Millions miffed at poor quality from holiday HDTV purchase

[HDBeat]

Filed under: Industry, Displays, Set-top boxes, Cable, OTA, Satellite
It seems that all of those witty predictions claiming that HDTVs would sell like hotcakes this holiday season have apparently been proven accurate, but the consumer backlash that we all assumed would follow is now in full swing. While it's no surprise that the mystery surround HDTV is further complicated by glossy marketing and a lack of technical support all around, a recent report claims that "about 19.5 million consumers" who purchased an HDTV over the holiday break are now complaining about the quality. Apparently, the "plug and play" approach that has become quite common on today's electronics didn't work out so well with HDTVs, leaving customers baffled that their TV wouldn't magically display the clean, crisp imagery they viewed on the in-store displays when making their purchase. Customers are still having a difficult time understanding that special programming packages, set-top boxes, and / or OTA antennas are required to receive HD content, taking the wind out of their presumably puffed sails. Consumer confusion over making HD "work" with HDTVs has gone on for quite some time, and even though some companies are making the leap and offering up that helping hand, it seems the majority of folks are still wandering around in the (heavily pixelated) dark.
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[Sonnie]

This doesn't surprise me really. My dad keeps saying over and over that he's gonna get him one of the those HDTV sets and I keep reminding him he has to get more than the HDTV to get HD and then there ain't all that much HD available around here. Not to mention he has never liked the bars on the sides, which he'd get with all those channels they watch that will probably never be in HD. He still wants one because he thinks the picture is gonna be better.

[lcaillo]

Let's see, you combine marketing hype, a push for lower prices, sales people who are basically cash register operators, and complex technology and you get confused buyers...no big surprise here. That would be why I have a job. There will always be a need for people to sort out this mess and educate the masses with respect to the technology. The demand for our installation and calibration services are growing faster than sales.