Since I had to postpone my trip to Hawaii (I’ll explain later, but thankfully not due to family illness) I thought I’d go and get me a nice TV to put in my sewing room. I was looking for HDTV, minimum 1080P/120Hz, and one where I could stream Netflix, and where my grandkids could watch TV when they visit while I sew or they do crafts at the table in my sewing room.
I went to Best Buy and within 20 minutes – probably less – I found this TV. The guy said, oh, yeah, it’s the best. Right. That comment should have been my first clue. Then he sold me a Samsung Blu-ray player so that I could stream Netflix and have the Wi-Fi features. Total bill was over $600 including the additional 5-year warranty. I should have just paid a little more for the better LG TV, like the one I already have, and called it a day.
I brought this home and first off, no digital tuner built in. I didn’t even think to look. I just assumed they all had that these days. Had to get a Comcast digital adaptor (had one on hand, believe it or not) to even get the standard definition channels to show up. Once I got the Comcast tuner activated, I couldn’t get the TV to understand the signal. Trying to find the setting to get it to recognize cable was a test in patience, and I failed. At one point – my third call in to Best Buy – the home theater geek asked me “what’s a digital tuner?” Irritated, tired, impatient, and frustrated, I responded, “What are you, an idiot?” I guess he hung up on me. Whatever. I don’t care. Sometimes, restraint of tongue is not my best feature.
Finally, I figured it all out by my little ol’ self and got the cable channels to play. It only took me three hours.
This isn’t my first dance. I’ve installed HDTVs before. I used to work for a company that built DVRs and DVR software, so I kinda think I know a little bit. But this TV is a major POS. First, it advertises that it’s HDTV, and yet, doesn’t say so on the box. Hmmm. Then, when I hooked up the Blu-ray player and streamed Netflix, within less than two minutes, the video was choppy and the monitor image was very grainy.
It’s all going back to the store tomorrow. All of it.
Yes, I know I need an HDTV cable box to get true HDTV channels, not just a digital adaptor. That’s the easy part. But it should NOT have taken me three hours just to get the standard cable to show on the TV. And the user experience was awful, not to mention the service from Best Buy.
I think I’ll stick with my LG brand of TVs, or Sony. They’re rated top for a reason.
And next time I have a cold, am shopping with a tired toddler and my daughter who also has a cold, remind me or kick me in the arse if I try to make a major purchase like this again.
{ 4 comments }
oh man – with all of the electronic/computerized things I’m comfortable with, dealing with TV set up, and connecting all the PVR/DVR/Blue-rays, is NOT one of them. If it’s not plug’n'play, it’s Greek to me
I thank goodness hubby can do it – experience with geek service is like yours – half the time I know more than they do and that’s not a good thing LOL
I hope you get your new TV bought & set up without any more problems – good luck.
I’m pretty good with electronics – most of the time – but some of the technical stuff is more than my brain can handle. The TV looked good on the surface, and the main contributor to this debacle was my cheaping out and wanting to just get a “cheap but nice” TV to have in my sewing room. Since talking to my brother, I’m going to save up for a really GOOD quality TV to replace the one (which is an LG and quite nice) that’s in the family room, and move that one upstairs to the sewing room.
I’ve learned the hard way that you do not trust any of the sales people at Best Buy on anything major. The way I shop there is through the web site. Look at the item you’re interested in and read all the reviews. Those reviews give you so much more than you’ll ever get through an associate. Decide what you want and buy it online w/an instore pick up. All you need is an ID, the card used to purchase and the print out of the purchase. I’m usually in and out within 10 minutes or so.
I may try the online process, Debbie. The only reason I went in the store is I wanted to see the TV in action so I could test out the picture quality. Boy, I learned a lot with this experience.
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