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Topic: Hardware

Are you embarrassed by your TV? New Sony survey says one out of three of you are.

Summary: A new survey shows why so many people are snapping up HDTVs for the holidays. Sony's first TV Intimacy Poll finds that a majority of Americans are dissatisfied with their current sets.

Sean Portnoy

By for Home Theater |

A new survey shows why so many people are snapping up HDTVs for the holidays. Sony's first TV Intimacy Poll finds that a majority of Americans are dissatisfied with their current sets.

As the name of the poll suggests, the results are couched in "relationship" speak. So 53 percent of respondents would like to "break up" with their current television, with nearly a third of them saying that the source of their dissatisfaction is how small the screen is (or as Sony's press release puts it, "Size Matters in the Living Room Too").

Another 31 percent admitted that they were "embarrassed" by their TV's age, probably because it's an old tube-based set.

Despite all of the dissatisfaction, 62 percent of respondents said that they watched three or more hours of television, and 94 percent view programming every day. A whopping 98 percent of Americans owns sets, according to the survey.

Are you "embarrassed" by your television? Are you planning to buy a new HDTV to get over your embarrassment? Let us know in the Talkback section.

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Talkback

12 comments
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  • RE: Are you embarrassed by your TV? New Sony survey says one out of three of you are.

    Err...

    So let me get this straight. A maker of televisions runs "research" that suggests most people are embarrassed about their current television. The clear implication is you should buy (from them presumably) a new television so visitors over the holidays won't judge their lack of a new television.

    Isn't the so transparent as to not be worth reporting?

    There are a lot of things I am embarrassed about, but my television isn't high on that list.
    jeremychappell
    Reply Vote

    • I'm embarrassed for Sony

      @jeremychappell Flimsy attempt at fostering envy. Shame, shame, shame.

      PS: I'm embarrased my 32" Sony tube did not hold up as well as it should for the $1500 I paid for it.
      happyharry_z
      Reply Vote

    • Try this on for size

      I'm far more embarrassed about the state of TV PROGRAMMING than I am with the size or age of my unit. er, ... :O

      ;)
      klumper
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Are you embarrassed by your TV? New Sony survey says one out of three of you are.

    I may need a new TV but I am embarrassed by all that shiny black cheapness masquerading as a "classy" TV bezel.

    When they lose the piano black cheapness, I'll go looking.....
    Freddy McGriff
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Are you embarrassed by your TV? New Sony survey says one out of three of you are.

    I'm embarrassed that I have a TV at all. Once the kids move out I will get rid of it.
    lippidp
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Are you embarrassed by your TV? New Sony survey says one out of three of you are.

    I'm embarrassed that my four year-old 40" Samsung HDTV takes over 3 minutes to come on due to a well-documented capacitor issue on the power supply board. http://www.thebuzzmedia.com/samsung-tv-capacitor-clicking-issue-and-free-repair/ Of course, it's out of warranty and Samsung refused to pay for a service call to replace the capacitors or the entire power supply board.
    OUBobcat
    Reply Vote

  • I am embarrased by the bad sound in essentially all new TVs

    You can spend $200 up to $2,000 and they ALL sound bad. Sure you get stereo, and often, pseudo surround, but they sound like an AM transistor radio! I have plugged in $15 PC speakers and heard an improvement. The manufacturer's should be embrassed, not the end users.
    Jim Johnson
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Are you embarrassed by your TV? New Sony survey says one out of three of you are.

      @Jim Johnson
      The manufacturer's what should be embarassed? I think the manufacturers should be embarassed, but you did not specify the entity that should be embarassed.
      An example might be, "The manufacturer's CEO ...", "The manufacturer's dog ...", etc.
      cwallen19803@...
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Are you embarrassed by your TV? New Sony survey says one out of three of you are.

    I got a Samsung 46" LCD about two years ago. Worked great right out of the box with a little fine tuning and still looks terrific. I do like the new Plasma's though.
    Basie
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Are you embarrassed by your TV? New Sony survey says one out of three of you are.

    I am embarrased that I got stuck with a $2600 Sony high end tv that has been replaced by a second one after 2 weeks. Now 30 days into my Sony purchase my second one has gone bad. Sound on hdmi connection keeps dropping.
    grayterry@...
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Are you embarrassed by your TV? New Sony survey says one out of three of you are.

    W/ SO many things in this world to sweat over and I'm supposed to be embarrassed by my TV??? By whom exactly??? The Jones next door?? Screw 'em! They wanna buy me one, they can and until then they can go stuff! My self-image is NOT wrapped up in what I own and even the "thrill" of having some *coughcough* big name company asking me for my lowly opinion, (and trying to place well timed doubts of my worth via what I own) will NOT change my self-esteem!<br><br>However, I will say we DID finally break down and buy a flat screen TV a couple weeks ago. I've DETESTED them for years for killing off the STILL AFFORDABLE tubes I've lived happily w/ all my life. Heck, I had a B/W TV even as late as about 1979! Didn't bother me - a 13" at that! Easily amused I guess and no cable, either! But we wouldn't have it now, if a sharp-eyed and friendly Wal Mart associate hadn't found a mis-priced Black Friday leftover of the exact TV I had been eyeing. Late-at-night, customer-is-always-right, they-should'a-fixed-the-price, so-there-meh, type deal. (Plus, she's cool like that, anyway!) Saved about a hundred bucks! For that, I'll give 'em a go. Nice to be able to read the printing now! <img border="0" src="http://www.cnet.com/i/mb/emoticons/happy.gif" alt="happy"> Old tube was VERY old, and blurry some too. It was struggling to hang on! <br><br>As for "being embarrassed", I had a neighbor next door, a fairly hefty fellow, and in his front (and only) room, he had a king sized bed and a TV that took up the whole wall! That was it - no floor left over. If anything, I'm embarrassed by HIS skewed priorities! I mean, really! And he left his "front" door opened and that TV so loud, you couldn't hear yourself think! What do you suppose his "self-worth" and his "TV" were wrapped up together? Had to be something, I've seen Jumbotrons smaller than that TV! (And quieter too!)
    annathule29
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Are you embarrassed by your TV? New Sony survey says one out of three of you are.

    About 20 years ago I was fortunate to buy a Sharp cable-ready for the house. Recently the on-off switch died. I plan to buy a newer technology TV later this year. But for the usage my and I got from that one TV, I'm not embarassed. Not many can boast of 20 years usage out of a TV. I'm sure I'll be looking for a newer Sharp soon. I just hope the broadcasting catches up to these newer TV capabilities. Though, I have a feeling there won't be much of a differential between computers and TV within the next five years. And nobody has mentioned speech technologies much yet in the responses I've read. Very exciting technology horizons!....
    RevDrmr
    Reply Vote
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