You're mostly correct in saying "cable ready" is not an issue anymore...if you want more than just basic (or the free stuff that still comes over the lines in some areas), you're going to need some kind of box, which means a built in tuner. But, if you're going to do the antenna thing, I think you DO need a built in tuner.
As far as the kind of TV, that's tough because everyone's got a different opinion. I prefer LED because they're more efficient (less heat), less chance for burn-in, and the energy savings...that's not to say there aren't good things about plasmas, but as LEDs get better and better, there's becoming less and less reason to buy plasma.
My parents were going to do the antenna thing, and they ended up not doing it because of the area they're in. It largely depends on where you live, and the strength of the signal. Some people in large metro areas can simply plug in one of the antennas that lives inside your house, and they get a good signal. My parents on the other hand, were going to have to mount this monstrosity on their roof, which brings on additional challenges (e.g. grounding it so it doesn't act as a giant lightning rod). You just need to find out how the signal strength in your area is, and if it's good, start with one of the smaller inside-antennas and see if it works! If it does, then you can just get a DVR to go with it (e.g. TiVo), and that will be able to record off of your antenna signal. The nice thing about something like a TiVo is that it can also do Netflix and Hulu. Otherwise if you don't have a need for a DVR, then I would just go with an Apple TV, which doesn't have any subscription costs for the unit itself, just for anything you subscribe to (again...Netflix, Hulu, etc.).
As for all the messy remotes...I recommend looking at a Logitech remote, or there are also various iOS solutions (including a Logitech one) that can help simplify your remote control situation
I have a 800-series Logitech remote that's been great. It can control everything in my A/V closet, and it's smart so it tracks what's on and what's off. Much better than a typical universal remote.
I have Comcast cable and internet. I just had to install a new cable modem and they "boosted" me a couple of speeds up for about the same price. (it's half of what they advertise but I'll deal with that another day)
While I may watch TV every night, it doesn't rule my life. I don't watch sports and rarely watch movies. I have a basic cable subscription and the only reason I have that is because for years it was cheaper to have the cable/internet bundle than just internet. I think that has changed though?
Friday night I discovered they moved TBS to the next tier. So I really now only watch shows on CBS, meaning I'm paying nearly $30/month to watch a network channel. Stupid!
All of our TVs are old (probably 15-20 years). They work great (one 32" and two much smaller ones) but since the digital "improvement" of 2 years ago, I frequently have things chopped off at the sides. I contacted Comcast about that and she didn't get that you can't change aspect ratio on such an old TV <sigh>
We are thinking of buying a new TV this coming year - which is kind of a shame as we don't feel there is anything wrong with the old ones (OK so I felt the same when I had to upgrade my SE when more software required color LOL)
Questions:
What type of TV should we be looking for? Is cable-ready even relevant these days since they've added the boxes back in for digital? Are there TVs that eliminate the damn boxes? 2 remotes and more cables did not make me happy!
If we are considering dropping cable and going to antenna, what do I need to look for? I did reference the site about antennas a few pages back, there is some good info there.
We aren't concerned about movies or sports channels. So I am guessing a basic antenna without any subscriptions should be fine?
As much as I love technology, I lead a pretty simple life. I want to sit down, pick up ONE remote and turn the TV on, change channels and volume with the same remote. A wireless option would be sweet, but any wireless solutions I look at only seem to work if you get premium bundles, not for people like us who aren't tied to TV.
Thanks for any comments or thoughts,
Diane
