OT - NO POLITICS Off Topic 2019 part XIX -Holiday Shopping Done ?

[McGarnagle]

**** these diseases. All of them.

RIP Pete.

Agreed to f*** all of them, but ALS is the one disease that scares the living shit out of me. It's probably the worst of all possible adult-onset health conditions.

 

[bossfan]

Just curious, would you know who would someone call for a professional calibration and what would a ballpark cost be? Thanks!

Ballpark I'd say $300-$400 plus travel costs.

There are calibration discs that you can buy also to try to do it yourself but again it won't be the same as a pro calibration.

Best Buy Geek Squad does one for $250 but I wouldn't trust Geek Squad to do it right. Would be better to find an independent TV service company. I've not had a pro calibration done so i don't have any leads for you you'd have to search it out. The Image Science web site has a search box for ISF trained calibrators but not sure if the site is well maintained and up to date.

Dealers – Imaging Science

 

[BNHL]

You must have been an early buyer on the Panny Plasma. I bough mine in 2007 and paid $1,500 for a 50 inch.

One other thing on OLED vs. QLED or other technology is that OLED has a wider viewing angle. If your seating is straight on then something other than OLED is fine. I have off angle seating so I wanted an OLED. I was also used to the good black level on the Panny Plasma so every TV I looked at just didn't look good to me the picture looked washed out. The OLED is the only TV that gives the same black level that I had with the Plasma. Obviously there is a huge difference in price so everyone's choice has to be budget dependent. But I got a B8 55 inch for $999 so that made my choice easier.

In June 2006 My 50" Pan Plasma TH-50PX60U retailed for $5000. 2 years later I got a Pan 58" for $999.

 

[BNHL]

Just curious, would you know who would someone call for a professional calibration and what would a ballpark cost be? Thanks!

Lion AV is about $400,travel is waived if within so many miles of NH. For my new 75" Sony LED and 55" LG OLED,I used the WOW Disk.

 

[BNHL]

I had a Panasonic Plasma that died on me over the spring. Got lucky on finding a good sale on a 55 inch LG OLED B8 for just under $1000. I think that hockey looks great on it I don't notice any motion blur or other artifacts.

For any TV you buy or consider buying check out RTINGS.com for reviews and also for recommended calibration settings. Not the same as getting an in home professional calibration but you should be able to dial in on some settings that give you a good looking picture.

TVs: Reviews

I like to get opinions on HDnet.com also,or AVSforums.

 

[DarrenBanks56]

You must have been an early buyer on the Panny Plasma. I bough mine in 2007 and paid $1,500 for a 50 inch.

One other thing on OLED vs. QLED or other technology is that OLED has a wider viewing angle. If your seating is straight on then something other than OLED is fine. I have off angle seating so I wanted an OLED. I was also used to the good black level on the Panny Plasma so every TV I looked at just didn't look good to me the picture looked washed out. The OLED is the only TV that gives the same black level that I had with the Plasma. Obviously there is a huge difference in price so everyone's choice has to be budget dependent. But I got a B8 55 inch for $999 so that made my choice easier.

good to know. thanks for the info. The blacks are so nice on the plasma and its just so fast. I plan on keeping it until NESN or any hockey channel starts broadcasting in 4k

 

[DarrenBanks56]

I bought the same TV but paid $1100. Far cry from my first Panny Plasma at $5000!

the plasma I bought was in 2010. Was a 3d model 50 inch. Think I paid $1200.

 

[Alicat]

I got asked to donate money to my high school by a friend whose daughter now goes there. I said no because I can't afford it.

I wanted so bad to tell her the other reason I can't donate but I didn't want to come off like a jerk.

I just can't justify donating to a place that was a daily source of anxiety and pure hell for me and where I was told on a number of occasions that I would never amount to anything.

Is it bad that I wish people would stop asking me to donate money just because I either went to a school or attended a program?

 

[BMC]

I got asked to donate money to my high school by a friend whose daughter now goes there. I said no because I can't afford it.

I wanted so bad to tell her the other reason I can't donate but I didn't want to come off like a jerk.

I just can't justify donating to a place that was a daily source of anxiety and pure hell for me and where I was told on a number of occasions that I would never amount to anything.

Is it bad that I wish people would stop asking me to donate money just because I either went to a school or attended a program?

No. A lot of people refuse to donate to their alma maters for one reason or another.

 

[McGarnagle]

Occasionally I'll get contacted by someone at any of my past alma maters asking for donations. And I have no interest whatsoever donating to schools that already have huge endowments and contribute to the cataclysmic student debt problem in America by extorting untenable tuitions and fees out of kids who don't know any better, meanwhile academia has completely gone off the deep end. I am not giving you any of my money when your shady practices and impractical education is keeping me poor as is.

Edit: high schools are another matter. I briefly worked at a couple struggling private schools, and in those cases it can make a difference, but like anything else, you're not obligated to give anyone money for anything. Like a small Catholic school with a strong mission I might support, especially if I have connections there (like in the future if I want to send kids there). But if you had a bad time as a student there, why would you give them your hard earned money?

 

[Gee Wally]

I got asked to donate money to my high school by a friend whose daughter now goes there. I said no because I can't afford it.

I wanted so bad to tell her the other reason I can't donate but I didn't want to come off like a jerk.

I just can't justify donating to a place that was a daily source of anxiety and pure hell for me and where I was told on a number of occasions that I would never amount to anything.

Is it bad that I wish people would stop asking me to donate money just because I either went to a school or attended a program?

Don’t worry about it.
I was paying for three kids at once to go to UM Amherst. They had the guts to send me a letter asking for a donation.

I hadnt laughed that since Seinfeld was on.

 

[Chief Nine]

Ballpark I'd say $300-$400 plus travel costs.

There are calibration discs that you can buy also to try to do it yourself but again it won't be the same as a pro calibration.

Best Buy Geek Squad does one for $250 but I wouldn't trust Geek Squad to do it right. Would be better to find an independent TV service company. I've not had a pro calibration done so i don't have any leads for you you'd have to search it out. The Image Science web site has a search box for ISF trained calibrators but not sure if the site is well maintained and up to date.

Dealers – Imaging Science

Thanks! It was more curiosity for me than “Man, I have to do this”

Just wondering how much that would set someone back, much appreciated!

 

[Chief Nine]

Lion AV is about $400,travel is waived if within so many miles of NH. For my new 75" Sony LED and 55" LG OLED,I used the WOW Disk.

Thanks, really appreciate the info

 

[Chief Nine]

Don’t worry about it.
I was paying for three kids at once to go to UM Amherst. They had the guts to send me a letter asking for a donation.

I hadnt laughed that since Seinfeld was on.

Funny you mention this. I just got a letter from UMass Lowell today from the “Office of Annual Giving”

You can’t make this stuff up

What the hell does the “Office of Annual Giving” do for the rest of the year???

 

[Alicat]

Thanks guys and gals. I feel much better

 

[BNHL]

good to know. thanks for the info. The blacks are so nice on the plasma and its just so fast. I plan on keeping it until NESN or any hockey channel starts broadcasting in 4k

The market saturated in 07-08 and prices sank.

 

[BNHL]

Don’t worry about it.
I was paying for three kids at once to go to UM Amherst. They had the guts to send me a letter asking for a donation.

I hadnt laughed that since Seinfeld was on.

I have a daughter at St Anselm's in NH. I can't even begin to tell you the nickel and diming and the other devious ways,in my opinion,they get money out of you.

 

[BNHL]

Occasionally I'll get contacted by someone at any of my past alma maters asking for donations. And I have no interest whatsoever donating to schools that already have huge endowments and contribute to the cataclysmic student debt problem in America by extorting untenable tuitions and fees out of kids who don't know any better, meanwhile academia has completely gone off the deep end. I am not giving you any of my money when your shady practices and impractical education is keeping me poor as is.

Edit: high schools are another matter. I briefly worked at a couple struggling private schools, and in those cases it can make a difference, but like anything else, you're not obligated to give anyone money for anything. Like a small Catholic school with a strong mission I might support, especially if I have connections there (like in the future if I want to send kids there). But if you had a bad time as a student there, why would you give them your hard earned money?

I get hit up by my alma mater (Wentworth) at least annually. When I graduated in 84-tuition was $5200 for commuters,now it's $35,000 for commuters,about 58,000 to live there. The original idealogy was to educate city kids in the trades,now city kids have to scratch and bite to get in or pay for it.

 

[Bruinswillwin77]

I graduated in 2008 and I recently got an email from the Alumni trying to get me to purchase a memorabilia package, it was a few shirts, a hat and a travel bag, but they were asking $359 for it all. I was like umm yeah hard pass sorry. (West high in Manchester)

 

[CDJ]

Don’t worry about it.
I was paying for three kids at once to go to UM Amherst. They had the guts to send me a letter asking for a donation.

I hadnt laughed that since Seinfeld was on.

I’ve been graduated for years and I get calls to donate to my alma mater once a month

Sorry fellas, my donation is my monthly student loan payment. Hit me up in a decade!

 

[Alicat]

I got the text I have been dreaming of getting since last year. Maybe you can go “home” again.

Please keep your fingers crossed!

 

[Bruinaura]

An actual TDOT message

 

[Kovi]

I would not give my high school the time of day. The amount of bullying that went on was insurmountable.

My college on the other hand.....

 

[Spooner st]

I got it end of May. It was around the time that the new model B9 and C9 were coming out and Best Buy had a sale on the B8's to clear them out.

My actual 48" Samsung LED smart tv still works great. I just want a better one for the master bedroom and move the Samsung for the guest bedroom. Not in a rush and will waith for a deal. Probably after the holidays.

 

[sooshii]

Sorry alma mater, I don’t donate to any organizations affiliated with the Catholic Church.