big wide screen TV in mind you won't be able to go with the older CRT units.

The last deciding factor about CRT televisions concerns whether you should buy a flat screen or curved screen model. The flat screen versions can be viewed from the side better than the curved screens. The curved screens can distort the picture while the flat screens let you see the picture as it was intended to be seen. The difference may not be apparent when viewed alone, but put them side to side and you will certainly see the difference.

The next type of technology we will look at is the flat panel LCD displays. These come in HDTV (high definition television) or wide screen. If you want to see your DVD movies as you saw them in the movie theater you need to purchase a widescreen TV. LCD is a liquid crystal display and is not only used in televisions, but in computer monitors as well.

LCD displays have a flat screen and are relatively thin in width and lightweight. They have an exceptional picture viewing quality and as with the CRT displays will not produce burn-in. These TVs have high resolution that creates a superior picture.

The biggest problem with LCD flat screens is the fact that their viewing angles are lessened when compared with traditional CRT models. If you get too far off to the side the picture becomes extremely dark. They are also incapable of creating true blacks, another disadvantage when compared to older CRT models. Plus, the larger models can become rather expensive. However, if money is not your major concern and you plan on viewing the TV from directly in front you may decide that this is the best choice for you.

Plasma television sets, also known as plasma HDTV displays, have come way down in price over the last two years. Their prices used to exclude people from buying them, but their prices are now comparable to LCD models.

These TVs have become popular because not only can you get it in a very large screen size, perfect for your favorite movie or sporting event, but it has an excellent picture quality that is also viewable from wide angles. This is a plus over the LCD technology. This TV will give you the perfect "movie experience" at home in your own theater room.

Plasma television displays are great when it comes to picture quality and viewing angles, but their prices may still be slightly higher than other types. They also have a small potential for burn-in. But the big negative is their life span. They are basically not repairable when their bulb burns out. Depending on how much you watch TV you could end up with an expensive unit that will only last a few years. Once the bulb has burned out the TV is generally history. This is not the case with an LCD display where the bulb may cost in the neighborhood of $200, but it can be changed.

Rear projection models also have their positives and negatives. Rear projection CRT HDTV's are cheaper than the larger plasma and LCD displays, plus they have a flat screen and great picture. The negatives are their size and weight and smaller viewing angles. They are too heavy to hang on a wall and are much wider than the more narrow plasma and LCD units. Also, in a well lit room their picture can seem a little less bright than what is considered ideal.

There are other types of rear projection HDTV units too. The most popular are the LCD and DLP models. Both have flat screens with wide viewing angles, are thin and lightweight which means they can be wall mounted, will not produce burn-in and have terrific picture resolution and quality. Also, when the bulb burns out they can be replaced, unlike the plasma television models. However, they can both be a bit on the expensive side.

Now that you know the differences it's time to go down to your local electronics store and try them out. A little bit of viewing can go a long way in your determination of what's best and what's not. One more piece of advice: when looking at the varied assortment of models at you local store you'll notice that some have bright pictures and some do not. Do not base your opinion solely on that one thing. The store models will not have their brightness controls all set the same and it's possible that a dim picture on one of their televisions could easily be adjusted into a magnificent picture.

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Infomercials - Television Advertising

Infomercials have been around for along time. Have you ever caught yourself glued to the TV watching and listening to information on a new TV product? We have all seen these ads and I am sure most of us have some of these products in our homes. I know I have several. Wow, will that really clean my floors and make them look new again? Use water to steam away all those germs. Only five minutes a day and you will lose weight! How can you not want to try these products? Only $19.99 or 5 easy installments of $29.99.

A number of celebrities endorse these products. One product that has been around for awhile is The Thighmaster endorsed by Suzanne Somers. She also endorses other exercise machines such as torso track, beauty products and even appliances. Suzanne has made a real impression in infomercial world.

Celebrities definitely help these products to sell. These are people we can relate to and if they are endorsing a product and putting their name to the infomercial product it must be worth buying, right?

Some infomercial products have turned the spokesperson like Ron Popeil into a celebrity. Most people know who he is. When I hear his name "Set It and Forget It" comes to mind. Get rid of that fat from your foods and walk away while your food cooks. I have one of his rotisserie and I have to admit I love it! The food comes out real moist and tasty. Ron has come out with a whole line of helpful kitchen products.

George Foreman also got into "Get Rid Of The Fat" products. I also have his George Forman grill which is awesome for making sandwiches, hamburgers, cooking bacon and I find it easy to clean. It seems every year he perfects his product with a new line.

I do like infomercials and get easily drawn in. Sure some are just ridiculous gadgets that we really do not need and just end up in the back of the closet after a few uses. What about the products that you see advertised all the time and have been around for awhile? They must be living up to their ad and do what they say if some many people are still purchasing.

Television is a very powerful way to advertise a product and have it endorse by a celebrity and the product can become an instant hit. The internet has become another tool for advertising these products. The web makes it even easier for us to purchase. If you walked into the tail end of an infomercial you can find out more about it online. Do a search for the product name and you should be able to find it on the web. You can even find sites that have short clips of the product in action.

What will be the hot As Seen On TV Product this year????

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Influence of Television on a Person

In the twenty first century technology is developing very fast. Advanced technological wonders still surprise us and make us wanting more and more comfort that they create. One of them is television that became popular all over the world now and there is no country, region or village where people don’t know what a TV is. It is also considered that Television has both advantages and disadvantages and for one it is very difficult to decide what to watch and if to watch at all. Certainly, television is the main source of information. Daily people listen and watch a short news sequence that provides us with the necessary information and keeps informed during the day. Also, no doubt, television is the way to entertain oneself, for it offers a variety of possibilities to have fun sitting on your couch and relaxing. Another way to capture people’s minds on a live TV screen is advertisement. Commercials have become inseparable part of broadcasting and live coverage. Even favorite movies are interrupted by short ad. Though commercials are what holds television together and there’s nobody who can prove this wrong. Besides there have to be some ways to show what lies on the shelves at supermarkets. When it comes to disadvantages one may prepare for a long story, but after all, despite these trifles we continue to do it, no matter what we are said.

It is harmful to stay in front of the TV for a long time. It spoils our eyes and health, doctors say. But the same thing happens when we read articles or interesting narrative essays http://www.bestessays.com/narrative_essay.php for a long time. Same story with the computer, nothing harms our sight this much. As for the information that we constantly see on TV, it is a miracle how one can watch it without getting crazy. Indeed, if to watch three or more reality shows in a row it makes you at first confused than frustrated and then constantly unsatisfied and angry. It is also same story with movies. It is almost impossible to find a movie without blood spilling around and angry man fighting for God knows what. Of course a nice narrative essay http://www.bestessays.com/narrative_essay.php can be put aside when something similar comes up. Now movies are rated, but who pays attention to that little geometric figure in the corner of your screen? As soon as movie is good, nobody cares to think about its influence on their children.

Television makes people physically inactive. It is impossible to stand up and go for a walk when your favorite soap opera is coming up. You leave everything undone and rush to see what happens next and stay glued to the screen till it’s over. Then another are another comes and you slowly but surely turn into a couch potato with health problems as in mental, as in physical field. What makes us glue ourselves to the TV screen and go to bed with a TV on? It’s quite time to break the habit and start reading something useful, for example, the article about harm and advantages of watching TV.

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