How to Choose the Best Plasma TV for 2010

In my previous article I talked about how to choose between Plasma, LCD and LED (LCD) HDTV's.  Now as promised I am going to help you sort out the various types of Plasma HDTV's.

There is another Plasma TV technology known as EDTV, but I am not going to discuss the ED type since it is not HD.

1.  Screen Resolution - you have to decide if you want 720p or 1080p which refers to the lines of resolution.  The higher the number the greater the number of lines of resolution and the higher the picture quality.  Both the 720p and the 1080p have stunning picture quality.  I would spend a little extra and get the 1080p.

2.  Screen Size - for any big screen TV you need to have a certain amount of distance between you and the TV.  Plasma's have the best viewing angle in that you can watch them from the side, unlike other types of TV's where you have to sit almost directly in front of them for the best picture quality.  If you are going to be getting a 42 inch  then you need about 6 ft and you can add a foot to for each 2" after that as a general rule of thumb.  So if you have a 50 inch then you'll want about 10 ft.

3.  Weight and Thickness - the Plasma TV's are heavier and thicker than LCD or LED HDTV's.  They are probably about twice as heavy and twice as thick so if you are all about the slim look then you may want get the LCD or LED.  For my money it's not worth it.  If I can live with a behemoth 2 ft wide rear projection screen I can learn to easily live with a Plasma TV that's a few inches thick.  If you really want thin then you just might want to wait for the LED (LCD) screens that will be as thin as a piece of paper.

4.  Power Consumption - Plasma TV's consume almost three times the amount of energy as a comparable size LCD or LED HDTV.  Newer models of Plasma TV's are more energy efficient than their predecessors.  If you want to know how much the difference will cost you in electricity you can look at the wattage sticker and then it's just a matter of a little math, if you know what electricity cost in your area to figure out the cost.

If you would like to compare the power consumption and annual cost for the various types of HDTV's including Plasma, LCD and LED you can click here for a very good chart.

If you are just replacing a similar sized TV and type of TV you won't realize much of a difference in power useage unless the set you're replacing is much older.  However, if you are swapping out an old cathode tube type TV for a large screen of any type then your electric bill will be larger too.  If you would like to read a rather technical article on power consumption of various types and sized of HDTV's you can click here.  Basically the bigger the TV the greater the power consumed.

Major appliances
4400 watts	Clothes dryer (electric)
see sep. page	Washing machine
3800 watts	Water heater (electric)
200-700 watts	Refrigerator (compressor)
57-160 watts	Refrigerator (average)
3600 watts	Dishwasher (washer heats water)
2000 watts	Electric oven, 350°F
1178 watts	Electric oven, self-cleaning mode (takes 4.5 hrs, 5.3 kWh total)
1200 watts	Dishwasher (dry cycle)
200 watts	Dishwasher (no water heating or drying)
Lighting
60 watts	60-watt light bulb (incandescent)
18 watts	CFL light bulb (60-watt equivalent)
5	Night light
0.5	LED night light
Computers  (see more about electrical use of computers)
150-340 watts	Desktop Computer & 17" CRT monitor
1-20 watts	Desktop Computer & Monitor (in sleep mode)
90 watts	17" CRT monitor
40 watts	17" LCD monitor
45 watts	Laptop computer
Televisions & Videogames
191-474 watts	50-56" Plasma television
210-322 watts	50-56" LCD television
150-206 watts	50-56" DLP television
188-464 watts	42" Plasma television
91-236 watts	42" LCD television
98-156 watts	32" LCD television
55-90 watts	19" CRT television
45 watts	HD cable box (varies by model)
194 watts	PS3
185 watts	Xbox 360
70 watts	Xbox
30 watts	PS2
18 watts	Nintendo Wii (source)
Other
1440 watts	Microwave oven or 4-slot Toaster
900 watts	Coffee maker
800 watts	Range burner
4 watts	Clock radio

Power consumption compared (Source - CNET)
TVs
Average plasma: 301 watts
Average LCD (standard): 111 watts
Average LCD (LED): 101 watts
Other gear
PlayStation 3: 197 watts
PlayStation 3 Slim: 96 watts
Xbox 360 Elite (2007): 185 watts
Nintendo Wii: 19 watts 
Xbox 360: 187 watts
Average PC: 118 watts
DirecTV HR20 DVR: 33 watts
Nintendo Wii: 19 watts
Slingbox: 9 watts
Wireless router: 7 watts

And there you have it.  Those are the 4 most important variables when trying to decide which Plasma HDTV you want to buy.  I hope this article will help you too sort out what can be a very complex number of variables when buying the right HDTV.

When you are ready to buy check out these sources for some outstanding values on Plasma HDTV's of ever type: Amazon Plasma TV's, Best Buy Plasma TV's, Buy.com Plasma TV's

Tips & Warnings

• If you will watch a lot of DVDs (in non-progressive scan mode) on an HD plasma TV, find one with film mode feature (also called 3:2 compensation, CineMotion, etc.). This makes moving features less jagged around the edges and less jerky. Stretch and zoom modes can help to create the ideal picture for your movie and screen.
• Check out extra features offered in various TV models. Extras such as screen savers (to prevent burn-in), quality speakers or a memory card slot can make your purchase even more satisfactory.
• Some of the best brands of plasma screen TVs are Panasonic, Hitachi, Pioneer, Samsung and Philips. These (and other manufacturers) offer different models with varying screen size and extras.
• If you have young children or pets that can come into contact with the TV, you may want to reconsider a plasma screen. Fingerprints, liquids and scratches happen much easier on plasma screen TVs.

FrugalFather



Sources - longer electrical usage chart is an excerpt from a very good article on energy consumption on MichaelBlueJay.com found here.  "Tips & 'Warning" are from the eHow article "How to Choose a Plasma TV"


Note: Make sure when you buy a Plasma TV that you check to make sure that the manufacturer states that there is not an issue with "burn-in".  "Burn-In" is what happens to some types of TV's, including Plasma's, when a static image is left on the screen for a long period of time.  Newer Plasma TV's

How to Choose Between Plasma, LCD & LED TV's

Plasma HDTV

My oldest daughter called me the other day telling me that her TV was going out and she needed to get a new one.  I thought OK, how much is this going to cost me?  I initially offered her my big 55" big screen rear projection TV - for FREE!  I figured that would cost me less in the long run and I'd have the perfect excuse to buy a new one.

She thought about it for a minute and said "Gee Thanks Dad", but we want a thinner TV.  Yea, me too.  She had just got back from the shopping and said that she was looking at the TV prices and they looked pretty attractive, but she wasn't sure and wanted me to work my magic.

She said Dad I want a 50 inch LED HDTV for between $500 and $700 and I'll need a TV stand too.  I laughed and said that was going be be some magic trick and it would be more like "mission impossible".

But I couldn't let my baby down so I immediately launched into "search mode".  I searched high and low, but I could not find a 50 inch LED HDTV anywhere.  The closest I could come was a smaller LED HDTV for more than twice that amount.  But I did find a bunch of outstanding bargains for Plasma and LCD TV's in here price range to offer her as alternatives.

I knew a little about the difference between the different types of TV's, but I wanted to make sure that I was giving her the best advice a Father could give.  So I started doing research on the differences between the various types of TV technologies and looked for recommendations from both consumers and professionals.

This is what I came away with - Plasma was and still is the best TV technology overall.  I found that there is absolutely no point in buying a much more expensive LED HDTV for 2 to 3 times the money.  And the LCD TV's picture quality doesn't even come close to that of a Plasma.  So now I know what type of TV I'm going to buy now, that is once my dinosaur dies, a Plasma.

Wow!  What a nice surprise.  Here I was thinking that I had failed in my mission, but as it turns out I came away with a lot of knowledge and with the satisfaction of knowing that I was going to be able to recommend the best TV and in the price range in which my daughter was looking to spend.  I call that a "Win-Win".

Now you're probably thinking, "OK Plasma, but there are several types of Plasma and dozens of brands to choose from so how do I know which Plasma TV to buy?".  That will have to wait until my next article.  "Hey!", you say.  Now, now what would life be like without a little suspense now and then?

But for now chew on this dear reader.  I found a professional review written for the lay person that lays it out for you.  Click here for the article.

And if you just can't wait for my type and brand recommendations and you want to get a jump on the others you can check out these Amazon Plasma TV's, Best Buy Plasma TV's, Buy.com Plasma TV's bargains.

Now it is just a matter of finding the best overall price and that's easy for FrugalFather.

I hope this article will help to take out some of the mystery and confusion for you when you shop for a new TV.

FrugalFather




Photo Credit - "A typical modern plasma screen television" - Wikipedia

The Best Places To Get Deals On Electronics...

I am a veteran on-line shopper and prefer to do all my shopping, except really big ticket items, like a car, on-line.

Which would you rather do?  Join all the other nice shoppers at the Mall as seen here or in the secure comfort of your own home where you have the peace and quiet to think about your purchase decision?

You can have the crowds at the malls and based on the numbers I have seen for Cyber Monday many of you agree with me.

I think that the best places to buy electronics and all the other most popular toys this year are at what I call the "Big Three" - Amazon, Best Buy and Buy.com .  If you can't find what you want and at the best overall price then they don't make it.

The reason I say that is they all have the advantage of size and have access to every product imaginable and can get the absolute best price on anything.  That translates into them being able to offer the consumer the best products at the best price.

Aside from price you also want to look at the other cost associated with your purchase - extended warranty, shipping cost, sales tax, return policy and customer service.  Right now just about all the major retailers are offering Free Shipping.

One advantage that BestBuy has over retailers that don't have a brick-n-mortar store is that you can purchase your item on-line but have it delivered to local store and if there is any issue you can take it right back to the store.  Although, Amazon and Buy.com have excellent return policies.

And don't forget to make sure you are comparing apples to apples.  Many times a manufacturer will have a sweetheart deal with a retailer to include a package that is exclusive to that retailer.  It may be a cable, a DVD movie or whatever else might make appears to be the same deal slightly better.

I have put a list together for you of some of the most popular items for all of 2010.  This should make your decision about what to buy a little easier.  To see the list click here.  Take a look at the sweet deals on the "Swiss Legend" watches!  That's what I asked Santa for this year.

Remember an educated consumer is a wise consumer.

FrugalFather

Wireless Phone Charging - PowerMat Review

PowerMat Wireless Charger

Wow!  Isn't technology awesome?

Now you can charge your electronic devices without first having to plug them into the wall plug.  Did you know they are developing similar technology to use with electric cars!  But more about that later.

Now you can just come home and lay your phone on the the charger pad and it's all charged up and ready to go the next day.  But wait, hold-on FrugalFather you say, that seems like magic or something out of science fiction.  Well it's not magic or Sci-Fi, but it's not as simple and straight forward as you might hope either.

Before you buy anything you should read what the customers who went before you have to say about it.  Unless you're the "early adopter" type then you should tell the rest of us what you think about your new toy.

I wanted one of these so bad I almost forgot my own advice and bought one without doing my research.  The prices have dropped so dramatically on all electronics and this is so cool that any nerd would love it.  "Beam me up, Scotty".

Then I calmed down and started checking the facts.  I first started where I always go for peer reviews - Amazon.com and took a look at the Powermat Reviews.  What an eye opener that was - 50% of the reviewers gave it only 1 Star and it appears to me that if they could have given less of a Star they would.

I immediately thought there has to be something terrible wrong with device and read many of reviewers comments trying to find out what is wrong with this product.  It appears that the device works perfectly well, but the convenience factor that I was expecting appears to be a "hassle factor" instead.

I wanted to see what another retailer's customers had to say about it so I went over to BestBuy and the story is pretty much the same.  Again 50% of the customers rated the PowerMat charger with 1 Star.

Since I always want to be fair and make sure that I have the best information available before I buy I looked for a professional reviewers opinion and found one at LegitReviews.  I found the review very detailed and very informative and would suggest that anyone thinking about buying the PowerMat read it first.

After all the research I decided that this was not the product that I was expecting and have decided to wait to see if things change for the better in the future.  And for those of you who own this little gem, but have fallen out of love with it, I suppose you could put wheels on it and make it into a "wireless skateboard".

"Curious how often you humans manage to obtain that which you do not want." -Spock, Star Trek, "Errand Of Mercy"

I hope that you find this article informative and helpful.
                                                                                                           
FrugalFather


Note: some of the customer's who reviewed this product negatively blamed the retailer's for selling it.  I personally think that is wrong headed thinking.  No one makes us buy and if we make a wrong decision then that says just as much about us as it does about the person who sold it.  Caveat emptor and caveat venditor are two sides of the same coin.  Be a careful and thoughtful consumer.

Shocking! - Lil Kim Black Friday Video - Is This What You Want Your Children Watching and Listening Too?

Warning- This article deals with a song containing some language that you may find offensive. I would not listen to this video with children in the room. I also want to warn you that the still photo on the video screen may be offensive to some viewers so I am placing the video at the end of this article so you have to scroll down to see it.

This song is the most searched for on the Internet today! Some say that you can't make out the lyrics well enough to tell what she is saying, but they're clear enough for me and I wouldn't want my little grand-children or even my grown babies listening to this stuff.

I would really like to get a fell for what my readers think of songs like this and if they should be banned or boycotted by concerned parents. Once I get feedback I will summarize the results for you.

To understand what I mean you can play this YouTube video by clicking on the Play Button in the center of the video screen.

Final chance to close this article before seeing the video image!!!

Top 10 - "Swiss Legend Men's Commander Collection Watches"

I have gathered together the Top 10 - "Swiss Legend Men's Commander Collection Watches" for you and placed them in my store.  Here are 8 of the top 10 and you can take a look at the other 2 in the store.  These are the most sought for watches on the Internet.  Just one look at these babies and you fall in love.  I'd love to have a all of them, but I know I won't get that lucky.  This is definitely what I'm getting for Christmas if I have to buy it myself.  And if you want one you better hurry up and buy it because these babies are going like hotcakes.  The puppies normally retail for $600 - $800!

Swiss Legend Men's 20065-03B Sport Commande... $99.99	Swiss Legend Men's 20067-07 Commander Colle... $99.99	Swiss Legend Men's 20065-BB-01-GA Commander... $149.99 What a beauty!
Swiss Legend Men's 20067-YG-03 Commander Co... $99.99 Superb looking watch.	Swiss Legend Men's 10059-11-GB Commander Co... $129.99	Swiss Legend Men's 20067-10 Commander Colle... $93.49
Swiss Legend Men's 10127-BKBD Chronograph D... $279.99 A real treasure piece.	Swiss Legend Men's 20065-YG-03 Commander Co... $129.99

Confidential "Sexually Transmitted Disease Testing" & Much More

This is a huge departure from my normal subject matter, but this very sensitive and personal topic is much more important than saving a dollar, we're talking about saving your life.


I was in the US Army for over 21 years and we were tested on a regular basis for everything you can imagine.  


The US government has a huge investment in it's soldiers and their health is critical to the mission.  I too have a huge investment in me and I continue to follow that regimen with regular doctors visits and lab tests.  


There is always the issue of confidentiality when dealing with medical information and there are laws, such as HIPAA, that are designed to protect the patients privacy, but still many people avoid going to a doctor out of fear or shame or just don't want to go to a doctor.   


Sometimes when you have a concern and you talk to your doctor about your complaint it is ignored or dismissed for whatever reason, but you know something is not right.  There's nothing wrong with having that uneasy feeling.  It is natural and maybe your body is trying to tell you something.


Now you have some options that were never available to patients in the past; you now have access to your own personal lab that is a fast, convenient, affordable, and provides a confidential method to obtain health information without needing to see a doctor. 


I would highly recommend that you take a look at the options that PERSONALABS can offer you.  You can click on the banner if you would like to learn more of what testing is available to you.   



There are over 400 lab tests available, including:

• STD Tests
• Autoimmune Disorder Testing
• Allergy Testing
• Arthritis Testing
• Cancer screenings
• Diabetes Testing
• Drug Testing
• Female Health Testing
• General Health Testing
• Heart Health Testing
• HIV Testing
• Male Health Testing,
• Osteoporosis Screening Panel
• Pregnancy Blood Test
• Recent STD Exposure

PERSONALABS™  medical director, Dr Edward Salko had his letter featured in Dear Abby.  The subject was Seniors and STD's - Read The article 

This has been a public service announcement.  I look forward to your emails and letters.  Thank you

FrugalFather

Poster Credit - U.S. propaganda poster targeted at World War II soldiers and sailors appealed to their patriotism in urging them to protect themselves.  The text at the bottom of the poster reads, "You can't beat the Axis if you get VD." Images of women were used to catch the eye on many VD posters.  Source: Wikipedia


Credit - the name PERSONALABS is trademarked and the property of Personalabs, Inc.

Please Don't Forget Me!

Over the past few days we have all been so focused on our families, friends, food and shopping that we may overlook our "Best Friends"- our family pets.

Military Working Dog Memorial

Those of you who have read "A Little About Me" know that I am retired from the US Army.  I had the distinct honor of serving my nation in the US Army Veterinary Service for over 21 years and I have seen a lot from that very unique perspective.

MWD Wearing Gas Mask

One of the many mission of the USAVS is to provide care for Military Owned Animals (MOA's), such as Military Working Dogs (MWD's), the ceremonial cavalry horses of the 1st Cavalry Division, and even Military Working Goats (MWG's).  The goats keep the grass mowed on ammo storage bunkers since mechanical mowers might create a spark that could cause an explosion.  In addition to the MOA's the US Army Veterinary Service takes care of Privately Owned Animals (POA's) aka family pets owned by service members and their families.

Charlie The Chihuahua

I have always had a very close relationship with dogs my entire life and I was heart broken when I lost one of the sweetest little buddies I have ever had the pleasure of knowing 3 years ago due to heart failure.  He was only 13 years old.  His name was Charlie aka "Charlie the Chihuahua" and it took me over a year before I could let myself think of ever having another companion.

After about a year of missing Charlie my wife came home with a picture of a little female Chihuahua that was being given up for the third time.  Her owners evidently just couldn't keep her for whatever reason.  I suspect that "Princess" as she was known at the time and only 4 months old was not house trained.  When I saw the picture I immediately fell in love and told my wife I wanted her.  No! Not my wife silly, the dog.

Sandy The Chihuahua

We made arrangement for the adoption and transfer and I traveled to Dallas to pick her up.  She came into my arms and immediately starting licking my face and I knew that I had found a new "Best Friend" and Princess had finally found a real home and was given her new name "Sandy the Chihuahua".  Sandy like all dogs loves me unconditionally and lifts my spirits whenever I am down and is a real blessing.  Except when she is trying to show the neighbors who's the boss and barks her head off.  That's when I took to calling her "Miss Barksalot" and "Miss Annoying".

If you have ever had a companion animal of any species then you know the kind of love and admiration I have for mine.  I continue to do what I can to help animals and am an active member of the ASPCA and a number of other animal rights organizations including PETA.

If you look on the right-hand side of this page you will see a banner entitled "Save Your Best Friend" which shows adoptable shelter animals.  I hope you will take a minute to click on the banner and take a look at the animals who are in need of being rescued.  Who knows you might just find your new "Best Friend".

Until next time - happy trails to you.

Here Sandy, here girl!

FrugalFather

Frugal & Thrifty Shopping

Charity Store Window Display

Shopping thrift is not just about saving money - it’s also about the thrill of the hunt.  It's like going to thrift meet where 100's of sellers gather together.  You just never know what you're going to find from one day to the next.  Thrift is also a great opportunity for recycling.  That’s right!   When you buy at Arc Thrift Stores, you are recycling.  Every item you purchase and donate is saved from the landfill.



Find a Thrift Store near you


AMVETS - AMVETS National Service Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates nationally. Their main goal is to serve American veterans who served our country.  To find a store location in your area click here.


The Arc -  A national leader in disability rights and  the largest national community-based organization advocating for and serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.  The Arc has over 730 local chapters.  Too find one near you click here.  Ask your local chapter about Arc Thrift Stores in you local area.


Arc Thrift Stores - 19 stores located in the Colorado area.  Too find store locations click here.


Goodwill Industries International -  helps people earn a living, improve their lives, and strengthen their families and their communities.  Their network of  165 independent, community-based Goodwills in the US and Canada offers customized job training, employment placement and other services to people who have disabilities, lack education or job experience, or face employment challenges.  To find a Goodwill store near you click here and enter your zip code.


Salvation Army - mission is to perform evangelical, social and charitable work and bring the Christian message to the poor, destitute and hungry by meeting both their physical and spiritual needs. The organization states that its ministry extends to all, without discrimination. To find a Salvation Army Family Store click here and enter your zip code.


Thrift Town - Norquist Salvage Corporation is a family-owned business operating fifteen Thrift Town thrift stores in four western states (California, New Mexico, Utah, Texas) committed to making an honest living, as well as helping to raise funds for charity.  To find a store location near you click on the "Locations & Hours" tab and choose your state.  You can sign up for their VIP program and receive email notices of sales and discount coupons.


That is just a few of the many organizations that operate both non-profit and for profit thrift stores across the country.  There are many more and to find all the thrift stores in your area you can do a Google search for "Thrift Store" or you can visit "The Thrift Shopper" for a very comprehensive list of 9,658 thrift stores around the US.


I and my family make regular trips to make donations and have some fun shopping.  It's like a  hunt for hidden treasure or as Forrest Gump said it "Life is like a box of chocolates.  You just never know what you gonna get."  Thank you for that Forrest.


Until next time.


FrugalFather

Selecting the Right eReader

Kindle 3G Wireless Reading Device, Free 3G + Wi-Fi, 6

A friend recently asked me "FrugalFather" will you please guide me on my quest for the perfect eReader?" and I responded "the answer lies within the inner you" or more correctly the Internet.

If you are in the market this season for an eReader you have a got a lot of choices.  In fact so many that you may be overwhelmed an unable to decide which one you should buy.  I would like to say that I have sorted through all the 54 various makes and models and have my top ten choices, but I figure that my top ten might be meaningless to everyone else so I will provide you will the information about each one and let you choose for yourself.

For the most comprehensive list of eReaders that I have ever seen go here and you'll see why it is hard to choose.  But this list has all the categories that you will need to help make an informed choice.  And once you have narrowed your choices down to a half dozen you can get check out the eReader Deals offered on Amazon.com.

When is an eReader not an eReader?  Read on for other options to consider.  Is your head swimming yet?


Other mobile text viewers

A Symbian OS smartphone used as an e-book reader

Some portable multimedia players and smartphones include a text viewer, e.g. several Cowon players, including the Cowon D2 and the iAUDIO U3 and Mobipocket Reader for Symbian OS and Windows Mobile mobile phones and devices. Adobe Reader mobile also turns Windows Mobile devices (for example, Samsung Omnia) into suitable e-Book viewers. Apple's iPhone, iPad^[42] and iPod Touch are also acquiring status as e-book readers through a variety of e-reader apps. WordPlayer or FBReader turns Android phones into e-book readers. PalmOS based devices and smartphones are also usable for reading books. PalmOS supports PalmDoc, iSilo, Mobipocket reader, PDF, HTML conversion, text format, Handstory, TealDoc among many other software titles, in addition to on-the-device word processing. Lexcycle's Stanza is FREE for iPhone owners - another FREE app for iPhone readers is eReader.

Then once you've slogged your way through the decision process you can get this deal for your new eReader.

“When The Devil Whistles” Free eBook

Amazon is offering a FREE download of the eBook “When the Devil Whistles” by Rick Acker (a $14.99 savings). You can read this book on a Kindle device or download free programs to read other places: PC, MAC, Blackberry, Android, iPhone or iPad. This offer is available for a limited time only.

About the book: Allie Whitman is a professional whistleblower with a knack for sniffing out fraud in government contracts. Conner Norman is a gifted litigator and together they form Devil to Pay, Inc., a shell corporation that files lawsuits based on Allie s investigations. They soon find themselves fighting potentially fatal battles in and out of the courtroom, going great lengths to protect secrets that could ruin them both.

Related Posts:
“Crossing Oceans” Free eBook
“The Paradise War” Free eBook

Thank you "The Freebie Blogger"

Want more free eBooks?  Check out "Free eBooks" on Facebook, Free-ebooks.net, Free-books.net, and the first producer of ebooks - Project Gutenberg. 

Now I wouldn't be following my frugal mission if I did not mention that there is another less high tech or glamorous alternative and that is to go to your local public library and check out a book.  

If they don't have what you want you can request the item through the InterLibrary Loan (ILL) program. 

I personally love holding a real book in my hands and always will.  

Happy reading!

FrugalFather

Disclaimer - "Other mobile text viewers" and the photo of the Samsung phone are from Wikipedia.