[nospam_online]

I got a 503cmx a couple of weeks ago and my wife and I are thoroughly enjoying it. Our expectations on how much we thought we would like it have been greatly exceeded. However, we're getting some backlash on the fact that we spent so much money on a TV.


My wife and I are both lucky enough to have good jobs that supports our lifestyle. We're both young engineers (28 yrs) with no kids or college loans to pay off. We drive nice cars, we live in a nice house, we go on nice vacations. When it comes down to it we don't worry about spending money but at the same time we're not frivolous.


Everyone else in both our families either chose a career that historically doesn't pay well or just never took advantage of what college had to offer. There's only a couple people in both our families that understands what makes a HT and understand a plasma's role in a HT. Other have never seen a plasma in real life.


Others are tech-challenged (don't know how to RTFM) or are grossly mis-informed by CC salesmen (2006 is when everything will be HDTV). One family member bought a progressive scan DVD player (although she doesn't have any DVD's, her TV can't do progressive and prefers fullscreen) to be prepared for HDTV live date(?).


The comments we are hearing are "6K on a TV is impractical, you should be buying land" and "a nice TV armoire looks better than any plasma can". What should I do? Should I audition the plasma to these family members and hope they have a moment of clarity (they haven't seen it yet)? Should I let them continue on in there HT ignorance? Anyone else experience this?

 

[PooperScooper]

Some of my co-workers kidded me a bit when I bought my P50. Part

maybe out of "mild jealously" because I had didn't have the other

priorities they may have (kids college tuition, etc) and others who just

don't enjoy watching movies as much or whatever and can justify

spending the money on a "TV" rather than something else. I do have

a good friend who would buy one in a minute if he was a little more

confident in his employment security at this time. He shares the

same awe in watching "well delivered" DVDs or HDTV.


Buying land or some other investment isn't a bad idea either.


larry

 

[mattg3]

If you enjoy it thats all that counts.I make very little in my profession and really cant afford a plasma but I have one sitting in my living room because The first time i saw one I was so taken by the beautiful images that I sacrificed a bit to get one.I have never regretted my decision.

 

[dsmith901]

They are right, you should have bought land 'cause they aint making any more of it! Seriously, if you have otherwise made sound financial plans for contingencies and retirement, more power to you.


Dsmith

 

[dswallow]

Watching any TV show on your plasma screen is far more enjoyable than sitting outside in a lawn chair looking at dirt. I'd take the opportunity to ask how their dirt is lookin' everytime you see them.

 

[nospam_online]

LOL, we have 1.1 acres to our name...don't want to mow any more than that even with the riding lawnmower. We both contribute 20% (before taxes) to our 401K. The company we work for is over 70 yrs old so we're not terribly worried about it going under and taking our 401K with it anytime soon.


I think when I get home tonight I'll watch The Fifth Element for the 10th time this past week.

 

[ferky1]

You are not alone Larry.


Within 2 weeks I will have a 42" Fuji installed over a fireplace with some in-wall speakers and components hidden in a closet. I am so incredibly excited, can't wait and really hope that it looks how I think it will look, BUT, I am not looking forward to having guests over.


My wife and I want the plasma and install for us, not to show off to other people. I know that when my in-laws come over, or my grandparents, or my neighbors, I am going to have to explain my actions to them. I don't want to have my spending habits questioned, but it will happen. There's also a little bit of guilt involved. My in-laws could never afford $1000 or more on electronics, so I feel like a shmuck when they come over to see a $8000+ setup. I almost did not go through with my purchase, for no other reason than my family and friends are not videophiles or HT people, and I didn't want to deal with their comments. In the end, this is my money and my house, but I am still really dreading mother's day when I have to show this thing to the public for the first time.


I don't really know what the point of this thread is, except your comments hit a nerve Larry. I've been wrestling with these issues for a few weeks now and I'm glad I'm not alone. Hanging out on AVS too long has a tendency to warp your perspective. Hmmmm, maybe not everyone out there cares about PQ, knows what DVI HDCP is, or thinks that a $4000 plasma is a steal.

 

[nutt]

Every time I see my girlfriend's dad, he tries to tell me that I should be investing more money in real estate. This sentiment is pretty ludicrous, if you ask me. In the late '80s, real estate crashed, so during the '90s, nobody wanted the stuff, and everybody put their money in stocks. That turned out to be the perfect place to put money, because there was no way you could lose. Until everybody did. Now, a lot of people think they can't lose money in real estate, because nobody has for a while. Sooner or later, a reminder will come.


If you and your wife are already putting 20% into the 401k, and have enough left over for a plasma, go for it.


Tim

 

[rmcgirr83]

You can put all your money into retirement, but if your returns in your 401(k) aren't positive, well I think everyone knows what happens.


I say, screw 'em. Yeah, my neighbor gave me a hard time, trying to get me to justify spending that amount of money on a TV (with my wife saying "Uh huh, Uh huh", and nodding like a damn bobble head, oh be quite). Then again this was the man that has a 1977 Chevy Balzer (what a POS). Just two years ago the motor blows and instead of him breaking down and getting a new SUV/Truck he decides to spend $5k - $6k on a new motor. I looked at him like he had three heads, not just the regular two. Then last year he went out and got a new car anyway (Subaru WRX). What a maroon, and not the shade of red. Tried to get him to justify that expenditure to which he responds "It's a different type of vehicle". I tell him for the amount of money that he dropped getting the engine replaced in his Blazer he would have had 1.5 to 2 years of payments done on the Subaru already. Thought of that one and told me he was leasing it anyway. I just shake my head in disbelief.


Anyway, so he still trys to bust my chops. I just say, "If you don't like it, don't let the door hit you where the good lord split you." Seemed to shut him up (I think he just comes over too drink all my beer anyway). I will say, however, that he has brought a more than a few movies over too watch and I have had my set all of a little over a week. Still trying to teach him the difference between anamorphic and non-anamorphic wide screen.

Quote:

Watching any TV show on your plasma screen is far more enjoyable than sitting outside in a lawn chair looking at dirt. I'd take the opportunity to ask how their dirt is lookin' everytime you see them.

Depends on what's growing in the dirt??? DSwallow, how did your setup come, any new pics?

 

[Hacorzo]

Well, technically if you attach something (wall mount ) to your house/condo it becomes part of it , so you can see your plasma as an improvement to your real estate property.

However I just found out that you have to be careful if you are selling your house because if you show it to potential buyers and the plasma is attached to the wall it implies that the sale includes it ,or you have to clearly state that the display is not included before any offer is considered.

 

[seattlite]

The comments that I got were "I have better things to do than watch TV". However, we don't watch that much TV, but when we do, we want our experience to be the very best. Its not the quantity of TV watching, its always the quality.

 

[rockytt]

You know, whenever someone trys to give me grief for a home theater purchase I just try and remind them of a couple of things. One-anybody remember what a cheap 19" color tv went for in 1970? That's why few people had more than one in their house-too expensive. Apply that same amount in today's dollars and you're pretty close to what a 42" plasma costs now. The change has been in people's perceptions of electronics and perceived value. Nowadays televisions are a commodity and the average consumer's expectations for performance are very low. I don't know how many times I've been told "nah-we don't need a new tv. Ours looks better than anything on the market now and it's only fifteen years old (!)". They also forget that they spent (probably) the equivalent of $1500 for it...

Second point-everyone who makes money spends it on what's important to them. The same person who is critical of your 5k plasma thinks nothing of buying a brand-new car every couple of years and eating that same 5k in depreciation a couple of times over. Whenever someone is critical of one of my purchases, I politely remind them that we all spend our money on something and that if they can respect and enjoy what I value I will do the same for them. (It actually works most of the time)

If we were all perfectly rational and invested every time we made above what was necessary for water and brown rice we could all retire early and be critical of everyone else and how they choose to live (waste) their lives. (!) The choice of my wife and I (and our son too, but he has no say in the matter yet) is to realize that life is a journey not a destination and you have to enjoy where you are as well as where you going.

 

[dswallow]

Quote:

Originally posted by rmcgirr83 DSwallow, how did your setup come, any new pics?

Crossing my fingers to be able to take pictures tonight.


I finally got the elecitrcal switches that were in my way moved, the walls patched and repainted. I finished the cabinet and mounted it on the slides on the wall yesterday. Right now the paint on the slats that the equipment will set on is drying.


Tonight I'll move all the equipment into place and rewire. Barring not having long enough wires for some connection, it should be mostly complete.


I still have to paint all the trim, and replace the blinds on the windows that're behind the plasma screen, but I don't think I'll hold off on taking a picture for that -- since I have no clue yet what I'm going to do about window covering replacement... was thinking a nice fancy curtain over the wall of windows would make the room more theatrical.

 

[rmcgirr83]

Quote:

Originally posted by seattlite The comments that I got were "I have better things to do than watch TV".

Like.......what for example. Watch dirt?? Go golfing?? Sound like they are anti-tv anyway. Do they have one?? Probably, a 13" B&W. Different strokes for different folks. I always find that people that make that type of assinine (sp) statement are usually the ones that are the most inefficient, ie slower than snot. Takes them three hours what could be done in 30 minutes.

 

[Mad Chemist]

I've always been able to hide the cost of gear from friends/family. No one really knows how much those speakers or amp or pre/pro really cost. The projector they are not sure about. But everyone knows plasmas are expensive. I just tell them I could have spent $2K for a POS or $4K for something I actually wanted. That usually shuts them up because they really can't argue with that and I have just indirectly called their $700 set total POS. They don't really need to know if that plasma was $4K or $8K

 

[pcrx]

WOW! This is so relevant. I got a lot of this from some of my anti-TV (or is it "anti-what-I-can't-have?) relatives.


"You spent what on what?"


I got a hard time for even having a TV in our "living room" which should be more of a "visiting place" and that the TV should be in another seperate room entirely. Like watching TV or movies is some third class activity for losers and needs to he “hidden†away in some other room. Puh-lease.


Of all our stuff, the HT is likely the most expensive stuff we own besides our house and 1 car, which is only a Mazda sedan that we purchased at 0% interest.


Other than that, the other car is paid for, college is getting paid for (and paying off as both of us have professional careers), and over 15% goes into many diversified investments for retirement for the last 10 years. Not bad for being a young 30. Plus our childs college fund was started before birth and should (hopefully) be plenty huge for her college…(or more HT toys if she wants to pay some of her own way!) Like our investment rep said to us a long time ago: Its all about earning power. Some have it, some don’t.


But no matter what my theory is that I cannot take it with me…and with all the S- that floats out there today I’m not going to tread through life and not enjoy the stuff I want. (within reason, of course!)


I also kindly remind those who need it of their own “inane†purchases that WE have not made, for example those who have purchased a $4,000 dining table, money pit old cars, a boat, snowmobiles that get used maybe once a year, high end dressers, thousands of dollars in china that has yet to be used, new cars beyond reality for the purchaser, making life choices to live hours away from work and spend huge money on gas bills, etc, etc, etc, etc….hey I can justify ANYTHING!


More power to you for the plasma purchase….like all “new†things before this, Im sure the masses always come down to try to put out your excitement fire. Can you imagine the first few people to own “cars†or a “dishwasher†or a “fridgeâ€â€¦.what cracks they had to be, eh?


What cracks me up is that with all the guff I get, they never refuse to come over and have a fun time watching a movie...and remain silent about it until the next round.....

 

[nospam_online]

Even before the plasma, my retired father-in-law loves to stopover and watch movies.


As excited as I am and as much as I want to speak my mind, I'm going to keep my mouth shut. Things will get ugly otherwise and it's just not worth the effort.


I just wish others were excited as my older brother, he was ready to drive 9 hours to help me "hang that son of a b****" on the wall.

 

[btwyx]

We were a little concerned about a backlash. Our close friends were unemployed at the time, spending $4k on the Plasma could be seen as a little insensitive. So we didn't make a fuss, it was just sitting there next time they came over, no adverse comments. The other worry was the wife's mother, my wife was a little worried what she'd think about the extravagance. Again the low key approach seemed to head off any problems.

Quote:

Originally posted by nospam_online We both contribute 20% (before taxes) to our 401K. The company we work for is over 70 yrs old so we're not terribly worried about it going under and taking our 401K with it anytime soon.

That worries me. It implies that your 401k is substantially invested in your own company stock. That'd be a big mistake, a 401k should be well diversified, and investing in your company stock is just asking for trouble.

 

[nospam_online]

Quote:

Originally posted by btwyx That worries me. It implies that your 401k is substantially invested in your own company stock. That'd be a big mistake, a 401k should be well diversified, and investing in your company stock is just asking for trouble.

Only a fraction of what is contributed is put into the company stock. There's a company match (free money) up to 6% but 4% of that is company stock. But the bulk is spread across various well known mutual funds.


There would be no way all of our eggs are going in one basket.

 

[rmcgirr83]

Quote:

Originally posted by nospam_online Only a fraction of what is contributed is put into the company stock. There's a company match (free money) up to 6% but 4% of that is company stock. But the bulk is spread across various well known mutual funds. There would be no way all of our eggs are going in one basket.

Nice job.