RE: Something to Make TIVO owners cry.

["Phil Harris" <phillip.harris1@xxxxxxx>]

> Seriously now. What could the likes of Comet do to help?
>
> Is it about information, or about awareness? Would better consumer
> guides be enough (and if so, in store or just on the Internet?), or
> would all staff need to be trained to be able to explain?
>
> Mark Harrison
> Head of Systems, eKingfisher

To be honest Mark it would help if the sales staff in the stores knew
anything about the products they sell ... I've been into the local Currys
(I
know they're not one of yours) a few times to see about a TIVO and I would
happily admit that I'm itching to buy one as I like it as a product but the
information that I've been able to get from the sales staff has often been
sketchy at best and at worst downright *WRONG*.

Examples of information from the sales staff at various stores:

"Lowest quality is better than VHS and the next step up is better than
DVD,
there's no need to ever use best quality as thats far better than anything
that's broadcast at the moment but it's there so you can record the new
digital broadcasts"

"Yes, it's quite easy to upgrade the capacity of the unit ... I think
Thompson do that, you just need to contact them."

"Does it have an S-Video output?"
"No ... it has SCART"
"But what video outputs does it support on the SCART socket?"
"SCART..."

"Yes, it's completely silent."

"Yes, if you have more than one TIVO you only have to have one
subscription
... but why would you want more than one?"

Try asking them whether it's possible to change from a monthly subscription
to a lifetime one...

In addition to that I have never been able to get an actual *DEMO* of the
thing ... all it does is run that stupid rolling intro which could quite
easily be pre rendered to be streamed at huge data rates! Not one shop has
been able to show me a TIVO recording and playing back a program.

I know that not everyone can know everything about every item of stock in
the shop but when you're trying to introduce a completely new product to a
market then you must know what it is that you're selling.

It's like digital TV (mainly OnDigital of course) "The advantage is
you get
far better picture quality than with the old system." This is untrue
... if
your reception was bad on analogue then you may get better quality but take
a look at a good terrestrial broadcast - the quality can be quite stunning!

(Gets off his high horse...)

Phil