Why all the bad press for What HI-FI?

[bigboss]

I was about to post the same link! I did hear the rubbish about WHF being partial to Sony, but going by 2009 Sony TV reviews, I won't be surprised if Sony lost a bit of its reputation with regards to uneven backlighting on some of its TVs.

 

[professorhat]

Have also seen the supposed "We Love Sony" logos round other forums. Astonishingly, these always seem to come at a time when a great Sony product beats another product which, for some bizarre reason that I can't fathom, draws a somewhat fanatical following. I think the last one began with an "O"...

(but let's not go there...

)

 

[Anonymous]

Can't believe this thread's still going for such a non-story.

TBH I haven't seen any bad press for WHF so not sure what all the fuss is about.

I read the news pages here because it keeps me up to date at what's new or coming out, if I like a product or am interested in it I will read the forums and others to see what people have said about it and get reviews across the board.

If I'm up for a purchase then I will always buy WHF to get their full reviews and to keep at hand.
I did the same when I brought my plasma and because of an advert got £150 off the price with a 5 year warranty thrown it.

As for the people that advertise, they do so because it's the only magazine that has the coverage and so more people view it equaling in more possible sales, it has nothing to with the fact that a product has been given five stars etc, although sometimes it helps for their retail pr. Most of the advertisers that benefit, if any, would be the Hi-Fi specialists or retail outlets that advertise so can't see a specific product benefiting any how.

A lot of effort goes in to the reviews that we read so that they are impartial and that's how it should be. If there's a lot about a single manufacturer at any one time it's usually because when they release kit they do so as a range so as to maximise their coverage.

Sony are particularly difficult to get info out off, I know, I have spoken to their PR department a number times and they don't know their backside from their elbow, I can usually find information before they even get it in the UK, same with a few other big corporates as well.

And, no I don't work for WHF either but am in design and marketing.

 

[Anonymous]

I first started the post, becuase you see all the little ..... from hot uk deals, and another site that I am not allowed to mention who ever post something saying... Oh this product got 5 stars in what hi-fi.

You then get tons/lots of people replying, saying what hi-fi dont know what they are talking about, and they make comments about the way they review things, just do a search on that site and you will see what I am talking about.

But they never give an exact reason why they are moaning, I was just wondering that all.

Its nice to see so many people loyal to this site, and I can now say to myself.... Those guys dont know what they are talking about.

 

[Anonymous]

I didn't know about the rumour that WHF were partial to Sony ? If so then good on 'em...Sony ROCK !

 

[Dave_]

georgejack: main ingredients (ie, tuner) Main ingredient-what these days? I think not.

Most people have/use Sky,Virgin,Freesat or Freeview STB/PVR's, not to mention Blu-Ray/DVD players,Media Streamers and PC's.

My TV's tuner certainly doesn't get much of a look in nowadays.

 

[The_Lhc]

georgejack:Steady, you're nose is browning.

you are nose is browning? It doesn't even make sense!

 

[Andy Clough]

As I recall we didn't say the tuner was poor, merely that it wasn't 100% perfect. But then few are.

 

[Dave_]

georgejack:daveh75:
georgejack: main ingredients (ie, tuner) Main ingredient-what these days? I think not.

Most people have/use Sky,Virgin,Freesat or Freeview STB/PVR's, not to mention Blu-Ray/DVD players,Media Streamers and PC's.

My TV's tuner certainly doesn't get much of a look in nowadays.

Ok, so are you saying the review would be more accurate if it said..... 5 stars if you are using it as a panel for Sky,Virgin etc, less if you are using it with its own tuner?It wasn't a comment on the review....Just disagreeing that a TV's intergrated tuner is it's "main ingredient" nowadays.

What about the folk who do not have Sky, Virgin etc?What about them?

The majority of houses i go into these days have STB's/PVR's/DVD-Recorder's and use them as the main source,regardless of what tuner the TV may have.

 

[Gwyndy]

Surely if the "majority" of the readers aren't going to use the in-built tuner, then to the "majority" of purchasers buying from the What Hi-Fi review it's a Five star TV. At least they put in a caveat about the tuner so that those like yourself would be aware of the need to compare tuners. If you buy this Sony TV and you never compared its picture to one of the TVs with a theoretically better tuner would you be aware there was a difference?

 

[idc]

Five stars does not mean perfection. Only I am perfect

 

[Gwyndy]

idc:
Five stars does not mean perfection. Only I am perfect

Ah! the modesty is so refreshing.

 

[Frank Harvey]

For fun?

 

[Andrew Everard]

Kind of warped sense of fun, isn't it?

 

[Frank Harvey]

Well if you'd ever met any, you'd understand.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Any who, or what?

 

[Frank Harvey]

Gods.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Nope, not a clue what you're on about now...

 

[Frank Harvey]

My bad - I was skimming through the replies, and missed the vague line between Gwyndy's reply and his signature.....

 

[Andrew Everard]

Ah, right. I think...

 

[Frank Harvey]

Stuck up there in the clouds, with nothing to do except watch us? It'd be like an unemployed person watching the Jeremy Kyle show all day - I'd be pretty warped too.

 

[Anonymous]

I'd question that the majority of homes have all these extra boxes and don't use the built-in tuners. In fact, in my friends' homes I'd say the reverse was true, so a decent tuner is a fundamental consideration when buying a new tv.

No idea whether that's remotely relevant in terms of the topic, however

 

[Frank Harvey]

None of this is - pull up a pew!

 

[bigboss]

georgejack:Grottyash:

I'd question that the majority of homes have all these extra boxes and don't use the built-in tuners. In fact, in my friends' homes I'd say the reverse was true, so a decent tuner is a fundamental consideration when buying a new tv.

No idea whether that's remotely relevant in terms of the topic, however

Exactly my point. A little extreme but it's like giving a cd player 5 stars and saying the DAC is poor, but that's ok because you're going to add an external DAC anyway. Folk buy a product for what it is as a whole don't they? Or do they buy it knowing that a particular function is poor and expect to add another box?

I bought a 32" Toshiba Regza for the kids room, I didn't buy it because of any reviews nor did I even look to see what folk say about it, I bought it because it was incredibly cheap and thought it would be crayoned and scratched to bits anyhow (which it hasn't, thanks kids). The channel never changes as it's always stuck on CBeebies, although it suits its purpose, I wouldn't buy another or recommend it as the digital tuner (when used) is absolute rubbish, you can turn it over, make a cuppa, cut the lawn, have a No.2 and be back before it's changed.

Why are people stuck to this TV tuner thing?

Please read what Andy exactly said:

Andy Clough:As I recall we didn't say the tuner was poor, merely that it wasn't 100% perfect. But then few are.

Let's just get on, & wait for the 2010 Sony TV reviews.