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I’m a pretty tech-savvy person. I’ve been using personal computers since before there were personal computers. Which is a very, very long time.
But, nothing can drive me more nuts than televisions and stereos - which, by the way, someone at some point decided to call Home Theater Systems.
I have an older television and a veritable plethora of various components that purport to play music, CDs and movies. Some of them work, many of them don’t. So, when I discovered that one of my two measly stereo speakers (speakers - is that still the correct term?) has ceased to function, I decided that some new technology was required.
I’m feeling particularly close to all the people I know who aren’t really computer-literate! Buying a television and “Home Theater System” might just be the end of me. I feel like a dunce because it’s been so long since I followed the technology, I have NO idea what’s going on.
So, I did what I usually do - check the Internet. CDNet is usually a good source for information. What did they provide me? Mostly with reviews that said “CDNet did not review this television, but we did review others in this line”. OK, great. So, are you saying that the review of the other one will tell me about the one I’m looking at? Not extremely helpful.
Then, I stopped by the local electronics store. Evidently, learning how all this stuff works is a life-long undertaking. The people in the store seem to have just slightly more information than I do?!
For you older people out there, you will appreciate that I still have music I like that is recorded on cassettes. Not VCR cassettes, as the child in the store assumed, but actual music tape cassettes. I’m not sure that there is a more descriptive term for them. They’re the small things that came out after 8-track players went out of style, and just before CDs came in. If I have the history right.
Can I hook a cassette player up to a fancy new home theater system? Can I record television shows on a VCR, or will I need to get a DVR thingy from my cable company? Do you hook the TV and the theater system together? Do wireless rear speakers really produce good sound? Is there an advantage to having the television and stereo stuff come from the same manufacturer? Do I really need a 40″ screen if I’m sitting 12 feet away from it?
These and other questions have gone unanswered. However, I’ve gotten a tip that the folks at a nearby Best Buy store actually know what they’re talking about.
I certainly hope so. It’s getting pretty darn quiet around here!
