I HATE ELECTRONICS!!!

[ResidentEvil7]

Were you really expecting quality customer service care?  It's a dead thing these days.  There is no such thing as customer service, especially with the modern young gen.

[Raphael]

Hmm...wonder what happened to the reply I thought I'd posted, hours ago...

Anyway, while bad customer service skills do seem to be prevalent in the younger generation, I've gotten some pretty shoddy customer service from folks of all ages. Sadly, most companies can't be bothered training their employees to give good customer service these days.

[Raphael]

So, one day short of NINE WEEKS later, much telephone tagging later, and much MUCH frustration later, we have an answer.

The TV is dead. (well duh)

The refund on the warranty, plus the value of the TV (which was over $450, I believe), is $150. Thankfully, that credit is going on the credit card used to purchase the TV, so I can go where ever I want to get a new TV. 

Hmm...should I go to Sears?

Not bloody likely.  Sears, if you're looking to drive your company into the ground with crappy customer service, you're on the right track.

Are extended warranties worth it?  No.  At one point, they used to be, but that was before everything was being made with planned obsolescence in mind.

[Raphael]

The saga concludes. Just bought a new TV and I am at Starbucks,celebrating.

[ResidentEvil7]

Actually, I think Sears is going under.  They put my location out of business earlier this year, but bad location could have something to do with it also in this case.

[Raphael]

Sears has been having issues for a while now, but they keep clawing their way back out.

It's a shame - I hate to see any business go under.  But they're really not helping themselves with the crappy customer service. People remember when they're treated badly and will very quickly go elsewhere.

[Raphael]

AAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!!!!!!!!

Woke up this morning and my cable looked like it was out. Cable box kept saying that every channel was currently unavailable.  Checked a 2nd cable box in the house, it was not working as well.  Checked a third and it worked. So it's not the cable coming into the house.

Unhooked the cable from one cable box, put it directly into the tv...it worked fine. Not the cable at all.

Got online with customer support, got through right away, he had to reprogram the boxes. Got the serial numbers, he reprogrammed, I let them got for a bit...

And now I have two cable boxes displaying a zero on the front and still not working.

And now I'm in the queue for the online agent...oy....

[BubblyShell22]

Oh, wow. That sucks, Raph. It seems like you can't win, can you? Best of luck with what you're going through. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

[Raphael]

To paraphrase one of my favourite TV doctors:  It's dead, Jim.

Both of them.

Technician is coming in on Monday morning to look at them. Meanwhile, I'm back to basic cable, which wouldn't be all that bad except that my current TV obsession is only on digital cable. They're very sporadic about the episodes they've played...it had been Series 10-15, then 4-7, then 11, then 12-16, then 4-7. Suddenly, they've been airing series 2 & 3. And tonight, while I don't have access to the channel, they've decided finally to play series 8. Bloody 'ell.  Colour me unamused...

[ResidentEvil7]

I may likely be wrong, but if you rebooted your cable boxes just like a computer, you might have to do a scan of your channels, because we're no longer in the analog years.  But if that isn't the case, it's strange on how all cable boxes are out, when each box carries their own individual problems.  I mean my computer sucks a ton, but it has nothing to do with other computers or the phone or TV.  Well I shouldn't say the phone; sometimes the phone ringing disconnects the internet (usually right in the middle of a large multi-hour pay download).

This might help to know, what is your cable provider?  Some are not as good as others.  My dad and I have Comcast ($180 per month for the kind of garbage they put on TV these days), and I'm trying to convince him to go with Direct TV or Dish Network for TV, Magic Jack Plus for the phone, and LAN for internet.  I would rather spend the $1.95 a month with Magic Jack than a part of a $180 Comcast next months.

[BubblyShell22]

Yeah, DirecTV would probably be your best bet. That's what we have, and so far, we haven't really had any problems. We do occasionally have trouble when we have a storm or rain/snow, but not a lot. Comcast causes a lot of problems though. My aunt and uncle had a heck of time with theirs.

[Raphael]

DirectTV, Comcast, Dish...not options. I don't believe they're available in Canada.  Thx for the suggestions, anyway. Where I am, we have Eastlink and Aliant for cable. Don't know who's available for satellite, don't think I'd go for that anyway.

Cable boxes have been disconnected, unplugged, rebooted by the cable company at least three times...no good.


For me, personally...we have a VOIP system at work and, thanks to the bad experiences with that, I would NEVER get a phone that goes through a computer. Just as I will never ditch a landline for just my cell phone, nor would I have only hands free phones. If something happens and the power is out for an extended period of time (like, say, days or weeks after a category 2 hurricane blows through), you quickly become SOL...  Saw way too many people who were unable to communicate with anyone after a day or two because their cell phone batteries were dead, and they couldn't use their home phone because all of the hands free sets needed power to run. And, naturally, going through the computer doesn't work if the computer's not working...  As the expression goes, your mileage may vary, this is just how I feel on the subject. *G*

[BubblyShell22]

Ah, that sucks that those providers aren't available in Canada. I thought they were.

[ResidentEvil7]

I didn't think that Canadians have the same providers as we do.  I think every country has their own cable/sat. providers.  Always keep this in mind about the inability to use a cell phone or computer or even TV when a storm or power outtage happens; keep this in mind "what were people using to communicate with before this kind of technology was invented, and how did they get along before the cell phone and home computer was invented?"  That's what I see it as when I don't have modern conviences in my life at the moment; just go back to how it was done before the technological upgrade.

[BubblyShell22]

Yeah, that's true. People lived without TV and the Internet before. But I think the thing is, people are more dependent on it now than ever for keeping in touch with people. And for the job I want, I have to have Internet since it's an online job. So, as far as that goes, I probably wouldn't be able to survive without it.