[Jeffhs]

I never had any kind of home-theater setup until I bought my flat-screen TV almost four years ago, and even then it isn't really HT since my stereo system isn't hooked up to the TV (although I have the cable to do it). My system consists of the following:

1. Insignia 19" flat-screen TV

2. Panasonic PV-4022 VCR

3. LG BP-220 Blu-ray player

4. Aiwa NSX-888a bookshelf stereo system, 50 watts per channel, capable of surround sound (not currently using the rear channel amps)

5. Roku streaming video player (used in place of cable, but cable line remains connected to TV for TWC TV local channel app to work)

As you can see, my system is nothing fancy, but it works for me. I would have patched the TV into the stereo long ago, except the TV doesn't have variable audio outputs so I wouldn't be able to mute the sound (an important feature for me, since I mute the commercials all the time). I have no intention of upgrading to UHD or curved screen, as I don't see the advantage of a curved UHD (aka 4K) screen over a standard LCD flat panel.

I guess large UHD screens have uses in digital signage, as sports scoreboards and the like, but for home use, I think a practical limit would be about 32 inches. However, some folks, VK member ChrisW6ATV for one, have systems with much larger screens, but his is a projection set, with the projector mounted on the ceiling and projecting to a 92-inch (!) screen some distance away. This is by far the largest TV picture I have ever heard of, although I have read of at least one company that is working on a 100-inch LCD or OLED display. I don't know the name of the company, but I wouldn't expect their super-size TV screens in American living rooms, unless someone wanted one as a status symbol. Such a large display would be so large and heavy that the room in which it is placed would have to be the size of the state of Alaska, and moving it would be a problem as well.

Edit: My TV does have audio output jacks after all; I didn't think of them when I wrote this post. I have two sets of RCA pin jacks on a panel at the left side of the set, in addition to two 3.5-mm audio jacks, one being the headphone output, the other an input for computer audio (the latter is located near the VGA input jack). If either of these jacks provide TV audio (I'm sure the headphone jack would, but the computer audio jack would not since it is an input), I could use them with a cable to connect to my stereo system; then I would have my audio and mute problems solved. I'll test the headphone jack tonight to see if its audio is muted with the remote's mute button. It should be, and if it works, I'll go ahead with the other connections. The audio system in my flat screen TV is nothing to write home about, anyway (two 3" speakers mounted such that they talk to my TV stand, and the television's own audio system probably isn't that great either, stereo [!] though it is), so hooking up to the stereo system will make a noticeable difference.