New TV is analogue only!

JCP

I'm just back from the pub (but don't let that colour your opinion please) where my mate was telling me that she took delivery of her new lcd HD ready TV only to discover it is analogue only.

The company who sold it to her is claiming they made this perfectly clear - she obviously doesn't agree.

I was just stunned that there are still companies out there selling analogue only kit. I know in the US, it was federally mandated that you couldn't sell analogue only kit from a pre-determined date (maybe 2007?).
Are they still able to sell this type of kit legally here?

I suspect they are charlatans, and it is buyer beware, but wondered if anyone had any advice.
Thanks
J

Pokerlad

By analogue you mean dosnt have freeview built in? It will still take a digital signal from a set top box or sky/cable so not sure why it should be a major problem.

JCP

Well, it's a TV that looks like a mirror when it is switched off - so that the TV is essentially disguised in the room.
Having to hook it up to a set top box will completely defeat the purpose of this I'd imagine as it would be obvious it was a tv then - does that make sense?
I've not physically laid eyes on it myself, so I'm just going off my mate's description here.
J

Fifer

If the TV has an HDMI input then it isn't 'analogue only'.

before_hollywood

integrated digital tuners are mostly rubbish anyway, the only one i was impressed with was on a panasonic viera plasma which cost a grand.

there are small boxes which can be disguised/hidden but they arent great, best small box is a tv-onics one

macman

Could you tell us the model please? Some of the 'designer' screens are just displays only and you connect them to a separate tuner, which could be some distance from the screen. Possibly this model comes with only a basic analogue tuner?
Considering what these cost, your mate does not seem to have done very much research into her purchase.

iniltous

The digital tick is the symbol that makes a TV ready for the digital changeover, I dont think there is a date by which all TV's have to have
intergrated digital, but current model TV's will be IDTV's...your friend probably bought an old stock TV, and provided it was a good price then she hasnt been ripped off...

JCP

It's a MirrorMedia 32" LCD tv. It certainly wasn't sold to her as old stock, as she had to wait 5 or 6 weeks for delivery.

Live and learn I guess - I thought they would all have Freeview receivers in them now. The tv it was bought to replace certainly did and that was several years old, so the whole thing just feels like a bit of a step backwards I think.

Don't reckon she got a particularly good price on it. The impression I get is that these things are really quite expensive, but I didn't ask, and she didn't tell.

Robert2009

Is this it?

https://www.steelcube.com/index.php/MirrorMedia-32-LCD-Mirror-TV.html

This LCD Mirror TV is HD ready and has built in Tuners, Tuners plural

On reading the description you would "assume" that it had a freeview tuner but when you read the specifications the tuners are "Tuner PAL/SECAM (NTSC Option)"

For that price I would expect a digital tuner.

Not misleading but as you say everyone thinks that new TVs have freeview built in.
Can it not be returned under the DSRs?
Rob

macman

I don't think your friend has a leg to stand on unless they specifically said it had a digital tuner-the spec is perfectly clear. It also comes without any HDMI inputs or any speakers...(cheapest speakers are nearly £180 extra).
Basically this a fashion accessory, not a television. And a very expensive one at £2,700 for an analogue TV and a mirror...

scotsbob

If you were to discover that the on/off switch was only working intermittently then you would have a right to reject a faulty tv and get a full refund.