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- First reviewApril 27, 2016
- Last reviewJune 20, 2016
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- Average rating5
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Andybalts's Reviews
With 5 isolated and filtered outlet banks and connectivity for cable boxes, LAN, telephones and DSL modems, this power conditioner ensures that your home theater system and other electronic components remain protected from voltage fluctuation.
Customer Rating
5
A necessary insurance policy
on June 20, 2016
Posted by: Andybalts
Verified Purchase:Yes
The Panamax products-- especially the one I bought!-- are expertly designed and are a wholly worthwhile investment for anybody who wishes to not only harvest optimal audio and visual performances from one's equipment but also to protect it from the daily vagaries of our electric grid-- not to mention such rare but devastating events as lightning strikes and transformer explosions!
My Best Buy number: 4007216952
My Best Buy number: 4007216952
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+2points
2of 2voted this as helpful.
Samsung JS8500 Series UN55JS8500FXZA LED Smart 4K Ultra HDTV: This Samsung SUHD TV continues to push the envelope of high-definition picture quality, revealing brilliant colors and stunning scene lighting that goes beyond standard 4K Ultra HD. It's also capable of connecting with apps, browsing the Web and screen mirroring with smart devices over a Wi-Fi connection.
Customer Rating
5
What's the Problem?
on April 27, 2016
Posted by: Andybalts
Verified Purchase:Yes
I don't get it.
It is common knowledge, more or less, that a little Googling about one's (possible) health issues can be a dangerous (i.e., misleading) thing to do. In my little life I'm starting to expand that theory to online research about....let's say....consumer electronics. If I hadn't taken a deep breath (and a leap of faith) I would still be on that sad, analog-TV-enhanced couch-- paralyzed by confusion and indecision. I was psychologically ready to take a radical step in my personal evolution: I was ready to go digital. TV, that is. But the more anecdotal reviews I read (the ones written by consumers, not by "experts") the more depressed I got. I was already established as being "brand loyal" (to Samsung!) and I was wanting this certain model that was suddenly on sale at a ridiculous price. But....I couldn't possibly go ahead and buy this guy because. . . because of all of the unhappy things people were saying.
There were trends at hand...repeated "observations" (complaints). Even a few months later I cannot address all of them (haven't fully explored everything yet)-- for instance, "apps not working". Believe it or not, I have yet to fool around with any of those. But otherwise....the remote is horrible (not at all, actually; pretty darn useful though-- yes-- its pointer takes a little getting used to). The TV "shutting itself off" (huh?). The audio going out/having to use two different remotes for functionality (again I say..."huh?"). "(Software) update did not resolve problem with dimming of brightness" (gee, all one has to do is read about the sensor for that-- it is easy to adjust/turn off). "Not Direct TV-ready ("what you talking 'bout?" If I have recurring complaints here it is basically about my DirectTV-- apart from the TV; DTV generally has always been readily-accessible BUT I have found out that it is simply the 'nature of the beast' that you gotta wait 3-5 seconds for a changed-to channel to show itself. Boo!).
More: "Defective 1-connect is a 'common problem' " (where do people get their information? Again, I've had zero issues). "Endless loop of software updating" (haven't noticed). "The manual is only online" (well, yes-- and available via the TV; do you really want to pay for a big fat [and eco-wasteful] paper'n'ink mini-book? (I believe such arrangements are indeed quite common in the world of more-complicated-than-the-old-days consumer electronics). "Weak, uneven, crooked support stand" (why did you let the installers leave before you were satisfied--- unless, of course, it is your own fault because you chose to install the TV yourself; bring over your big, strong and possibly tech-y nephew to help you finesse the thing).
There are other "complaint trends"-- ghosting, blurring, darker in the center. Difficulty in switching the inputs. Default advertisements. Undesirable interactions among settings. The look of the TV's frame is distracting. I could go on....but why?
Now I am NOT a technical guy (nor a Samsung or BB employee) but I'm smart enough to conclude a few things about this entire scenario:
--Getting into the diigital TV world is, to some extent, getting into a new hobby. It ain't always gonna be "plug-and-play."
--Ya gotta sometimes quit surfing channels, take a breather, think, and READ THE INSTRUCTIONS! No, you don't have to absorb the entire, monumental manual but you can spend some time with it, can't ya? It seems to me that a number of these observations would have been resolved with just a little research.
--Think of the growing online phenomenon of cyber-bullying. Sometimes I think that this social media concept could be applied to product feedback! Why all of the negative nattering? Y'know, people pass you on the right, even on the quiet streets. Their lives are too fast-paced and self-obsessed. Immediate gratification is the watchword. [Gee, I've never blabbed this extensively in my entire Internet existence!] I'm starting to think that consumers are exhibiting some of these same habits. Complaining is safe and easy, patience is sometimes in short supply (wordiness is obviously not , for me) and, finally,
--Remember the big picture. When I was doing my (retired-librarian) TV research last winter I was indeed beginning to despair of the entire project. I eventually realized that a decision was going to have to include a little risk, a little danger... and a lot of feedback from a patient, knowledgable salesman (thank you, Joe, at Best Buy Eastgate). Perhaps most significant is the macro perspective: I was getting beaten down by the 123 less-than-positive consumer reviews that I had encountered. Eeech. But one morning I woke up, realized that there were also 479 5-star reviews and, though I have never been good at math I was pretty darn certain that the percentages were in my-- and Best Buy/Samsung's-- favor. Things simply could not be this bleak. The people who loved the product LOVED the product. So, I got dressed, got my credit card, went to Eastgate and lived happily ever after. . . more or less!
It is common knowledge, more or less, that a little Googling about one's (possible) health issues can be a dangerous (i.e., misleading) thing to do. In my little life I'm starting to expand that theory to online research about....let's say....consumer electronics. If I hadn't taken a deep breath (and a leap of faith) I would still be on that sad, analog-TV-enhanced couch-- paralyzed by confusion and indecision. I was psychologically ready to take a radical step in my personal evolution: I was ready to go digital. TV, that is. But the more anecdotal reviews I read (the ones written by consumers, not by "experts") the more depressed I got. I was already established as being "brand loyal" (to Samsung!) and I was wanting this certain model that was suddenly on sale at a ridiculous price. But....I couldn't possibly go ahead and buy this guy because. . . because of all of the unhappy things people were saying.
There were trends at hand...repeated "observations" (complaints). Even a few months later I cannot address all of them (haven't fully explored everything yet)-- for instance, "apps not working". Believe it or not, I have yet to fool around with any of those. But otherwise....the remote is horrible (not at all, actually; pretty darn useful though-- yes-- its pointer takes a little getting used to). The TV "shutting itself off" (huh?). The audio going out/having to use two different remotes for functionality (again I say..."huh?"). "(Software) update did not resolve problem with dimming of brightness" (gee, all one has to do is read about the sensor for that-- it is easy to adjust/turn off). "Not Direct TV-ready ("what you talking 'bout?" If I have recurring complaints here it is basically about my DirectTV-- apart from the TV; DTV generally has always been readily-accessible BUT I have found out that it is simply the 'nature of the beast' that you gotta wait 3-5 seconds for a changed-to channel to show itself. Boo!).
More: "Defective 1-connect is a 'common problem' " (where do people get their information? Again, I've had zero issues). "Endless loop of software updating" (haven't noticed). "The manual is only online" (well, yes-- and available via the TV; do you really want to pay for a big fat [and eco-wasteful] paper'n'ink mini-book? (I believe such arrangements are indeed quite common in the world of more-complicated-than-the-old-days consumer electronics). "Weak, uneven, crooked support stand" (why did you let the installers leave before you were satisfied--- unless, of course, it is your own fault because you chose to install the TV yourself; bring over your big, strong and possibly tech-y nephew to help you finesse the thing).
There are other "complaint trends"-- ghosting, blurring, darker in the center. Difficulty in switching the inputs. Default advertisements. Undesirable interactions among settings. The look of the TV's frame is distracting. I could go on....but why?
Now I am NOT a technical guy (nor a Samsung or BB employee) but I'm smart enough to conclude a few things about this entire scenario:
--Getting into the diigital TV world is, to some extent, getting into a new hobby. It ain't always gonna be "plug-and-play."
--Ya gotta sometimes quit surfing channels, take a breather, think, and READ THE INSTRUCTIONS! No, you don't have to absorb the entire, monumental manual but you can spend some time with it, can't ya? It seems to me that a number of these observations would have been resolved with just a little research.
--Think of the growing online phenomenon of cyber-bullying. Sometimes I think that this social media concept could be applied to product feedback! Why all of the negative nattering? Y'know, people pass you on the right, even on the quiet streets. Their lives are too fast-paced and self-obsessed. Immediate gratification is the watchword. [Gee, I've never blabbed this extensively in my entire Internet existence!] I'm starting to think that consumers are exhibiting some of these same habits. Complaining is safe and easy, patience is sometimes in short supply (wordiness is obviously not , for me) and, finally,
--Remember the big picture. When I was doing my (retired-librarian) TV research last winter I was indeed beginning to despair of the entire project. I eventually realized that a decision was going to have to include a little risk, a little danger... and a lot of feedback from a patient, knowledgable salesman (thank you, Joe, at Best Buy Eastgate). Perhaps most significant is the macro perspective: I was getting beaten down by the 123 less-than-positive consumer reviews that I had encountered. Eeech. But one morning I woke up, realized that there were also 479 5-star reviews and, though I have never been good at math I was pretty darn certain that the percentages were in my-- and Best Buy/Samsung's-- favor. Things simply could not be this bleak. The people who loved the product LOVED the product. So, I got dressed, got my credit card, went to Eastgate and lived happily ever after. . . more or less!
My Best Buy number: 4007216952
My Best Buy number: 4007216952
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
-1point
1of 3voted this as helpful.
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