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Original poster

AIBU about getting a massive TV?

94 replies

MerryMarigold · 27/12/2022 12:51

Dh just celebrated his 50th. He got lots of money and wants to spend it on a TV. Ours is old (about 15 years) but functional (it is a flat screen!). I said it was a good idea to get a new one...but he's been looking at 65". I said it sounded big and he says we'll our current one is 40". I got the measuring tape out and 65" is massive. I also measured ours and it's 32". A huge one won't fit in the space we currently use so we'll have to move stuff around considerably as it's currently in a nook. Aside from that I feel a bit embarrassed. Our 2 closest friends with families don't even have a TV (through choice) but I just feel a massive TV which the house revolves around is not the impression I want to give of my family (it's in the main room of the house - open plan- you need to walk past it to get anywhere else in the house). Is that really snobby? At the same time, he is the one who watches TV not me and it's his birthday money.

At the moment I'm saying nothing other than I think he should stick to his birthday money budget (the TV he wanted, a Samsung 65" was almost double the budget) so he can either get a cheaper brand or a smaller TV. Should I shut up and just let him get a massive one?

OP posts:
GreenLunchBox · 27/12/2022 13:40

A big TV is ideal in a big open plan room. You said it's too big for the space though, so that is a bit silly.

It really depends on the distance you will be viewing the screen from. The technical info usually explains this

Floralnomad · 27/12/2022 13:40

Our main Tv is a 50 , I refuse to go any bigger than that as I don’t want a TV that looks like the main focus of the room

namechange3394 · 27/12/2022 13:41

Is it 32 inches diagonally? I'm just wondering if you're measuring wrong and that's why he thinks it's 40 but you think it's 32! TVs are measured diagonally.

Our main TV is 58 inches and it's pretty massive.

That said, why are you prioritising what people who don't live in your house think over what the people who live in the house would like?

MotherOfCrocodiles · 27/12/2022 13:42

I think you both have to agree on the layout and feel of your living space. If you don't want the room dominated by the tv say so.

For what it's worth we have a 27" one and given the amount of Time it is playing Mr Bean, I think it is quite big enough

Nat6999 · 27/12/2022 13:52

Look on Richer Sounds, all their TV's have a free 6 year warranty & are usually cheaper than most other shops.

SamphirethePogoingStickerist · 27/12/2022 13:52

You've measured or horizontally, I think.

TVs are sized diagonally. That's why your tv measured smaller than it is.

That said, that's a big telly he's decided on!

MintyPrincess · 27/12/2022 13:56

We've just got a 65inch and tbf I'm glad we did its really good

Francisca459 · 27/12/2022 13:58

I know what you mean OP. We don't have televisions in the house. They are ugly suck the energy out of rooms and people. Life is so much happier since getting rid of them a decade ago. When I see a massive TV bolted to a living room wall and big couches all around it, I think of people just slobbing about staring at the thing instead of doing real stuff. I read Farenheit 451 a long time ago, and I see TV in a different way than I used to!

HassallGreen · 27/12/2022 14:02

Wow, what a snobby and judgemental thread, who cares what size TV anyone else has?

Love my 75" 😄

VioletLemon · 27/12/2022 14:03

Think you're overly worried about what others will think, "creating impression" etc. I get you not wanting life to revolve round massive TV. Bear in mind you'll need a large room to really get the benefit of a massive TV. You need to be sitting quite far back to see it properly. I've got a 50 one in a big room and it's seems enormous. It's brilliant fun, like being at movies. DP is massive TV daft though and there are everywhere, which I do find annoying, also a distraction. One huge TV won't kill you if you're happy to let him choose but I wouldn't spend more than he's got. No way would I buy a Samsung, go for the spec on the TV an unknown brand, exactly same components but better value.

frankiegoestohollywood · 27/12/2022 14:03

Why not if it’s in budget.

we have a 75” in the family room, a 50” in our bedroom and both kids have 32” in their bedrooms. We like tv 😅

Almost everyone I know has the same or bigger.

JaninaDuszejko · 27/12/2022 14:07

Francisca459 · 27/12/2022 13:58

I know what you mean OP. We don't have televisions in the house. They are ugly suck the energy out of rooms and people. Life is so much happier since getting rid of them a decade ago. When I see a massive TV bolted to a living room wall and big couches all around it, I think of people just slobbing about staring at the thing instead of doing real stuff. I read Farenheit 451 a long time ago, and I see TV in a different way than I used to!

And yet you're on social media which is generally considered far more addictive than watching TV.

Twilightstarbright · 27/12/2022 14:17

I love our giant tv. It’s not a secret that
we watch tv and it’s much more enjoyable than squinting at a tiny tv.

I’m a big football fan and it’s brilliant to watch on a 60 inch screen.

SamphirethePogoingStickerist · 27/12/2022 14:18

Francisca459 · 27/12/2022 13:58

I know what you mean OP. We don't have televisions in the house. They are ugly suck the energy out of rooms and people. Life is so much happier since getting rid of them a decade ago. When I see a massive TV bolted to a living room wall and big couches all around it, I think of people just slobbing about staring at the thing instead of doing real stuff. I read Farenheit 451 a long time ago, and I see TV in a different way than I used to!

That's nice dear.

Tell me, how do you feel about the device you connect to the internet?

If you haven't thought about it then you need to read that book again?

Reallybadidea · 27/12/2022 14:19

There is absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying watching TV. It's really sad that you are worried about what your friends would think. Do you think that them not having a TV makes them "better" than you in some way? Or at least think they think they're better iyswim?

The only judgement I make about TV watching is PIL not turning it off when people are visiting, because that's bad manners.

whirlyhead · 27/12/2022 14:22

Our biggest room has a 75” tv in it. It’s great for watching programmes like strictly and Wimbledon on. But you really do have to have a large room for a TV that size.

JaninaDuszejko · 27/12/2022 14:29

For future reference the TV snobbery hierarchy:

  1. No TV
  2. Massive screen in dedicated cinema room in basement (drawing room upstairs with no TV)
  3. One small stylish TV (preferably The Frame or The Serif) in sitting room
  4. Large TV in den/snug/playroom/family room, small TV in sitting room
  5. TVs in bedrooms
SamphirethePogoingStickerist · 27/12/2022 14:41

You forgot the additional ick of wall mounts, swinging brackets 🙂

HowVeryLikeSibella · 27/12/2022 14:44

What you need OP is a small selection of World Cinema DVDs from the Curzon/BFI collections (charity shops should be able to provide an appropriate selection), and a few select monographs on the work of Francois Truffaut on the book case in the living room. Then when a visitor is coming to call you can put the case of Rashomon casually askew in front of the telly, leave a copy of Sight and Sound open on the coffee table and everyone's happy.

JaninaDuszejko · 27/12/2022 14:49

@SamphirethePogoingStickerist and @HowVeryLikeSibella some very good points there. Loving the idea of a stunt DVD.

SwedishEdith · 27/12/2022 14:50

Tricky because he's using his birthday money on something you all can't avoid (good and bad about that depending on pov). I think if it's too big for the room, it's a no though. Am just looking at tvs and you can get 86" ones now - would need a enormous room for those.

fancyacuppatea · 27/12/2022 14:55

Ours is playing up - it keeps turning itself off or refusing to turn on (it's not the remote or batteries).
It's nearly 10 (march - was my 1st WA gift to DH) and I want a bigger one as my eyes are shot and I can't see very clearly.
I also want to move it from the front of the living room (near the window) to the back (where the armchair lives).
That means getting a person in to put a new aerial up/cabling etc., buying a new stand and replacing the sofa and armchair with 2 new sofas...not a cheap exercise!
I'm hoping to go from 42" to pos 58" hopefully that's big enough.👀
Have you looked at Currys website - they've a guide for how big the screen needs to be against how far away you sit.

BrokenWing · 27/12/2022 14:56

YANBU to not want a 65" TV if it takes up the entire room and costs double his budget.

YABVU to not want it because you are worried of the impression it gives friends who do no have TVs at all. Do you think they worry about the impression they give others because they don't have a TV? Or do you think not having a TV makes them superior parents in some way?

July70 · 27/12/2022 14:57

Please buy a quality tv if its a cheap 65 inch tv the picture will be rubbish.

user16539865 · 27/12/2022 14:57

Depends on your room size, we can only have max 50" as it sits in alcove next to chimney breast and I don't really want on above the fireplace so really it depends on your space