DO'S AND DON'TS
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Do shop around for a repair shop. Ask your friends who
they may have used in the past. Did they receive good service for a fair
price? Did the shop stand behind their work and correct any problems
that may have cropped up. Was the work done it a timely manner? Word of
mouth and happy customers is a good indicator of a good and honest business.
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Do check with Better Business Bureau, before you spend
a lot money. This is a very general statement:
95% of all repairs, no matter what is being repaired, should be priced
below $100. Of course there will always be exceptions. A shop can
not control what suppliers charge for parts. If the the unit being repaired
requires replacement parts that are rather costly it could easily push
the price above the $100 mark. This is generally the exception rather than
the rule.. If you hear a quote of $200 or $300 for a repair that
will take six months, be wary. Just like any other business, there are
those out there that will take advantage of the unwary customer.
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Do not be put off, if a shop charges a small fee for an
estimate. There is nothing wrong for charging a fee for work and services
performed. That “FREE” estimate that you may get from another shop may
cost you a lot of money in the long run. Do understand
that before an “EXACT” price for a repair can be given to you, that essentially
the unit has to be repaired and made operational. That is why most shops
will give estimates in a price range, example $45-$65, and prefer that
they have authorization for the repair before they start. I give
a free “VERBAL” estimate as do many other shops. If it goes onto the bench
I do charge a bench fee. See:
Bench Fee
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Do tell your repair technician the "full" story.
If the unit has more than one problem that needs to be addressed, let the
technician know. It is very frustrating to repair one problem only to find
that the unit has other problems, that may be more serious, may increase
the cost of the repair, or may not be repairable. Example, you bring in
your TV because you want the colors adjusted. During the operational checks
the technician discovers that your tuner is faulty, you are only receiving
half of the channels, and that your remote does not work.
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If you bring your TV, VCR, DVD or Surround Sound Receiver in for repair, be sure to
bring the remote, as it will be needed during the repair and check out
of your unit. (Make sure the remote has batteries)
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Does your unit require a power plug, power pack, special
plugs or cables? Be sure to take them in with the unit to be repaired as
the repair shop may not have what is needed to operate or troubleshoot
your unit. If in doubt as what to take in, take it all! The technician
should return to you what is not needed.
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If you have something that is not working, that requires
batteries, be sure that you change the batteries and test the unit before
you bring the item in for repair.
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I've done this before <blush> If you are having problems
with a remote, insure that you are using the proper function. Many of today's
remotes will operate more than one unit. Example, a TV and a VCR.
There is often a switch that you move move back and forth between the two.
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Large TV?? Due to space limitations you may need
to make an appointment.
Tapes: VCR, Audio, CD's, DVD's
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Do keep all your media in good condition.
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Do not leave them in the hot sun, on the floor, or any
area that may cause the tape to become dirty or damaged.
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Keep them away from little "sticky fingers".
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Keep tapes away from food and soft drinks, kool-aide etc.
If a liquid is spilt onto your tape DO NOT
PUT THE TAPE INTO ANY MACHINE Damage may result.
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Do not put a damaged tape (cracked or warped), or a tape
that is missing the door or other parts into your VCR as damage may result.
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Be wary of tape rewinders as they often cause a "whiplash".
A whiplash will break the tape or worse, damage the gears of your VCR when
you insert the rewound tape back into your VCR. There are rewinders on
the market that do have sensors in them and will slow down and stop the
tape gently, eliminating the "whiplash" problem. If you use a rewinder,
get into the habit of looking at the top of the tape before you insert
it into your VCR, you can see a "whiplash" condition.
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While that plant on top of, or hanging above your TV or
Stereo looks very attractive, it is not really a good idea. Water
and electricity do not mix.
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Cleaning: Your home electronics is a "dust magnet".
Due to the static charge on your TV screen it will attract a lot of dust.
Before cleaning, make sure that you turn the power
off on all your equipment. If your TV is not off you will pick up
a static charge. See: Static
electricity If you do pick up a static charge, discharge yourself
by touching something metal before continuing to clean your electronics.
Personally I use Windex to clean my electronics. If you spay the
Windex into a rag you can control the amount you use, and you do not have
excessive liquid getting into areas that liquid really should not go.
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