In article
, Ross
Mac wrote:

"Ross Mac" wrote in message
...

"Jim" wrote in message
...
As we all know consumer technology is in a state of flux.

What will it take to continue to earn a living in the consumer
electronic service world?

Can independent service companies stay current with the technology?
Since most manufacturers are treating their equipment as trade
secrets, not supplying support to independents and barely supporting
their warranty service companies. How can this industry survive?

Samsung is offering $125 labor for in home service on plasmas. NEC,
InFocus and others refuse to supply literature or parts to anyone
other than an very small list of selected servicers. The argument is
that they are protecting their customers from shoddy service. The
implication is we are all to stupid or under-trained to understand or
service their equipment. Isn't this restraint of trade?

As long as the equipment can be serviced to the component level I
contend that it is unreasonable and criminal for the manufacturers to
insist on thousands of dollars for replacement boards.

Manufacturers are DUMPING highly complex equipment on the American
market at or below cost. Are the manufacturers attempting to train the
population to expect unreasonably cheap products? To what end?

When there are no longer qualified servicers will the prices climb
back to reasonable levels?

The manufacturers have attempted to control the consumer service
industry since the beginning. At first they catered to us. Bought us
lunch and introduced us to the latest technologies. They treated us as
an integral part of their support chain. Now they treat us as a thing
to be shunned. We are a impediment to their sales.

What do you think?

You are right here Jim at some level. It has been slowly happening for
years. A lot of the consumer items we used to take to the shop we now take
to the dump. It became cheaper to head for Costco or Circuit City than to
the repair shop. It was the reason that I made the decision 25 years ago
to
get into industrial automation electronics. They tend to keep it longer
and
continue to repair them. Most of the vendors have help lines and full
schematic packages. Some of them will even give you a few phone tips.
While
even that side of the industry is suffering from some of the same problem
as
the consumer side it is much less pronounced. We used to do a lot of board
level work, but now they toss em and replace em on some equipment. When
things were really poppin back in 98' and 99' I could easily rob employees
from consumer electronics because they didn't make as much money (most
anyway!). I could offer a guy, back then, 40 to 50K a year and he would
jump. If I hired from withing the industry it would have been 60 or 70K.
Of
course these are inflated California wages and not the norm in many
states!
Also, the consumer guys understood the electronics where many of the the
industrial guys were module jockeys with barely the ability to twist a
pot!
You might find that it would be a could career move for you if things
don't
pan out for you. The best techs I ever hired were from the consumer
electronics business. A lot of this stuff takes a lot of determination and
experience to repair!........Best of Luck, Ross


That would be good career move not could...excuse the grammer!


Hey Ross,

Any vacancies? I could do with a move to the States. What's the going
rate now? Still 50K?