On sale for just $170 (that’s 15% off), the TLC 32S305 32-inch “Smart” TV is the perfect size for a bedroom, office or anyone who doesn’t want their HDTV to be the focal point of their living room.

This 720p HD “smart” TV boasts an easy-to-use interface and built-in Wi-Fi, meaning you don’t need a separate device to stream shows and movies from the likes of Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and HBO. The included mobile app makes it easy to find great stuff to watch, while the TLC’s digital tuner lets you plug in an antenna for free over-the-air channels.

Check out the TLC 32S305 32-inch “Smart” TV on Amazon!

If you buy something through our Deals posts, we may earn some money. Thanks for the support! Also, keep in mind that the best deals sell out quickly, discount codes eventually expire, and sale prices may change without notice.

The post Put this 32-inch “smart” HDTV in your bedroom for just $170 appeared first on here's the thing.

The Teorder RCA to HDMI Converter ($16 during today’s Amazon’s “Lightning” sale, or a still-reasonable $20 once the sale ends) is easy to use: just plug the composite-video cable and RCA audio cables from your VCR into one end of the converter, then plug an HDMI cable from your HDTV into the other end. The result: you’ll be able to play tapes from your VHS collection on your new HDTV, even if it’s a fancy 4K model.

Check out the Teorder RCA to HDMI Converter on Amazon!

More: How to connect your old VCR to a new HDTV

If you buy something through our Deals posts, we may earn some money. Thanks for the support!

The post Connect an old VCR to your HDTV with this bargain converter box appeared first on here's the thing.

Just three feet wide and on sale for $180 (the best price I’ve seen for this particular sound bar), the Yamaha YAS-106 is a snap to set up: just plunk it in front of your TV, connect it via HDMI or optical cable, and crank the volume. Thanks to its built-in subwoofer, the YAS-106 doesn’t skimp on the bass, while the Dolby and DTS decoding will make your TV shows and movies sound crystal clear.

Check out the YAS-106 Sound Bar on Amazon!

Read the review: CNET

If you buy something through our Deals posts, we may earn some money. Thanks for the support!

The post This $180 Yamaha all-in-one sound bar has never been cheaper appeared first on here's the thing.

Luckily, there’s an easy way to upgrade the sound in your living room—and no, it doesn’t involve juggling six speakers or stringing yards and yards of cable.

The secret? A soundbar, a long, thin speaker that you can simply place in front of your HDTV (or mount on a wall if you’re feeling ambitious). Connect the soundbar to your HDTV with a single cable, then get ready for lush stereo sound. One of the better options I’ve seen on Amazon: Vizio’s best-selling SB3821-C6, a sleek soundbar with a wireless subwoofer (which adds much-needed oomph to your sound). On sale for $138 (normally $159), the SB3821-C6 makes for one of the cheapest—and easiest—ways to sweeten the sound in your living room.

Check out the Vizio SB3821-C6 soundbar on Amazon!

If you buy something through our Deals posts, we may earn some money. Thanks for the support!

The post Your HDTV’s built-in speakers are terrible; here’s an easy way to upgrade appeared first on here's the thing.

I’m still paying about $55 a month for broadband cable Internet access, mind you, but I turned in my DVR and costly cable TV subscription in favor of Netflix, Amazon Prime, iTunes and other streaming video services. And what about for live network TV, you ask? I get it all for free, over the air, with a handy dandy indoor HDTV antenna like this one.

On sale for $10, the Channel Master Flatenna (which got a nod from The Wirecutter) is a so-called “leaf” antenna, just like the one I use in my Brooklyn basement. Just connect the Channel Master (also available in white) to your HDTV using the included cable, hang the antenna up on a wall or near a window, and after some trial and error (placement and orientation are key when it comes to reception), you’ll start pulling in razor-sharp local HDTV stations.

Check out the Channel Master Flatenna on Amazon!

See also: The Wirecutter’s review of the Channel Master Flatenna

If you buy something through our Deals posts, we may earn some money. Thank you for your support!

The post Cut the cord with this $10 indoor HDTV antenna appeared first on here's the thing.

The $29 Roku Express sits right next to your HDTV and comes with just two ports: one for an HDMI cable that plugs into your TV set, another for power. Once you’ve hooked it up, just connect the Roku Express to your Wi-Fi network, switch your TV to the right video input (like, say, HDMI 1 or HDMI 2), and start streaming shows from the likes of Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, Google Play, and more. Also nice: the easy-to-use remote, which boasts big, bright buttons that send you directly to Netflix, Hulu and other streaming services.

Check out the Roku Express on Amazon!

If you buy something through our Deals posts, we may earn some money. Thank you for your support!

The post Stream TV shows from Netflix, Hulu on your HDTV with this $29 gadget appeared first on here's the thing.

Capable of controlling up to 15 home theater components, the Logitech Harmony Ultimate One IR All In One Remote boasts the usual array of TV remote buttons—you know, Play and Pause, fast-forward and reverse, plus volume and channel buttons—as well as a roomy touchscreen that you can customize however you want.

An online tool holds helps you set up the remote to work with your components, and once you’re done, tapping a single button—such as, say, “Watch Apple TV”—will turn on your TV, switch it to the right input, power up your receiver (if you have one), control the Apple TV interface and let you adjust the volume, all without having to pick up a second remote.

Check out the Logitech Harmony Ultimate One IR All In One Remote on Amazon!

Note: Amazon’s Harmony remote sale ends Monday, December 19, 2016 at 11:59 pm ET.

If you buy something through our Deals posts, we may earn some money. Thank you for your support!

The post Too many TV remotes? Replace them all with this appeared first on here's the thing.

The salesmen told me I’d need an HDMI cable, but they didn’t know the price of the cable or even bother to ask if I had HD service. One salesman didn’t even know what HDMI was. However, his co-worker did. Would I need one for a VCR? Neither of them knew that.

Greetings, and congratulations on surviving the TV department! Sounds like you made it out unscathed, albeit unsatisfied.

A composite video cable, which will connect most VCR players to an HDTV.

Anyway, yes—it is possible to hook up your old VCR player to a new HDTV, even if your VHS deck doesn’t have an HDMI video output (which I’m almost positive it doesn’t, unless you happen to have a newer DVD/VCR combo player).

Note: The following tip deals only with hooking up a VCR to an HDTV for playback only. Want to record, too? Check the “bonus tip” below.

In addition to HDMI inputs (usually labeled “HDMI 1,” “HDMI 2,” etc,), most HDTVs will have at least one set of older video ports (perhaps labeled “Video 1” or something similar) that will work with the vast majority of VCRs.

The most common type of input is called “composite,” and it looks like a small, metal-tipped plug (also known as an “RCA” plug) that should be familiar if you own a home stereo system.

An S-Video cable, which delivers a slightly sharper picture than composite video does.

Another common video input is called “S-Video” (a.k.a. “Super Video”), which comes with a slightly larger plug that has a series of small, delicate-looking pins jutting out of each end.

(Side note: You could also connect your VCR to an HDTV using a coaxial cable, like the one you’d use for a rooftop antenna, but that would involve tuning your HDTV to the right television channel to watch your VCR—pretty annoying, and unnecessary.)

S-Video or composite?

Well, S-Video offers slightly better video quality than a composite video connection, but fewer and fewer HDTVs have S-Video inputs these days. Check the back of your HDTV and VCR, and if you find S-Video connections, great. If not, you’ll have to settle for composite (and to be honest, composite video doesn’t look that much worse than S-Video, so I wouldn’t sweat it).

What about sound?

In addition to composite and/or S-Video inputs and outputs, both your old VCR player and new HDTV should have a set of older, stereo RCA plugs that go with them—one plug (usually red-colored) for the left channel, and a second (typically white) for the right.

S-Video, composite video, and stereo audio inputs on the back of an HDTV.

All you need is a stereo audio cable—which, again, will look familiar to anyone with a home stereo.

Now, when you go HDTV shopping, just make sure the TV set you pick has either an S-Video or composite video input. Remember, you can always ask the sales clerk to show you the back of the set.

What about the cables themselves?

Well, the store may have some for sale, but beware of salespeople hawking overpriced composite cables. Plenty of perfectly good cables are available (both online and in stores) for less than $10 each.

Good luck!

Bonus tip: What about recording with an old VCR?

Hooking up an old VCR player to a new HDTV to watch old VHS tapes is one thing; trying to record with an old VCR is a whole different deal, however.

First of all, your old VCR might not be able to record TV shows at all—not even off an antenna—unless it has a digital TV tuner. If your VCR is more than, say, 10 years old or so, it’ll probably need a DTV converter to receive local TV signals.

Also, even if your VCR can accept a digital TV signal, remember that it can’t record in HD—only SD.

Finally, bad news if you were hoping to record cable TV with your old VCR. The days of getting free, basic-cable TV without a cable box are (alas) mostly over. Sure, you’re welcome to try plugging your cable into the back of your VCR (assuming, again, that your VCR is DTV-ready), but most of the big cable carriers scramble all their channels, including basic-cable channels. And good luck finding a modern cable TV box with VCR-friendly “analog” outputs.

In other words, you’re probably better off recording TV shows with a TiVo (which will work with an over-the-air antenna) or a DVR from your cable company.

The post HDTV tip: How to connect your old VCR player to a new HDTV appeared first on here's the thing.

Hi Dolores! Well, I wish I could tell you there’s a cheap, speedy alternative to your cable company for getting broadband Internet. But if I did, I’d be lying.

Don’t get me wrong; there are, indeed, plenty of alternatives to cable Internet access, but they all come with their own sets of pros and cons.

Let’s take a quick tour—and bear in mind, the following are just the broad strokes of what’s available, not a detailed review of Internet service providers and current prices (which are constantly changing).

1. DSL from your phone company

Great for: Bargain-hunting landline users who don’t need super-speedy broadband
…but not for: Speed demons looking to stream crystal-clear HD video; anyone who’s already ditched their landline

Most of the big landline phone companies still offer Internet via DSL, a.k.a. “Digital Subscriber Line,” which arrives on your home router over a standard phone line.

In my neighborhood, for example, Verizon offers all-you-can-eat DSL service for as cheap as $20 a month. Not bad, right?

The only problem, though, is that DSL is relatively slow compared to cable Internet. The fastest ($30-a-month) plan I could get through Verizon DSL is just 15 Mbps (megabits per second) for downloads and 1.1 Mbps for uploads, equivalent to a slower cable Internet plan. (Cable modem download speeds, by the way, can reach speeds well beyond 100 Mbps, although you’ll have to pony up for the privilege.)

Now, don’t get me wrong—15 Mbps download speeds are nothing to sneeze at, especially given the $30/month price tag. But if you’re expecting steady, razor-sharp HD video streaming, you may be disappointed.

2. Wireless data from your 4G LTE hotspot

Great for: Wireless mavens with deep pockets
…but not for: Just about everyone else

This would be a clean and tidy solution, wouldn’t it? Just one company for your cell phone, mobile and home data needs—and just one bill, too.

And since 4G LTE (4G stands for “fourth generation,” by the way, while “LTE” is short for “Long Term Evolution”) is so speedy (indeed, if you’ve got good reception, you could see data downloads spike at 30 Mbps or higher), it’s a viable alternative to cable Internet.

Generally speaking, though, wireless 4G data is hideously expensive compared to most cable Internet plans, and carriers often place strict limits on how much data you can use per month.

Take Verizon Wireless, my current wireless carrier. Verizon’s most generous 4G data plan tops out at just 50 GB of data a month, for a whopping $375 a month—more than twice as much as my old cable TV-plus-Internet bill.

And considering that I plowed through more than 200 GB of data in a recent month through Time Warner Cable (and that’s after watching only about an hour or so of Netflix each night) well…ouch.

3. Satellite Internet

Great for: Cord-cutters in rural areas lacking cable access
…but not for: Those who can get broadband any other way; apartment dwellers who can’t install a satellite dish

Want to get your Internet access from space? Well, you can, but it doesn’t come cheap.

Companies such as HughesNet and ViaSat (which offers home satellite Internet under the Exede brand) offer some pricey and somewhat limited satellite Internet plans, some of which you can buy bundled with DirecTV service.

ViaSat’s cheapest plan, for example, offers just 10 GB of monthly data for a hefty $50 a month, with relatively tame 12 Mbps downloads and 3 Mbps uploads.

Need more monthly data? Unfortunately, ViaSat’s top-of-the-line, $130/month, only offers 25 GB of monthly data, with the same upload and download speeds as the bargain plan. (There is, at least, a “Late NIght Free Zone” option that offers unlimited data usage between midnight and 5 a.m., meaning you could schedule large video downloads in the middle of the night.)

If those prices for limited Internet access sound a little nuts, keep in mind that satellite Internet is often the only broadband option for those who live in rural areas far from cable lines.

4. Fiber-optic cable

Great for: Anyone looking for a speedy, reasonably priced alternative to traditional cable Internet
…but not for: Those not lucky enough to have a fiber-optic carrier in their neighborhood

An increasingly popular alternative to traditional cable for Internet is fiber-optic cable—a bundle of ultra-thin glass fibers that transmit data with light rather than electricity.

Verizon, for one, offers fiber-optic Internet via its FiOS service, while Google is (slowly) getting into the game with Google Fiber.

Pricing-wise, Verizon FiOS’s plans are about par with those of traditional cable companies. Its cheapest plan, for example, offers unlimited data with 15 Mbps downloads and 5 Mbps uploads, for $50 a month—a bit pricey, perhaps, but not totally unreasonable.

Speed demons, meanwhile, will love the top-tier FiOS plans, with $300/month getting you data speeds of 500 Mbps “down” and 100 Mbps “up”—nice. Time Warner Cable service, by way of comparison, tops out at about 100 Mbps down and just 5 Mbps up, albeit at a more palatable price of $64 a month (a price that’s only available to new customers, it should be noted).

Of course, FiOS’s Internet speeds and prices can’t hold a candle to Google’s, which offers an unlimited data—both up and down—at blistering “gigabit” speeds (or about 1,000 Mbps), all for a mere $70 a month.

Well…sign me up, right?

But here’s the thing: while Verizon FiOS is available in hundreds of U.S. cities, Google Fiber is only available in three: Austin, Texas; Provo, Utah; and Kansas City, Missouri.

Sad face.

5. Dial-up service

Great for: Those who want Internet access for less than $10 a month
…but not for: Anyone expecting to watch TV shows or movies over their Internet connections

Yes, you can still sign-up for old-school dial-up Internet. AOL, for example (remember them?) offers a trio of dial-up plans, starting at just $6.99 a month.

That’s cheap, all right, but at a piddly 56 Kbps (that’s kilobytes, not megabytes), your downloads will crawl, and you can forget about HD (or even smooth SD) video streaming.

Don’t forget, too, that your dial-up modem will need to use your landline whenever you want to go online. In other words, no more always-on Internet access.

6. Your existing cable company

Great for: Existing cable customers who want fast, no-fuss broadband access at a decent price
…but not for: Those looking to stick it to their old cable operator

Wait—aren’t we talking about alternatives to cable Internet?

Well, yes, but the truth is that sticking with your cable modem after cutting the cable TV cord is still an attractive—and often affordable—option. Indeed, that’s what my wife and I ended up doing.

In our case, sticking with Time Warner Cable (ugh) simply made the most sense. DSL service is too slow for us, fiber optic isn’t available on our block (hurry up, Verizon and Google!), satellite is too expensive (and where would the satellite dish go?), and dial-up … ah, no thanks.

We ended up opting for Time Warner’s “Turbo” Internet plan: unlimited data with 30 Mbps downloads and 2 Mbps uploads, all for about $75 a month (or $45 for new subscribers).

That’s still a bit pricey—and no, my wife and I didn’t get the satisfaction of cutting the cord on Time Warner for good. But at least we’re paying far less  than the $160 a month we were paying for Internet plus cable TV (which we never watched anyway).

So, Dolores, that’s a rather long-winded answer to your original question. Hope that helps.

Update [4/30/14]: Dolores responds, “Yes, it does help! The last alternative is the best option for us, too. We don’t especially care about ‘sticking it’ to our cable company. We just want to lower our cost. Thanks for researching this for us!”

Anyone want to chime in with their own cable-cutting experiences, or got a tip about Internet access alternatives? Post ’em below!

The post Cord-cutting tip: 6 ways to get Internet access after cutting the cord appeared first on here's the thing.

Hi Megan! Great question, and perfect timing. My wife and I just cancelled our cable TV service too (our cable bill kept creeping up and up), and now we’re getting our broadcast TV the old-school way: over the air.

And yes, I did go out and buy a TV antenna just for the occasion, but you might be a little surprised by what I got.

Instead of spending an arm and a leg on a fancy “HD-ready” antenna, I picked up a $9 pair of Radio Shack rabbit ears.

If you’re not sure what kind of antenna you’ll need, visit AntennaWeb.org and plug your street address into its database of local TV stations.

I plunked the thing in back of my 46-inch Sony HDTV, plugged it in, and presto: there were NBC, CBS, and Fox, all in crystal-clear HD. (ABC took a little fiddling with the antenna, but I got a clear signal eventually.)

In other words, any decent “over-the-air” antenna is perfectly capable of receiving HD signals, although the old TV reception rules still apply.

For instance, an indoor antenna will probably only work if you’re within 10 miles of your local TV transmission towers; any further away, and you’ll likely need a rooftop antenna. (I live on the second floor of a Brooklyn brownstone, just a few miles from the TV transmission towers on the Empire State Building, which explains why a cheap indoor antenna worked for me.)

You’ll also need to be mindful of trees, tall buildings, deep valleys, and other local topography that may play havoc with your HD reception.

Last but not least, over-the-air HD signals tend to be pretty finicky. With analog TV, you could still get a picture with a weak signal, albeit one marred by static or faint double-images, a.k.a. “ghosting.” With over-the-air HD transmissions, you’ll either get a perfect picture or nothing at all.

Need help? Visit AntennaWeb.org and plug your street address into its database of local TV stations.

The site will show you all nearby TV stations, along with a color-coded chart of the type of antenna you’ll need to get a solid signal—anything from a small “multi-directional” antenna to a large “directional” model. The chart will also tell you the direction in which your antenna should face for any given TV station.

Hope that helps, Megan, and good luck with your cord cutting. Still have questions? Post ’em below!

The post HDTV tip: I’m cutting the cord. Do I need an HD-ready antenna? appeared first on here's the thing.