$3,500 to buy TV's for 9 classrooms... should I just get 3 32" LCD's?

Question

I was going to get 27" and mount them but tube TV's are so close to being phased out. This way teacher's could hook their computers up to them. THE DOWN SIDE... the teachers are too technology illiterate to understand how to operate the LCD's. Strange but true. How would you use the money to supply Televisions to various classrooms?

Answer 1

How do 3 TVs fit into 9 classrooms.

Is that what they call "NEW MATH!"

Angle of view.

A very important issue.

Care.

Breakdowns.

Warranty

Installation factors.

Have you explored big screen projection.

What about Big screen CRT, it is the most reliable.

CRTs last for a good 5 to 10 years.

There are a lot of factors here

A movie on a 40" or 50" beaded projection screen works for 40 - 50 students in an average classroom

What is your angle of view.

What is the drop off at the sides.

This is why I once again get to big screen projection

DIGITAL MOVIES are starting to take hold.

It's expensive, but it seems to work in a "standard movie theater" which is a lot like a school auditorium.

A flat white screen

A two megapixel RGB projection system, this is what THEATERS are using.

If you are going with 32 inch, that can be direct view CRT and they are not that expensive.

What are they, $500 each.

It's gotta be digital and have A/D converters

It's gotta be what's it called ASTRA or whatever it is, with Y Cr Cb and S-Video and Composite LR audio

Think this carefully, get demonstratioins and SIT ALL OVER THE PLACE

Sit front far LEFT, right

BACK far LEFT RIGHT

Then sit Center

Answer 2

I have my MA in Educational Technology, and teach 8th grade as well. I'd say go for the tube TV's for the 9 classrooms. Even though they are phasing out slowly, there will be tube TV's around for the next 20 years or so, and the technology to utilize them in the classroom (VCR's, DVD players). [JUst think of how long film and slide projectors have hung around - education isn't always on the very cutting edge of technology, mostly because we have to save as much money as possible]. As for using the LCD's as computer monitors, I'm sure you know several companies that make converter boxes that allow a computer image to be transmitted via a regular TV screen. These boxes can be had for pretty cheap (I'm thinking under $50 a unit).

I completely understand your issue with the technological incompetence of some teachers - it wasn't too long ago that our building was just like that. However, most all of those teachers have retired in the past few years, and the vast majority of us are pretty tech-savvy anymore. On that point, it wouldn't really matter if the teacher could use the viewing device as a computer monitor, as it's most likely they wouldn't use it anyway.

Bottom line: use the money in a way that will positively impact the most children. Get the 9 TV's.

Answer 3

I would go door to door to different suppliers (like walmart) until I found one who would donate the tvs for the tax credit.

Then I'd spend the money on something important. Like books.

Answer 4

LCD's would not be a good choice. If you are off to the side the image will not be all that clear.