I've been thinking about buying a high definition or big screen plasma television for awhile. I don't really need one. I'm not even sure I can write it off. I just want to finally be on the same level as my friends and family members who constantly show off their big screen-HD-TV-snootiness as clear as the last episode of Yo Gabba Gabba. Lately, I've given up the pursuit. I realized it was a wasteful, greedy, and (worst of all) selfish reason to want anything, just to look better than someone on a material level. I also realized that someone else out there would have a TV that would be 200 times better than mine would ever be.
That realization came to me when I found this 103-inch plasma TV set that runs for $110,000.
The set comes from the Danish electronics giant, Bang & Olufsen, which specializes in extremely expensive and high-end electronic gadgets. Their customer base ranges from four to seven people in the world, depending on how well the stock market is doing.
You don't just get a TV set that can forever ruin the foundation of your home. You get a $15,000 stand that uses pneumatic lifters to lift the TV off the ground when it is powered on, so it doesn't block the view from your living room windows. It's a cool device and a smart move, since chances are your living room overlooks the edge of the Milky Way if you can afford a $110,000 TV.
It also has tiny motors built within the frame that allow the screen to rotate at tiny angles for the best possible picture, a Panasonic plasma screen that alone costs $50,000 to $70,000, and an installation crew that needs a crane to get it in your house.
That's all well and good, but someone forgot to ask the most important question: does it have a hemi?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-25-2009 @ 2:05PM
Michael said...
You're a TV writer, and you don't think you need an HD TV? That's like a short-sighted art critic saying he doesn't need glasses. Or a hearing-impaired music writer saying he doesn't need hearing aids.
You write about TV and you really don't have an HD TV? Or am I just misunderstanding that?
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5-25-2009 @ 8:23PM
Usama said...
But why? I enjoy HDTV but in reviews the heart of the matter is the content quality of scripted/unscripted tv shows. Yes for shows like Battlestar Galactica, Stargate: Atlantis and 24 having the HD resolution can make the whole experience much more pleasing but usually that's not the focus of the review.
And Danny, if you're doing well without one then may I suggest waiting until you absolutely are sure you want it. Waiting until you're sure has the dual advantage of better technology for lower price and more importantly the comfort of knowing you wanted this and were not pressured into it in any way by people or advertisements.
By 2012 OLED TVs will start rolling out and they'll put Plasmas and LCDs to shame in terms of quality, and eventually in terms of price, energy efficiency and longevity as well. For this reason although I did buy an HDTV, a Panasonic Plasma, I chose to spend less than $1,000 on it. It is not the best that money can buy, but I chose to buy less frills on this TV so that down the line when I replace another SDTV in a few years I can upgrade to an OLED.
5-25-2009 @ 2:40PM
Modwild said...
If you don't want to enhance something you love with an HDTV, then don't get one. But they are so inexpensive now its just a silly argument. Who gives a crap if your neighbors is bigger? If you are happy with the screen, that's all that matters. And, your viewing experience will be enhanced. Just will.
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5-25-2009 @ 4:13PM
Joseph said...
And how much is the extended warranty?
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