My Lucky Day, re: Circuit City
Read and laugh. Consumer=1 Manufacturer=0
In August of 2002, I purchased a new 32" HDTV Zenith television with an integrated HDTV tuner. I paid about $1,500.
I immediately noticed that the TV would randomly go into SAP audio mode without provocation. It would come out of it, but it was annoying. I called for help, and no one had an answer except to set up a service appointment. I said "thanks, but I'll just return it since it is within 30 days of purchase". A few days later, they exchanged-out my old set and brought me a new one. Problem solved? Wrong.
A few weeks ago, we rearranged our entertainment center. My brother and I carefully moved the TV. We did absolutely nothing to hurt it. I hooked everything up. Everything worked. Except, there was one problem. Whenever I turned on a station with a ticker at the bottom of it (news station, etc), the text curved upwards on the right side of the screen (everything was sloped as it travelled across the screen). I tried every video setting known to man. Finally, I called Circuit City again. They told me to set up a service appointment, and that I couldn't return it until service had looked at it.
I did so. Then the blizzard came. My appointment on Monday was obviously canceled. I rescheduled for Tuesday. They called to cancel for that as well (with no real reason). In the interim, the TV did some "random power surge flashy deal" one night, which I was none to pleased about. By this point, I had enough. I paid good money for a nice TV. Time for another call. Now, I was determined to not only exchange the TV but get something for my trouble as well. When I bought the TV, I was back and forth about getting the 36" model...but it was $400 more so I opted for the 32" . I wondered...."hmmm, perhaps they would take pity on me and......."
I called the store and again explained the situation. I was lucky to speak to a woman who herself had purchased an expensive TV ($3000) and had the tube "blow up" in it after a week. She must have been sympathetic. She agreed to exchange the set, even though she was not supposed to. I inquired about the 36" model briefly, and got a vague response.
Then...the mother load! They were OUT of the 32" model!!!!! I knew this was my opportunity! I explained that it would be only fair to give me the 36" model in its place (the price has come down since...but not by $400).
THEY AGREED!!! No charge. Bigger TV. Same specs except for the tube size. My new TV comes the first weekend in March. Hopefully, number three will be better.
It was obviously God's will for me to have the bigger TV.
If you are male, you know exactly what I mean!
<img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" />
[ 02-20-2003: Message edited by: SDW2001 ]</p>
In August of 2002, I purchased a new 32" HDTV Zenith television with an integrated HDTV tuner. I paid about $1,500.
I immediately noticed that the TV would randomly go into SAP audio mode without provocation. It would come out of it, but it was annoying. I called for help, and no one had an answer except to set up a service appointment. I said "thanks, but I'll just return it since it is within 30 days of purchase". A few days later, they exchanged-out my old set and brought me a new one. Problem solved? Wrong.
A few weeks ago, we rearranged our entertainment center. My brother and I carefully moved the TV. We did absolutely nothing to hurt it. I hooked everything up. Everything worked. Except, there was one problem. Whenever I turned on a station with a ticker at the bottom of it (news station, etc), the text curved upwards on the right side of the screen (everything was sloped as it travelled across the screen). I tried every video setting known to man. Finally, I called Circuit City again. They told me to set up a service appointment, and that I couldn't return it until service had looked at it.
I did so. Then the blizzard came. My appointment on Monday was obviously canceled. I rescheduled for Tuesday. They called to cancel for that as well (with no real reason). In the interim, the TV did some "random power surge flashy deal" one night, which I was none to pleased about. By this point, I had enough. I paid good money for a nice TV. Time for another call. Now, I was determined to not only exchange the TV but get something for my trouble as well. When I bought the TV, I was back and forth about getting the 36" model...but it was $400 more so I opted for the 32" . I wondered...."hmmm, perhaps they would take pity on me and......."
I called the store and again explained the situation. I was lucky to speak to a woman who herself had purchased an expensive TV ($3000) and had the tube "blow up" in it after a week. She must have been sympathetic. She agreed to exchange the set, even though she was not supposed to. I inquired about the 36" model briefly, and got a vague response.
Then...the mother load! They were OUT of the 32" model!!!!! I knew this was my opportunity! I explained that it would be only fair to give me the 36" model in its place (the price has come down since...but not by $400).
THEY AGREED!!! No charge. Bigger TV. Same specs except for the tube size. My new TV comes the first weekend in March. Hopefully, number three will be better.
It was obviously God's will for me to have the bigger TV.
If you are male, you know exactly what I mean!
<img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" />
[ 02-20-2003: Message edited by: SDW2001 ]</p>
Comments
They set up the 36" TV (this is over a month ago). I didn't have them turn it on (big mistake).
The new, $1800 TV set had the SAME PROBLEM. Except now, the bending of text at the bottom went in a different direction. I was furious.
So, I called CC and told them it was time for another brand. Long story short, I paid another $300 to go with the Sony 36" HDTV. So far so good. Basically, the credited me on hell of a lot of money as the orginal 32" was only like $1470. When I bought orginal the Sony was $2299.
That's four TV's in six months for those of you who are counting. In that time I have also returned a Kenmore Washer to Sears. I am the God of Appliance Death.
My luck approaches yours with Apple, though....
Originally posted by Fran441
Do you walk around with magnets in your pocket or something?
The first thing that popped into my head was "magnets."
But that's because I used to work in a room which was situated next to The Big Room With The MRI Machine In It. All of the monitors in the room needed to be aligned to the magnet's field. Even then, the images were kinda warped and discolored. After working there for a few years, warped, discolored images didn't bother me anymore; now I can watch any crappy, old TV.
i see that all the time when people have house speakers next to a TV and it warps them from the speaker magnets.
Originally posted by murbot
That silence you hear is SDW2001 staring blankly at his 6 foot speakers touching either side of the TV. heh heh
Not quite. They are like 7 feet away and not that strong. Anyway, when the guys came to pick up the last Zenith they said they had returned three of them THAT WEEK ALONE. Damn!
Originally posted by SDW2001
Read and laugh. Consumer=1 Manufacturer=0
In August of 2002, I purchased a new 32" HDTV Zenith television with an integrated HDTV tuner. I paid about $1,500.
I immediately noticed that the TV would randomly go into SAP audio mode without provocation. It would come out of it, but it was annoying. I called for help, and no one had an answer except to set up a service appointment. I said "thanks, but I'll just return it since it is within 30 days of purchase". A few days later, they exchanged-out my old set and brought me a new one. Problem solved? Wrong.
A few weeks ago, we rearranged our entertainment center. My brother and I carefully moved the TV. We did absolutely nothing to hurt it. I hooked everything up. Everything worked. Except, there was one problem. Whenever I turned on a station with a ticker at the bottom of it (news station, etc), the text curved upwards on the right side of the screen (everything was sloped as it travelled across the screen). I tried every video setting known to man. Finally, I called Circuit City again. They told me to set up a service appointment, and that I couldn't return it until service had looked at it.
I did so. Then the blizzard came. My appointment on Monday was obviously canceled. I rescheduled for Tuesday. They called to cancel for that as well (with no real reason). In the interim, the TV did some "random power surge flashy deal" one night, which I was none to pleased about. By this point, I had enough. I paid good money for a nice TV. Time for another call. Now, I was determined to not only exchange the TV but get something for my trouble as well. When I bought the TV, I was back and forth about getting the 36" model...but it was $400 more so I opted for the 32" . I wondered...."hmmm, perhaps they would take pity on me and......."
I called the store and again explained the situation. I was lucky to speak to a woman who herself had purchased an expensive TV ($3000) and had the tube "blow up" in it after a week. She must have been sympathetic. She agreed to exchange the set, even though she was not supposed to. I inquired about the 36" model briefly, and got a vague response.
Then...the mother load! They were OUT of the 32" model!!!!! I knew this was my opportunity! I explained that it would be only fair to give me the 36" model in its place (the price has come down since...but not by $400).
THEY AGREED!!! No charge. Bigger TV. Same specs except for the tube size. My new TV comes the first weekend in March. Hopefully, number three will be better.
It was obviously God's will for me to have the bigger TV.
If you are male, you know exactly what I mean!
<img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" />
[ 02-20-2003: Message edited by: SDW2001 ]</p>
I got a free iMac DV SE from CompuUSA once.
HDTVs are not worth their price. That's a lot of money to invest in sitting on your ass.
I really disagree. I was going to buy a really nice conventional TV set(non-projection). I had two choices: Buy an analog/non-HDTV capable set for perhaps $800-1,000, or spend a bit more and get a set that will be ready for digital content as it gets more popular. I don't have HDTV, but my DVD's and even regular cable looks a lot better on a digital capable set. There is no comparison.
Oh, and I LIKE sitting on my ass. It's kind of a hobby.