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confusion posts

DTV call center successfully handles influx of confused callers

by Darren Murph posted Feb 19th 2009 at 2:25PM

Given that the expectation was for hordes of confused TV viewers to phone in over the past two days in order to ask why their local OTA station was suddenly unavailable, it's no shock to see a big deal made of successfully managing through it. For those unaware, 421 stations decided to go ahead with their originally planned DTV transition date of February 17th, and we're told that over 28,000 perplexed Americans dialed 1-888-CALL-FCC on Tuesday for assistance in getting their sets working. The call center was setup to handle around 100,000 calls on the day that US broadcasters were previously scheduled to go from analog to digital, but obviously, far fewer people either a) cared or b) needed help. See, that wasn't so bad, was it?

Confusion still running rampant in run-up to DTV transition

by Darren Murph posted Dec 23rd 2008 at 1:54PM

Oh, dear. You all point and laugh now, but as Richard Doherty, an analyst with the Envisioneering Group, has stated: "On February 18, there will be a tremendous amount of finger-pointing." Richard also makes another point that we certainly agree with in that "this transition is possibly one of the worst understood consumer education programs in modern times," with millions of Americans still unready for the impending change. 'Course, if you've ever attempted to help your grandmother troubleshoot a VCR over the phone (let alone in 30-second blips), it's somewhat easier to understand why this process is so difficult to grasp. As of today, legions of people are still perplexed at what's coming, and we believe that many are apt to simply sit around and do nothing. The government / NAB is ramping up advertising and sending out DTV transition-mobiles in order to get the word out, but one must wonder, is it too late to save those who have already delayed this long?

Read - Nielsen statistics
Read - Confusion in DTV Transition

Canadians survey finds most HDTV owners don't receive HD content

by Darren Murph posted Dec 12th 2008 at 10:50AM


We're chalking this one up to coincidental timing, but just hours after hearing about the HDTV / HD programming gap in the US comes a similar report from the Great North. According to research compiled by the Canadian chapter of the Cable Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM), just 13% of Canadians have a set-top-box capable of receiving HD signals, yet some three in ten citizens confess to owning an HDTV. In other words, quite a few HDTV-owning Canucks are doing without high-def programming for one reason or another. CTAM asserts that confusion about the niceties of HD is high in Canada, and that most individuals "are generally unaware of the features and benefits associated with high-definition TV." Hmm, maybe if the CRTC would stop rejecting HD expansion, more locals would be able to see and hear the difference.

[Image courtesy of Lodging4Vacations]

Samsung launches Blu-ray resource center

by Darren Murph posted Jun 23rd 2008 at 8:21PM


Samsung's been pretty good about keeping its HDM players up to date with the latest protocols, and now it's launching a dedicated site to keep prospective consumers and current owners alike informed about the Blu-ray format. The aptly-titled Blu-ray resource center is split into two sides, one of which includes topics for existing BD addicts and one with information for those "looking to buy Blu-ray." Interestingly, the forum packs some pretty noteworthy questions, with the latest explaining how upconverted DVD just isn't as good as bona fide Blu-ray. Head on over and swallow some knowledge -- just be sure to watch for falling propaganda.

A checklist for buying your first HDTV

by Darren Murph posted Apr 27th 2008 at 3:23AM


'Round these parts, we expect most everywhere to own, or at least be familiar with, an HDTV. Still, there's a first time for everyone, and for folks just now looking to hop on in and see what this whole "high-definition" thing is all about, ExtremeTech's Joel Durham Jr. has a quick 'n dirty guide of things to do before tossing a set in your vehicle. Granted, a few of the tips seem glaringly obvious, but really, buying a new (or first, in particular) HDTV isn't always a simple process. What's your size requirement? What's your budget? What technology do you prefer? Do you have the wiring scheme all planned out? Can you afford to pull another all-nighter? If you've been wondering where to start when thinking of bringing a new set into your crib, you should definitely give the read link a look -- at worse, you can say you're a seasoned veteran for already knowing the dos and don'ts.

[Image courtesy of Radioru, thanks Jeremy]

Canadian survey sez half of HDTV buyers are clueless about high-def

by Darren Murph posted Mar 14th 2008 at 10:31AM


Confusion amongst the general populace in regard to high-definition technology has been a problem for quite some time, and while we're not putting too much stock in the most recent survey about our neighbors up north, the results are fairly comical if nothing else. New poll findings from Nanos Research has discovered that 48-percent of the Canadians surveyed "confessed they were not at all knowledgeable about such features as 1080p resolution and pixel response times, compared to only 5-percent who considered themselves very knowledgeable." That being the case, HDTV sales in Canada still managed to surge some 72-percent last year, and around half of the participants did note that "concerns such as power consumption and toxins used in manufacturing" were very important when making their choice of HDTV. Granted, the survey was commissioned by Sharp in order to gloat about its "eco-friendly" AQUOS, but the bigger picture here is that the public at large is still a long ways away from really wrapping their heads around high-def.

[Image courtesy of HomeTheaterMag]

Gifting someone with an HDTV? Don't forget the HD service!

by Darren Murph posted Dec 20th 2007 at 3:44AM


We know, it seems painfully obvious to us, but we can't say we're surprised one iota that the general public would buy a loved one an HDTV and totally overlook the fact that he / she will need HD service to make it truly worthwhile. According to a recent survey conducted on Comcast's behalf, one in four consumers are hoping to receive an HDTV this holiday season, but only 12-percent of gift-givers were even thinking of including HD service. Granted, savvy buyers may be tossing in a gift certificate to pick up an OTA antenna, or they may just let the recipient be responsible for figuring out they need high-definition service. Of course, one must remember who commissioned the survey. Nevertheless, let this serve as a friendly reminder to show consideration when blessing someone with a new HDTV -- they can't watch HD flicks forever!

[Image courtesy of Crutchfield]

Panasonic reopens Plasma Concierge to the masses this holiday season

by Darren Murph posted Dec 7th 2007 at 9:26PM


Read enough horror stories lately to get you all scared about diving into the world of HDTV? Fret not, as Panasonic is reopening the phone lines to its toll-free Plasma Concierge service during the holidays. Usually, this line is reserved for those who already own a Panny PDP, but starting today, absolutely anyone can ring up the help line for a little one-on-one Q&A about flat panels. Reportedly, those on the other end will be happy to field any general / technical questions you may have, and unlike last year, the service will remain open until February 3, 2008 -- a full two months longer. Hit the read link for the digits, and be sure to grab some paper and a pen before you just start rattling off inquiries.

Three hours to get an LCD TV up and running?

by Darren Murph posted Dec 4th 2007 at 4:07AM

We sincerely hope that this tale is more the exception than the rule, but poor LeendaDLL managed to burn through three solid hours when firing up a new LCD TV. Granted, we understand that tweaking the picture, running wires and tweaking further takes a good chunk of time, but it just shouldn't take the average joe / jane this long to get a new TV up and running. After reading this horrific story, we began to wonder if this experience is, well, experienced by more people than we might have assumed. Heck, we already found that millions of individuals didn't fully understand how to acquire HD signals on their HDTV after snapping one up last Christmas, and we've even seen companies dedicate help lines just to ease the confusion surrounding HDTV. So, dear readers, how many of you have been called in to set up a new TV after hours upon hours of failed attempts by its new owner?

[Image courtesy of APS]

Millions miffed at poor quality from holiday HDTV purchase

by Darren Murph posted Dec 30th 2006 at 10:30PM

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.

Consumers still baffled about HD content, channel options

by Darren Murph posted Dec 10th 2006 at 12:55PM

After several years of this "HD thing" being around, we'd assume that the general public would begin to catch on and understand the completely unnecessary, yet very prevalent confusions that simply come with owning and operating an HDTV. Apparently there's still a vast majority of potential HDTV buyers and current owners that are still miffed when it comes to fully understanding how to setup, tweak, operate, and enjoy their new set. Research posted in USA Today states that while "about 15-percent" of American homes have an HD-capable television, less than half of them said that their purchase was influenced by wanting to catch their favorite shows in high definition. While we've certainly seen reports showing that we Americans can't get enough once we get a taste, it appears that a staggering amount of owners either don't know how to correctly receive HD content, or simply believe that "digital cable" equates to "high definition." Surveyors attribute the "confusing nature" of actually getting HD content into your home as the primary culprit, as cable and satellite companies don't exactly go the extra mile to clarify the technological mumbo jumbo while siphoning your cash. Notably, many HDTV purchasers were buying in with "gaming and / or DVD viewing" atop their list of priorities, presumably satisfied with stretch-o-vision when watching plain ole TV. Sure, some firms have reached out to addlepated consumers in hopes of clearing up some of the myths, but it seems that there's still a ways to go before the general public can truly grasp the nature of HD.

Panasonic's taking plasmas on tour

by Richard Lawler posted Oct 28th 2006 at 1:01PM

With the big holiday selling season coming up, Panasonic is hitting the road to "educate" consumers on the benefits of its plasma TVs. Featured most prominently in this roadshow is the famed 103-inch 1080p plasma, but more affordable 37-, 42-, 50- and 58-inch 720p models will make an appearance as well. The current 65-inch 1080p plasma will also be on show, but still no word on when the U.S. will see the new 1080p PZ600U series that would go so well with that new DMP-BD10. Between this and its Plasma Concierge program, Panasonic is doing a lot to capitalize on alleviate buyer confusion about HDTVs, if you live near Tyson's Corner Center Mall in Washington D.C. stop by and have a look today. Good luck at getting a pic of yourself next to that 103-incher in the Flickr pool before Mark Cuban.

Is confusion slowing HDTV sales?

by Richard Lawler posted Jan 16th 2006 at 7:42PM


ConfusionThat's the question posed by this Mercury News article. The actual title references HDTV's being available since 1998, which I don't think is really fair because they haven't been priced within reach of the major audience until the last two or three years. While confusion has definitely slowed adoption, I can't even count the number of times I've heard people say conflicting and erroneous facts regarding HDTV, the biggest barrier is price and it is continuing to come down.

As the price hurdle falls, yes, consumer education will probably be one of the largest difficulties but hopefully people can find sites like this one, or any of the resources manufacturers and content providers are creating. As more people see high definition TV's in their friends homes and programming increases, they'll want it for themselves and be able to get it. Of course, then we have to make sure they are actually watching high definition TV, but one step at a time.




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