TV set – The story

(One lazy Saturday afternoon browsing at the Fnac… )

Hubby: Hey, wanna go look at TV sets?.... we’ll probably have to change our old one one of these days, might as well see how much they're going for……
Fned (yawn): You go honey; I’m going to head over to the DVD section to see if the new Bourne movie is out…

(45 mins later… Fned joins Hubby in the Apple section)…

Fned: H-ello! So, did you see anything interesting?
Hubby (yawn): The new Apple Air Book is out… how ‘bout you?
Fned: nah… I’m thinking of getting “Sense and Sensibility” it’s on sale, but am not really sure… did you see anything in the TV section?
Hubby (shrugging): a couple of sets that look cool, don’t know…. How ‘bout I show you and you tell me what you'd get if you were buying one?
Fned (shrugging): Ok.

(Fned and Hubby head over to the TV section)

Fned: Gosh… everything is flat screen now, incredible! I guess our little 21in cathode set is probably considered vintage by now! *smile*
Hubby: I know, and I’m not even that convinced that the image quality is better on a flat screen, but whatever….. here… what do you think of this one?
Fned: Hmmmmm… it’s ok I guess… a Sony, my parents have always had Sony and their sets work fine. What’s so good about it?
Hubby: It’s a 16:9 LDC HD 32” wide screen…
Fned: uh-huh…. (shrugging) It’s cute I guess…. (continues to browse… stops in front of another set on display). If I was going to buy a flat screen, I’d get this one. It’s on sale so it costs the same as the Sony one only it’s a LOT bigger, 10 inches bigger….
Hubby: Bigger doesn’t always mean better….
Fned: You kidding???? Look at how cool the trailer to the new Indiana Jones movie looks on this screen? Imagine watching the Europe Soccer Cup in a couple of months on such a screen
Hubby: I guess…. But nahhh… it’s a Hitachi, I’ve never heard of that brand before…
Fned: You’ve never heard of Hitachi????
Hubby (shrugs): not when it comes to TVs, I’m sure it’s trash…
Fned: Hold on, let’s look at the Fnac brand comparative brochure (flipping through the brochure) Oh my gosh! Look at this! The Hitachi set is the BEST MARKED set in the entire catalogue!

(Both Fned and Hubby go take a second look in front of the Hitachi set)

Hubby: It’s really big… where would we put it?
Fned: If we move the fauteuil club chair to the corner it would fit perfectly on the wall next to the kitchen
Hubby: I guess…. It’s just that it’s… well it’s a Plasma and not an LCD… I’m sure the quality is not the same
Fned: Excuse me sir, what’s the difference between a Plasma and an LCD?
Sales guy (shrugs): Not much really …. blah, blah, blah (a lot of jungo bungo that Fned doesn’t understand) blah, blah, blah… and finally, the only difference is an LCD will probably outlast a Plasma but not by much (Sales guys leaves)
Fned: So watcha think?
Hubby: (rubbing his chin)… let me call D and ask his opinion…
Fned: Ok, in the meantime I’ll go and see if there’s any way we can pay it in monthly installments. I’ll meet ya back here in 30mins.

(Fned comes back carrying the Indiana Jones Trilogy DVD Box set).

Fned: I spoke to a sales guy, we can pay it in 10 monthly installments and the interest rate is not so bad. What about you? What did D say?
Hubby (still rubbing his chin): He says it sounds like a good deal.

(Both look at each other)
(Both go back to look at the Hitachi set a third time)
(Both look back at each other)
(Both turning around and calling a sales guy)

Fned (almost yelling): Sir, we want to buy this TV set!!!
Hubby (almost salivating): When do you think it can be delivered??!!?
Sales guy: Does Wednesday work for you?
Both (yelling AND salivating): YES!!!!!!!!!!!
Sales guy: Ok, so do you need anything else?
Hubby (turning to Fned): we might as well get a DVD player too; my old PlayStation set might ruin the new TV
Fned: Ok! But lets make it a multi-zone DVD player, so this way I can bring movies back from the States.

(1hr later a couple of major couch potatoes in the making walk out of the Fnac)

End of story.
Fned.