Hows this for a bad run ...

[Y2kGoofball]

Well Ive had a customised wardrobe installed yesterday, which is acctually an entertainment centre, ie designed for TV. xbox, surround sound, CD / DVD / Video storage etc.

Anyway I thought well seeing as its a bedroom why not setup proper surround sound? I'll post pics when my rooms done, but where you sit in front of the TV is perfect for optimum surround sounding.

So yesterday while they installed it (and to dodge painting other rooms) me and mickcals went "surround hunting".

I had picked one out a few weeks back from DSE (Dick Smith Elect.) for $250. Problem was 3 days later they removed it from their website, and I could never find it in store.

anyway we went to a diff store, I only wanted to spend $250 MAX so I needed a cheap system (I mean its only for a bedroom not a home theatre), where I had also had 2 picked out in my price range.

after standing their for 10 mins we went to their car audio range where we checked out systems, and in car dvd players, where someone instantly asked did we want help. We walked to the other side of the store to see if they'd ask did we want help in their 'home theatre' section, waited 20 mins still no help.

Anyway I started dismantling their display stock, then mickcals joined in, still ... no help (we did it to find out if they had optical inputs ;) more to get attention).

Anyway I forgot my sister had a half day so we left it to pick her up from school, went home, had lunch and went back. Still no help so I picked up their $260 system which had what I wanted.

Instantly I noticed the box had been opened and sealed - having worked in a warehouse for 3 months earlier this year I learnt how to "check stock". I thought nothing of it, other then to check the item, so we payed cash and left.

Got home, opened it up. Lets see, what was inside the box ...

- 2 x warranty cards and manuals (1 in wrapping, the other loose)
- NO remote
- NO speaker cables
-damagaed and marked speakers and main unit
- blu tack on th emain unit, where a price tag would have been stuck
- evidence it was an ex-demo model flogged off as new.

anyway my mum was irate and rang them up to let loose. We took it back where the guy was rude as anything, asked me why am I concerned it had 2 manuals, asked me why there was no cable (duh I wonder why). He then asked me did it work? I dont know because theres no manual controls - you need the remote to turn it on!!!!

Anyway they didnt want to exchange it because it was their last, so they game me my money back.

We went to DSE on the way home where I found that original system I had my heart set on. We brought it and an optical cable for connecting to the digital box and went home.

I hooked it up out of excitement (dont forget mickcals was my guest ...) and it worked. That was till I tried to change it from music setting to theatre, then there was no sound at all.

anyway this morning I played with it again, re connected speakers etc and after 4 hours managed some sounds but then it stopped. I went back to DSE where it took 45 mins to exchange for a newbie.

Got home and my first insticnt was not to unpack but plug it into the power point, which I did, and guess what ... no power! no lights, no life at all - the system wasnt even 10 mins old and already dead.

I took it back, the bloke looked at the reciept and said "you were in here 23 mins ago!". Anyway they tested it and yes, dead as well.

They gave me a 3rd, got home, plugged it in - success! Power and lights! It was in standby mode so I went to turn it on by pressing the power button - NOPE!!! power buttons dead too!!!!

Lucky its run by remote which switched it on because the power button on the system is dead, but Im too stuffed from carrying the box, putting it in / taking it out of the car to even worry

You watch, with a 14 day return guarantee it'll die on the 15th day :rolleyes:

[chris]

That's some horror story of bad luck.

I've not ever experienced anything that bad. Only a DVD player that seemed to have some sort of demons in its electronics.. That one went back the very next day for another otherwise identical one - it has worked fine ever since.

[Wazza]

I've never really had any problems with purchases... Usually only something I have broken myself. ie. Dropping a cellphone. :'(

At least we get good protection with an absolute minimum 1 year return for faulty goods. :wave:

[Zacabeb]

I'm glad/sad to hear I'm not the only one experiencing problems like these. Glad because it means I'm not mad, sad because these things should not happen. The number of faulty units is no surprise though, it happens that they get a bad batch of components from a supplier and ruin tons of units.

This reminds me of my experiences with PlayStation2 consoles - I've lost count of how many times I've had to get them replaced.

[Y2kGoofball]

its funny tho how people also comment on the products being "no name brands"

As you mentioned Zacabeb, Playstation2 is made by Sony, a well known brand, yet as you said youve had probs with countless number of them

My TV I brought is badged as a "konka", sounds dodgey ay but on research I found its acctually made using Panasonic or Sony (or one of the 'good names') parts - if you were to open the case the guts of it are all marked with "quality brand name parts" just a different badge on the TV. The difference is the price you pay.

Similar to the Hoover fridge - mum and dad used to swear by the Hoover as its a "well known aussie brand", that was till the fridge we've got now - when it blew up it was only a few days old we found out its "Southcorp" who build the fridge, not "Hoover" they have the permission to print the Hoover name on the door! You pay the price for a Hoover fridge but get a Southcorp one!

So my theory is these days it dont matter if you buy an expensive Sony or Panasonic or a cheaper Sorny or Panafonic, it can go at any stage!!.

The only reason I'd dish out well into $1000 mark for a quality Sony Surround system is if I were after complete cinema reproduction, but my $250 system does the job I want it to.

The number of faulty units is no surprise though, it happens that they get a bad batch of components from a supplier and ruin tons of units I agree, it helps if the store employees realised that too and that its not me getting home and blowing them up just so I can stand around for an hour waiting for a guy to come back whose probably having lunch

[NFSracer]

Wow. That sucks. The only thing i've ever had a problem with is my one sub is making a very small rattling noise on my Philips FWC577 stereo. But it's under warranty still so i can take it to a local shop and philips will pay the bill. :D And other than that a dvd player that decided to go up in smoke. Really, IT WENT UP IN SMOKE! ^_^ about 3 or 4 months later when the dvd player burnt up we took it back to walmart and they gave our money back. Ahh... the smell of burning electronics in the morning... :p

[Y2kGoofball]

we've had our "foxtel" (satellite tv ... sat because cable isnt in our area) box blow up.

The guy installed the dish ontop of a tin roof ... our house has an extention which is the loungeroom and kitchen in the extention, with a flat tin roof.

Because the TV's in the extention the guy installed the box on the tin roof, I dont know why he couldnt have just ran about a metre or 2 extra cable and installed it on the tiles of the original house ... anyway

Then 1 stormy night the dish mustve been hit by lightning. The power went out, dad went out to the power box outside to check it out (as he's an electrician and the first thing that comes to mind is "its not a blackout unless youve checked first"). the safety switch was off, so he booted it back on and BAMM, the box blew up. I still remember seeing it, it exploded there was just this flash of fire then smoke.

Anyway the next day we rang them up to get them to replace it and while waiting we pulled it apart (what, it was stuffed anyway). Its amazing, for something that had that much fire and smoke there surprisingly wasnt that much damage. It was just some melted plastic components and charred inside casing!

The guy who replaced it said he had replaced a few already that day ... their supposed to question you about it, fill out some form and process it, which takes days. Apparently its to determine whether you broke it and should pay for the new one, but he said a few people needed new ones so he just replaced it like that ;)

Ive also had a PC power supply blow up :eek: that was fun