Podcast #1150: Ara Buys a New TV

On this week’s show Ara gets a new TV! It came down to a UST Projector and a Mini LED. We also read your emails and take a look at the week’s news.

News:

• Amazon Debuts New Streaming Ads on Prime
• Disney and Warner Set to Bundle Disney Plus, Max and Hulu Starting This Summer
• Fox Says Tubi Now Has 80 Million Average Monthly Users; FAST Platform’s Engagement Also Up 36%
• Sunday Leadoff' Is Coming to The Roku Channel
• Apple, Netflix Amazon Want to Change How They Pay Hollywood Stars
• Comcast Plans Peacock, Netflix, Apple TV+ Streaming Bundle

Other:

• SportsNet Pittsburgh launches direct-to-consumer streaming service

My ideal TV has no tuner, no speakers and no smart platform

I’ve had my current TV for about a year now, and do you know how many times I’ve used its built-in tuner? None. I’ve not even plugged in the aerial. I’ve not used any of the built-in apps, either, and the built-in speakers have emitted a sound only a handful of times, and only because the connected sound system didn’t automatically switch on as it should have. Full article here…

New TV for Ara

Ara’s original Vizio P-Series UHD TV finally gave out. After posting this information on X, he received a few suggestions on how it could possibly be revived. Unfortunately nothing worked. Vizio customer service even offered to help resolve the issue. But after ten years of trusty service, it was time to move on. 

Ara posted to X that it was between a Sony Mini LED and an AWOL UST projector. The response was mixed. So where did he land?

The field was quickly narrowed down to:

The AWOL LTV-2500 4K 3D Triple Laser Projector $3000 + $1000 for a 100” screen.

Bring The Cinematic Experience to Your Home: AWOL VISION LTV-2500 powered with a cutting edge Triple Laser without Color Wheel Technology, Dolby Vision & Dolby Atmos 4K UHD Resolution, HDR10+, 3D available, brings you a stunning 150", 4K Movie Theater experience. Coupled with exceptional audio immersion technology with Dolby Atmos, LTV-2500 is the most colorful with details' ultra short throw 4K laser projector for controlled light environment.

and

The BRAVIA XR 75” Class X93L Mini LED 4K HDR Google TV (2023) $2500

The Cognitive Processor XR™ delivers a picture with wide dynamic contrast and natural colors, replicating how we see the real world. See ultimate contrast from thousands of Mini LEDs and billions of accurate colors, all precision-controlled by the XR Backlight Master™ Drive and XR Triluminos Pro™.

The winner is…. The Sony Bravia. 

The Process:

• Cost was a factor but not as big a factor as Lina not wanting to rearrange the artwork above the current TV.
• Some on X said that the UST was only an option if I had good control of the light in the room. Even my first gen UST looks decent in full daylight and it does not have the lumens of this projector. So that was not and issue that disqualified the UST
• While I would have liked a 100” screen. The 75” Sony is a small step up from the 70” Vizio.
• Tip! Regardless of choice I was going to have to get rid of my old Vizio. I’m thinking I’d have to call my trash company and pay to have it hauled a