# DBSTalk.com HDTV Survey



## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

(This poll is for all registered DBSTalk members, and for our visitors who are invited to
participate upon free registration.)

According to a recent study, nearly half of existing high definition television (HDTV) set
owners do not receive HDTV programming. While HDTV sets are estimated to be in nearly
16 million U.S. homes, new data predicts only 7 million of those households will actually be
watching HD programming. The research is suggesting that many consumers are buying
HDTVs but fail to take the additional steps required to receive HDTV services.

We are interested in learning what DBSTalk.com's over 16,000 registered members are
doing or thinking about doing about HDTV. This poll is for everyone and we invite all 
DBSTalk.com members to participate, whether you have an HDTV set or whether or
not you subscribe to or receive HD programming.

If you are among our estimated 50,000 unregistered guests who visit DBSTalk.com and
you want to participate in this poll, you are welcome to register *HERE* - it's free and easy!

(Poll closes January 31, 2006)


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## invaliduser88 (Apr 23, 2002)

Only HD I receive via Dish is HBO and SHO. Everything else is OTA, so I voted OTA HD only.


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## Ron Barry (Dec 10, 2002)

I get a lot of HD from Dish (Voom and HDPack) and also get a lot from OTA. Think we are missing a choice on the poll.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

Choose your predominant source if you have HD.. Thanks for your participation.


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## TNGTony (Mar 23, 2002)

My situation is not on the poll. I have an HDTV card on my computer and view HD on my computer monitor from the lifeline cable and OTA. I do not plan to get an HDTV this year, but both my TVs are over 10 years old so they could make my decision for me. My plan is to wait at the very least another year (Summer 2007). If my present equipment holds out, sometime in 2008 I will make the change on my main TV.

Why wait so long? Content vs. price of equipment (TV, Sat Reveiver, DVR, DVD/PSP-or whatever it is them). At this point the content available just does not make me want to switch over. I feel it's 1960 and people are rushing to color TV when only a few shows are in color. (For the record, my first color TV was purchased in 1967, 2 years after the networks went 100% color in Prime Time. 

See ya
Tony


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## rcbridge (Oct 31, 2002)

I also have Dish and OTA!! but I voted Dish.
You should add a few more choices!!


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## RAD (Aug 5, 2002)

I have D* today for HD but in about 30 minutes a call goes into Comcast, I'm tired of waiting for D* to add more national channels and won't ever go back to E*.

Ordered, get $25/month discount for 16 months for dish buy back, gets installed on 1/21.


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## ntexasdude (Jan 23, 2005)

I have the Dish HD pak but I also get a few locals OTA with my 921 tuner.


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## AllieVi (Apr 10, 2002)

I voted "don't have/don't plan to get one within one year."

Like TNGTony, I'm waiting. Prices will drop and maybe the various technologies will mature to the point where one is the obvious choice. The NEBT might change my mind.

My viewing habits don't encourage a purchase. I don't watch much sports (a good reason for HD) or many movies. 

Even if my main TV is HD, the video distribution network in my house won't be any time soon, so I'll be using SD equipment long after any official conversion date. Replacing my dozen or so TV's, ten modulators and associated stuff is a non-starter at this point. 

TNGTony said: "For the record, my first color TV was purchased in 1967, 2 years after the networks went 100% color in Prime Time." He beat me by 10 years...


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## albert71292 (Aug 19, 2005)

I voted "I do not have an HDTV set and do not plan to get one within a year." also. My 8 year old 27" Sony Trinitron is still going strong, and I have no plan to replace it until it "dies". My standard def Dish Network picture, and my standard def OTA locals all look good enough to me, so I'm in no hurry to "upgrade". Besides, by the time I actually _need_ to buy a new TV, the HDTV's will be cheaper. When I do get one, I'll get a CRT model, because those LCD/Plasma televisions haven't been around long enough for me to trust the long term reliability of the products.


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## the_bear (Oct 18, 2004)

I know a lot of people that bought HD sets because they liked the way the TV's housing looked with the rest of their furniture. A did a somewhat similar poll on AVS. Although not representative of the general public, there was a lot of HD viewing amongst AVS members.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=592987


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## ntexasdude (Jan 23, 2005)

I will add this. Even before I had Dish and the HD pak I had a 32" Samsung tube. It automatically upconverts every input signal into the best possible resolution. Ordinary dvd's played through a non-progressive scan player and regular tv looked far better than on my old 80's era RCA TV.

There are benefits to owning a HDTV even you don't have access to the programming.


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## ntexasdude (Jan 23, 2005)

the_bear said:


> I know a lot of people that bought HD sets because they liked the way the TV's housing looked with the rest of their furniture..........


My set came in a sleek and stylish silver case, sits on a very stylish silver stand with glass shelves and blends in very well in a new 500 sq foot room. My only complaint is that it is smallish at 32". But....IMHO....the pq blows away plasma, dlp and ANY type of projection tv.

I paid about $1000 for it 18 months ago. Similar sets can be had now for about $650 to $700.


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## straymutt (Jan 6, 2006)

albert71292 said:


> When I do get one, I'll get a CRT model, because those LCD/Plasma televisions haven't been around long enough for me to trust the long term reliability of the products.


Wow Albert, the first operational LCD was made in 1968 and plasma has been around since 1964 (search wikipedia for "LCD display" and "plasma display"). I think that's long enough. Sure they weren't being used as televisions back then, but those little liquid crystals and phosphors don't know what they're displaying anyway. 

If you're happy with what you have, that's cool. Just wanted to point out that LCD and plasma technology isn't just a few years old.


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## Paradox-sj (Dec 15, 2004)

Nick said:


> Choose your predominant source if you have HD.. Thanks for your participation.


Then the survey needs to be updated....As I recieve ALL the networks in HD OTA as well as the E*HDPAK...


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

RAD said:


> I have D* today for HD but in about 30 minutes a call goes into Comcast, I'm tired of waiting for D* to add more national channels and won't ever go back to E*.
> 
> Ordered, get $25/month discount for 16 months for dish buy back, gets installed on 1/21.


A coworker of mine bit on a similar deal. Turned out there were several hidden limitations and his "choices" of movie services were Starz, Starz or Starz. The most painful was that they didn't offer the CBS affiliate in HD. Apparently Dish is one of the few services that does.

The "ditch the dish" program is enticing, but not enough to get me to give up the locals and networks that my local Comcast doesn't offer at a much higher price. I'm also not very happy with the PQ on the locals that they do offer.


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## JM Anthony (Nov 16, 2003)

In addition to gettig HD programming from E*, I also get it out. In fact, between the two I probably watch OTA HD more than I do E*

John


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## videobruce (Aug 13, 2004)

Has anyone chosen Dish over Direct because of the picture quality or lack of? I don't mean dropouts or outages.


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## Flyboy917 (Oct 25, 2003)

Where is the option to select: More than one HDTV, More than one HD pc card, and two sources of HD? 

I filled out a survey for Consumer Reports last year that was just as limited. It wanted me to answer what features were avalaible on my HDTV set but didn't give me the option of having more than one HDTV.


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## unr1 (Jul 16, 2005)

I also get HD from ng


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## gajit21 (Dec 24, 2004)

I get HD from Dish but i also can watch my locals with the 811 OTA. OTA looks really good.


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## dfergie (Feb 28, 2003)

Need an option for More than one choice... I have E* and D* HD's...


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## cicijay (Jan 6, 2003)

From what I understand my HD package price will increase because there will be new channels that I can't receive unless I pay $299 to rent a box.

I'm not complaining but Why would I stay with Dish, who I have had for a long time? I can't remeber how long but I know I have had dish before Optical output's were even available!


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## Mark Holtz (Mar 23, 2002)

No HDTV for another year. By then, prices should have gone down some more. I also want to see what happens with the MPEG4 conversion by the DBS companies as well as the DVRs. 

Besides, a new car is higher on the priority list.


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## speedcouch (Jun 23, 2004)

Nick said:


> Choose your predominant source if you have HD.. Thanks for your participation.


I guess I'd have to say we receive about half our HD programming OTA (network stuff) and the other half off of DirecTV. I really think you missed people like us in excluding that combination.

Cheryl


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## JcT21 (Nov 30, 2004)

i also voted "I do not have an HDTV set and do not plan to get one within a year."

for now im completely satisfied with my SD DVR & SD receivers. the picture quality is good, much better than fuzzy cable around here. i figure i will some day upgrade but im in no hurry as long as what i got (tv's & receivers) keeps working.


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## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

Waiting - HDTV is not worth giving up my DVR for, and since I work afternoons / evenings - an HD DVR will be a requirement. Besides - money is a little tight right now, and since I have a perfectly fine 1997 Sony 27" NTSC set for the main TV I see no reason to go get an ATSC capable set until right before shutdown. I might see about getting a Vip622 later after the initial bugs have been worked out, but no HDTV set until the Sony goes out.


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## RI_Pilot (May 2, 2005)

I have had a Dish 6000 since it first came out nearly 6 years ago. I use it for the Dish HD pak, VOOM originals, and OTA from Boston and Providence.

HD Monitor is a Mitsubishi WS-55805

Howard


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## markh (Mar 24, 2002)

I don't have an HDTV and probably won't get one in a year. My current TV is only about 3 years old and I'll keep it until it needs replacing. Besides that, prices keep dropping and they keep improving the look of the HDTVs. I saw one of the new Sony SXRDs the other day. One word for it: WOW. And the price, too, $3799. It seems like all the projection TVs look better than they used to and they keep introducing new technology like the SXRD thingy. Not that I wouldn't like to have an HDTV but there's no hurry for me when the prices are going down and the picture is improving with new technology.


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## cosmo61 (Sep 1, 2002)

I just got an HD set and theater system as part of home remodeling project this year. I am only getting HD OTA because I was waiting for Dish to get its HD program together.

The one thing I have noticed since I got an HD set is the number of friends and family that want to know what they should get. Almost all of them have no idea of what the difference is between HD, SD and analog. I am by no means an expert but based on my conversations with the people asking me questions there is complete confusion on the part of the consumer on what they should be buying. A number of people I talked just gave up trying to decide what to get and are sticking with the analog sets they have now because it is too confusing to figure out what to buy.

While people who frequent these message boards are educated on the differences between HD, SD and what satellite and cable provide the "average joe" does not. This is going to be a problem and probably lead to a lot of negative press until manufacturers and programming provides figure out an easy way to explain what a person needs for what will take place in 2009.


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## newsposter (Nov 13, 2003)

There really needs to be an option for the HDtivo crowd who may have premiums. We don't get our stuff exclusively from either OTA or Directv


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## snidely (Mar 11, 2003)

And there are a few of us who get HD from BEV (Canadian DBS) or even the limited HD fm. the other Canadian system, Star Choice. Right now temporarily have Comcast Moto 6412 DVR and BEV 6000 box. Was waiting to see if D* was going to add more HD. The reps at CES said "not in the forseeable future". (Adding dozens of duplicate band wasting local HD doesn't count as additional channels.) DISH's HD lineup leaves out a lot of available HD as well. 

...mike


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## DCSholtis (Aug 7, 2002)

OTA and D* here too


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## Sparkman87 (Apr 28, 2002)

I actually get HD programming from 3 spots. I have E* HD pack(No Voom), cable & OTA. Most watched would be cable, due to Comcast Sportsnet Chicago HD. Keeping E* HD for now for HDNET, but find myself watching it less & less.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

In response to a post in the DirecTV forum, perhaps I should point out that this HDTV survey,
while informative and perhaps even interesting to some, is not a scientific poll and may not
reflect results in the real world. The poll is for entertainment purposes and should not be relied
upon for making decisions or judgements regarding HDTV. Readers are encouraged to take
the results of this survey with a grain of salt.


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## Cholly (Mar 22, 2004)

I have a 26" Ilo HD ready LCD TV in my bedroom, receiving HD OTA via an Acccurian HD set top box from Radio Shack. 
In my den, I have a 32" Sony HD ready TV with Scientific Atlanta 8300HD DVR from Time Warner Cable.
In the family room/home theater, is a 55 inch Sony Rear projection LCD HDTV receiver, with Scientific Atlanta 8300HD DVR from Time Warner Cable.

When HD locals become available in the Charlotte DMA, I may consider going back to satellite. I live with my son and daughter in-law and three grandsons, and there is a total of 7 TV's in the household, plus 2 computers with TV cards.
Definite overkill, bt everyone can watch what they want!


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## garn9173 (Apr 4, 2005)

I have a 32" Sony flat screen, picture-in-picture, all of the bells & whistles that I purchased 2 1/2 years ago. This past summer, my wife & I were forced to give up E* (long story), anyway when the cable installer came, he asked me point blank, "do you realize you have an HD TV?" Needless to say I was stunned, the sales person never once mentioned that the TV was HD . 

Even though I have the Motrola 6412 receiver and currently receiving my locals in HD at no charge through the 6412, i'm currently holding off from getting into HD all the way. 

Eventually, i'm sure i'll buy the cable that is needed to hook up the TV to the 6412 & make the call to Mediacom to order their HD package (according to the installer that's all I need to do). 

I should mention that Mediacom carries all of the locals in HD, expect for Fox as they are owned by $inclair, so if/when I take the plunge into HD, since the only HD local I don't have on cable is Fox, i'm not even going to hassle with an HD OTA attenna.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

garn9173 said:


> I have a 32" Sony flat screen, picture-in-picture, all of the bells & whistles that I purchased 2 1/2 years ago...when the cable installer came, he asked me point blank, "do you realize you have an HD TV?" Needless to say I was stunned, the sales person never once mentioned that the TV was HD...


Didn't the inordinate price of that TV set give you a clue? How on Earth could you possibly spend _that_ much money on a TV and not know it was an HD TV set? Are you that oblivious?

I spent almost two years researching and pricing HD sets before I found a deal I liked and could afford.  I just can _not _imagine buying a TV and not being aware it was HD. :shrug:

Excuse me for going on, but I am incredulous.


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## markh (Mar 24, 2002)

Since I bought my 32" SD TV, prices have come way down. Now a similar set is about half that price and Best Buy has a 34" Toshiba wide flat screen tube HDTV for under $1000, well $999. I wish I had been able to hold off but I needed a TV at the time. It should have been the "HDTV" writing on the front that gave it away.


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## rbird (Apr 24, 2002)

I couldn't really answer the poll, because while one answer did apply to me, choosing it wouldn't bring across the right message.

I subscribe to HD programming, but don't have an HD set. I watch in downconverted form. It is the best SD money can buy, and programming is uncut and in its original format. Not only that, but the clean signal makes for better compression on my SD Tivos.

My programming is currently from Dish, but I am contemplating switching to DirecTV.

Bob


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## luvdtv04 (Aug 20, 2005)

I get about half from D* and half OTA. I tend to watch the OTA HD more often so I voted OTA.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

With a record 444 DBSTalk.com members, both HD set owners and non-HD owners, taking part in the DBSTalk.com 2006 HDTV Poll to date, an overwhelming 384, or 86% of respondents say that they own an HD tv display.

With little over a week to go in the poll response period, members (and visitors) are encouraged to participate by voting and adding your comments to the thread.

The DBSTalk.com 2006 HDTV Poll closes Jan. 31.

*Go To Survey*


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## JohnH (Apr 22, 2002)

I do not have an HDTV, but I receive HD programming from DirecTV, DISH Network, OTA, C band and Ku band. All of them can be viewed downconverted to NTSC(downconverted ESPN HD is better than the SD ESPN). The DISH Network 6000 and the C/Ku band card can be viewed in somewhat Hi Def on 17" PC Monitors(the HDNET test pattern shows in excess of 800 lines horizontal resolution).


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## larrystotler (Jun 6, 2004)

I'm kinda in the same boat. I have a projector that takes a VGA input, which I use to watch movies. I plan to add an 811(DVI-VGA converter) so that I can watch the HD programming on the projector. Technically, the VGA resolutions are much higher than the HD at the same size screen, but I am sure it will look as good or better than my DVDs.


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## belcherwm (Dec 18, 2005)

The poll is pointless. Most people on a forum like this have multiple sources. You should have set the poll up to take mutliple choices.

I receive HD through OTA, Comcast Cable and DISH HD pack/Voom. 

Oh yeah, I have an upconverting DVD player and what about DVHS?


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

The DBSTalk 2006 HDTV Survey has logged over 500 responses (votes) to date. If I'm not mistaken, this is the largest response to a member poll in the history of DBSTalk.com.

Whether you have an HD tv set or not, you are invited to participate in the survey if you haven't yet expressed your opinion. 

The poll closes Tuesday, January 31st at 08:05 AM ET


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## AllieVi (Apr 10, 2002)

belcherwm said:


> The poll is pointless. Most people on a forum like this have multiple sources. You should have set the poll up to take mutliple choices. ...


I thought the poll choices were good and adequate for the vast majority of us. Including all possible options would make the poll unnecessarily complicated.


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## Paul Secic (Dec 16, 2003)

straymutt said:


> Wow Albert, the first operational LCD was made in 1968 and plasma has been around since 1964 (search wikipedia for "LCD display" and "plasma display"). I think that's long enough. Sure they weren't being used as televisions back then, but those little liquid crystals and phosphors don't know what they're displaying anyway.
> 
> If you're happy with what you have, that's cool. Just wanted to point out that LCD and plasma technology isn't just a few years old.


When I buy a HD set it will be a LCD. I'm leary of Plasmas.


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## harsh (Jun 15, 2003)

Paul Secic said:


> When I buy a HD set it will be a LCD. I'm leary of Plasmas.


Plasma requires a whole lot of power (400+ watts). Other than that, it is just a lot more expensive but the picture is generally considered better than LCD. If you don't need flat, you can get a much larger display with a great picture from DLP or LCoS.


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## newsposter (Nov 13, 2003)

Crt!


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

The DBSTalk.com 2006 HDTV Survey has concluded, but for many others, the confusion surrounding HD TV set ownership and access to HD programming access continues to bite the consumer electronics industry, and some consumers themselves, on the butt.

In a 2005 Horowitz study of HD TV set owners, it was reported that 14 percent of cable/satellite subscribers have HDTV or HD-ready TV sets in the home. The same survey conducted in 2006 finds that 25 percent of cable/satellite households report having at least one HDTV set in the home.

Yet, Super Bowl Sunday aside, the availability of and access to high-definition content still lags well behind HD set ownership. For example, among digital cable subscribers, 36 percent have HD sets, but only 23 percent have HDTV service. It's even worse among satellite subscribers, with 34 percent saying they have HD sets, but only 19 percent report subscribing to HD service.

The Horowitz study also found that many of those surveyed who thought that they had an HDTV set, didn't. Some believed they had an HD set simply because they had a large screen or flat panel TV. Still others thought that seeing a banner or icon announcing "available in HD" on their screens meant they were actually watching that show in HD.

In spite of the confusion about HDTV among consumers, 72 percent of those who have HDTV service give it high marks. As would be expected, certain genres of programming - sports events, sports news and movies rank higher in viewership among households that have HDTV.

Thanks to all of you who participated in our survey. You can take pride in the fact that, as a group, DBSTalk.com members are considerably more informed about HDTV and HD programming than those who took part in the Horowitz study, some of whom didn't even qualify to participate in the first place.

Read the interesting summary of the Horowitz study *HERE*.


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## Paul Secic (Dec 16, 2003)

scooper said:


> Waiting - HDTV is not worth giving up my DVR for, and since I work afternoons / evenings - an HD DVR will be a requirement. Besides - money is a little tight right now, and since I have a perfectly fine 1997 Sony 27" NTSC set for the main TV I see no reason to go get an ATSC capable set until right before shutdown. I might see about getting a Vip622 later after the initial bugs have been worked out, but no HDTV set until the Sony goes out.


I've got a 1999 Toshiba 27" set which works great. In my bedroom I've got a 1998 Phillips/Magnavox 19" set. So I'm probaby set for 8 to 10 years, plus there arn't enough HD stations on.


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## olgeezer (Dec 5, 2003)

Paul Secic said:


> I've got a 1999 Toshiba 27" set which works great. In my bedroom I've got a 1998 Phillips/Magnavox 19" set. So I'm probaby set for 8 to 10 years, plus there arn't enough HD stations on.


February 17, 2009 That's 3 years from tomorrow.


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