Why is it I think I need a new television and computer?  The computer is the primary "need," since my wife is most involved with her digital photos and videos.  The television would be the "luxury."  When I get right down to it, I think both are luxuries for our family.  After all, though our computer is extremely slow, crashes programs, loses information during crashes, and messes up all the time, I'm still able to blog this worthless entry.  And while our TV is 9 years old and the size and weight of a small bear (yes, I've actually weighed a small bear) and remarkably is not a flat-screen, it still functions and we're able to waste time in front of it.  All that being said, I'm beginning to shop for both items for when we have secured a position where they are affordable.  I'm doing a lot of future purchasing research.  I only know a few people with the new nice "t.v.'s" and most people I know use laptops, now, and I want a desktop, so I must open this query of mine to even a few more people than those I see daily (or at all).
    First, the computer.  My 4 year old Dell is a Pentium 4 Dual 3.0MGHz, 512MB Ram, and 160GB hard drive.  For now, we've invested in some upgrades of sorts.  First, I'm installing two 1GB sticks of Ram to increase my speed some three-fold, hopefully.  Then, we also invested in a 1TB external hard drive.  After everything is moved from the desktop to the external drive and the Ram is installed, I plan to restore the computer to the original factory settings and start from scratch; getting rid of all the stupid problems and programs we never use anymore and don't realize they are running and eating up our memory.
    However, what if I were to invest in a new computer in the next six months or year?  Hopefully this new Ram and restoration will improve the performance of our machine, but we know a new machine within the next year is our goal.  We simply want to avoid any further problems as the computer and parts being to age and wear; especially because all our family photos are stored on these blasted machines.  Since we are shopping, what are the good computers to buy?  What does one look for when shopping?  What is important for the uses of our family?  There are so many different things out there—AMD, Intel, Celluron, SATA, expandable to 8MB Ram, 64-bit Vista OS, Windows XP OS, on board video-cards, tv tuners, blu ray players, DVD recorders, etc., etc., etc.,—and I don't know what is hype, what is brand recognition/price, or any of that.
    Here's where I am, so far.  Assuming I stay PC and don't go Mac, I want a sturdy foundation of:

1.     Intel Core 2 Quad 2.4GHz or faster
2.     500GB or more hard drive
3.     512MG Ram of video memory (for digital photos and videos), though I can settle for 256MB
4.     4GB of memory (hopefully with the ability to expand to 8, though it isn't necessary)
5.     Windows Vista 64-bit (so I can access the 4GB of Ram)

    That type of system (assuming it isn't utterly outdated in six months or a year) is that on which I want to build.  So, what is a good PC desktop within a $600 budget (give or take $100)?  I do not need a monitor or printer.  But do I need HDMI inputs if I plan on getting a new TV?  Do I need firewire ports?  What brands are reliable?  Who sells these types of machines more cheaply than others?  Should I got to an AMD or Celluron to cut down on cost and spend money in other places?  Is a Dual Core as bood as the 2 Quad, at least for the purposes of home use?  Should I not worry about the above "foundational specs"?  We cannot afford Mac, so don't even suggest that.  Something close to what I imagined buying would be this HP model from Circuit City.
    As for televisions, I think I know what to look for, but I'm not sure of the importance of some technical specs.  The base specs of the television for which I'm shopping are:

1.     LCD flat pannel
2.     120Hz
3.     1080p
4.     40" or more
5.     PC input
6.     USB port
7.     Good dynamic ratio

    So, what else should I be looking for?  I want to spend around $1,500 (give or take $100), but even less if I can.  But do I trust the cheaper brands?  Should I stick with Samsung and Sony?  What about LG and Sharp?  What other bells and whistles would a TV need in order to work more intimately and in unison with our new home PC desktop?  Should I be worried about the interuse of the two machines?  Again, assuming such technological attributes are not utterly outdated in 6 or 12 months' time, here is an example of the type of television, a Samsung tv, we're considering purchasing.
    Any suggestions, advice, corrections, etc., are welcomed.  These are big investments, and I don't want to simply throw away my money.

 

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