Store's HD ignorance

[CptGreedle]

I just had a friend of mine at work buy a new HDTV. he spent only $700 for a 32" 720p Sony Bravia. I think it's a great price and at 32", 1080 would be wasted so he made a good choice for the size and price.

I am helping him set up the cables for the best signal, while trying to convince him to buy a PS3. He already knows the PS3 is better than the 360, and that it supports Blu-ray, so I helped him get set up with HDTV cable as well.
Since his AV receiver has no HDMI, I told him he could still use HDMI to get the HiDef video, but we'd have to figure out something else for the sound..

If he can select the audio output from the cable box and send it to the receiver using a different audio connection (e.g. digital optical audio or digital coaxial) rather than the HDMI, it should work, but will have to play with it for a bit.

However the ignorance comes when he goes to Radio Shack to buy a cheap HDMI cable. He asks the guy for the shortest cord they have, and he shows him an HDMI cable that's 6 feet long (that's short?). Well the price wasn't bad, so he got it, but the employee told him that HDMI will only carry the video signal, and not the audio! And yet the box says right on the cover that it gives High Definition video AND SOUND!
Despite the fact that his system couldn't use it for sound anyway, the employee told him that HDMI does not support sound at all. I sure wish I went along with him so I could have "educated" that employee.
I hate it when stores that sell technology fail to educate their employees how the stuff even works!

[glenn22]

Originally Posted by CptGreedle

I just had a friend of mine at work buy a new HDTV. he spent only $700 for a 32" 720p Sony Bravia. I think it's a great price and at 32", 1080 would be wasted so he made a good choice for the size and price.

I am helping him set up the cables for the best signal, while trying to convince him to buy a PS3. He already knows the PS3 is better than the 360, and that it supports Blu-ray, so I helped him get set up with HDTV cable as well.
Since his AV receiver has no HDMI, I told him he could still use HDMI to get the HiDef video, but we'd have to figure out something else for the sound..

If he can select the audio output from the cable box and send it to the receiver using a different audio connection (e.g. digital optical audio or digital coaxial) rather than the HDMI, it should work, but will have to play with it for a bit.

However the ignorance comes when he goes to Radio Shack to buy a cheap HDMI cable. He asks the guy for the shortest cord they have, and he shows him an HDMI cable that's 6 feet long (that's short?). Well the price wasn't bad, so he got it, but the employee told him that HDMI will only carry the video signal, and not the audio! And yet the box says right on the cover that it gives High Definition video AND SOUND!
Despite the fact that his system couldn't use it for sound anyway, the employee told him that HDMI does not support sound at all. I sure wish I went along with him so I could have "educated" that employee.
I hate it when stores that sell technology fail to educate their employees how the stuff even works!

I must admit that when I had just purchased my PS3 I was very ignorant about HD in general, to put it mildly. I didn't even know what cables were needed to get HD picture to my HDTV. I was about to buy a set of RCAs for crap sake. Anyways, the Best Buy employee educated me and I have learned a TON since that day.

What you are describing is unacceptable for anyone selling HD equiptment, if they had been my salesperson, I would probably still be confused instead of enjoying HD bliss.

[tron3]

Originally Posted by CptGreedle

...
However the ignorance comes when he goes to Radio Shack to buy a cheap HDMI cable. He asks the guy for the shortest cord they have, and he shows him an HDMI cable that's 6 feet long (that's short?). Well the price wasn't bad, so he got it, but the employee told him that HDMI will only carry the video signal, and not the audio! And yet the box says right on the cover that it gives High Definition video AND SOUND!
..

I used to work for Radio Shack and I can shed some light here. The employee could have been ignorant. He/She assumes all video cables are just that - video only. This tells me he did not take his certification test, or missed that question. The other senario was he was playing on the ignorance of your friend and wanted to add on to the sale. Saw it all the time.

Go into Radio Shack and play stupid sometime when you need something you know about. You will see if the sales associate is honest, knowledgeable, or ignorant. Want their attention right away? Go stare at the cell phone display a few seconds. You will have your pick of help. Pick the most aggresive person. They are normally "cherry picking" and stealing cell sales from the other people who need them. Occupy them for a while and don't let them walk away. Trust me, watch them sweat - you hooked a cellular pirate.

[Shadowself]

Originally Posted by CptGreedle

<snip>
However the ignorance comes when he goes to Radio Shack to buy a cheap HDMI cable.
<snip>
I hate it when stores that sell technology fail to educate their employees how the stuff even works!

Ah for the good old days when virtually all of the Radio Shack employees built their own systems from scratch and did not give you a blank stare when you asked for a 2N222 in a TO5 can or a track and hold. Sadly those days are long gone!

[tron3]

Originally Posted by Shadowself

Ah for the good old days when virtually all of the Radio Shack employees built their own systems from scratch and did not give you a blank stare when you asked for a 2N222 in a TO5 can or a track and hold. Sadly those days are long gone!

Long gone along with most of those type customers. Having a Radio Shack in your neighborhood used to encourage the young people to experiment and build and become the next electronics wizards of tomorrow.

Instead, we have a bunch of lazy, under educated morons who can barely read and write English, though it is the ONLY language they know. Their life is spent on the technical wizardry built by the sweat of the brow of people who do better things in life than make toys for these lazy slobs who can't even hold down a real job. Who then have the nerve to say, "This sucks." Let's see you do better! Maybe school should be a priority and not mastering the next version of Grand Theft Auto.

You know the type, guys you see in Radio Shack.




I used to work there, I can say that.

[Blus Brother]

rat shack doesnt know how anything works, in my opinion they should say I dont know or keep their mouths shut.

[freakadeak]

He may have misunderstood the clerk. The clerk could have told him it could not carry through the RCVR. And up until very recently he would have been very correct. But I tend to agree with the statement "they should hush up"

I have stood in BB and listened to a sales rep tell a customer something very wrong.

Its not the sales person fault. Its the chains. I would say most of the reps get their info from customers who come in and "share."

[ground chuck]

ugh, radio shack is not worthy of my hard earned $$$.

[Mote]

Radio Shack: You've got questions? We rarely have answers.

[vw mofo]

Rat shack may as well just close up shop while they still have some semblance of credibiilty left to their name. I went in there to buy a new battery for cel phone. Didn't have it, couldn't get it.

The selection of actual electronics "stuff" gets smaller and smaller with every day. Thank GOD partsexpress.com is based out of my home town, or else I'd go nuts trying to buy stuff!

[Maxell]

you're expecting good advice in radioshack? lol

I dont know about radioshack, but I know Circuit City and Best Buy makes their employees take e-learnings for their area.

[crackinhedz]

Originally Posted by CptGreedle

Since his AV receiver has no HDMI, I told him he could still use HDMI to get the HiDef video, but we'd have to figure out something else for the sound..

You can use either Optical or Component Red/White (RCA) for the audio while using HDMI for video from the PS3.