Sunday, December 13, 2009

SundayStills - technology

You may recall awhile back I mentioned my broken television.

Well, it took until yesterday to get a replacement. Mostly because I will put off anything for another day if I can, but partly because I realized I did not miss having a television all that much. all that much. but still a little. (and lordy, has it been that long?!)

I was house sitting for another neighbour last week and during a period of non-sleep, I thought, I'll just wander downstairs and see if her plants need watering... and who is on Ellen... and maybe catch up on Y&R, the news, then Corrie... by the time Jeopardy and a repeat of The Office came on I realized, maybe, just a little.

Then my cable bill came in. I looked at how much money I had wasted spent without enjoying any of the benefits of the transaction. So a deal was struck and I came home with a second hand television.

Except, I cannot get the blessed thing to work. It looks simple enough - you put the colour coded cable thingies into the correct colour coded bits, plug it in and voila! But there was no voila!
There was a bit of merde! and a few other choice words as I manoeuvred and plugged and unplugged, then sat on hold for 15 minutes with the cable guys. Then had an almost incomprehensible conversation that included the words 'coloured thingies' and 'the thicker cable' (oh the shame).

Now, I'm thinking it was not the fault of the television set at all, but the digital cable box. There seems to be a loose connection because of certain noises it makes when certain cable thingies are jostled. All of which is strange as that little box has not moved from its prominent position on top of the television set since it was set up a few years ago.

I hate technology, sometimes.

But, this is a photo challenge and I am up for it.

Look at the sleekness of this beauty. It is elegant. It swivels and tilts. It is incredibly lightweight.
You can't even buy a big-assed television set like the one under my newer sleeker model.
Isn't technology grand, sometimes?

27 comments:

  1. hope you get it working soon, nothing more frustrating than new technology you cant use :(

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  2. Won't the shop come and connect it properly for you? And write down instructions? I hope it gets sorted out soon.

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  3. Damn! That's the problem with second-hand purchases...no nice installer person to set it up for you! I'm very technologically-challenged and don't have a clue.

    Don't you have someone in your building who's a bloody genius at these things? Maybe you could buy one of those ultra-expensive pies you like and tempt said person into setting it up for you.

    What about online help in the form of diagrams or something like that? Hope you get it up soon! Those Y&R episides just keep on a-comin'!

    I like that you're using your old set as a TV stand. :) Reuse..you're doing it right!

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  4. If you call the place you bought this little ass tv, they can tell you over the phone how to hook it up...so can the cable company (if you have one).
    Good luck! Technology can be very frustrating.

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  5. I actually got this gem from a friend who found herself with three TVs, even though she lives alone.
    The cable company were very patient and helpful and I'm taking the digital box to an outlet on Monday to have it exchanged.

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  6. Very nice post. I would love to have a 42" flat screen TV, but hubby said I had a good TV that works just fine - about 12 yrs. old, and big and bulky, and I love the new slim and sleek, just like I'd like to be....maybe there's something in that anology.:)

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  7. Well said, sometimes saving a bit of money can come back to haunt you..:-)

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  8. She is sleek; that is for sure! Nice looking TV! Hope you get her figured out soon so you can enjoy the shows that you do watch. I still have the big-assed TV and it works great...knock on wood!!!! But I got a sleeker model for out in my studio. Yes! I am a TV addict! LOL! I enjoy listening to it!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  9. She's a beauty, alright! Now if she will just wake up.

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  10. I leave all that stuff to my husband; I'm not too tolerant when things don't work. We don't have our tv hooked up for anything but rented movies right now, and I really do not miss all the commercials, especially at this time of the year.

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  11. Don't you just hate it when this happens!!!!?????

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  12. Here's hoping the new cable box solves the problem...do you supposed your big-assed TV will work now if it is hooked up to a good cable box? LOL

    You could have "picture on top of picture" technology....{GRIN}

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  13. Yeah, technology is grand, especially when it works.

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  14. Yes, I love technology....when it works! :)

    PS, I wrote that comment, before I saw the one above mine, and realized we said almost the exact same thing.... :)

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  15. I'm having television envy, if you get it to work!

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  16. She is a slim , sleek thing! Hope she works after you get a new cable box..yes Technology is frustrating sometimes:)

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  17. Nice story, like your technical terms too. Hope it all works out, nothing more frustrating that getting something home and you have to call the "help" line with little or no luck.

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  18. I had the same problem with the digital box, and once that was fixed, et voila! it worked. Now I can rent movies without having to leave my house, and no late fees! I love it.

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  19. You're using your old TV as a television stand?

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  20. SAW: for the photo shoot - then again, I just got the other one yesterday. and that old sucker is HEAVY!

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  21. I would be useless at getting things like that to work!

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  22. Bah on TV Technology! lol! Excellent photos...excellent subject, though!


    ~Lisa

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  23. Loved the techie terms! And I bet the technicians loved you, too! Hope it all works now, nothing worse than having a nice new sparkling TV (or computer!) that doesn't do what it is supposed to do!

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  24. Old school style with the new TV on top of the old TV. That's hilarious.

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  25. I feel your pain. I do love to watch tv in the evenings, and exist!

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  26. You have a great sense of humor. Our 10 year old TV set was fading so we did buy a new one...went for one that was energy efficient. Of course not watching it at all would be the most energy efficient..but what a joy to get it going with the cable...NOT..I'm with you on this one....Michelle

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  27. Brenda: yes, the evenings can be long without television!

    Michelle: thanks! I wish the cable weren't so expensive, and if I cancel the digital, I'll just have to pay a lot to have it reconnected next year. with each successive tecnological advance, it gets harder to figure out.

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