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tifosi77
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Postby tifosi77 » Mon Nov 23, 2015 1:56 pm

Does anyone here have experience with an all-weather outdoor mounting for a TV? Mrs Tif and I enjoyed an after-dinner cocktail on the patio Saturday night, and we realized that our outside space is woefully underused. Next thing I know, she's talking about mounting a TV to the side of the house and spending all day Sunday outside watching football.

Miami Vice
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Postby Miami Vice » Mon Nov 23, 2015 2:03 pm

There's really only one company who makes outdoor televisions - Sunbrite TV - and they're REALLY expensive.

The first problem is that it is hard to see normal LCD screens with any amount of direct sunlight. So these things are bright as a torch. The second is weather proofing them against changes in temperature and condensation. Thats why you wouldn't want to use a normal one.

You will also have the issue of source. I assume you have cable or satellite, and will need a box for the television. That definitely can't come outside, so you will need a more complex hookup and control system.

I take a small tv out onto my patio occasionally, but always drag it back inside. I just use an antenna or my phone plugged in via hdmi as my source.

32" start at $1500 http://www.bestbuy.com/site/sunbrite-si ... Id=6131409

this thing is 450 nits (a brightness measure) - thats over twice a normal television. and interesting enough the new Vizio Reference series can do 800 nits (necessary for high dynamic range).

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Postby dodint » Mon Nov 23, 2015 2:08 pm

Along those same lines, is there any reason not to leave a mini fridge outside from May-Oct? I have a spare and am thinking of putting it in our powered gazebo. I'm sure it'll rust but I wonder how many years I'll get out of it.

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Postby Miami Vice » Mon Nov 23, 2015 2:12 pm

fridges made for the outdoors have really heavy duty compressors.

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Postby dodint » Mon Nov 23, 2015 2:15 pm

Part of me wants to kill it so I don't have to take it with me when I move. Now that I don't have a full bar in the house anymore it's been unplugged in a spare room for a year.

Maybe I'll just sell it.

tifosi77
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Postby tifosi77 » Mon Nov 23, 2015 2:22 pm

Thanks for the info. Food for thought.
You will also have the issue of source. I assume you have cable or satellite, and will need a box for the television. That definitely can't come outside, so you will need a more complex hookup and control system.
As far as source goes, I'd just Chromecast to the set. I don't imagine we'd be watching 'TV', just sports and stuff.

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Postby Miami Vice » Mon Nov 23, 2015 2:25 pm

If you were willing to buy a lower cost model just as a test run I've seen guys mount them inside the types of cabinets that dart boards are typically hidden in.

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Postby dodint » Mon Nov 23, 2015 2:27 pm

Just get that new giant iPad and mount a dock on the wall.

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Postby eddy » Tue Nov 24, 2015 10:01 am

do you think there is much difference going from a 60" to a 65" TV?

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Postby Beveridge » Tue Nov 24, 2015 10:12 am

bout 5 inches give or take

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Postby dodint » Tue Nov 24, 2015 10:32 am

*zing*

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Postby Nuge » Tue Nov 24, 2015 12:38 pm

I've been looking at programmable thermostats. Anyone have a Nest? Is it worth the money?

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Postby Miami Vice » Tue Nov 24, 2015 12:47 pm

I've been looking at programmable thermostats. Anyone have a Nest? Is it worth the money?
Best Buy will have the new model for $200 this week.

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Postby NTP66 » Tue Nov 24, 2015 12:48 pm

I don't have a Nest, though did consider one last year. There were a number of reasons that I went with a Honeywell RTH9580 over the Nest, though I can't recall exactly what they were now. One of them was definitely the larger temperature swings of the Nest, whereas the Honeywell is much tighter.

I would recommend the Honeywell that I bought, FWIW. The only knock that I can see on it is the fact that, while you can access it remotely over the Internet, you have to do it via a specific website that acts as a broker between you and your thermostat. It's probably easier for 99% of users, but I'd have preferred to connect directly to the t-stat.

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Postby dodint » Tue Nov 24, 2015 1:07 pm

The Honeywell has been on my wishlist since I moved into my house. I looked at the Nest and determined that I didn't want to chance the behavior of it just shutting off completely for no reason. It probably doesn't happen to everyone, but I can't risk it in Wisconsin in the winter.

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Postby eddy » Tue Nov 24, 2015 1:18 pm

I've been looking at programmable thermostats. Anyone have a Nest? Is it worth the money?
We use Nest for our camp up north. It is tremendous for keeping an eye on something away from home like that. I can't really say much more than that because we use the wood burning stove when we are actually there. I love the look and feel of it and would love it for my house, but haven't been able to justify spending that much when I don't know if will be that effective with a smaller house.

edit: I'd take the honeywell over the nest for my house if I was choosing.

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Postby tifosi77 » Tue Nov 24, 2015 2:04 pm

do you think there is much difference going from a 60" to a 65" TV?
Depends on the viewing distance. If you're relatively close (5-6 feet), then that change will be pretty noticeable. If you're further back (8-10) feet, that increase will not be as significant.

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Postby eddy » Tue Nov 24, 2015 2:06 pm

9 feet away. I always think it's better to get a bigger size everytime I upgrade. Currently have a 60", not sure wife could take a 70", she says the 60 is too big. Yes I'm laughing as I type this.

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Postby NTP66 » Tue Nov 24, 2015 2:09 pm

9 feet away. I always think it's better to get a bigger size everytime I upgrade. Currently have a 60", not sure wife could take a 70", she says the 60 is too big. Yes I'm laughing as I type this.
I went from a 60" to a 65", though my main reason for upgrading was more because of the guts of the TV rather than the screen size. My wife didn't think we needed a 65" TV, but she sure as hell doesn't complain when we watch movies and you feel like you're IN the movie, so she can STFU. :)

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Postby Miami Vice » Tue Nov 24, 2015 2:11 pm

If the bezel is thinner (which I'm sure it is) she might think the new tv is smaller.

In my living room I replaced a 50" Panasonic with a 51" Samsung, and the new one is physically smaller.

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Postby Miami Vice » Tue Nov 24, 2015 2:40 pm

My fiance was pretty blown away when she came home from work and saw the 110" screen in the basement. She knew I bought a projector but I don't think she had a good concept of what that really entailed. I think in her mind it would be like something way up high and far away, like in a lecture hall. Not essentially an 8 foot wide television screen 10 feet in front of her.

We almost never watch the tv in the living room. Sometimes she watches her DVR'd stuff in there, but even alot of that gets watched downstairs now.

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Postby dodint » Tue Nov 24, 2015 3:00 pm

Funny thing about TV size is you adjust to it over time. My 73" felt like I was watching a billboard, but now it just feels like any other TV. Should've gotten the 84". :pop:

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Postby Miami Vice » Tue Nov 24, 2015 3:24 pm

People that are really serious about dedicated home theaters install a 21x9 screen, as opposed to a 16x9 one. I didn't think that made sense for me from a space and size perspective, but whenever I upgrade projectors in a few years I think I might go that route.

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Postby NTP66 » Tue Nov 24, 2015 3:51 pm

I would have considered a projector if not for the fact that my family room has 600 large windows in it, and I have no hope of really controlling the light. Though, in no way does this mean that I'm unhappy with the route that I did take.

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Postby mikey » Wed Nov 25, 2015 7:37 pm

Should I take any stock in this list when thinking about my next TV purchase?

http://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/by-usa ... nitor/best

For reference: I have a desktop that HDMI hooks up to a TV. I watch two things: hockey and football through the computer and on the TV. Almost nothing else is done.

Is there an appreciable difference? Or is this for like gamers and like movie snobs and what not...?

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