Also with bonus Olympic coverage commentary!
I’ll fill in a lot of this entry with more information in the near future - most of that will be filling links that I’d like to have so people can see what I’m talking about, and maybe get some photographs or six in to demonstrate, but that’s another story. I’ll have to wait for one of my friends to come over with their digital camera on Sunday to really get something in on that.
Wouldn’t mind getting a little station set up to take video game screenshots while I’m at it, but that’s another investment that I’d like to get into in the near future.
I’m rambling now.
I can officially say that I’ve moved into our new apartment now - I finally finished my home theater set up (much as it is in the living room we have in our apartment and without proper room setup and space). It includes the following, all in one TV cabinet - which I’d like to replace:
- An RCA 32″ direct-view analog television (the next component to be replaced).
- One Gamecube with s-video cable.
- One Playstation 2 with s-video cable and analog audio connection.
- One Xbox with s-video cable and digital optical out for Dolby Digital output (I need a new cable for this).
- One Technics SA-DX1040 Dolby Digital/DTS 5.1 receiver (more on this later).
- One Panasonic (model number unsure) progressive scan output DVD player with s-video cable and digital optical out for obvious reasons.
- One Samsung SIR-T351 over-the-air HDTV set-top decoder outputting in 480i through s-video and with digital optical out for Dolby Digital 5.1 output. (Now I have Ken’s attention).
- Two Bose two-way and reflex bass bookshelf speakers, which I still like because I got a great deal on them.
- One Magnavox center channel speaker and two Magnavox surround speakers that need to go.
- <Not a powered subwoofer of any kind, which now more than ever, needs to change.
- One Terk passive A/V switcher with s-video connections and analog audio connections.
(This Chinese diver’s last name is Wang. I’m just saying. Watching the Olympics while I’m typing on the couch.)
So yesterday, I decided I wasn’t going to let a good opportunity go to waste. Best Buy has been clearing out their stock of the Samsung SIR-T351 HD decoder, and they were clearancing them out for $249, which is a pretty good price for a set-top decoder, even one that’s not Direct TV compatible. Over-the-air HD reception is actually pretty good, which I’ll get to in a minute.
The Bridgeton Best Buy had three of the decoders in stock last week, and when Ken and I went to the store on Sunday, they had only one left. Ken offered to Best Buy card it for me while we were there, but I resisted the temptation and went home empty-handed and only somewhat disappointed.
Well, on Monday, I had a really, really bad day. Something I’m not able to talk about, even to my close friends, but let’s just say it’s likely the worst day I’ve ever had in my entire life. Amanda was a part of this, in that she felt just as bad, because it affected her just as much. I was in a seriously bad mood. Big time upset, having a hard time taking my mind of things, you know the sort.
Well, you know what won out between Amanda and I?
Retail therapy. Oh yeah.
So I went into Best Buy, leaving my family in the car, fully intending on making a very quick jaunt in and out of Best Buy - including performing what should be a very quick credit application. You know the kind - they either approve or deny you pretty quickly with those kinds of things.
Now, I didn’t expect to get the credit. I was pretty pessimistic about this sort of thing - I don’t even have a major credit card, only debit cards. I don’t like using credit very much - though I’ll make an exception for Best Buy for other reasons into which I will delve in this very long post to which I am subjecting you.
The application took forever. The credit company had computer problems, and they had to ask me some really weird identity questions over the phone before they would process me. They wanted really old addresses, way old store credit cards I had once upon a time long, long ago, and other things like that.
They asked the company to give me a credit line of $500 for my purchase.
I received a line of $3300, and very nearly became drunk with power.
And so, I left the store with my brand-new (but clearanced for a very nice price) high-def decoder box, which I’ll need to have anyway when I do go ahead and get an HDTV, unless I wait until closer to 2007, when the decoders will be required in all televisions of all kinds, but I don’t plan on waiting that long (especially with 18 months no interest and a 3300 dollar limit. Imagine).
Break for a little while. I’ll move on in a separate post.