• directv

    DirecTV Install Imbroglio Makes Longtime Customer Want To Destroy Furniture

    While we're waiting on our video boys to harvest the clip of Whoopie's rant against DirecTV on The View this morning, here's a little reader-submitted DirecTV install nightmare to tide you over. Andy used to think DirecTV was pretty good, but his experience trying to get them to hook up an HD/DVR to his TV has felt him feeling like he is "going to explode, or destroy pieces of furniture." More »

    9:34 PM on Mon Sep 15 2008
    By Ben Popken
    9,928 views, 40 comments

    Most discussed Jay Gardner: Seriously, what you need is a good Free-to-air FTA satellite receiver. I won't go into too much detail for more »

  • banana republic

    Morning Deals

    • Banana Republic: 30% off today only with coupon code HAPPY30 or printable coupon
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    Highlights From Dealhack
    • Timbuk2: Save up to 60% off Messenger Bags, Backpacks, & More
    • New York & Co.: Extra 20% off Store-Wide Women's Apparel
    • Office Depot: Viewsonic N3235w 32-inch LCD HDTV $470 & Free Shipping
        • Highlights From Buxr
        • Staples: Samsung CLP-300 Color Laser Printer for $69.98 w/ Free shipping
        • Staples: Mio DigiWalker C230 Portable GPS for $99.99 w/ Free shipping
        • Amazon: Bill Cosby Himself (Comedy Album) - MP3 Download for $1.99

    7:06 AM on Mon Sep 8 2008
    By Ben Popken
    937 views, 2 comments

    Latest by Keter: BTW, that Samsung color laser printer on sale at Staples is a really nice one. I've had one for a more »

  • hdtv

    This Coloring Book Helps Children And Grownups Understand HDTV


    Reader Andy sent us this great coloring book he made that helps explain high definition television to children, parents, and luddites. More »

    9:27 PM on Wed Jun 18 2008
    By Alex Chasick
    10,951 views, 40 comments

    Latest by RvLeshrac: Late again... @rdldr1: $2500 Panasonics don't usually see the inside of a Wal-Mart. And there's a reason CNN changed their logo to the more »

  • pr

    Circuit City Denies Its In-Home TV Calibration Is A Total Scam

    Speaking on behalf of Circuit City in regards to our post, "Circuit City's In-Home TV Calibration Is A Total Scam", Mike Vallebuona of New Media Strategies (a company that protects its clients from "online attacks, rumors and misinformation") send us the following pulsating pile of drivel: More »

    3:04 PM on Wed Apr 30 2008
    By Ben Popken
    14,189 views, 52 comments

    Latest by djmattymac: to touch on what svctech just said, the calibration is worth it if certified. our cc in our district got more »

  • ripoffs

    Insiders: Circuit City's In-Home TV Calibration Is A Total Scam

    According to a Circuit City employee, their in-home tv calibration service is a complete ripoff. Basically they give the employees glasses like you might get at a 3D movie and they're then supposed adjust the balance and contrast and brightness with the remote control. When he complained to his manager, his boss said to just, "make believe you're changing some settings. When you're done, tell them how much better their TV looks. Besides, once you perform the calibration, they can't get a refund." Will we soon see Circuit City in-home calibration kits being hawked in the back pages of Boy's Life? Full letter, inside... More »

    12:30 PM on Tue Apr 29 2008
    By Ben Popken
    19,919 views, 56 comments

    Latest by djmattymac: as the previous poster stated, this thread seems dead but i figured id put my 2 cents in on it more »

  • complaints

    Comcast Spews BS When You Complain About HD Degradation

    David wanted a straight answer from Comcast as to whether they were degrading his HD signal, but instead was fed a colossal trough of baloney. The executive customer service rep who replied to David's email said Comcast is using a "new system" for HD and while it "works well with clean 1080i signals, we're making some adjustments to improve how it handles other types of HD signals so we can bring you the best HD picture. We apologize this has not created the HD experience that we intended, but we will work towards getting it right. " Sure... check out this previous post, Comcast Degrades HD Quality To Make Room For More Channels, for the science and proof of how Comcast (and other cable operators) are degrading HD feeds to make more money. The full exchanges between David and the Comcast reps, inside... More »

    4:56 PM on Wed Apr 2 2008
    By Ben Popken
    12,319 views, 77 comments

    Latest by subterrene: Several of these posts have to be the weirdest posts I've read on the consumerist. HD is in the eye more »

  • cable

    Comcast Degrades HD Quality To Make Room For More Channels


    When you order Hi-Def TV, you expect it to be on the shining Excalibur level, but it looks like Comcast is degrading the quality of some HD channels in order to make room for more channels. To test this theory out, Avsforum member bfdtv recorded the same shows from the same channel at the same time on both Comcast Hi-Def and Fios TV. The left is the FiOs. The right is the Comcast. As you can see, the Comcast signal looks like crap. The forum thread has more screenshots, a signal analysis, and some source videos. So far the Comcast channels receiving extra compression are: Discovery Channel, SciFi, USA, Food, NatGeo, UHD, A&E, HGTV, Starz, Cinemax, HBO, TLC, Animal Planet, Discovery HD Theater, and History HD.

    Comcast HD Quality Reduction: Details, Screenshots [AVSforum] (Thanks to thedave!)

    12:12 PM on Mon Mar 31 2008
    By Ben Popken
    39,174 views, 90 comments

    Latest by Clsmooth: I work for Comcast. Im not a big company man or a fan of them but there are a few more »

  • survey says

    Best Buy Says You Don't Know What You're Doing With HD

    Best Buy hired a firm to take a survey of the state of the American public's knowledge of HDTV, and sad results are in. You don't know what the hell is going on with your television. More »

    6:53 PM on Tue Sep 25 2007
    By Meg Marco
    9,411 views, 62 comments

  • complaints

    TWC Charges $30 To Drop Off A HDTV Box At Your House... Or You Could Get It Yourself

    Brandon says he just got and HDTV and called TWC to see about swapping his digital cable receiver for an HDTV receiver. TWC said no problem but it would be a $30 "carrying charge," which amounted to basically a TWC worker throwing an HDTV receiver in the van and driving a few miles to drop it off at Brandon's house. More »

    5:56 PM on Mon May 7 2007
    By Ben Popken
    2,258 views, 27 comments

    Latest by method829: what your "friend" and by that I mean you. is nothing, cable uses two way signal boxes, you must be more »