The New TV

 

Empty TV Box in Garage
Tequesta, FL
March 19, 2026

We finally decided to purchase the new TV we have been looking at for months. Having been tracking the price from a number of outlets, I was finally presented with a really good deal and we, to use an expression, "pulled the trigger."

What is the feature of the new TV we are most excited about? It has anti-glare technology. We will no longer have to watch TV while trying to avoid or look through the glare from the lights or windows!

But I'm not writing about the TV search and the purchase, it is about what happened after the monster was delivered.

We upgraded to a 65-inch class and were not fully prepared for the size. Fortunately, Chris was available to help move the TV from the box to the blanket covered kitchen table where the assembly process was completed.

So what did we experience during the installation process? First-off the instructions, suck!. They were all images and did not explain what the parts were or where they should be installed. The drawings were not very helpful and required a lot of interpretation. It was a real problem when I had options.

Newly Installed TV on the Wall
Tequesta, FL
March 19, 2026

Second the new wall mount, which was purchased separately, was also a disaster. The assortment of bolts to support installation did not contain one of the perfect length for the TV and even building the spacers up, there were not enough washers of the correct diameter to properly secure the mount to the TV frame. I had to go to Ace Hardware for additional washers (4/$.45). I had wanted to get bolts of the correct length, but they did not have them. It wasn't the money, it was the wasted time divining a plan that really bugged me. In the end, it worked and I was able to secure the mount to the frame in preparation for wall mounting.

But wait, there's more! 

When it came time to actually place the TV on the wall, I realized that I could not ask Chris to help because the TV is large, awkward to handle, and heavier than I could reasonably expect her to sling around. Fortunately, I was able to phone a friend who came to the rescue. Thanks Cody! 

The wall-mounting process actually went very well, we only had to change the height of the TV on the mount once! I had done a great job affixing the wall portion of the mount and leveling it!

But then came the final assault on the new TV--getting all of the streaming services working and understanding how the new TV works. 

Of course, now there is a game of musical TVs. I was confronted with the conundrum of which older TV to replace with the one that formerly was in the location of the new one. I put it in our bedroom with the intention of moving the one to replace the very old and small TV on the veranda, but Chris informed me this morning that the TV now in the bedroom is too big (it is a 55-inch) and she wants the old 41-inch TV reinstalled. Ugh! My roll down plan is officially trashed. The good news is that I had not yet performed the remove-and-replace operation on the veranda.

As an added benefit, today I get to take the packing materials to the recycling center. They are too large for the regular pick-up and I want them out of the garage!

I am looking forward to veggie-ing in front of the new TV this morning. And since baseball season is upon us, Go O's and Arundel High!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL