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Why Are Shops so Hopeless at Selling Televisions? |
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#1 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 762
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Why Are Shops so Hopeless at Selling Televisions?
I have just been trawling the shops as I am in the market for a new TV.
First stop was my local Tesco Extra - I think it is the fifth biggest in the UK. They had a wall of display models and I spotted one of the new Panasonics which had the all important Freeview HD tuner. An assistant came to offer help. I said, "Please could I see this working on the Freeview HD channels which I believe start at CH 50"? (It was on a standard def channel). "Well. I'm afraid we can't do that". "Why ever not". He went on to explain that although they had an aerial, it had fallen down and was not pointing at the transmitter. Therefore, the televisions could only pick up some of the channels and that did not include those in HD. So, Tesco were hoping that I was going to blow about £650 on something that they could not demonstrate - all because they cannot afford to pay a guy to get it sorted out! The televisions were also demonstrated in the full glow of bog standard store lighting. OK. So lets try another Tesco Extra - one that actually is virtually underneath a main transmitter. (If Tesco management are reading this - I'll leave you to work out which store it is). Again, another wall of televisions but this time they are all being "fed" from a Sky box or hard drive showing some sort of demo "reel". Again, I requested to see a model I was interested in showing real Freeview pictures in HD and SD. Assistant > "Well, I'm afraid that we don't actually have an aerial". So, once again, Tesco expect me to shell out for something that they cannot demonstrate. Next, I cross the road to Comet. Same old story, demos off a hard drive and no aerial to get Freeview. Now it is time to visit a brand new PC World/Curry's so called "megastore". Well, on entering, it all looks very impressive. Plenty of televisions all laid out in rows. Again, I asked to see a demonstration of Freeview in HD & SD on various models. "I'm afraid we can't do that Sir as we don't have an aerial connection". So, this so called megastore expect me to blow my money on something I can't actually see. All the televisions were showing the same promotion "reel" coming off a hard drive or Sky box. (I don't even think the picture was being delivered via HDMI).The sort of material being shown did not enable one to easily gauge the picture quality of the different models. If you want to hear the sound of your prospective television, I wouldn't bother going to Curry's/PC World as they have a habit of turning up the sound on products all over the store - so what hits you is nothing but noise from all of these products. Surely, there should be as little noise in the store as possible. Them, when the customer(s) find something they are interested in , they can request just to hear the sound of that product. So, that's Curry's/PC World, Tesco & Comet crossed off. Now for "never knowingly undersold" John Lewis who have a free 5 year warranty on all televisions. First impressions are that the prices are reasonable though not as cheap as those available via the Internet. Well, at least here I was not hit by the kind of noise in Curry's/PC World and the choice of televisions was reasonable but not so vast. Anyway, once again - no signals via transmitter for Freeview demos as they have no aerial. All their sets were working off a Sky box and showing BBC HD. I requested seeing the standard definition pictures and the assistant took the Sky RC and pointed it at the box to turn a whole block of screen to BBC 1 Standard Definition. Well, I suppose that that was better than what the others could muster but still not giving me the Freeview demonstration. So, what is for probably the most important purchase after a car, none of these stores could actually give me the demonstration. Most people are buying these sets for Freeview yet none of them could provide a demonstration. At least the car retailers can usually supply a vehicle for you to have a test drive! I can't help but wonder if BSkyB are offering to "wire up" the stores for free providing they show their demonstration material. Another thing common to all the stores is a lack of display of the remote controls. Now, I can understand this as they might get stolen but is it asking too much to get them to have life sized pictures of them stuck to the display near the screens? (Quite why the manufacturers can not supply the stores with such pictures, goodness knows). Finally, I overheard salespeople talking to customers. Some customers were purchasing the Freeview HD Ready televisions. It was not pointed out to them that such televisions are unable to receive BBC, ITV & CH4 in High Definition via an aerial - without purchasing another HD box & being stuck with another remote control. All well and good if you want to subscribe to Sky or Virgin to get HD via their boxes but certainly useless for free HD via the aerial & on board tuner. "Full HD" also does not mean that you can pick up these HD channels - it means that they have 1080 pixels. The only televisions that can get Freeview HD are those that have HD written in black in the description/on the box - after the word Freeview. So, whilst the sales assistants are not lying, they are being "economical with the facts". Well, I suppose they have got to shift all those obsolete televisions that only have standard definition tuners. (The same thing happened as recently as 4 years ago when they were still selling televisions with analogue tuners). So, "Let the Buyer Beware" and never trust a salesperson! Most are nice people just trying to earn a living but what they tell you, might not be in your best interests! |
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#2 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: North Derbyshire
Posts: 41,794
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So you go to the poorest stores you can find, and expect to receive decent advise
![]() Try local indepenedents. who have a MUCH greater chance of knowing what they are on about. Trying Tesco first was a complete laugh! :P |
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#3 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: The Sunny Side Of The Street
Posts: 40,106
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Try a decent shop! Intelligent people do not buy televisions from these type places.
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#4 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 13,433
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John Lewis are also very good when it comes to buying tvs with advice,and they give a 5 year warranty on tv sets which ias worth having.
Or i have found my local independant to be very good also,Tesco, supermarkets,currys, dixons,ect ect are to be avoided, if you want a decent customer expierience with regards to advice and after sales service of any kind. |
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#5 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: North of England
Posts: 2,997
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Quote:
Try a decent shop! Intelligent people do not buy televisions from these type places.
I bought my last TV from Tesco. Granted, the conditions and PQ on the displays was shocking, but I'd done my homework and also looked elsewhere before buying there. |
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#6 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: It's Grim
Posts: 24,413
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It's like shopping at Netto, you don't get the service at the lower price end.
For Tesco prices one has to do all ones own research and then just buy the TV from Tesco. I would expect a fairly high standard from John Lewis though, so that's poor from them. For top notch service you would probably be paying 20% on top of Tesco prices. |
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#7 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 13,433
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Quote:
It's like shopping at Netto, you don't get the service at the lower price end.
For Tesco prices one has to do all ones own research and then just buy the TV from Tesco. I would expect a fairly high standard from John Lewis though, so that's poor from them. For top notch service you would probably be paying 20% on top of Tesco prices. People will not be satisfied until only the big discounters are left.
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#8 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: It's Grim
Posts: 24,413
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Quote:
It hardly encouerages shpos that give a decent level of service if you go around to them for a look and just buy the tv from tescos! no wonder specialist shops are disappearing fast.
People will not be satisfied until only the big discounters are left. ![]() |
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#9 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: GLASGOW
Posts: 702
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No wonder Tesco has plenty Technica stock left if you can not see it working. Start price £100 Now £80 have a £10 voucher off again.
Try Richer sounds or as Nigel said an independant retailer is best. |
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#10 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 13,433
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Quote:
I agree, but why you felt the need to direct this at me I don't know.
![]() Sorry for that. |
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#11 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 6,462
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Quote:
...no wonder specialist shops are disappearing fast.
People will not be satisfied until only the big discounters are left. ![]() |
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#12 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 8,622
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Lol yea people buy on price alone. You get what you deserve.
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#13 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: London
Posts: 7,584
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Why Are Shops so Hopeless at Selling Televisions?
Quote:
I have just been trawling the shops as I am in the market for a new TV.
First stop was my local Tesco Extra - I think it is the fifth biggest in the UK. They had a wall of display models and I spotted one of the new Panasonics which had the all important Freeview HD tuner. An assistant came to offer help. I said, "Please could I see this working on the Freeview HD channels which I believe start at CH 50"? (It was on a standard def channel). "Well. I'm afraid we can't do that". "Why ever not". He went on to explain that although they had an aerial, it had fallen down and was not pointing at the transmitter. Therefore, the televisions could only pick up some of the channels and that did not include those in HD. So, Tesco were hoping that I was going to blow about £650 on something that they could not demonstrate - all because they cannot afford to pay a guy to get it sorted out! The televisions were also demonstrated in the full glow of bog standard store lighting. OK. So lets try another Tesco Extra - one that actually is virtually underneath a main transmitter. (If Tesco management are reading this - I'll leave you to work out which store it is). Again, another wall of televisions but this time they are all being "fed" from a Sky box or hard drive showing some sort of demo "reel". Again, I requested to see a model I was interested in showing real Freeview pictures in HD and SD. Assistant > "Well, I'm afraid that we don't actually have an aerial". So, once again, Tesco expect me to shell out for something that they cannot demonstrate. Next, I cross the road to Comet. Same old story, demos off a hard drive and no aerial to get Freeview. Now it is time to visit a brand new PC World/Curry's so called "megastore". Well, on entering, it all looks very impressive. Plenty of televisions all laid out in rows. Again, I asked to see a demonstration of Freeview in HD & SD on various models. "I'm afraid we can't do that Sir as we don't have an aerial connection". So, this so called megastore expect me to blow my money on something I can't actually see. All the televisions were showing the same promotion "reel" coming off a hard drive or Sky box. (I don't even think the picture was being delivered via HDMI).The sort of material being shown did not enable one to easily gauge the picture quality of the different models. If you want to hear the sound of your prospective television, I wouldn't bother going to Curry's/PC World as they have a habit of turning up the sound on products all over the store -so what hits you is nothing but noise from all of these products. Surely, there should be as little noise in the store as possible. Them, when the customer(s) find something they are interested in , they can request just to hear the sound of that product. So, that's Curry's/PC World, Tesco & Comet crossed off. Now for "never knowingly undersold" John Lewis who have a free 5 year warranty on all televisions. First impressions are that the prices are reasonable though not as cheap as those available via the Internet. Well, at least here I was not hit by the kind of noise in Curry's/PC World and the choice of televisions was reasonable but not so vast. Anyway, once again - no signals via transmitter for Freeview demos as they have no aerial. All their sets were working off a Sky box and showing BBC HD. I requested seeing the standard definition pictures and the assistant took the Sky RC and pointed it at the box to turn a whole block of screen to BBC 1 Standard Definition. Well, I suppose that that was better than what the others could muster but still not giving me the Freeview demonstration. So, what is for probably the most important purchase after a car, none of these stores could actually give me the demonstration. Most people are buying these sets for Freeview yet none of them could provide a demonstration. At least the car retailers can usually supply a vehicle for you to have a test drive! I can't help but wonder if BSkyB are offering to "wire up" the stores for free providing they show their demonstration material. Another thing common to all the stores is a lack of display of the remote controls. Now, I can understand this as they might get stolen but is it asking too much to get them to have life sized pictures of them stuck to the display near the screens? (Quite why the manufacturers can not supply the stores with such pictures, goodness knows). Finally, I overheard salespeople talking to customers. Some customers were purchasing the Freeview HD Ready televisions. It was not pointed out to them that such televisions are unable to receive BBC, ITV & CH4 in High Definition via an aerial - without purchasing another HD box & being stuck with another remote control. All well and good if you want to subscribe to Sky or Virgin to get HD via their boxes but certainly useless for free HD via the aerial & on board tuner. "Full HD" also does not mean that you can pick up these HD channels - it means that they have 1080 pixels. The only televisions that can get Freeview HD are those that have HD written in black in the description/on the box - after the word Freeview. So, whilst the sales assistants are not lying, they are being "economical with the facts". Well, I suppose they have got to shift all those obsolete televisions that only have standard definition tuners. (The same thing happened as recently as 4 years ago when they were still selling televisions with analogue tuners). So, "Let the Buyer Beware" and never trust a salesperson! Most are nice people just trying to earn a living but what they tell you, might not be in your best interests! an expensive television set from Tesco, I would buy one from Comet, Curry's or Best Buy, as they have a wider range of televisions, plus they have Insurance and you can get the television set Installed by them too, if it is a new HD or 3D one All Shops do not show Freeview, just Freesat or Sky or other sources like from a DVD Player or a Blue Ray Player The Link for Best Buy in case you need it is http://www.bestbuy.co.uk/page/home.aspx I hope this helps you further |
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#14 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: North of England
Posts: 2,997
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joshua_welby in pointless post shocker lol.
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#15 |
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Inactive Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 775
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Richer Sounds gets my vote. Usually very cheap and excellent service.
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#16 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: DUNDEE
Posts: 1,318
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this has always been a problem most shops dont have a clue about television , rows of HD TVs hooked up to $ky with teribile low definition pictures
I was once told in Dixons when I wanted to buy a sattilite reciever it would not work with out $ky when I worked in Makro I had to help the electrical department set up TV and Videos as they did not have a clue, when sattilite tv started I had to get the management to return the useless 60cm dishes which where no use in Scotland they where selling a large Phillips superscreen projection television which consisted of coffe table type unit with three CRT projectors and a screen it was all ruined by the shop lighting with a spotlight shining on the screen dimming the picture in 2003 I phoned up the CAI for advice on putting up a satillite dish to recieve FTA channels they askd why I had not been in touch with $ky? it would cost me £400, I had an analouge reciver and was going to get a digital reciever latter I wanted CNN at 19deg East phone local installer came out with signal meter told me I could not recieve 19 east from my balcony but suprise surpriseI could get $ky at 28 deg east and he can set up a contract ![]() a few months later when I had the monay to get a digital reciever I discoverd I could have used the analouge reciever all along at 19 East it was just a rip off to con me into taking out an exspensive $ky sub ![]() most people have not got a clue when it comes to TV |
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#17 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: North Devon
Posts: 1,568
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Read the following if you think you'll be buying a freeview HD tv or box. Another cock-up by freeview!
http://whathifi.com/News/Problems-wi...-HD-the-facts/ |
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#18 |
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Guest
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 8,103
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Quote:
Read the following if you think you'll be buying a freeview HD tv or box. Another cock-up by freeview!
http://whathifi.com/News/Problems-wi...-HD-the-facts/ |
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#19 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 762
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zandar is back!
Many thanks for all your responses thus far. Yes, I have also been checking out the local independents but find their range of stock to be limited and their prices sky high. The customers in such shops often tend to be OAP's who probably don't have computers so are unable to check out the prices. They are also the sort of people who cannot buy a box, take it home, unpack and get it going. That is why they are prepared to pay more for the local service that these people offer. The Sony shops are often one man bands who operate under the Sony banner as a franchise. Hence, The Sony Shop is not usually the cheapest place to buy a Sony.
I have checked out Richer Sounds and indeed, purchased a Panasonic Freesat PVR from them in April. The staff are excellent as are the prices - no doubt aided by the fact that they have shops in down market areas rather than the major downtown malls. However, Richer Sounds do not always have the most up to date models. (They seem to give big discounts on outgoing models). I will be checking them out soon to see if they have got hold of any of the new Freeview HD sets yet. |
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#20 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Lat: 52.666; Long: -1.2833
Posts: 6,502
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Quote:
Try a decent shop! Intelligent people do not buy televisions from these type places.
![]() As someone said earlier, do your homework - then buy from a cheap box shifter.
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#21 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: South West
Posts: 10,218
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Quote:
I have checked out Richer Sounds and indeed, purchased a Panasonic Freesat PVR from them in April. The staff are excellent as are the prices - no doubt aided by the fact that they have shops in down market areas rather than the major downtown malls. However, Richer Sounds do not always have the most up to date models. (They seem to give big discounts on outgoing models). I will be checking them out soon to see if they have got hold of any of the new Freeview HD sets yet.
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#22 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: South Notts (Waltham TV TX)
Posts: 20,200
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Quote:
Richer Sounds gets my vote. Usually very cheap and excellent service.
John Lewis is about the only shop in Nottingham (of the large chains) that seams to manage a good picture to actually allow you to test the TV tuner part of TVs - IIRC they only have an aerial connection on most of there TVs! Stores wonder why customers are going to the internet - just take a look at your own displays for petes sake, if I can't "play" indoors using all the functions I would expect why on earth should I buy from you rather than eBuyer or the likes? |
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#23 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Somewhere in the middle
Posts: 264
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Quote:
It is certainly true that Richer do sell end of line stock. But they also have exclusive arrangements with some manufacturers, including Cambridge Audio.
Designed in England, assembled very badly in China, in my experience
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#24 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 24,124
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Come on, you can't expect low-paid shop staff to be "well informed" about all aspects of diferent reception technologies. Never mind all the quirks of the different products they sell.
Even where staff get some training in basic level "jargon", a shop's main purpose is to extract money from customers. Staff well understand that their jobs critically depend upon this. As for picture/sound "quality", most people can't notice any difference! They just believe what they're told ........... (i've recently noticed DIxons showing "split screen displays", comparing Freeview SD with 1080i! In fact, it's NTSC and 720p, but who really gives a fart?). |
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#25 |
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Forum Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: North Devon
Posts: 1,568
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Quote:
I'd have to ask the question - why can some makes of TV/stb transcode the AAC format to Dolby Digital and others can't - an oversight on their part perhaps.
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