I... don't like smart televisions
 

I have used a 24" computer monitor for six years and it has been great. When I lived near Phoenix I had a second monitor, which was especially useful when I wrote my quarterly progress reports. I need to write dozens of them in ten days, while still seeing my clients, writing my session notes, and taking care of my other responsibilities. My clients have up to six goals and for each one I look at the data, put it into Excel to get an average, report on the client's progress on the goal over the quarter, and if I need to modify the goal, I often need to do some research.

I have not felt that I had room for a second monitor, but thought that an extra-wide monitor would fit just fine. Ultrawide is 2,560 x 1,080, one-third wider than full HD. I could fit three programs across the screen, although it would be cramped. I was not convinced that a 30" ultrawide was worth $200 and I could not find any better deals during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. I also found 27" 2,560 x 1,440 monitors for the same price, but I did not see how those would be any better.

What about televisions?

Most 32" TVs are cheap, but they are also usually 720. I could not find anything between 1080 and 4k at 32".

4k 43" televisions weren't much more than FHD 32" sets.

So, after extensive research, I ordered a 43" 4k Samsung television for $230. It is 9" narrower than two 24" monitors would be and I am unsure how I could have fit them.

When I turn on my television the top half shows the HDMI feed, but the bottom half shows movies and stuff that I can watch, which is how I ended up watching "Hancock" on a television instead of just using my computer like normal.

The movie looked amazing and I had zero streaming problems, while I regularly have issues watching YouTube in a window.

So now, each time that I get on my computer to work on a project, I might decide to watch a movie instead.

Who has time for that?!

I just bought a 3rd 24" monitor for my home office. Hello productivity.

TVs are dirt cheap. 75" 4k TVs have been as low as $400. I had a 65" TV on order for BF for less than $300 but cancelled because I wanted a 75". I'll toss in a photo sometime just to get a rise out of AllDarc

1984 Later Years
 

FYI

I am thinkin I have read that the following collect data on everybody....

Smart TV's

Smart Cell Phone's

Amazon Echo ….etc

Google Nest

Ring Doorbell

Always nice to pay for something and then continue to get unsolicited tracks afterwards

Ironic isnt it?

Sometimes thats why I love my ranger. The only "Tech" it has in it is an am/fm cd player. Honestly at work my life revolves around an inbox. At home, im always screwing around on the internet. So the ride home in the barebones truck is a little digital decompression, expecially with the strict cell phone regulations in my province. I get in the truck and the phone goes away. Some times that breif commute home is a digital detox I need.

But there are times where my phone has a better idea where the hell I am then I do. Ironically I never get to watch TV. We bought a 60" curved flatscreen tv. That thing cost me a mint. And its schedule is pretty much from 730am on the kids get it, and in the evenings the wife takes it.

I mean all tv's are these days are PC monitors with a tv tuner in them and different tuners, right?

Indeed. Do they even sell non-smart 4k televisions? :)

Here's the cheap 75" LCD temporarily installed. Looks small still on that wall, which is why I wanted 85", but those are way more expensive. It'll probably make AllDarc's eyes bleed.

You have eleven-foot ceilings and a 10-foot Christmas tree.

Rich people problems!

I am 74" in height and considered tall. That is huge!

Here is an actual dramatization of an 85" TV:
https://ecomodder.com/forum/attachme...1&d=1576434707

I wasn't happy we went to a tree farm. The original plan was to hunt an 11' tree in the woods last Sunday, but instead I spent the entire weekend in a bathroom (replacing a broken shower). It's something like $5 for a permit to hunt your own tree, and I always enjoy the adventure and especially the price. Plus natural trees have more character (flaws).

We're well off financially, but frugality has greatly extended our means.

I do not have any idea how much a tree like that would cost, but I have also always lived with eight-foot ceilings (so I would only be familiar with far smaller trees).

I have always wanted to purchase a live tree and try to keep it alive as long as possible.

When I lived in Page I drove here every weekend and worked on projects. i probably accomplished more than I do now. One time my supervisor interrupted my story to tell me that she decided to install a new medicine cabinet. She was absurdly proud of herself for cutting one square of drywall and driving some screws. She was displeased when I asked "So, you spent the weekend in the bathroom?"

Ah. You need to install 2x4s and you mount the cabinet to that. She just mentioned cutting drywall with a jigsaw.

Wouldn't it be faster with a utility knife?

I simply do not understand doing it this way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLQhl-1ChwY

We would get 16' trees at our previous house. It had 8' ceilings, but the entry opened up near the staircase up to the 2nd floor. It cost $5 because we'd go hunt it.

This tree in the photo was $50 and we got it last Wednesday. We'll probably keep it through the end of the year, and knowing you like to crunch numbers, that works out to about $2.38 per day to enjoy the tree. It's on the very top end of what I'd be willing to spend on such an extravagance, but it made the wife happy.

A photo of the tree we had in the apartment last year for good measure.