When is a TV not a TV?

This is a riddle of sorts. The answer is when it doesn't have a tuner. A tuner-less television is actually a monitor by definition. This is something you'll want to pay attention to when shopping for a new viewing display.

You'll have to ask yourself if a tuner is important to you. My thought is that it should be a critical component because everyone should have the ability to receive free TV signals from an antenna. A monitor does not give you that option unless you buy an external tuner.

I will concede that a monitor will cost less than a television solely for the lack of a tuner. But, is saving a hundred dollars or so worth the cost of buying an external tuner, cables that go along with connecting a tuner and the space you lose on your entertainment shelf?