We have all heard of the repeated saying - The best way to validate a TV is to check it for oneself. The reason - each one's color and quality perceptions levels differ.
Which means that all these high-end product reviews stop where we need the guidance most - how does a TV look and what will I experience? To answer this question, the only way is to visit a showroom.
However, this poses a major problem. Showrooms are the worst place to check the quality of any television. Yes, all showrooms and all electronic shops displaying all those fancy sets really cheat us and really mis-lead us.
I will give you one real scenerio. Take a high-end supposedly professional shop like Chroma. you visit Chroma (say at Belapur). The first problem is that there is no plasma but about 45 LCD televisions on display.
Already, the shop has cheated you and started mis-leading you.
No, wait. There is one plasma at the fag end. Squeezed between computer peripherals and laptops in the sidewall where this will be least seen. And, that is 42 inch X series model. The picture is horrible to say the least. The line is very grainy and I can count all the vertical lines as if we are watching it behind a jail. But, the input is the same blueray football demo clip.
Here is the second problem, each TV has a different input source. There are two LCD with same 40 inch model in another segment. Both of them are playing the same HD input - IPL Pune vs Chennai. In one TV, Dhoni is super sharp (in picture I mean) and all his blemishes and sweat in his face are visible. (He was talking after the end of the match). The same signal in the adjacent TV was very inferior. On closer examination, You find that the inferior TV has component input and the best one has HDMI input.
This is the second problem, the best connections are kept for certain selected items only.
And, We check the TV brand with a better picture. The better picture is on CHROMA branded TV and the worse one is on a poor cousin - SAMSUNG.
This is the reason for the second problem. Each brand gets different picture based on what the shop wants.
If a shop has its own brand - like CHROMA - Please stay away from that stupid and cunning shop. You will NEVER get a proper display and comparison.
There are many more hurdles. You call a shop assistant, who is looking handsome but very bored. He can't speak English and he speaks heavy Hindi in Anna Hazare style.
I ask him about panasonic V series plasma. Is it available with them? Where or when can I see it?
He looks at me with a open mouth completely shocked. I again slowly repeat to him my query in Hindi - without Hazare style alas.
He has no clue. He says that is a new model and should be available within 4 or 5 days. Actually, V series is a 2010 model. But, this shop person has readymade bluff answers for everything.
That is the next problem. Shop assistants do not know a sh*t and bluff their way with a smile and white face.
And, I ask him for a price of V series plasma 42 inch. He says "40 or 45 key aaspaas hoga..". Again, the routine bluff and no sense of giving correct info to the customer to close the sale.
And, more and more lies and excuses without thinking, follow. I asked him why the picture is so bad in plasma X series which is supposed to be better than LCD. He says - plasma is like that only... (see that typical "like that only" indianness..) and I need to stand "bahut piche" to enjoy the picture.
I want to puke. I get out of the shop. I come and sit in my car to catch my breath. I take a gulp of cold water. My hands are trembling. I am thinking of how millions are rupees are spent by the customers and thousands of televisions are sold with such shops throughout India. I sit silently mourning the whole epidemic of horrible displays throughout India playing saas bahu serials.
And, my final problem. I don't know where to go for buying a television. I think I will play a toss and select some model.
Which means that all these high-end product reviews stop where we need the guidance most - how does a TV look and what will I experience? To answer this question, the only way is to visit a showroom.
However, this poses a major problem. Showrooms are the worst place to check the quality of any television. Yes, all showrooms and all electronic shops displaying all those fancy sets really cheat us and really mis-lead us.
I will give you one real scenerio. Take a high-end supposedly professional shop like Chroma. you visit Chroma (say at Belapur). The first problem is that there is no plasma but about 45 LCD televisions on display.
Already, the shop has cheated you and started mis-leading you.
No, wait. There is one plasma at the fag end. Squeezed between computer peripherals and laptops in the sidewall where this will be least seen. And, that is 42 inch X series model. The picture is horrible to say the least. The line is very grainy and I can count all the vertical lines as if we are watching it behind a jail. But, the input is the same blueray football demo clip.
Here is the second problem, each TV has a different input source. There are two LCD with same 40 inch model in another segment. Both of them are playing the same HD input - IPL Pune vs Chennai. In one TV, Dhoni is super sharp (in picture I mean) and all his blemishes and sweat in his face are visible. (He was talking after the end of the match). The same signal in the adjacent TV was very inferior. On closer examination, You find that the inferior TV has component input and the best one has HDMI input.
This is the second problem, the best connections are kept for certain selected items only.
And, We check the TV brand with a better picture. The better picture is on CHROMA branded TV and the worse one is on a poor cousin - SAMSUNG.
This is the reason for the second problem. Each brand gets different picture based on what the shop wants.
If a shop has its own brand - like CHROMA - Please stay away from that stupid and cunning shop. You will NEVER get a proper display and comparison.
There are many more hurdles. You call a shop assistant, who is looking handsome but very bored. He can't speak English and he speaks heavy Hindi in Anna Hazare style.
I ask him about panasonic V series plasma. Is it available with them? Where or when can I see it?
He looks at me with a open mouth completely shocked. I again slowly repeat to him my query in Hindi - without Hazare style alas.
He has no clue. He says that is a new model and should be available within 4 or 5 days. Actually, V series is a 2010 model. But, this shop person has readymade bluff answers for everything.
That is the next problem. Shop assistants do not know a sh*t and bluff their way with a smile and white face.
And, I ask him for a price of V series plasma 42 inch. He says "40 or 45 key aaspaas hoga..". Again, the routine bluff and no sense of giving correct info to the customer to close the sale.
And, more and more lies and excuses without thinking, follow. I asked him why the picture is so bad in plasma X series which is supposed to be better than LCD. He says - plasma is like that only... (see that typical "like that only" indianness..) and I need to stand "bahut piche" to enjoy the picture.
I want to puke. I get out of the shop. I come and sit in my car to catch my breath. I take a gulp of cold water. My hands are trembling. I am thinking of how millions are rupees are spent by the customers and thousands of televisions are sold with such shops throughout India. I sit silently mourning the whole epidemic of horrible displays throughout India playing saas bahu serials.
And, my final problem. I don't know where to go for buying a television. I think I will play a toss and select some model.
