I recently had a discussion with a fellow modeler about why he doesn't have a TV in his basement. He says that if he did, he would never get anything done on his RR because he would just be staring at the TV all the time. I feel the opposite. I believe that I get alot more done because I have a TV in the basement, so I can work on stuff while the game is on instead of sitting in the living room doing nothing.
So my question is for those who have a TV in the train room, does it decrease or increase progress on the layout?
Check out the Deming Sub by clicking on the pics:
When I had a TV in the den in Las Vegas, it mostly kept me company...it talked to me and I was only listening about 1/3 of the time
Bob Berger, C.O.O. N-ovation & Northwestern R.R. My patio layout....SEE IT HERE
There's no place like ~/ ;)
I find it difficult to multitask. If the TV happens to be turned on, I've tuned it out of my mind while modeling. Regardless, to the extent I wouldn't be modeling if not for the TV such as during the 20-minutes-per-hour of commercials, I'll get more done with it on.
Mark
The TV I can live without. But I'd get a lot more stuff done around here if I wasn't so addicted to the internet. I consider it another hobby.
Jim
Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale
Jumijo But I'd get a lot more stuff done around here if I wasn't so addicted to the internet.
But I'd get a lot more stuff done around here if I wasn't so addicted to the internet.
Ain't that the truth! Still, it is a great source of useful information on the hobby.
I have speakers both in my layout room and workshop that feed "radio" from my computer. I can listen to ball games, news, music...or literally anything! This way I don't need to look up from my work yet still be "entertained"! Works great!
It's great when I just want to tinker while I watch a game. As has already been mentioned, the commercial breaks give me plenty of opportunity to go downstairs for glue or tools. If it's a movie, though, I'd rather just sit and watch it. Sometimes I'll use the coffee table to work on an engine, maybe to clean wheels or apply some grease to the gears.
But, when I'm running some trains around and I have to leave so someone else can catch up on what Britney Spears is doing, well, that's when I realize it was a good decision, but not a perfect one.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
There is only one TV in the whole house. There are two moniters for VHS and DVD players and of course the computer moniter - none of these screens are within a bulls roar of where I do my modeling. Here, I usually listen to the radio or CD's. I prefer music when I model - it's far less destracting than a TV I would imagine.
Cheers
Bruce
I have TVs (for sports) and a stereo (for rock and roll) in my shop. I like the sound in the background, but I rarely actually watch the TV - sometimes I'll stop to watch a replay, but that's about all the direct attention I give it. I do sing along with the music on the radio (probably one reason my hobbies are all solo endeavors).
I suppose that, since I will stop to watch a replay now and then, the TV does slow me down a little - probably less than 10%.
Phil, I'm not a rocket scientist; they are my students.
I spend my time at the computer, in the garden, running to keep fit, preparing meals, or modelling and running trains, as examples. My TV time totals perhaps 4-5 hours per week. When I am at the layout, I have nothing going on in the background except for my steamer decoder sounds. If I am at the computer, I'll listen to talk shows dealing with philosophy and current affairs either on the radio or via streaming podcasts with a second open browser.
Decades ago, colour TV had me hooked. As time went on, it became less important. Now, the Weather Channel, 24 hour newscast channels (pick one), Two and a Half Men (I miss Rules of Engagement), and such....that's about it.
-Crandell
Don't have room for a TV in the train room. No bother though as I can hear and see the 27" in the bedroom just 15 feet away.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
selector I spend my time at the computer, in the garden, running to keep fit, preparing meals, or modelling and running trains, as examples. My TV time totals perhaps 4-5 hours per week. When I am at the layout, I have nothing going on in the background except for my steamer decoder sounds. If I am at the computer, I'll listen to talk shows dealing with philosophy and current affairs either on the radio or via streaming podcasts with a second open browser. Decades ago, colour TV had me hooked. As time went on, it became less important. Now, the Weather Channel, 24 hour newscast channels (pick one), Two and a Half Men (I miss Rules of Engagement), and such....that's about it. -Crandell
Where has our ditto gone? Ditto, plus Jeopardy. Crandell, Alex Trebek is Canadian - you don't watch him?
A tv in a train room??? never heard of that -- - - - - why?? Oprah isn't that interesting. "selector" Alex WAS a Canadian, now he's yours.
I have a new HD television in the shop area of the train room, with cable, and I do have it on while at the workbench working on a project. Sometimes I just take a break amongst the railroad goodies and watch, but mostly listen. However, I grew up with the radio, TV didn't come until I was in high school, so listening is easy or second nature for me.
Bob
It works both ways. It motivates me to work, or it if it's really interesting I'll pay attention to it more.
On the other hand, when I'm running trains it actually draws enough current to make the picture quality decrease. Of course, the fact of the matter that my TV is from 1982 has an effect on that.
I've got a TV in there. Doesn't bother me at all.
What slows me down is the perpetual mess!
Craig
DMW
el-capitan I recently had a discussion with a fellow modeler about why he doesn't have a TV in his basement. He says that if he did, he would never get anything done on his RR because he would just be staring at the TV all the time. I feel the opposite. I believe that I get alot more done because I have a TV in the basement, so I can work on stuff while the game is on instead of sitting in the living room doing nothing. So my question is for those who have a TV in the train room, does it decrease or increase progress on the layout?
Well, I have no TV in my main train room, but then there are no outlets for one, I use an extension cord when i really need juice. But where I usually paint stuff, I got a TV, and it usually helps me focus, like you. I can turn a football game or race on for example, and then paint what I want to or work on my desktop layout better, because my mind is completely occupied by both things. Same thing goes for music.
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
lvanhen Where has our ditto gone? Ditto, plus Jeopardy. Crandell, Alex Trebek is Canadian - you don't watch him?
Feel free to borrow mine. http://stremy.net/SRA/smileys/ditto.gif
Just insert it as an image using the URL.
Oh yeah, no TV in the train room. I prefer music.
Karl
The mind is like a parachute. It works better when it's open. www.stremy.net
Lou, if one of us has supper ready by the time Jeopardy is on, we actually will watch that while we eat. Otherwise, nope. I do so much critical reading and thinking all day long at the computer that when I watch TV I prefer a belly laugh or four, and the better sitcoms fill the bill nicely. I enjoy anything with David Spade in it, Patrick Warburton (sp?), and generally don't like stuff telegraphed a week in advance..such as in the new "My Worst Week...." where all the old predictable cliches are evident. Can you say, "Meet the Parents, Part III?"
I listen far more than I watch, so I have to say it doesn't interfere or slow me down.
In addition to trains, my other hobby is audio/video. Almost every room in the house is wired for A/V and four also have computers. All of my music and video is now digitized (+- 5000 albums/200 videos) on a server in the basement and can be streamed throughout the house. My workshop is the entertainment headquarters and has the HTPC, a good size monitor and surround sound, (I can control everything from any of the computers in the house though). The shop also has a fridge stocked with appropriate beverages and when friends stop by we hang out here and watch games, races or train videos.
The layout room used to have a monitor, but as the building progressed it physically got in the way and was removed, but the room is still wired for sound. If we're running trains, I usually stick in a train video and the sound track substitutes quite well for the lack of sound equipped engines, the rest of the time it's either music or video
Generally, there is music or TV/video being pumped through the system 24/7. It keeps me company, I don't work well in silence and since I'm a custom builder/painter full time, I spend most of my nights and days in the shop (I'm a night owl), so I like my "noise".
Jay
C-415 Build: https://imageshack.com/a/tShC/1
Other builds: https://imageshack.com/my/albums
There was never a "ditto." There was "dito" but I made a successful stink to get rid of it. (Search the web for its meaning.) But don't blame me if the powers that be can't spell the word we want.
A couple of my buddies have TVs in their train rooms. I've found that I really don't like going over to their places to work on projects any more because of the distraction factor (both mine and theirs). I have little enough time for my hobbies any more as it is, so I don't really appreciate anything that slows down getting things done.
When I can squeeze an hour or two in here or there to focus on train stuff, I want to get things done. I can do that with music or the radio playing in the background, because it doesn''t take my eyes off what I'm doing.
I've reached the point where I have so many things I want to do that if it were solely up to me, I probably wouldn't have a TV in my house.
-Fritz Milhaupt, Publications Editor, Pere Marquette Historical Society, Inc.http://www.pmhistsoc.org
Sometimes I use the TV just for the music. Our digital TV package comes with a unit train full of music channels. Since the radio world thinks that "Oldies" is music from the 1990's, it's nice to have that one station of "Classic Rock 'n' Roll" where the music fits the Transition Era. Then, when the F7's pull into town, keeping the '57 Chevies at the crossing, the sound track of history belongs there, too.
I have a tv in the train room and yes it does slow me down . Sometimes I get nothing done because there is something good on.
N Scale Diesels......I like 'em
I'm on Direct dish so I don't want to spend the $$$ for an extra line and decoder in the train building.TV isn't that big a distraction for me. I'd rather listen to music and the Dish networks have OUTSTANDING commercial free music channels.The computer is the major distraction out there. I get sucked into Youtube pretty EZ. Watching 5 minute videos on a computer is much more time consuming than turning on a TV channel and kind of watching it.
No TV in my train room, but occasionally I'll drag my portable CD player out there and listen to music when I'm either working on or running the trains. Unfortunately, my taste in music (largely Classical) can also distract me if I'm working (I'm a professional musician), so I have to be kind of careful what I put on.
This may not mean much to some of you, but it's IMPOSSIBLE to work on the MR if you're also listening to Mahler's Fifth Symphony, LOL! However, Aaron Copland works really well, especially if your MR setting is the West.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
As the TV's thoughout the house slowly upgrade, the "best of the rest" ends up next to the workbench & layout. The only problem is that some idiot put up pesky hill that blocks my line of sight from the yard to the television!
"I am lapidary but not eristic when I use big words." - William F. Buckley
I haven't been sleeping. I'm afraid I'll dream I'm in a coma and then wake up unconscious. -Stephen Wright
Thankfully I am not enslaved to the great time waster--the goofy tube..So,no idiot tube in my train room.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
BRAKIE Thankfully I am not enslaved to the great time waster--the goofy tube..So,no idiot tube in my train room.
Second the motion.
There is no TV in the railroad space - unless you count the dead one in a box waiting to be recycled (along with the dead twisty-bulbs and other hazardous waste.)
There IS a TV screen less than two feet south of this monitor. At the moment - and most of the rest of the time - it's inoperative. When it IS on, it's usually tuned to some live sporting event, preferably on a channel which doesn't insert five commercials every seven minutes.
I did glance at the Locomotive documentary last night. It was interesting the first time I saw it three years ago, but two repetitions and an exhaustive thread in the Trains part of the forum have pretty much worn the 'wow' off it.
The only thing I've watched all the way through lately is on NHK - the Fukuoka Bassho (Grand Sumo Tournament.) Locally, it's on from 11 PM to 1 AM - without a single commercial!!! Of course, come a week from Sunday it will be history. (Tournaments only last two weeks. OTOH, they occur every two months.)
So, TV? It's there if I want it. Usually, I don't.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - and occasionally watching Japanese TV in 2008)
twhite This may not mean much to some of you, but it's IMPOSSIBLE to work on the MR if you're also listening to Mahler's Fifth Symphony, LOL! However, Aaron Copland works really well, especially if your MR setting is the West.
Hey Tom,
Some music has a similar effect on me, but I don't know much about this Mahler dude. For me it's Motown.. What can I say? What it lacks in sophistication it makes up in energy.