<p>We are planning to buy my son a small tv for his dorm room. Any recommendations? Is it worth it to get a slim screen or better to get something sturdy, maybe with a dvd built in? Our daughter (college senior) never wanted one but son thinks it will be a necessity.</p>
<p>can’t he watch movies on his laptop?</p>
<p>When S was a visiting student at Bates due to Katrina, he got a single room there. He asked for a TV and wanted a DVD player because he felt it might be an attraction for kids to visit his room: “No one will come to my room if I don’t have a TV”. We bought it :p. I found that the 17" would run around $129 and he sprung for the extra $30 to have the built-in DVD. He now uses it mostly for PlayStation, I think; this is how Engineering guys seem to socialize…</p>
<p>Personally, I wouldn’t pay the $$ for the slim screen etc.</p>
<p>My recommendation: don’t. A communal TV is a reason to make friends.</p>
<p>Just remember that you can jack the laptop DVD into a bigger flatscreen for TV watching or for movies. Lots of guys have tV for sports & movies. Communal tV is a school specific thing.</p>
<p>He’s taking his desktop computer. Will not consider a laptop. His sister, otoh, thinks he’s crazy and says she wishes all the time that she had a laptop. We’ll probably spring for one for her college graduation next year! He does watch movies on his computer now but I was thinking that a dvd with the tv wouldn’t cost much more.</p>
<p>My S was not much of a TV watcher at home but was very happy to have one at school. The school actually provides cable service for the kids and he really did enjoy watching TV and movies with friends and hooking up someone else’s Xbox to it. Since he is not much of a partier, this is an alternative way to socialize. The computer would be a good alternative for DVDs.
The communal TV is several floors away and must be shared by many kids. If my memory serves, when we visited Williams, it seemed like there was a communal TV every 25 feet. It might be worth checking on the dorm offerings before you buy one.
Don’t bother with the flat screen unless the room is TINY and you can hang it on the wall.</p>
<p>why, oh why, would a college student want to watch TV with all of the options? I go to boarding school, and only the non socials have TVs.</p>
<p>Good point. Very good point. Hahaha</p>
<p>Son is not a big group kind of guy. We have not had cable tv for 7 years (just get 8 basic antenna available stations), but college supplies cable. He’ll probably take a portable game thing so tv will work for that too. umm, any suggestions brand-wise? Although expected (this is CC after all) I did not say, “should I get a tv for my son?”</p>
<p>D has a laptop and a 20" TV with DVD. The TV was about $200 at Best Buy. Apparently, the TV was rarely used except to watch (i) the occassional movie using the DVD and (ii) “America’s Next Top Model,” which her group watched every week for giggles.</p>
<p>Nowadays, kathiep, I don’t think the brand matters that much as to quality/reliability. I would just go for what happens to be cheapest at the nearby BestBuy/Sam’s/Costco…</p>
<p>I’d wait and see if he still wants that TV by winter break…</p>
<p>D’s roommate brought a TV. TV programs not watched in the room. There were the weekly “OC” or “24” programs that got watched on the communal TV, but they were more social events so not watched in the dorm room.</p>
<p>The TV did get used to play DVDs a lot though. During breaks, people who don’t go home have marathon DVD watching parties.</p>
<p>All three of my Ds took a tv with them when they went to college. They watched with varying frequency but the built in dvd/vcr player was a good idea and often resulted in impromptu movie gatherings.</p>
<p>I think to question why kids would want to watch tv at college should also then be accompanied by the question why would they want an Ipod or a stereo or a radio or a computer to be used for IM or to surf the net. Just because they take one doesn’t mean that they’re locked up in their rooms watching them 24/7. :)</p>
<p>Actually, we’re in a time crunch here - it’s for a graduation present and graduation is tomorrow night. Son does not want a laptop, has a camera, does not want a bike, wishy-washy about an i-pod (we’re not paying hundreds of dollars for wishy-washy) and we’re just about out of ideas but he says he would like a tv. Strangely enough, the two issues of consumer reports that have tv’s (Dec '05, March '06) are missing from my CR collection. Oh, well, guess I’ll just look at them in the store and see what looks good.</p>
<p>We bought a little 4"x6" box that hooks to the USB port of the laptop. Works great.
<a href=“http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16815116624[/url]”>http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16815116624</a>
Also acts as a TIVO.</p>
<p>S’s roommate brought a tv with dvd player and they used it all the time. They also had a futon in their room (lofted beds) so their room became a sort of gathering spot for Sunday afternoon football games all winter long. Also used it for nintendo tournaments and late night talk shows that were must sees. It’s a guy thing I guess. Don’t remember the brand but know it was not the most expensive. Got a great tv stand from wal-mart for $20</p>
<p>Mine asked not to have a TV. His Computer provided enough entertainment (music, video games, multi player games) that a TV was rarely watched, mainly for sports. The rooms are pretty small, more stuff =less space. What he want vs. What does he need?</p>
<p>Has everything he needs, we’re on to what he wants! He’s been feeding on his computer for years, we’re willing to try a tv. Good to hear that it can be used for socializing.</p>