Mom Wants More TV Options
Sun Jun 18, 2006 5:12PM EDT
See Comments (41)
Gina's problem: her family only has one TV. She likes to watch her shows in bed, but her husband likes to relax in the bedroom reading and enjoying the silence. Can you see the conflict here?
On top of the bedroom time-share issues, Gina also wants to watch TV in multiple places through the house. With two kids, she spends a lot of time doing chores in the kitchen. She'd love a little entertainment while washing dishes or cooking, but their only TV is in the living room.
Jon Chase, one of Hook Me Up's technology experts heads out to tackle Gina's TV troubles. Jon's a tech journalist, problem solver and fellow TV addict, so he understands Gina's pain.
Jon has a bevy of cool gear for this family. He starts in the living room—unveiling a Panasonic HDTV. This is a 42-inch plasma screen, and it looks gorgeous in the room. Jon takes the old living room TV upstairs to the bedroom and hooks it up to an existing cable outlet. This plasma pops out of their entertainment center. Their living room is not exposed to much natural light, so plasma is a great choice for the TV's technology.
Plasma TVs tend to look a little better in darker settings. If the room was flooded with light and Gina's family watched most of their TV in the daytime, a brighter LCD might have been a better call. When the family sees the new TV, their expressions say it all—they love it!
To offer Gina more viewing options, Jon hooks a Sony LocationFree TV up to one of the cable boxes. It is basically a 12-inch LCD screen that doubles as a wireless TV. Sony says the TV has a 100-foot wireless range, but in real-world tests with walls and multiple stories, the range is more like 50 feet. For Gina's house that distance is not a problem. The TV gets a signal in the kitchen, the kids' rooms, even in the backyard.
Most importantly, the wireless TV gets a strong signal in the bedroom. Jon has a brilliant solution for the "she likes to watch TV/he likes to read" marriage dilemma. Our esteemed technician attaches a pair of Bose Triport headphones to the LocationFree TV. While her husband reads in bed, Gina can snuggle up to him with her headphones and TV.
The LocationFree TV is much more than a wireless monitor, but it's still unclear if it will live up to its potential as an Internet browser and place-shifting device. More on that in my next blog post.
Top 5 Posts
More About Miscellaneous
Comments on Mom Wants More TV Options
Post a Comment
Join in the discussion. Here you'll see the comments in the order they were posted.
-
7 Posted by dani_newell on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:35PM EDT Report Abuse
and people wonder why we are the fattest country...i must agree with everyone else on this one...tv in the car? ok maybe for the kids to watch in the backseat, but to completely turn yourself around not paying any attention to the road....come on America, has anyone any dignity anymore? are we really as pathetic as we make ourselves seem...
-
8 Posted by ccna09 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:20PM EDT Report Abuse
"She'd love a little entertainment while washing dishes or cooking" Seriously, my two boys help with all the family meal prep work and all the cleanup work, we make it fun and rewarding. Talk about entertainment! This just shows how important a good education is. How about a class on how to create a tight knit family structure! (Manditory yearly class for all parents ;-) I've seen it time and time again. Parents who decide to watch TV when the children are at home soon demand "personal time" so they can "watch this one show in peace". As a result they "shooo" the children away when they should be helping the children with homework, or creative skills, or playing family games together.
-
9 Posted by ddlasher@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:39PM EDT Report Abuse
Just what we need!! NOT! How much TV does 'Gina' need? When was the last time she read a book?! We don't need more opportunities to watch TV and I don't need to have my family injured or killed by some moron watching Jerry Springer at 70 mph on the freeway! It's bad enough we have everyone catching up w/ the Joneses with multiple monitors/DVDs IN THE SAME SUV!! Yes...we ARE as pathetic as this seems-worse yet, we have reporters PROMOTING this concept!! GO READ A BOOK!
-
10 Posted by addisonbeach on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:45PM EDT Report Abuse
There should be an exam before one has children. People that do not pass certain levels of responsibility, intelligence, and community involvement should not be allowed to bring children into this world. Entertainment is a background noise.
-
11 Posted by snowyalps2000 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:30PM EDT Report Abuse
I wonder how many people actually read the article before responding to the picture. The family only owns one TV and its not in the car. Although the producers of the show really shouldn't have shown a picture of someone watching TV while driving. We already have enough stupid people driving that we don't need to give them any ideas of how to be dumber. As for the woman and her family. Don't let TV run your life. Go outside, go to dinner, go to a movie, go to the park, play boardgames. There are a million ways to relax and have fun. I hardly ever watch TV and I don't seem to have suffered one bit. As for wanting more than one TV, then do like millions of others do. GO BUY ONE.
-
12 Posted by dbl_trouble_gemini on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:39PM EDT Report Abuse
Well we're ones to talk...we're sitting in front of our computers putting this woman down because she likes to watch TV to relax. We (and many of our children) use our computers to relax & have a little down time. I agree T.v's should NOT be in the driver's view in the car, but at home, we all have different ways that we like to relax. But then again if this woman were in the habit of having a drink after work or a long day of chores & taking care of the kids, no one would think twice about that.
-
13 Posted by pathways007 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:01PM EDT Report Abuse
It is extremely irresponsible for Yahoo to use the footage in the car as a lead. The management of Yahoo should apologize for excercising such poor judgment in promoting TV watching by Moms or drivers of cars. Granted Yahoo is not really a news source but even for entertainment the clip in the car indicates a total lack of judgment and awareness of the power of the visual ad in promoting unsafe habits. It is an insult to those who have lost love ones in accidents due to distracted drivers. The footage in the kitchen would have been more appropriate to the message and less distressing to the rest of us on the road.
-
14 Posted by jo_jo10 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:42PM EDT Report Abuse
Great idea - make it even easier for America to vegetate and do nothing, as we get fatter and more ignorant! Fantastic!
-
15 Posted by badbuick350 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:01PM EDT Report Abuse
If everyone would have actually read the article, you would have read that the TV only goes at most 100 feet. I don't think she would get very far watching the TV while driving. The picture is just there to catch your attention so you will read the article about a cool, wireless TV. You people take things too far.
-
16 Posted by turbogn on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:23PM EDT Report Abuse
Although there was the picture, the narrative did not mention using it in the car, nor was there a desire expressed to do that. Yes the picture inside the car was a bad idea to use, but overall I don't think the article or concepts expressed were bad ones.
-
17 Posted by roknrol2 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:49PM EDT Report Abuse
Great.... behind the wheel driving (or should I say riding) while looking behind her at a stupid TV. This is a great example of how little people pay attention to the task of driving. Yesterday, I saw a man and woman in their car, he the man was behind the wheel, phone in one hand, and big ice cream cone in the other going down the road in the city at 35+ mph. Who was driving??? Now we want to give people something else to take their attention away from what they are supposed to be doing? yes, I readthe article. Yes, I know the TV was wireless networked to the house. But, please! Put awy the cell phone, turn off your in dash DVD, and DRIVE!
-
18 Posted by tjlettner on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:12PM EDT Report Abuse
Let he who is without guilt cast the first stone. Come on people. It's so easy to sit here (locked onto the internet like slaves, much like Gina's TV)and talk about how she should be reading or exercising or doing crafts with her kids, but how many of you would be willing to live with one tv? Most of us couldn't do it. Most of us are just as much of slaves to our TV's and internet as Gina is to hers, so stop being so pretentious. While the photo was certainly a terrible choice, the fact that Gina likes TV isn't as terrible as many of you preach.
-
19 Posted by yelroz on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:56PM EDT Report Abuse
Wow folks, lighten up. Some of us like to watch TV because we find we learn new things, like fixing things around the home (HGTV) or new recipes (FoodTV). I must say, with all of you out there that hate the idea of watching so much TV and having them everywhere around the house...you also must not be reading that many books...otherwise the spelling and grammar would be alot better. I love the idea of the wireless TV and can not wait to get one in so I can watch it in my kitchen, or lug to my backyard and watch exercise programs I can do outside!
-
20 Posted by andbebemakesfour on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:53PM EDT Report Abuse
"While her husband reads in bed, Gina can snuggle up to him with her headphones and tv" This is down time??? Maybe the family can work together to get the chores done (and give mom a break) and go do something together to unwind? It's summer! Go outside and participate in the world.
-
21 Posted by jenibean87 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:32PM EDT Report Abuse
This article promotes the idea that Americans cannot function without our TVs. Which may be true, but it is a sad truth that should not be advocated as being OK. It's pathetic that 1st off "Mom" would rather watch TV than play with her children. If I am correct, the idea behind having children is interaction. Watching TV with or without them does not constitute interaction. I agree, TV is a brilliant idea, but should be used in moderation. There is life beyond the little box we must now have installed in every room of the house. This is just pathetic. Pick up a book, America.
-
22 Posted by manwiththetruth on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:05PM EDT Report Abuse
A much better solution is: A.) Get a projector TV like a Sanyo PLC-XU38 and give yourself a 136" diagonal screen in your 12' wide room for 1/3 the cost of a plasma screen, B.) put a nice flat screen in the bedroom using only a tenth of what's left over from the non-plasma fund, C.) buy a small TV for "on the go". You can even get one of the new HDTV all digital portables which gives you cable clarity on the go anywhere! You'd still be under the price of the plasma alone. Oh and P.S., driving while watching TV? And you guys "promoting" it? It's like someone gave you an IQ test and the results came back negative. Don't show the impressionable masses that this is "likable". Thanks.
-
23 Posted by wa_ka_peks on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:42PM EDT Report Abuse
hey, why do some of you guys just focus in the setting of this ad??? the point here is, you could bring this t.v. anywhere you would want to watch... but oh please! please do use your head! watching tv while driving could be crucial so why would you do that???! all in all... this is a great ad! i would want to have a tv like that!
-
24 Posted by brehen_fairy on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:12PM EDT Report Abuse
I would suggest a much cheaper and intelligent way to get entertainment, your local radio station. Public radio is broadcasted all over the nation and supplies news, endearing articles and a connection to the world. Try satellite radio and expand your musical tastes or experience a new comic. There is more to life...restrict your TV.
-
25 Posted by tnvolfire24 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:14PM EDT Report Abuse
OK, I understand how people are so mad about mom driving and watching tv in the car. But I am going to throw my 2 cents in as well. TV in the house all over is a great idea-obviusly no one read the article or understood it to understand she cant watch hardly any tv with her family and needs some tv time of her own. However I do agree that she doesnt need to watch tv in the car while driving because this could potentialy cause a problem with her keeping her eyes on the road, now I myself have a solution. what if she had tv in her car but without the video? Just stricly an audio thing-unless of course her kids are wild and noisy like alot of kids may be. If she really needs tv in the car then that is really taking it too far. If she was like my mother, she would tape all her favorite shows that she wanted to see and watch it while she is in bed and hubby is reading. You say that could be a conflict? nah, I dont think so. She could just simply get a tv with an earphone plug. They are only like around what? 50 -60 dollars or so for a 13inch tv? I have one in my bedroom and I plug headphone in when everyone is asleep. I watch and listen to tv wile everyone else has quiet time or just whatever time. I love the idea of wireless tvs but car tv for the driver? nah I dont think so. I say as far as the vehicle is concerned- lets keep the tv in the middle of the van for the kids or adults to watch and maybe make it wireless but I dont think we need tv for the front seats.
Sponsored Links
My Tech
Please enable your browser's cookies to activate the My Tech column.
Also on Yahoo! Tech
| Computers | Home Office | Wi-Fi & Networking | Phones & PDAs | Cameras & Camcorders | TV & Home Theater | Portable Audio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6 Posted by microsloth on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:19PM EDT Report Abuse
I don't have anywhere near the amount of money required to put a TV in a car, let alone a car big enough to put a TV in. Somehow, though, it sounds like my life is at least a million times more enjoyable and stress-free than the author's. I have a 13" television that sits atop a desk that I found on a curb down the street from where I live. I love it; only when there's anything good on PBS, that is. Adding one more techno-crap gadget to one's life doesn't make life one bit more enjoyable: it only makes life one bit more overwhelming and soulless. ... And they say that homosexuals and liberal social politics are destroying the American family structure. It's these things - the produce of our "Great American Ingenuity" - that are doing it better and quicker than anything else ever could. This is just absolutely ridiculous. I'm going to raise my future children in a barn, and I'll bet my soul that they'll turn out far better-adjusted than your suburban hellspawn ever will. Blecccch.