Telly?

[Pford75]

Joce,

I'm in the 'controlled viewing' camp....I do believe that as a family, we have to decide which dross we allow to filter it's way through into our home. I realise it may not be the popular view on here, but (assuming you have HD satellite or freeview) there is quite a large range of quality programming. I'm not going to do a sales job, but the Sky Arts, Film 4, BBC 4 and Discovery channels do have some good programming.

Aside from broadcast, until you have watched the entire 'Planet Earth' series on blu-ray, you haven't experienced our planet at it's most beautiful (I truly astounding watch).

Anyway...back to your question. I agree with you that many TVs, dvds, stereos etc. are ugly and their cables are even worse. If you really want to splash out...then you could do worse than consider these people http://www.dannantiques.com/category.asp?catcode=68. They will bespoke manufacture to your requirements as well. I tend to think that some of the full height cabinets look a bit 'hotel room' and that a smaller chest would do the job without dominating the room.

It's what we are currently planning for our morning room....but have to finish the dining room first

 

[JohnB]

If I want to know what the future Prime Minister looks like, I'm sure there will be a picture somewhere on the internet! Unless a miracle happens, I won't have voted for him anyway!

My argument is more about the psychological damage it does to delicate humans, rather the the problems of finding a suitable location that doesn't spoil the appearance of a period house. It's just not worth it. The system is trying to control you and keep you in your place. You spend your days working to pay for the evil box, and the house to put it in, then spend your nights staring at the thing being "re-educated". If you stick a needle in your arm or take pills to numb the pain of life, there are places you can go to get help with your addiction, but if your drug of choice sits in the corner of your living room, you just have to fight it on your own. There are those of us who have got through it, and there's an amazing world out there, where there's no Rover's Return, overpaid over hyped celebrities, and no multi-national companies brain washing you into buying their latest useless tat .

 

[Pford75]

It is possible to have a drink without becoming an alcoholic, to have a smoke without becoming addicted to nicotine or other substances and I can assure you it is possible to watch TV programmes without becoming addicted to them or sliding into celeb-watch.

I have never watched a single 'soap' or episode of 'big brother' and I have learnt a great deal from the programmes I have watched (as well as being entertained).

There are some truly awful books published, by your argument....one should never venture into a library.

 

[Nigel Watts]

The question is how much restarint can you exercise? If the answer is not much, then the solution might be either not to get one, or to put it somewhere a little uncomfortable. Ice cream, good cheese and nice homemade bread are things I find irresistable, especially if I get up in the middle of the night, so I try to limit my consumption by restricting how much I buy, or (if it's for the kids) by buying flavours they like more than I do.

 

[MdB]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AqIxWTc6f0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2eRmbID0_M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WufyTO4UjTA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSmgd9PBJOc

 

[Juju]

Unfortunately I can't avoid the probable next prime minister as I live in his home constituency...

When we moved into our house 3 years ago, we couldn't get any signal on our telly and it was really liberating not having one. We still watched DVDs/videos occasionally though. Even when it was working after a few weeks, I was too busy unpacking to watch it. Now however, I'm back to wasting hours watching stuff instead of getting on with decorating or catching up with work. BBC iplayer is another source of wasting time too - I think I've been working all day and then I remember I've been at my desk catching up with missed programmes!

I'd love to have the will power to get rid of a lot of technology in the house but the kids would riot. What we won't allow though is TVs & computers in the kids' bedrooms and because we've stuck to our guns, they actually read books in bed before going to sleep.

So, actually Joce your post has made me introduce yet another New Year's resolution - less telly.

 

[essexbearhunter]

Joce,
Anyway...back to your question. I agree with you that many TVs, dvds, stereos etc. are ugly and their cables are even worse. If you really want to splash out...then you could do worse than consider these people http://www.dannantiques.com/category.asp?catcode=68. They will bespoke manufacture to your requirements as well. I tend to think that some of the full height cabinets look a bit 'hotel room' and that a smaller chest would do the job without dominating the room.

It's what we are currently planning for our morning room....but have to finish the dining room first

Bargain Hunt (repeat)earlier this week had a perfect candidate for the Dannantiques treatment - a 19th cent chest of drawers commode**.
Often nicely crafted to fit in with drawing room furniture - and needing too much work to convert them from faux chest of drawers into a real one, they are -according to Colin Young- difficult to sell (and, therefore, cheap to buy). The largely open space inside them would require very little reworking to house a flat screen TV and give additional storage.

** Not to be confused with a French serpentine fronted or bombé commode which has nothing to do with relieving oneself.

 

[JoceAndChris]

What a lovely fullsome response, thankyou so much.

I really do see both sides of the argument, and knowing my own addictive personality think I probably would read less and watch more carp. (and Nigel I completely agree with you about home-made bread, good cheese and ice-cream too.)

Living here I rarely get to look at people. I think it might actually be healthy for me to see people other than my immediate family. You're all excellent company but in the main you're just disembodied voices you know! When I go to London now my senses are completely overwhelmed by all the faces and bodies, I can scarcely breathe.

Aside from broadcast, until you have watched the entire 'Planet Earth' series on blu-ray, you haven't experienced our planet at it's most beautiful (I truly astounding watch)

Yes, I completely agree, I haven't seen it in "blu-ray" but we do have those DVDs and they're extraordinary- they make you feel it really is a privilege to be born in this time and have the opportunity to see parts of the world that can only be accessed by highly specialist equipment and crews of experts to use it.

If you really want to splash out...then you could do worse than consider these people http://www.dannantiques.com/category.asp?catcode=68.

Fantastic stuff, if only we had the budget!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AqIxWTc6f0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2eRmbID0_M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WufyTO4UjTA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSmgd9PBJOc

:lol: :lol: :lol: So inventive and amusing, but I wonder how that would work with the 18thC mood I'm trying to create?

Don't forget that it's possible to buy a flat screen with no TV receiver, so you could still use a Playstation but not be tempted to watch broadcast television (so no licence either). Just a thought.

I hadn't really thought about that- thanks.

Once again it appears that chucking money at the problem of the ugly TV next to the fireplace makes it go away, but as usual we have no budget and will have to make do with my brother's old, enormous TV for some time yet. I like the ideas mentioned by Joss to try to disguise it a bit. I also have a horror of the black boxes Joss, and though some may laugh, would prefer to look at something like this http://www.predicta.com/princess.shtml

Americans have got the retro market covered!

 

[JoceAndChris]

Sorry to JohnB, I see it's attributed PFord's suggestion to him and I don't think you'd approve JohnB!

Each to their own.

 

[wobs]

I don't know what most politicians look like, but if their appearance is as revolting as their actions, I'm glad I don't :lol:.

Well there was that tory chap who's name sounds like Portaloo, on telly tonight admiring Hull's and Bridlington's stations,

Would that be the same Portaloo who
a: on Monday's programme couldn't tell the difference between the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board building and the Liver Building? and
b: was part of the government that sold the railways off and made them worse than they already were?

Perhaps he thinks that irony is kind of like ironing.

 

[Nigel Watts]

Personally I am not keen on the idea of converting antiques into cupboards for storing TVs and other modern gagetry, but if one is going to do it, a nice antique linen press might be an option, such as the one I bought at auction a year or two ago:

Originally these would have had sliding shelves behind the doors, but they are often converted into hanging cupboards with a rail, or given shelves for TVs etc. They are very cheap for what they are because the hanging space is not long enough to form a proper wardrode (gents jackets wont fit). If they are pretty, which I think this one is, they can sell at auction for over £1,000 but most sell for significantly less than this.

Mine has a modern hanging rail, but judging from the holes drilled in the back it must have been used for TV or something similar in the past (the bottom right corner of the left of the door is badly broken - and then poorly repaired - suggesting it was forced open - perhaps by a burglar getting at the electronic goods inside). I use it in my dressing room to store clothes.

 

[JoceAndChris]

That's a stunning piece and yes, would convert very well!

 

[JohnB]

Sorry to JohnB, I see it's attributed PFord's suggestion to him and I don't think you'd approve JohnB!

Each to their own.

Perhaps he thinks that irony is kind of like ironing.

Ironing! What's that? I did find a strange looking device that I believe might be an iron when I got my stuff out of store, but I've got no idea what you do with it!

What really upsets me is that there's no DAB radio signal at my new house, so no BBC7 or Planet Rock

 

[essexbearhunter]

Personally I am not keen on the idea of converting antiques into cupboards for storing TVs and other modern gagetry, but if one is going to do it, a nice antique linen press might be an option, such as the one I bought at auction a year or two ago:
They are very cheap for what they are because the hanging space is not long enough to form a proper wardrode (gents jackets wont fit). If they are pretty, which I think this one is, they can sell at auction for over £1,000 but most sell for significantly less than this.

From memory the 19th cent. commode in the form of a chest of drawers sold for £30 -£40.
Whilst in no way matching your extremely handsome linen press, it was a relatively low and delicate piece (not one of the thumping great ugly late Victorian bedroom ones). The top hinged up, taking the upper two mock drawer fronts with it , so that the original design could be fully retained and respected whist still housing the flat screen. That's what I call a BARGAIN !

 

[Penners]

In our last house, there was a cupboard beside the fireplace. I adapted this by building in a platform that sat on heavy-duty drawer-runners. You could open the cupboard door and pull the TV out just far enough for it to be comfortably watched from anywhere in the room.

Our "new" house doesn't have such a cupboard, so I'm going to construct one next to the fireplace. The cupboard wall will appear to be part of the room, and will have an ordinary panelled door in it. It will be just deep enough to hold the flat-panel TV plus set-top box (why are they always called "set-top"? I bet nobody puts them on top of the TV set). So to watch TV you'll just have to open the door.

This arrangement ensures that you don't have the big, black "eye" sitting in the corner of the room the whole time. It also enables you to adopt an intellectually superior stance and pretend that you don't have a TV.

"It's all such rubbish. We much prefer to play Mah-Jong or read a spot of Beaudelaire."


:wink:

 

[essexbearhunter]

Penners:

We much prefer to play Mah-Jong

I visited Eltham Palace recently - where the Courtaulds liked to play with Mah-jongg (their ring-tailed lemur, that they bought at Harrods in 1923). :lol:

More usefully however, in the Library there, Stephen Courtauld had his collection of watercolours which were mounted in alcoves on the wall and protected by vertical wooden shutters which rose up to cover them.
The shutters originally had less-light sensitive framed woodcuts, engravings & etchings mounted on them giving a "two walls for the space of one " experience, similar to that achieved by John Soane.

The same technique (also seen in loads of spy films) could be used to conceal a flat-screen TV ....or your plans for world domination!

 

[JoceAndChris]

I'd like a ring-tailed lemur.

it was a relatively low and delicate piece (not one of the thumping great ugly late Victorian bedroom ones). The top hinged up, taking the upper two mock drawer fronts with it , so that the original design could be fully retained and respected whist still housing the flat screen. That's what I call a BARGAIN !

That really does sound very good indeed, much better than our current arrangement, which I will photograph so you can all see what I'm moaning about. The antique centres around here- Hemswell, Horncastle, Newark, are absolutely excellent and full of bargains too. Whilst I lack the skills to attempt such a conversion, I can't imagine it would be a vastly expensive job to get a local carpenter to do it. So I'll be looking out for something appropriate this year, thanks!

Our "new" house doesn't have such a cupboard, so I'm going to construct one next to the fireplace. The cupboard wall will appear to be part of the room, and will have an ordinary panelled door in it. It will be just deep enough to hold the flat-panel TV plus set-top box (why are they always called "set-top"? I bet nobody puts them on top of the TV set). So to watch TV you'll just have to open the door.

When you do get round to this, could you post pics of the project? It would be wonderful to see it!

"It's all such rubbish. We much prefer to play Mah-Jong or read a spot of Beaudelaire."

:lol: I like that a lot!

 

[Moo]

Joce, if you ask him nicely I'm sure he'd love to construct one for you. For a man of his calibre it would only be an afternoon's work.

 

[LadyArowana]

I'd like a ring-tailed lemur.

Joce, if you ask him nicely I'm sure he'd love to construct one for you. For a man of his calibre it would only be an afternoon's work.

:shock:

 

[Penners]

Unfortunately, it's a well-known fact that the construction of a ring-tailed lemur requires (among other high-precision machines) a lathe - all those rings, don't y'know. I have a decent selection of woodworking machines, but I still lack a lathe - mainly due to lack of space for it.

And Joce, touching though Moo's faith in my constructional alacrity may be, I've allocated more like a month for the TV "closet" job here. A week to think about it, a week to measure up and buy materials (plus a fair bit of displacement activity), a total of a week to faff around on PPUK and a week to actually do the work.

So unless you're prepared to have a shifty old codger hanging around your gaff for a month, testing your culinary skills and your wine cellar to the maximum, I'd recommend your dad for that job.

I'll certainly post pics when I've done ours, but don't hold your breath. Every time Mrs P passes anywhere near the worklist, other jobs seem to leapfrog their way up the list.