h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Some of you might know that late last week I bought a HDTV from a certain chain of German supermarkets for what I thought was a reasonable price. Looks like I was wrong yet again.

When will I learn that said German supermarket chain customers who buy electical goods from there are nothing more than guinea pigs testing bleeding edge "cheap gen" products?

Here's the list of faults with the TV:

1. In just 4 days there's been significant and obvious dead pixelage.
2. It forgets any tuned in TV channels beyond the 800MHz range (Channel 4 broadcast from Winter Hill is the obvious one here) if the TV is left on standby for longer than 30 minutes.
3. It reorders TV channels to what it sees fit rather than where I want them to be if it is left on standby for longer than 30 minutes.
4. Not only that but it renames them all too.
5. And some channels it duplicates.

I had hoped that my concerns about getting it were misguided, looks like I was right to have them. I'll hopefully take it back this evening.

Oh bum.

What supermarket chain is that? We bought both our TV sets at A***'s many years ago, and they're still running fine, we never had any problems.

*Decides to name and shame*

It's from Aldi. The only bit of kit I've had no problems whatsoever with from thre has been the PC I bought and am still using over four years ago. The two PVRs I got last Christmas and Father's Day respectively went back within weeks.

I guessed as much. It's interesting, because most of our tech stuff is from Aldi, and as I said, we never had any problems with it: microwave: about 18 years now, TV1 about the same age, TV2 a couple of years younger, Videorecorder 10+ years, etc.
My son's PC recently had a hard drive failure, but as it was within the two years of warranty, a technician came and changed it.

Just got back from the normally helpful Aldi down the road to get my money back. They wouldn't touch it with a bargepole as to quote the manager "It's a high value product, you need to take it to the store it was purchased from for a return". In other words he didn't want to start tomorrow morning with a £400 loss on the books.

Double bum. I'll have to take the half hour trip to Bolton tomorrow eveningthen.

Poowiches.

Do you think it might be time to start buying electrical rammel from elsewhere?

Probably. The whole shebang has put me off spending money on myself for a while.

You've now got 400 spoondoolies to put towards Chrimble prezzies.

Scrap that. You've got 400 spoondoolies to put towards a Bravia.

Yes Croz, it's time to learn your lesson about cheap German supermarkets.

When I learnt mine it was, fortunately for my wallet, over nothing more expensive than a tub of potato salad.

Potato salad, dangerous stuff.

Not sure I'd be willing to blow £900 on a Bravia. It took me all my time to get this one I'm almost rid of.

Not even if it means you get to pretend to be Cher and sing Babe to it?

The punnage, it burns!

Croz,

Being in the industry, by known brands, more expensive, but tried and tested by more heads of population percentage wise. My choice?

P*n*s*n*c. Solid build quality, front runner for years.
If Small, then Sh*rp.
Otherwise H8T8Ch* or S*ms*ng.

Rest? Also rans, but good for a punt.

S*ny. Four letters and reminds me of the nickname Wellington's Army had for the Leader of the French, Boney?

I'd rather not. Good picture quality, but that is it.

However if that is all you want, go for it.

There's a 26" Hitachi caught my eye on Empire for the same price I paid for the 32" Aldi Craptacular, smalller screen but I suspect it'll be a much better piece of kit that doesn't die after 4 days. Going to give it a look at their nearby store this weekend.

Hmm but so has another one.

Gah decisions! I'd best go to the store and look at them before making my mind up.

Woolworths

Guess I'll have a look at Woolies before making any final decision.

Erm...



Isn't all this stuff so much cheaper off of the interwebnettythingy?

RF

This might sound like blasphemy coming from me, but there's still an art to haggling in a shop. You can't exactly do that with a website.

Yeah, but look what you end up with!

RF