.. . . do Yoga

pull up a toilet

drop in a new one

play guitar

vote!

I've seen how-to DVDs in video and electronic stores for almost any
human activity and hobby. In fact, the only activity I haven't seen a
how-to DVD for, IN THE STORE - as in WALK IN, PICK IT UP, BRING IT TO
THE REGISTER AND PAY FOR IT - is for the single largest growing
economic boost to the economy so far:

Home theater..

It turns out that home theater systems are being installed in
everything from cars to trailer homes to colonials to castles. Rich or
poor, we ALL want our HOME THE-AH-TUHH!

Yet virtually 90% of consumers don't know squat about how to get the
best sound and picture out of whatever their budget affords them,
because discs such as "Digital Video Essentials" and "AVIA Hometheater
Companion" cannot be found in stores. DUHHH!!

I have complained to the management at Best Buy, Walmart, Circuit City
and other stores, and all I've gotten is a shrug and "I'm sorry, but we
don't control the purchasing." And the best thing that stores such as
Tower or Borders can do is special order the things.

Well - I want my calibration video, and I want it now! As in: Walk in
a live store, pick it off the shelf next to Spiderman, Star Trek, and
Mystic River(or whatever movies people are nuts about), bring it to the
cashier and pay for it and take it home - all in the same day.
Remember that experience folks? Just like dropping in to the grocery
for that extra gallon of milk. Imagine only being able to purchase MILK
on line?? Disturbing, isn't it....

Buying a calibration video should be just as simple, and the impact of
putting one in every home theater customer's player would be a positive
in every respect: broadcast and DVD pictures as the engineers intended,
less eyestrain from too hot settings, energy saved, and longer lasting
displays be it an old Tube TV or an LCD or plasma wall mount.

Get with the "picture" retailers!

Just had to rant here, does anyone else feel the same frustration?
-CC

"ChrisCoaster" wrote in message
ups.com...
....
| Buying a calibration video should be just as simple, and the impact of
| putting one in every home theater customer's player would be a positive
| in every respect: broadcast and DVD pictures as the engineers intended,
| less eyestrain from too hot settings, energy saved, and longer lasting
| displays be it an old Tube TV or an LCD or plasma wall mount.
|
| Get with the "picture" retailers!
|
| Just had to rant here, does anyone else feel the same frustration?
| -CC
|

C&L InterNet club (http://www.theCNL.com)

"Pierre_St_Germain" wrote in message
. ..

| You knew this day would come to pass and now its here. Time to double up
on
| that medication and schedule a visit with your psychologist this week!!
| That, and don't mix high-powered rifles with spending lots of time on
| building rooftops in urban areas.

Is it an urban legend that a VCR was once sold with a video tape showing how
to connect it?

N

"NSM" writes:

"Pierre_St_Germain" wrote in message
. ..

| You knew this day would come to pass and now its here. Time to double up
on
| that medication and schedule a visit with your psychologist this week!!
| That, and don't mix high-powered rifles with spending lots of time on
| building rooftops in urban areas.

Is it an urban legend that a VCR was once sold with a video tape showing how
to connect it?

Maybe but it's not as moronic as it sounds. All you need is oone simple
diagram to get the VCR to play through the TV to view the video.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ Mirror: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Note: These links are hopefully temporary until we can sort out the excessive
traffic on Repairfaq.org.

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name is included in the subject line. Or, you can
contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.

That was very nice of all of you. I think I have a valid point here
regardless of how off the wall I may have presented it. The truth is
most people don't know or care to know how easy it is to get the best
out of their TV's picture. They just watch it out-of-the-box and
assume that is the best thing they've seen since sliced bread.

The five basic adjustments are all most people need to get a kick-ass
picture no matter what type of set they have, or how old the thing is.
Bright, Contrast, Tint, color, and detail/sharpness will solve most
issues if set properly, and the DVDs I mentioned should be as available
in video/elect. stores as sliced bread in the grocery. I know my idea
of selling "Video Essentials" in a store is an insane idea, but even
I'd like to know if my settings for my TV are off any.

-CC

ChrisCoaster wrote:

That was very nice of all of you. I think I have a valid point here
regardless of how off the wall I may have presented it. The truth is
most people don't know or care to know how easy it is to get the best
out of their TV's picture. They just watch it out-of-the-box and
assume that is the best thing they've seen since sliced bread.

The five basic adjustments are all most people need to get a kick-ass
picture no matter what type of set they have, or how old the thing is.
Bright, Contrast, Tint, color, and detail/sharpness will solve most
issues if set properly, and the DVDs I mentioned should be as available
in video/elect. stores as sliced bread in the grocery. I know my idea
of selling "Video Essentials" in a store is an insane idea, but even
I'd like to know if my settings for my TV are off any.

-CC

I think you might be missing the point
Chris. It's a excellent idea. Unfortunely,
the only consideration for all the businesses
you mentioned is selling you the product.

They won't make any profit by explaining
or showing you how to use it. The days of
service with the sale are over. The consumer
has spoken. They want the lowest price and
have decided the extra cost of educating
then in how to use and get the most enjoyment
from the product is not worth it.

Wildcard wrote:
ChrisCoaster wrote:

That was very nice of all of you. I think I have a valid point
here
regardless of how off the wall I may have presented it. The truth
is
most people don't know or care to know how easy it is to get the
best
out of their TV's picture. They just watch it out-of-the-box and
assume that is the best thing they've seen since sliced bread.

The five basic adjustments are all most people need to get a
kick-ass
picture no matter what type of set they have, or how old the thing
is.
Bright, Contrast, Tint, color, and detail/sharpness will solve most
issues if set properly, and the DVDs I mentioned should be as
available
in video/elect. stores as sliced bread in the grocery. I know my
idea
of selling "Video Essentials" in a store is an insane idea, but
even
I'd like to know if my settings for my TV are off any.

-CC

I think you might be missing the point
Chris. It's a excellent idea. Unfortunely,
the only consideration for all the businesses
you mentioned is selling you the product.

They won't make any profit by explaining
or showing you how to use it. The days of
service with the sale are over. The consumer
has spoken. They want the lowest price and
have decided the extra cost of educating
then in how to use and get the most enjoyment
from the product is not worth it.
_________________________
Well if the customer ASKS the rep how to adjust the picture & sound,
the rep should show them at least how to open the menus. Problem is
most consumers assume that, like Rumsfeld, the "picture you see is the
picture you get, not the one you want". They don't realize that the
set is not displaying at its full potential.

As far as profits go, they WILL make money by stocking and selling the
calibration videos I mentioned, in store. There is no "extra cost of
educating" as you put it, by stocking the DVD and letting the consumer
buy it and navigate through it themselves at home. Common sense here,
folks.

-CC

ChrisCoaster wrote:

_________________________
Well if the customer ASKS the rep how to adjust the picture & sound,
the rep should show them at least how to open the menus. Problem is
most consumers assume that, like Rumsfeld, the "picture you see is the
picture you get, not the one you want". They don't realize that the
set is not displaying at its full potential.

As far as profits go, they WILL make money by stocking and selling the
calibration videos I mentioned, in store. There is no "extra cost of
educating" as you put it, by stocking the DVD and letting the consumer
buy it and navigate through it themselves at home. Common sense here,
folks.

-CC
The quickest way to lose a sale I know of. Is by stamping
some assembly required on the box. The DVD you mention is
essentially doing that. It's bad enough when the customer
gets it home and pulls out that 90 page instruction book.
But, that's after the sale and not your worry.

As far as the rep answering questions. Pipe dream. Not
the rep's fault. He or she is dealing with over 100
different products. Each product having a large number
of customer adjustments and features. All multiple
menu operated with no standardization of either feature
names or method of activation or adjustment.

Even simple features like tint. Some call it tint some call
it Hue. You might in some models have to turn off two other
features to even adjust the hue or tint.

That's just tv. Most superstores carry a wide variety
of electronic products compounding the problem.

You seem to want simple solutions to a complex modern
electronics age. Consumers don't know what they
want. They need to be told. Consumers have an idea
in their head of what it is. But no clue when it
comes to purchasing the correct product to match that
idea in their head. The rep takes that
idea in the customers head and tries to match it
to a product. At least the good ones do.

That's a rep's job. A rep weeds through all the
misinformation the customer has picked up. Then
match the valid information to a product the
consumer actually wants. Not to teach the consumer how
to use the product in a manner utilizing the products
full potential.

The best the rep can do is know what the product
can do. Not how to operate the product to maximize
the features it's capable of.

When push comes to shove most consumers want to
do exactly what you mentioned earlier. Take it
out of the box, plug it in, hook up a single
cable. Since they bought the best technology
has to offer they now want to believe the picture
they are receiving is the best they can get.

You are the exception to the rule. A knowledgeable
customer who knows what it can do. You won't
be satisfied until you get that high quality
picture you want. Since sales requires volume
to be profitable. Stocking and selling for the
limited number of customers like yourself would
not be profitable.

Believe me if the DVD you mentioned would sell
it would be in every big warehouse store in the
land.