Are you HDTV ready? Plus, in defense of tubes

There were numerous responses to my wife Amy’s e-mail request that I get rid of all my equipment boxes that pile up in our home.

I received a number of e-mails like this one from :

Hey Gary, if that is the way you regularly talk to your wife, she should not worry so much about getting the boxes out of your house but instead she should focus on divorcing you and getting you out of the house!

Or this response from Judy Urbanick of Gainesville, GA:

I would suggest that you keep all of those boxes a while longer because you may need to use them to sleep in outside.

But the best response comes from George Fassett, Sr. of Forth Worth, Texas who just happens to work for Radio Shack. He gives some very, very good advice:

Actually, there is value to saving the boxes. Should you have to transport or return the item, the box is a protective agent for the item as it’s built to protect it. Many retailers won’t take returns without the original boxes; primarily for the UPC code — they can’t get RMA credit (Return Materials Authorization) from the manufacturer if returned without the original UPC code and packaging, so retailers will refuse returns if they’re going to get stuck with used equipment they can’t likewise return.

Also, many boxes have the serial numbers of the equipment printed on them; if not, it’s a good idea to write them on the box. Thieves love to steal electronics; easily hock-able or saleable for drug money. YOUR equipment can’t be traced or found if you don’t have record of the serial nos. Thieves steal equipment, not boxes; the boxes are your proof of ownership to the police and also to pawn shops where many items end up. 

Lastly, in haste you toss out a box and don’t realize a widget or certain important part is wedged in the foam packing and toss it out as well, and many times is not replaceable and you’re stuck with a non-performing unit because you tossed out some of it, or certain features can’t be used because of it.

Save your boxes; save the packing; save the instructions and warranty cards and put serial nos. on the boxes and even a separate record also. Otherwise, you could just throw out your money and skip the unit and box.

Finally, HJ Russo of Portland, OR asks:

Why not use your body as an antenna? It works with TV reception. Is this a possibility?

I believe that you should get a proper antenna for each and every device that needs one.  Proper antennas are usually made of a metal rod or wire that is cut to the exact length for receiving radio/TV signals. There are scientific formulas to determine the best antenna construction for each receiving situation. Improper antennas actually can degrade the signal you receive.

As for using your body as antenna, it's not a very good conductor of radio waves so you wouldn’t make a very good antenna in the long run. For people without cable or satellite service, I suggest a high quality indoor or, even better, outdoor antenna for the best reception.

If you are going to use your body as an antenna I recommend keeping out of the rain, snow and especially during lightning storms.

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