haven't had time to read all of the thread, but we like a few on here, only use the tv as a way of watching dvds. I feel that, for us, this is the best of both worlds. I need to unwind in front of the tv sometimes, but have a tendency to be a bit of a couch potato if we have straight tv, so we've been like this for about 8 years. Means we can 'veg' and watch a dvd if ds is feeling poorly or really tired, but none of us are tied to it, in a way that seems to happen all too easily when it's just a case of pushing a button.
I used to give private music lessons in peoples homes, and it used to drive me mad when people expected you to carry on a music lesson with the tv just squatting there in the corner, blaring away, unchecked.
Even my best mate seems oblivious to it, and will sit there almost shouting conversation at me over a blaring tele....aarrrrgghhhh!