milwaukee_mike

Hi all,

I am hoping to step up from a 15 year old 27" console tv to my first RPTV and am thinking of purchasing a Toshiba 46h83 hdtv ready rptv this week, but I have some worries about having kids around this type of t.v.

Are the screens very delicate or susceptable to scratching?

I have a 11 month old daughter (my first kid) and I worry that rough play or just her learning to walk and grabbing at the screen could cause issues.

Are todays RPTV's more durable. I noticed that this t.v. comes with a "protective screen". Is this something that will need to be replaced with time and if so, how pricey are replacements?

I've heard of mounting plexiglass over the screen using velcro around the console. Is this still a suggestion with modern RPTV's?

Thanks!

tonyc3742

I have no idea how much it costs to replace the 'protective screen' but my TV did come with one, and I'm glad it did. My little boy [15 months old] was in the habit of touching the old tv and pointing at Dora or whatever, and when he got excited he'd smack it with his palms. Didn't mind on the old tube tv, but it gives me a heartattack when he does it to this one. And even worse when he's carrying a toy around. So far he hasn't scratched it, he's smudged it pretty good, but we just clean it off and of course are using this opportunity to teach him 'NO!' but it's a long process.

Re: plexiglass/velcro--I have no personal experience with that, but it seems to me you'd want to go ahead and spend the money to get an 'official' protector; it would fit better, probably be warrantied, and it would have the best glare protection.

You may want to put something in front of the tv, like a low table or something, to try to block her off. One other thing to worry about, she'll get to the stage where she likes buttons--my boy goes up to the tv, doesn't hit the screen as much, but hits the buttons, include Power; I read in the manual it's bad to go On/Off/On/Off, you need to let it 'cool down' or 'warm up' or something.

Minor Threat

I bought a 60" Mitsubishi and when I was haggling the price got the salesman to throw the screen protector in with the deal. I have a two-year old and I'm certainly glad I did. You can throw a baseball against the protector and it doesn't do a thing to it........and yes, this was from experience.

Josh H

Man, everyday my list of reasons for not wanting kids gets longer.

chipmac

Man how old is that TV? Mits has been selling their TVs with the shield for the last several years.

Minor Threat

It's 2 years old, and it sounds like the salesman got one over on me.....he explained to me that they were $250.00, but I told him I wasn't going to buy it without it, so he "generously" threw it in.

I didn't really research anything when I bought it, I just knew I wanted big and Mitsubishi.....

tonyc3742

Ah, but watching my boy dance to the Wiggles is about one of the cutest things I've ever seen. He's 15.3 months old, you know.

But just in general, this falls under a 'better safe than sorry' type thing. Especially with kids, but also just in any household--maybe the vacuum handle doesn't stay, and it drops toward the tv, for instance.

Draven

I was going to go with an unprotected Panasonic. The lack of glare was really appealing to me. But I'm glad I decided on my 50" Toshiba with a built-in protection screen, since I'm sure my new son will give it a few whacks when he gets old enough to move around on his own.

NikePenguin

One of the funniest pics I have seen at www.avsforum.com was a Phillips LCOS owner (IRC). He had built a little wall (semipermanent and attractive) around the set so that it was out of reach of his toddler. His son was in the pic too, showing how he was not able to reach it. Priceless!

NikePenguin

Here is a link to the pic I mentioned above. I guess I did not recall the correct details.
Link to childproof RPTV

Josh H

Not a bad idea, but doesn't solve the problem of kids throwing things.

Cusm

That is where your hand and their butt fits into the equation.

Shannon Nutt

Some company out there needs to combine the protection screen with bug zapper technology. Then if some little kid, wife, or mother-in-law touches your $3000 widescreen TV - ZAP! - about 1000 volts of pure electricity!!!

Hee hee hee!

Of course, ideas like these are probably the reasons I spend my nights alone...

JimRochester

No offense but yes he did.

I also got the Mitsubishi a couple years ago. My kids are teenagers but we have three nephews and nieces under four year old. Good thing we had it, the first thing the kids do is touch at the screen. Hitting it with the toy in their hand is an added touch. Followed by the fight between the parents over how to handle it.

Will you watch the kids??
You need to be more patient!
They're hitting the TV.
Well you can't just yell at them!!



You get my point.

Josh H

Doesn't do much good after there's a corvette hot wheels shaped whole in your screen.