‘Tis the season for savings, especially when it comes to things such as televisions. If it’s been a while since you’ve purchased a new TV or wandered through the rows of televisions at Best Buy, you may be surprised and a bit intimidated by the alphabet-soup descriptions of TV features.
The easy answer — look for an OLED HDR 4K TV with an HDMI 2.1 format. But if cost is a consideration — or if you’d like to know just what that means — read on for how to buy a TV for nearly every room in the house.
OLED vs QLED
OLED refers to “organic light-emitting diode.” These TVs produce light via millions of individual OLED subpixels that compose the image. This emissive nature of OLED TVs offers better contrast and black levels than its QLED counterparts. In addition, OLED televisions have uniform screens that can be well viewed from all but the most extreme angles. If you have a new phone, it’s likely you already have seen the benefits of an OLED screen
QLED refers to “quantum dot LED TV.” It is transmissive and relies on an LED backlight that travels through layers inside the TV — including an LCD layer — to create a picture. Picture quality can vary among QLED televisions, so make sure to see the televisions turned on before deciding. QLED televisions are also brighter, which can be an advantage in bright rooms such as family rooms. You also have more versatility in size when it comes to QLED televisions. They are typically priced less than an OLED TV.
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Types of HDR
HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. With an HDR television, you’ll find that bright tones are brighter and dark tones darker without over- or under-exposing, respectively. Most televisions these days come with HDR, but there are different types. Dolby Vision (also known as Dynamic HDR) and HDR 10+ offer better image quality than HDR 10, but there is more content right now for HDR 10 than Dolby Vision and HDR 10+. The good news is that these televisions support HDR 10, so — if you don’t mind the more expensive price tag — you can buy a Dolby Vision or HDR 10+ television and wait for streaming services and video games to catch up, which is happening rapidly.
And HDR TV with Ultra HD Premium means the television has a 4K resolution, meaning the brighter and darker tones are coupled with the sharper image of a 4K television. If going for the 4K television, you’ll want to make sure all of your components offer true 4K resolution for the best visual experience — Blu-ray player, streaming device, home theater receivers and HDMI cable. When shopping, you’re likely to see 8K televisions — most TV reviewers say to wait those out for now.
TVs Aren’t Just for Family and Media Rooms
Armed with the above information, you’re ready to wade your way through reviews of highly recommended televisions for family rooms and media rooms. But many people might have a TV in their bedroom, kitchen, exercise room or even outdoors. The same logic can be applied as when buying for a family room or media room, but there are other considerations.
If you’re busy in the kitchen, screen resolution might not be your greatest consideration when buying a TV for the kitchen, so you can downgrade and save money in that respect. However, you might want to test the quality of the television’s speakers since there won’t be room for a sound bar. Also, see if you can mount your TV on the wall or under a kitchen cabinet. You’ll also want good viewing angles since you likely won’t be right in front of the television. A few kitchen TV recommendations can be found here.
For bedrooms, you’ll want to play close attention to where you’ll place the television and how far it will be from the bed. This will help you determine what size television to purchase. Mounted televisions allow for a good viewing angle when lying in bed. A tilt or full-motion mount allows for the greatest versatility when buying a TV for the bedroom. It can be hard to not find a smart TV these days, but they are certainly recommended for televisions in the bedroom where voice control is especially convenient.
Many of these same considerations apply to televisions for exercise rooms, which is a great idea for those who want to stream exercise classes. A television can also be a motivator if you designate shows that you only watch while you’re exercising. And while you might opt for a TV stand or placement on a piece of furniture in the bedroom, a wall-mount TV is universally recommended for an exercise room. You can find other recommendations here.
Why You Want an Outdoor Television
No, we’re not talking about thoughts on why you should place a television outdoors — you can probably think of lots of reasons why. But once you do decide to have a patio TV, you want to make sure it’s made to be placed outside. Outdoor TVs are made with waterproof housings that can protect against extremely hot and cold temperatures to varying degrees. Also, look for IP (ingress protection) ratings for resistance not only to water but also to dust. If your television is going to be in direct sunlight, you’ll want a television offering maximum brightness. If it’s shaded, it doesn’t need to be so bright. You will want a brightness display panel with anti-reflective coating for reliability. Other considerations and recommendations for outdoor TVs can be found here.
The Very Best Viewing Experience
For the very best viewing experience, install your new television in your new home in Sierra Vista! Our builders have a number of available homes, as well as many more floor plans to choose from.
Is it possible to watch too many holiday movies this year? Nah. Who doesn’t want to snuggle with loved ones in front of the television to watch old classics and new offerings? We’ve put together a list of holiday movies currently streaming on Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime, Disney + and others. Whether you want something heartwarming or a little unconventional, there’s something on this list you’re sure to love.
Tradition!
No matter how many holiday movies are produced, most of us can’t help but watch at least one classic (and we don’t mean Die Hard). As comforting as a mug of hot chocolate, It’s a Wonderful Life is rightfully considered a masterpiece. Netflix is the home of holiday musical movie extraordinaire White Christmas. You can also watch it on Amazon Prime. It would be a miracle if you don’t watch Miracle on 34nd Street on HBO MAX at least once this year.
Are You Sure It Counts as a Classic?
Not to make any child of the 80s or 90s feel old, but some of our favorite holiday films are also considered classics. Yikes! The Amazon Prime line-up includes National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and A Christmas Story. Disney + has a line-up your family will love (you might have a few flashbacks to your fashion faux pas). Check out Home Alone, all three The Santa Clause movies and The Muppet Christmas Carol.
Animation Magic
Animated holiday movies are a staple of every studio. Who doesn’t love The Nightmare Before Christmas, now streaming on Amazon Prime and Disney +? Hulu is streaming favorites such as The Polar Express, Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas, Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas, and Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas. Love a good alternate history story? Klaus on Netflix is worth a look.
We Just Love Them
There are just some holiday movies you can’t help but love. Elf — streaming on Amazon Prime, Hulu and HBO Max — is a perfect example. If you don’t cry at least once, you aren’t paying attention. A Christmas Prince was one of the most streamed movies on Netflix when it came out. The Christmas Chronicles, also on Netflix, posits a hot Kurt Russell who serves as father figure to a couple of orphan kids. Every Who down in Whoville will want to watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas on Peacock.
Christmas Adjacent
Not everyone wants to watch a movie about reindeer and Santa Claus. Some of us crave action and adventure. Where to find these Christmas adjacent movies? Iron Man 3 on Disney + is worth a look just for Robert Downey, Jr.’s jingle bell dance alone. Moving from the Marvel Universe over to DC, we have Batman Returns over on HBO Max. Okay, it’s a stretch but it stars Danny DeVito as the Penguin. Need we say more? The most wonderful time of the year isn’t complete without a sleepover and the movie Gremlins on Amazon Prime. It’s controversial, but if you aren’t watching Die Hard (also on Disney +) are you really celebrating?
Where do you go for holiday events, holiday celebrations and to get the perfect gift for everyone on your list? Pearland Town Center.
Sierra Vista residents love to hang out at the 100,000-square-foot open-air lifestyle center because there is so much to do.
Pearland Town Center boasts nearly 60 retail stores ranging from Dillard’s and Macy’s to Buc-ees and Bath & Body Works. Boutique shops like Buff City Soap and Beau Bazar share space with Chico’s and Rack Room Shoes.
Salons, barbershops, dentists and optometrists have hung out their shingles here. Neighbor’s provides emergency medical services. Pet parents can board their furry friends in style at Pet Suites. Got a gamer? Belong is a gaming arena offering the latest games, consoles and accessories as well as tournaments and viewing areas.
Shopping works up an appetite, of course. When you’re ready for a snack you can stop by Krispy Kreme, Dairy Queen or Kung Fu Tea. For sit-down meals, you can grab a burger at Red Robin, a beer at BJ’s or seafood at Fish City Grill. International dining includes Mongo, Shogun and Pei Wei. You can even pick up your holiday dinner at The Honey Baked Ham Company.
When it comes to the holidays, Pearland Town Center really knows how to deck the halls. The tree lighting ceremony from 6 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 27, is an extravaganza featuring fireworks, a LED dance floor, LED swings and seesaws, reindeer and a visit from Santa. On Sunday, Nov. 28, from noon to 6 p.m., shoppers will be able to find unique gifts from local merchants at a fun-filled Holiday Market.
In addition to shops and restaurants, the mall boasts a Courtyard by Marriott, office space, a 25-acre lake and adjacent walking paths and parks.
There’s always something at Pearland Town Center, and if you make your home in Sierra Vista, you can shop there every day.
Tired of pumpkin spice and everything nice? So are we. Fall is bursting with flavors that have nothing to do with pumpkin. Apples, cinnamon and maple all remind us that the holidays are on the way. So, kick the pumpkin spice habit and explore these 10 fantastic flavors instead.
Apple
Is there anything more comforting on a chilly fall day than a glass of warm apple cider? Apples were once the quintessential fall flavor before the pumpkin interloper showed up. If your family went apple picking this year, use your finds to fry up delicious apple cider donuts, bake an apple pie and don’t forget the caramel apples.
Pecans
Pecans are an underrated fall flavor but anyone who brought a pecan pie to Thanksgiving dinner knows the value of these nuts. Start the morning with these tasty banana pecan pancakes. For a savory dish, pop them in the food processor and coat chicken breasts in them for pecan-crusted chicken. Celebrate fall in salad form with an apple, cranberry and pecan salad.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is the secret ingredient in pumpkin spice lattes. Add it to anything sweet or savory. Our favorite is cinnamon rolls. If you’ve got some leftover sweet potatoes hanging around, use them in this yummy sweet potato cinnamon bread. Snickerdoodles are the ultimate cinnamon cookie. Pair them with apple and cinnamon infused bourbon.
Maple
Maple is for more than pancakes. The sweet treat can be used in combination with salty dishes like maple bacon, stirred into Old-fashioned cocktails or to dress up hot wings for the big game.
Sage
The smell of sage reminds us of Thanksgiving turkey, but the aromatic herb can be used to flavor just about anything. Sage takes this roasted pork with apples recipe up a notch. Enjoy butternut squash and sage soupon a rainy day. For holiday dinners, try this sweet potato and sage-butter casserole.
Salted Caramel
Admittedly, salted caramel is good all year round, but there is something special about sipping a salted caramel latte in the fall. You could wow your guests with these camembert-apple grilled cheese with salted caramel sandwiches. Give the gift they’ll keep on eating with salted caramel popcorn.
Chai
Before there was pumpkin spice there was chai, packed with clove, cinnamon, and cardamom. You can drink it as tea. Even better, you can add it to a range of baked goods, including banana chai bread, chai-spiced pound cake and chai spice monkey bread.
Cranberry
Think cranberries are just for juice? These colorful little berries can grace any dish. We like them in cranberry-apple hand pies, vodka cranberry punch and white chocolate cranberry cheesecake.
Ginger
Move over gingerbread cookies. As delicious as they are, there are many more delicious ways you can use this spectacular spice. Your family will gobble up this apple gingerbread cake. Need a beautiful centerpiece? You can’t go wrong with this cranberry orange trifle. Warm up the team after football practice with Indonesian ginger chicken.
Pear
It’s easy to forget that pears are a fall fruit. As an alternative to apple, they can’t be beat. Try poaching them for an elegant dessert. Dig into a pear ginger crumble. Bring orange glazed chicken with pears to your next shindig.
Davidson Homes, an Alabama-based builder operating across the southeastern U.S., will soon begin selling homes in the Sierra Vista community in Iowa Colony south of Houston.
The company, which plans to build homes starting in the $300,000s on an initial 61 lots at Sierra Vista, will unveil its new lineup of homes at a grand opening event on Sept. 11. Since entering the Houston market in April, Davidson has secured more than 550 lots across eight local communities.
Sierra Vista is a development of Land Tejas along the Texas 288 corridor, south of County Road 56, in the Alvin Independent School District.
