Jan 21, '07
Well, not really. Although Plasma is 92% water, 7% protein and 1% minerals, that’s not the true composition of a Plasma TV - The one we all aspire to hang on our ceilings and invoke dreams of lying-down-surround-sound-theatre-like-experience. Plasma TV is made up of - %^&%()*&&^^ - I don’t care! What I do care about and want to share is my load shedding experience of actually buying a Plasma TV.
The desire to buy a Plasma TV had been growing ever since I saw the thought provoking video clip wherein two Africans take a long trek, through the canyons, to watch something on a TV pasted alongside a mountain. At that moment, I knew that my mountain side would be the wall opposite my bed but I deferred my purchase to a later date when I moved into my own apartment.
Recently, after moving into my new apartment, the urge to buy a Plasma TV was resurrected by newspapers & hoardings tooting Diwali offers for flat panel TVs. Cost was no longer an issue because the prices had fallen down dramatically. The Plasma TVs were very affordable. Only I did not have the money because all of it was spent on doing up the apartment. Then one Saturday afternoon, my brother said “I think we can afford a Plasma TV now. Let’s just go and get it”. At first, I didn’t believe him because just a couple of days ago, we had had a discussion about our finances and had decided to wait for at least a month. But once I dug deeper into how he had arrived at the conclusion: we have the money, I learned that he had carefully manipulated his wife’s account (my sis-in-law) and had transferred the funds to my account. He said, “It doesn’t matter. We will repay her next month.”
I still couldn’t come to terms with what he was saying. I tried Opposition Thinking (readers of “The Monk who sold his Ferrari” will know what I am talking about) but in vain. I was consumed by all things Plasma. A quick flip through the local newspaper, a strong rationalization that I really needed the Plasma TV, got me into my car. In no time, I was driving towards Vijay Sales to buy myself the most awaited, the most deserved Plasma TV.
What did I learn about Plasma TVs in all these months since I first saw a flat panel TV alongside a mountain?
„X That they will look great on the wall of my guest cum TV room
„X That I really wanted one
„X That I wanted a 42” Plasma TV
„X That I did not want an LCD (Liquid crystal display) because black appears grey
„X That Plasma TVs have a burning problem
„X That the life of the Plasma screen is 20000 hours versus 50000 for LCD. If you do the math, you will learn that if a person watches 5 hours of TV every day, the Plasma TV will last for about 11 years - now that is life!
„X That LCDs have a higher resolution & hence better picture quality
„X That LCDs can be used for high definition programming but Plasma TVs also do a good job of displaying high definition programming
„X That a computer monitor can be hooked to both LCDs & Plasma TVs & that LCDs provide a better gaming experience
„X That LCDs do not come in large sizes, at least in India, and that large size LCDs (over 32 inches) are very costly.
I got to Vijay Sales and was soon lost in the fabulous array of Plasma TVs hooked up to the wall – all playing crystal clear DVD formats. Which brand should I buy? Think, make a decision. There was someone in my head prodding me to take the plunge into the cheapest option but I needed to be rational. I relaxed, took a deep breath and applied all I had learned about Plasma TVs. No matter how much I analyzed, which angle I viewed the TVs from, they all looked similar (except for the LCDs which I did not want).
I asked the sales person about which is better: LCD or Plasma. He did not offer anything new. It boiled down to choice. Both have their pros and cons and in the end, it is what you like. He also mentioned that the most preferred brand was LG and that Citibank is offering a 6 installment, no interest scheme for Citibank credit card holders. That’s it. That was the last straw. I needed to make a decision pronto because I was realizing the dream of getting it delivered immediately, getting it hooked up and getting mesmerized in the lying-down-surround-sound-theatre-like-experience. I said, “I will take the LG if you deliver today”. Got the promise, swiped the card, and walked out with a big smile on my face.
But before I left Vijay Sales, I had to pacify a rather excited brother of mine who, upon hearing the Citibank offer, started rationalizing that he should also buy a TV for himself. I knew this would be disastrous because at that moment, all logic was thrown out and it was purely the heart that had taken over and clouded his judgment.
I asked: What do you want? Plasma or LCD?
He said: I don’t know. I guess Plasma should do.
I asked: Wouldn’t you like to see how the TV I have just purchased performs before buying one for yourself and didn’t you want an LCD?
He dismissed my question by saying: They are all good. Let’s just get one more and go.
I don’t know how I did it but I somehow managed to get him out of Vijay Sales without an additional TV. In hindsight, it was a wise decision because he bought two LCds (one for his bedroom & one for his TV room). Why LCD? Because he wanted an LCD and because I already had the Plasma.
We reached home and began the journey of anticipation. It was so thick that we could taste it. I kept asking myself: When will they come? To add to my restlessness, my brother kept telling me that I should call them. I ignored his comments and waited patiently - I had paid, they had promised and it was only a matter of time.
The installers arrived but at 6 PM but without the carpenters who would actually hook the TV on the wall. Another hour and a half and the carpenters arrived. By the way, did I mention that we had a house warming party that was going to kickoff at 9 PM? This is how we (guys) are! We want our toys and we want them as of yesterday as soon as we make the decision. The look on my wife’s face at the arrival of the carpenters and the installers was something to behold. I wish I could frame it or show it here but I will let your imagination run wild. If you are married, you will know what I am talking about.
The installers got to work and as promised, they wrapped up everything before 9 PM. However, my guests did not arrive at the stated time and I found myself playing with my newly acquired Plasma TV. Was I happy? Was I sad? I don’t know because I was busy trying to get the darn picture to appear as it did in the showroom – without any horizontal scrolling lines & crystal clear. Lesson: In a showroom, the sales people always play a DVD which is crystal clear, have a cable connection which is flawless and use cables which are of a quality you and I don’t possess. So, before you buy something from a showroom, try to analyze what is different between the showroom setting and your home because, trust me, there will be a difference.
After about 30 minutes of playing, I gave up, jumped in the shower, got fixed and sat down with a beer to bring on the party mood. The visitors liked my TV, suggested that I get a booster for the cable so that I get a clear picture and left me wondering if I had made the right decision: Plasma versus LCD.
On Sunday, I woke up early to start playing with my TV but since a friend had stayed over (the TV room is also the guest room), I had to wait for over an hour. At 10 AM, I decided that my guest should wake up & enjoy a glorious Sunday. I knocked on her door, got my wife to get her friend to rise & started toying with the TV. I learned everything about the remote, the features, the nuances but the picture would not appear without horizontal lines across the entire screen. Frustrated, I gave up & decided that I will call the service center on Monday & settled in to watch Incredibles on DVD.
The DVD worked very well but due to constant disturbance (not the digital kind but the cute little kind that comes with 2 hands and 2 legs), I could not finish the movie in one sitting. It took me 3 full days. During this time, I had contacted Vijay Sales and had them replace the set, had contacted my cable operator & confirmed that there was no fault with the cable signal. In the end, it turned out to be the video signal I was routing through my amplifier (over 3 years old now). The amplifier wasn’t capable of transmitting the video signal without causing the horizontal disturbance. A direct hook up fixed it and now I sit & enjoy the show whenever I have time.
Enjoy the show? At least in theory I do. A week after everything looked good, I thought about improving the audio/video signal to get clearer picture. The reason: my brother had bought an LCD screen and the picture appeared more life like. Enter A/V cables. If you know nothing about cables, don’t worry because whatever they say about cables, as far as I know, is a load of sh*t. At an electronics expo, I spent Rs.5000/- buying industrial grade cables (those used by news channels & the film industry) hoping to improve the quality of the audio & video. Killed about 1 hour unplugging existing connections and re-connecting all the pieces but the quality (seen by my bespectacled eyes) and heard by my 30+ ears is the same. No difference at all!
Enjoy the show? Yes. Very happy with the Plasma. Very happy with the LCD. Hope everyone is fortunate enough to buy both.
Recent posts
