Posted by Mike S. on 11/24/06 15:54

In article <456705a3.71934531@news-server.houston.rr.com>,
Citizen Bob <spam@uce.gov> wrote:
>On Thu, 23 Nov 2006 18:19:19 +0000 (UTC), retsuhcs@xinap.moc (Mike S.)
>wrote:
>
>I was referring to DVD products for the masses.

OK, then your response confused me, as it looked like you were using DVD
recorders as an example of stbale products that don't need firmware
updates. That's what I disagreed with.

>BTW, Pioneer, one of the leaders in DVD, has abandoned DVD
>development. It is going to buy components like just about every one
>else does.

Yes, I'd heard that too. Regrettable, really; in both the PC component and
the standalone video product niches Pioneer made products whose quality
and reliability were well above the background noise. I still have a
burner and player from them, now long out of production, that I still
stand by.

>My point is that DVD products have reached a critical point where they
>are rapidly becoming consumer commodities. There are no firmware
>upgrades for TV.

True .. but with the increasing variety of devices with HDMI outputs that
often don't =quite= meet the spec, something has to give when there is a
compatibility issue.

>It is cheaper to buy units that have limited lifetimes than to buy
>units that are upgradeable.

Agreed.

>One thing you overlook is the extended warranty. With that you can
>protect your purchase. However the only extended warranty I have found
>to date that is worth spending the money on is the one offered with
>WalMart products. Maybe you know of other warranty plans that are
>worthwhile.

The problem with extended warranties, at least as evidenced by the
complaints I've read in the newsgroups, is getting the insurer to
recognize performance/compatibility issues as warrantable defects - the
sort of stuff that often is addressed by firmware updates.

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