What is the biggest 'dud' you have come across? Options

[JoshH]

The Mrs

LOL!!!!!!! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[rkelly]

i can see this is a bit of a panasonic hate thread, but i must say we get very few complaints about the panasonic gear we sell, the odd fax machine and cordless phone here and there, but nothing major. but, as a company they are very up themselves when you try to deal with them.

I have to agree that the TUCT20 sd set top box is a bit of a lemon, not because of faults, but extreme lack of features campared to similairly priced units. currently in the house we have 4 pana tvs, ranging from an 11 y/o 68cm unit to a brand new 76 hd, 2 pana vcrs and 2 pana dvd players and 3 stereos, all have worked fine since the day we bought them.

But it's like anything, you can get a dud here and there, dont get me started on LG.

[zorg]

anything made by Holden or Fisher and Paykel.. oops wrong forum... Can't say I have ever had a dud when it comes to audio visual gear, only problem ever had was with my Sony receiver, blown power supply fixed under warranty!!!

[nelsonp]

i can see this is a bit of a panasonic hate thread, but i must say we get very few complaints about the panasonic gear we sell, the odd fax machine and cordless phone here and there, but nothing major. but, as a company they are very up themselves when you try to deal with them.

I have to agree that the TUCT20 sd set top box is a bit of a lemon, not because of faults, but extreme lack of features campared to similairly priced units. currently in the house we have 4 pana tvs, ranging from an 11 y/o 68cm unit to a brand new 76 hd, 2 pana vcrs and 2 pana dvd players and 3 stereos, all have worked fine since the day we bought them.

But it's like anything, you can get a dud here and there, dont get me started on LG.

You seem offended. We just related the duds we find, I can see that it can only help the guys deciding on the stuff & duds. Stating duds will always appear bad to the companies and usually is associated some with bad responses from the companies themselves.

If only the guys at Panasonic handled customers with better results then I am sure there will not be the corresponding complaints, I guess. They make lots of other stuff good ones too but the bad ones appears the pits + their attitudes do not seem good either in some cases. C'mon I am sure they know the duds, but at least do some right things for customers when this happens, huh?

If LG has bad stuff do state the items as we all learn from it, not just sanitised comments. All duds should be identified for the benefit of all!! And bad companies/responses too because they are linked... usually!

[TerenceJ]

Hi, I bought my first Panasonic NV-F70 VCR in 1989 for Linear Editing of Video its still going strong only problem since was losing its LCD display (now fixed),also have NV-HD100A stiil Ok over 10 years, now using a NV-HV60 for copying VHS tape to DVD via PC 3 years no problems, so what you are all saying is not correct as far as im concerned

[David Williams]

I bought my first Panasonic NV-F70 VCR in 1989

I got my first Panasonic VCR 16 years ago. Lasted for 13 years - it was the tuner that went but I can still use it por playback.
Replacement Panasonic still going strong 3 years
Another Panny VCR in second TV going strong - 10 years maybe

3 Panasonic TV's all brilliant - one of them 13 years old

Panasonic easily have the best name for HDD/DVD recorders - my E100h going strong (1 Year old)

I generally find you can't go wrong with Panasonic A/V gear

[mjstokesy]

Can't say I've had too many duds. Sony for me is a bunch of crap. VCR, error messages every few days. This was a tape prob. Walkmans, even worst! Legend LSD STB, now that's a piece of crap, that's putting it nicely really. 2 separate units...no difference at all. Kept it but still having problems. Downloads do something. Just don't waste any time emailing these people. Surprised about Panasonic, I've had no probs with any of their stuff. I have a portable CD player, Hifi and another stereo, all work sweetly. Is there any brands that are good out there??

[nelsonp]

Any offers for my 4 Pana VCRs?

1 has gone back to Pana after Fair Trading judgement so I still have 3 left in boxes... no use for them??? Not much milege on them but all faulty and unuseable!!!

Maybe the guys above may want them one day for parts???

[Bootsman]

$2 for all 4 and you pay post

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

[cartman]

I got my first Panasonic VCR 16 years ago. Lasted for 13 years - it was the tuner that went but I can still use it por playback.
Replacement Panasonic still going strong 3 years
Another Panny VCR in second TV going strong - 10 years maybe

3 Panasonic TV's all brilliant - one of them 13 years old

Panasonic easily have the best name for HDD/DVD recorders - my E100h going strong (1 Year old)

I generally find you can't go wrong with Panasonic A/V gear

Very similar situation here re. VCRs - also the same re. microwaves.
Hardly bother looking at anything else when buying these two things (not that I'll ever need another VCR - still waiting for digital PVR w/DVD rec.)

[David Williams]

Very similar situation here re. VCRs - also the same re. microwaves.
Hardly bother looking at anything else when buying these two things (not that I'll ever need another VCR - still waiting for digital PVR w/DVD rec.)

Yeah. I was only referring to AV gear - I have had my Panny Microwave for 16 years. Still going strong.

[MelwayMan]

Two dud purchases I've made:

1. The Footy! DG-Tec DH2000A (Still putting up with it until I can afford a replacement)

2. A Sharp Microwave Oven - Some screen segments died on it about a month out of warranty. I was able to get it fixed as they had a recall on, and then about 3 months after that a couple of screen segments died again...

Tim

[rkelly]

You seem offended.  We just related the duds we find, I can see that it can only help the guys deciding on the stuff & duds.  Stating duds will always appear bad to the companies and usually is associated some with bad responses from the companies themselves.

If only the guys at Panasonic handled customers with better results then I am sure there will not be the corresponding complaints, I guess.  They make lots of other stuff good ones too but the bad ones appears the pits + their attitudes do not seem good either in some cases.  C'mon I am sure they know the duds, but at least do some right things for customers when this happens, huh?

If LG has bad stuff do state the items as we all learn from it, not just sanitised comments.  All duds should be identified for the benefit of all!!  And bad companies/responses too because they are linked... usually!

not so much offended, just replying with my opinion, as does everyone else.

I do have to agree with the statement about holden and f & p though.

[chrig]

Hi, I bought my first Panasonic NV-F70 VCR in 1989 for Linear Editing of Video its still going strong only problem since was losing its LCD display (now fixed),also have NV-HD100A stiil Ok over 10 years, now using a NV-HV60 for copying VHS tape to DVD via PC 3 years no problems, so what you are all saying is not correct as far as im concerned

It seems their products vary in quality; I have several older Japanese Panasonic VCR's and swear by them. Have a 13 year old 51cm TV still going strong, but another Panasonic TV bought in 1997 has had an extemely poor tuner since day 1, and it sitting around unused. A positive is a 1984 vintage National TV which being thrown out when I was in high school has been an excellent playstation unit and apart from a dodgy volume control performs well to this day.

My 200a widescreen works well, although the geometry as described on this forum is out. I also have two newer Panasonic VCR's, Malaysian made which are a load of junk. Poorly constructed I think will soon be seen on eBay and ill just keep my Japanese units. Our Panasonic cordless phone battery went quickly after purchase, yet the older Sanyo cordless, although not as stylish, is still going strong with original battery since 1999 and has better sound quality.

I bought a Panasonic STB and it was sold within a couple of months with problems since day 1, namely lines across the top of channel 10. Also extremely poor connectivity.

What dissapointed me the most about Panasonic was their "customer care". I don't think even Telstra are as rude, arrogant, and non helpful as these guys. I haven't had a lot to do with support lines for electrical goods, but when my Toshiba STB needed a firmware update Castel electronics the distributor were most helpful, friendly and efficient about the whole matter. I would much rather have to deal with Castel than Panasonic 'care' anyday.

Our family has been massive supporters of the brand, but I must say we are getting more skeptical about which Panasonic products in the future we will buy as some product categories, namely TV's, VCR's and especially STB's seem to be extemely poorly made, and I think the company is only trading as well as they are because of their previous reputation for high quality manufacturing.

[sman]

anything bought from a good guys electrical store. The products either go before or just after warranty expires.

[fawlty99]

Sony vcr (but it was cheap). It works but quality leaves a bit to be desired. Can't believe the bad vibes about panasonic. I've got 2 HIFI vcrs & 3 pana TV's ranging from 5 years to 12 years old. Never an ounce of trouble with any of them. My old "national" vcr only just died after 20 years.

[SGS]

I had 2 JVC VCR's that dies within 2 years due to faulty heads. Then got a Pana and has been very good.

I'm not too pleased with Teac anything these days. Warranty repairs especially poor.

[Jet]

Comrades,

I've had Panny's 76cm 100A, 200A & 300A here at the hanger over the last few years at various times, all worked fine, bar one small glitch with the 76cm 200A 'Jittering' in 1080i mode - a scrambled eprom (probably my fault anyway for doing some serious mucking about in service menus did it?) a quick factory re-set and all is/was fine.

As for the Panny STBs, well I will agree that the QTR2130 & QTR2140 left more than a bit to be desired, but I'm currently using the Panny TU-HDT104A = AKA (QTR2150) and never had a problem with it, but it does from time to time suffer from occasional interference from power line glitches - so I use plenty of 240v line conditioning and hence no worries, I believe that later model 104A's had an internal fix for the interference problem?

IMHO the 76cm Panny TX76-PW300A CRT is about the best 'bang for buck' HD capable set currently on the market here in Oz (and it's Aussie made at Penrith NSW - only the Quintrex HR tubes are imported from Japan, AFAIK?)

BTW my +10 year old Panny S-VHS (Japanese made but with SCARTs in & out, plus 'Hoisen' [S-Video] & CBVS RCA connections), is still going strong, maybe soon it will need new heads - but otherwise it's built like a bomb proof 'brick shirt-house' (sic) !

You pays ya money and ya takes your chances,
Jet :ph34r:

[heyehy]

Thomson DVI STB.

[Recon]

Theres a dud in every brand & household. I don't hold any grudges towards any companies in particular, I dont think it really matters with the bigger brands... However

A Kenwood XD-951 Mini Pro Logic 3CD system 500 rms... came with a two year warranty (luckily) because it went to the service agent twice, sydney twice, and on the 5th time they replaced it with a factory repaird one at a guess.... and even then it did some funny things (which i fixed myself was a dry joint stuff em i wasnt going to send it back again) :\

Sharp CRT TVs....
My 68cm pure flat, flyback transformer went in 2 months, and 4 years later needed a few transistors replaced. as a kid in the eighties, the old mans sharp nothing but trouble, grandmas sharp same deal. Then again ive seen sharps that last for years.

I have been very impressed with lg products tho lately, I think they are great bang for buck, i have an lg rear pro, vac, front loader, fridge, m/wave, even pc lcd and dvd burners... they make some excelent products and i have not had any trouble to date *fingers crossed*