# Craziest conversation overheard in a store...



## wbassett (Feb 8, 2007)

As the title says... what's the craziest and most inaccurate conversation you've heard people talk about in any store when it comes to either format?

I'll start...

I was in Walmart. A young couple was looking at the new release titles of Bluray and HD DVD and they were confused. The store employee gladly tried to help them but was telling them some wildly inaccurate information, such as Bluray is 1080p and HD DVD isn't and that 1080p is far superior to HD DVD. He also for some reason mentioned that HD DVD was developed solely by Microsoft and said to them "You know how 'buggy' Microsoft is and how they want to dominate everything." Still in the couple's defense, they wanted to hear more about both formats. 

Then came the comments about disc space and more inaccurate comments. None were really about technology or PQ, but more about marketing hype. The clerk was trying to be helpful but was only making things worse. When the couple saw the price of the players, they balked and said they'd just get the SDVD version because it was too confusing and too expensive.

Another time I listened in to someone making a comment about the price of Planet Earth on High Def and said they just bought it for $30 as compared to the High Def price. The clerk tried explaining one was standard definition, while the other was a much better picture quality. To that the person said what they bought was 'High Definition' but then stated they had neither a Bluray or HD DVD player... but they held firm that they had 'high definition' and the price was uncalled for when they already had it. Come to find out, they had an HDTV but not a HD player. They still wouldn't budge in their belief they had High Def DVDs at home.

And one of the best I heard:

Customer: I want a DVD player that plays High Definition.

Store Staff: Let me show you our Bluray players.

Customer: No, I said I want an HD player.

Staff: Yes I know, but we only sell Bluray players.

Customer: Why would you show me a Bluray player when I specifically said I want an HD player? I'm going someplace else.

I'm sure you've heard something that made you go hmmm....


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## yourgrandma (Oct 29, 2007)

Humans aren't the most intelligent people are they?:dumbcrazy:


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## John Simpson (May 10, 2007)

Hah! I think I just snorted my coffee all over my HD, non-1080P but 1080I, non-Blu-Ray but HDMI monitor screen...

I do wonder how the average punter gets on these days... even I get confused at times, and I've been fanatical about HT ever since the first receiver was released.

Nice one Bill :bigsmile:


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## wbassett (Feb 8, 2007)

John I've heard so many of these conversations that made me stop in my tracks! I figured other people out there have heard some crazier comments and this could be a fun thread to talk about the misconceptions out there.

My son, who I thought I taught him better than this... he confuses HD resolution with Contrast Ratio and has said that an HD set wasn't 'HD' because of a lower CR.

The general public really doesn't understand HD and that needs to change... but will the companies spend the money to really educate people? I doubt it.


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## atledreier (Mar 2, 2007)

I've worked in a hifi store for many many years, and the things customers want and think boggles the mind. They want physics to change on their whim, they want the best sound possible but want to pay next to nothing, and the misconceptions can be hilarious. And also, it's pretty funny when they come to the store, throw some equipment on the counter that 'doesn't work'. When you ask them if they've read the manual they give you that blank look we all know. I'd say 19 out of 20 faults can be solved with unpacking and actually opening the manual. Also, many customers want you to tell them which of two models they like best... I mean, I can tell them specs till the cows come home, but in the end it's a matter of taste and priority. Simple. Trust your eyes and ears, do a minimal amount of research beforehand and you're much better equipped to go shopping.

Well, this turned into a rant, didn't it? Sorry!


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## wbassett (Feb 8, 2007)

I heard two guys argue over their powered subwoofers. They both had the exact same make and model but one guy paid significantly more than the other guy. His whole argument was based on price. He said his had to be better because he paid more for it!


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## Mike P. (Apr 6, 2007)

A guy I know from work mentioned he just bought a new Sharp HD TV. He was excited that his boy was coming home for the holidays with a stack of HD DVDs. I asked which HD DVD player he was going to use. I was informed that any DVD player will play HD DVDs if you have a HDMI cable. I told him to let me know how it goes. I haven't heard from him since.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

My cousin insists that he has an HD DVD player but he only has an upconverting Samsung. I have tried to explain that his DVDs are only 480p and you can not get true HD even with an upconverted DVD. He has not seen true HD as We haven't had him over yet to see a movie but it frustrates me to no end of the misinformation that is out there.


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## Bob_99 (May 8, 2006)

Anyone who deals with the public probably has a long list of stories. Some come from customrers who are genuinely new to the product they are buying and some are from customrers who either think they know or are trying to impress the sales person with totally inaccurate information. On the other hand, I always enjoy listening to the sales people some of which are very knowledgeable and others who would spout such **** that I had to bite my tongue not to laugh. I wish I could remember some of them.

Bob


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## wbassett (Feb 8, 2007)

Bob I've run into a few that spout garbage too. I like to play it dumb at first and let them go on and on and then ask a technical question as a 'what if' that lets them know right then and there they just got played!  I don't do that to all sales people, like you said some really know what they are doing, but the ones that talk hype and gibberish are fun to watch squirm when they know they just got nailed.


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## Wayde (Jun 5, 2006)

The tales of being an electronics tech at a small A/V company. I went to houses and did repairs, installs you name it.

Many of the so-called problems were just people who didn't know how to work their new home theater systems, or they just weren't hooked up right. I "fixed" many of those. 

It's funny because I had a whole lesson plan on how to use a universal remote control. Not program it mind you, just use it. I programmed it for them and set everything so it was as simple as it could possibly be. But man, sometimes it was still too much for them. 

I would sometimes get statements like:

"Why won't it just work the way I want it to" or "I want it to just work"

generally I tried to challenge them to describe for me exactly how they wanted it to just work - ie. what do they think they should have to do in order to switch between DVD/VCR/TV/Cable, record TV on the VCR, or not. Switch between surround sound or TV speakers etc etc etc

My favorite was when they would say they wished it would just work like their old TV did. Sometimes I would have to agree that it could be arranged. They still make regular old 27" SDTVs with vanilla TV speakers with rabbit ears on top.


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