Addiction Relapse

[nibhaz]

This is random a post about my most recent relapse with this addiction that I think some here struggle with.

I have a minor OCD personality quirk and I need to do some pretty heavy product research before making any big purchases. You know the usual: reading as many reviews as you can find, joining and searching multiple forums, down loading user’s manuals, making excel sheets to compare features that are important to me, and seeing how those features relate to the cost of the various candidates. And last but not least, I’m a sucker for anything I perceive to be a real deal.

During the last holiday season I was in heavy research mode for a new plasma. I’m kind of a Panny fanboy, but there were some upper level Samsungs in the running while I was making my list and checking it twice. Then finally the stars aligned. There was a 3 year financing offer and a 50” 800 series panny plasma on sale. I don’t recall the price now, but it was just on the edge of making me feel uncomfortable about the purchase, so I waited a day or two, rationalizing it in my head, until I convinced myself it was too good of a deal to pass up, and wouldn’t you know the sale was gone. I felt disappointed and relived all at the same time. Nothing else I was looking at really compared to the deal that I had just let slip away, so I quit looking and took a little pride in fiscal my responsibility.

Now fast forward to Tuesday of this week. One of my colleagues asked me to come down to his office to give him some basic advice about current TV technology. During our discussion he mentions that Best Buy was offering 3 years no interest…and the gears started rolling. I walked straight down to my office, and started looking. Holy crap, a 58” 800 series Panasonic on sale for 2 grand, for me it was a no brainer. 30 minutes later I was in my girlfriend’s office telling her she needed to talk me down from this purchase. Well, once this discussion uncovered the facts that we’d (she’d) need to pick out a new tv stand, and the 42” we currently have could go into the master bed room, she end up not being the strong voice of reason that I was looking for. I took a day to think things over and decided on Wednesday I was going to pull the trigger. I checked the BB website for available delivery dates to my zip and it tells me there are no delivery dates…, I check the zip that our local store is located in and again no delivery dates…I check the zip that I work in and low and behold a list of dates gets kicked back to me. I decided that this mystery was going to need some face time with someone in the store to solve. So the GF and I go to BB to see if there are any tv stands that are worth looking at and so that I could ask questions about the shipping issue. We find a stand with no tags on it and while the BB employee is trying to find info on the stand to look it up for us, I popped my question about the shipping anomaly on the website.

Long story short, I was SOL. But this time I had come too far, I was standing in the middle of the store with all these temptations surrounding me. Now I start looking around and I know I’m nowhere near as educated on the new models to feel comfortable with what I’m about to do. Then the BB employee says he can take 100 of their current price for the 54” Panasonic S1 series and it took me all of about 45sec to say ok. Since Panny changed their model nomenclature all I knew is that it was not the bottom of the line, but pretty sure it wasn’t equivalent to the 800 series I had intended to purchase, which I now know is the G10 series. Of course, I went straight home to see what kind of damage my impulse reaction had just done, and while it might not be the perfect set, and it wasn’t the deal of the century, I think I’ll be able to live with my decision.

Anyone else relate to this psychosis?

 

[adk highlander]

I feel your pain. Why do you think I have the new mitsu projector. 3 yr no interest, on sale and a 300 rebate. BB does have some deals you just need to know what you are buying to find them.

Congrats on your new toy.

 

[Adam]

Anyone else relate to this psychosis?

Almost word for word! Except that I wouldn't have bought it in the store. Well, probably wouldn't have. Ummm, maybe wouldn't have...

I just recently went through something incredibly similar and bought a Panasonic 50" G10 (from Amazon) and a new stand from Best Buy. The TV is/was supposed to arrive today, but I'm starting to think that's not going to happen. We'll see.

Anyway, I know EXACTLY what you're talking about! Congrats on the new TV!

 

[gmichael]

A few years back, I was looking at the 50+ inch plasmas. They were in the $3500 to $4000 range. Then I found out that front projector prices had just come down. For the same $4000 I could buy TWO projector bundles that incuded 100+ inch screens, mounts, & cables. Now I have 2 huge TV's.
Yeah, I think I know what you mean.

 

[CraigV]

I’m right there with you brother, I’m exactly the same way. Scary to think we all have more in common than we know (is that how we ended up here in the first place).
Back in January, my wife got a settlement check for a car accident she had years ago, and she graciously allowed me to upgrade our HT to what it is now. At the same time, we paid off & canceled our credit cards. Well, my wife lost her job not too long after that, and only this past Monday started at a new job, so this “extra” money we had is all gone. Now I’m looking at these finance deals and thinking “we could swing that”, but I’m being good (so far) about not getting back into debt again, even if it’s “interest free”.

 

[speakEZ]

Until about a year ago I had no real interest in Home A/V.

I decided to get an LCD (2 years ago), but couldn't convince the wife until the dreaded BLACK FRIDAY. Poloroid had the 42" for $700. So I lugged it around the store at 5am, in a shopping cart that was obviously intended one of the Keebler Elves, doing everything in my power to keep all the wide eyed, priced crazed, grandmother stompers, beedy little hands off it until I could check out!!

Got it home, upgraded to HD, and the picture was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Turned it up and audio was the most horrible thing I have ever heard.

Thanks to this site alone (long time member- first few times posting) now all A/V discussions have been banned from the house!!

But not before I bought a yammy RX-V863 and a set of the Axiom M22's I use for fronts.

My brother gave a an old set of infinity tower speakers I use for the rears, and I was donated RCA (aka P.O.S.) center and sub.


Needless to say.....I know your pain.

 

[tcarcio]

Your not alone. I was in Target the other day and they had a 42'' Panny on sale for $799 and I had to talk myself out of buying it and I don't even need another set. I need to get help>>>>>>>>>>>>

 

[nibhaz]

I feel your pain. Why do you think I have the new mitsu projector. 3 yr no interest, on sale and a 300 rebate. BB does have some deals you just need to know what you are buying to find them.

Congrats on your new toy.

During the brief moment while the BB employee was doing “whatever” I pulled the GF over to a projector…well, lets just say if we move somewhere with a basement I am “allowed” to get one.

 

[jamie2112]

Hey I feel for ya but we all have this sickness. I wish the addiction would go away but we just have to feed it man.............

 

[nibhaz]

Almost word for word! Except that I wouldn't have bought it in the store. Well, probably wouldn't have. Ummm, maybe wouldn't have...

I just recently went through something incredibly similar and bought a Panasonic 50" G10 (from Amazon) and a new stand from Best Buy. The TV is/was supposed to arrive today, but I'm starting to think that's not going to happen. We'll see.

Anyway, I know EXACTLY what you're talking about! Congrats on the new TV!

Less than a half hour after I made the purchase I knew that I really wanted a G10, and was seriously considering going back to the store to see if they could get a 54” G10, but after some more serious thinking I think that I’ve got away to get my S1 ISF calibrated for less than it would cost to jump to the G10. This should bring it very close to the out of box color accuracy that the G10s get with their THX setting.

So I am ok now.

P.S. I couldn’t tell by the picture in your thread exactly what you had got… you are going to really like your new set.

 

[nibhaz]

A few years back, I was looking at the 50+ inch plasmas. They were in the $3500 to $4000 range. Then I found out that front projector prices had just come down. For the same $4000 I could buy TWO projector bundles that incuded 100+ inch screens, mounts, & cables. Now I have 2 huge TV's.
Yeah, I think I know what you mean.

You got 2 z4s plus screens for 4k...yeah, you rock.

 

[nibhaz]

I’m right there with you brother, I’m exactly the same way. Scary to think we all have more in common than we know (is that how we ended up here in the first place).
Back in January, my wife got a settlement check for a car accident she had years ago, and she graciously allowed me to upgrade our HT to what it is now. At the same time, we paid off & canceled our credit cards. Well, my wife lost her job not too long after that, and only this past Monday started at a new job, so this “extra” money we had is all gone. Now I’m looking at these finance deals and thinking “we could swing that”, but I’m being good (so far) about not getting back into debt again, even if it’s “interest free”.

It’s so hard to keep forward thinking, and do the right thing. I want stuff now, something tangible for the work that I do…of course I guess with financing I’m actually thinking about the work I’ll be doing. It never ends

 

[jostenmeat]

Hey nibhaz, entertaining thread. I looked briefly at a couple of places (and sorry if they're not exactly pertinent to your needs). But, I found a 58" for $2000 from Cleveland Plasma (also an AVS member), + $100 shipping:

https://clevelandplasma.com/store/plasma_tv_s/panasonic/panasonic_th_58pz800u

 

[nibhaz]

Until about a year ago I had no real interest in Home A/V.

I decided to get an LCD (2 years ago), but couldn't convince the wife until the dreaded BLACK FRIDAY. Poloroid had the 42" for $700. So I lugged it around the store at 5am, in a shopping cart that was obviously intended one of the Keebler Elves, doing everything in my power to keep all the wide eyed, priced crazed, grandmother stompers, beedy little hands off it until I could check out!!

Got it home, upgraded to HD, and the picture was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Turned it up and audio was the most horrible thing I have ever heard.

Thanks to this site alone (long time member- first few times posting) now all A/V discussions have been banned from the house!!

But not before I bought a yammy RX-V863 and a set of the Axiom M22's I use for fronts.

My brother gave a an old set of infinity tower speakers I use for the rears, and I was donated RCA (aka P.O.S.) center and sub.


Needless to say.....I know your pain.

You’re into the early parts, get to a happy place and just walk away, just walk away!

 

[nibhaz]

Your not alone. I was in Target the other day and they had a 42'' Panny on sale for $799 and I had to talk myself out of buying it and I don't even need another set. I need to get help>>>>>>>>>>>>

Spare bedroom, garage, you always need more..

 

[Alex2507]

I'm kind of like that except not as fiscally responsible and my girl friend is like the enabler from hell. We bought our TV on credit because the price was right with her full, even eager approval.

 

[jostenmeat]

Hey nibhaz, entertaining thread. I looked briefly at a couple of places (and sorry if they're not exactly pertinent to your needs). But, I found a 58" for $2000 from Cleveland Plasma (also an AVS member), + $100 shipping:

https://clevelandplasma.com/store/plasma_tv_s/panasonic/panasonic_th_58pz800u

Prices are falling through the floor very recently. Costco sells the same, for the same price, but S/H included, AND they extend warranty to 2 years for free.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11310781&whse=BC&topnav=&browse=&lang=en-US

EDIT: to help decide, a 58" is slightly over 15% larger in size than a 54":

http://tvcalculator.com/index.html?78ee5188d8e19dcf2d673915e20946fc

 

[Ito]

Dear lord, it's scary how much we are alike in the area

making excel sheets to compare features that are important to me

lol. That is truth right there.

 

[Davemcc]

I'm kind of like that except not as fiscally responsible and my girl friend is like the enabler from hell.

Oh yeah, that's us too.

 

[speakEZ]

You’re into the early parts, get to a happy place and just walk away, just walk away!

Way too late for that. Already talking to the wife about closing in the garage, adding an additional garage, then having a dedicated HT........almost there