TV reception in Carnarvon, WA - Warning

Submitted: Wednesday, Sep 16, 2009 at 20:32

ThreadID: 72306 Views:9030 Replies:6 FollowUps:17

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Member - Dave and Shaz (NSW)

Just wanted to pass on an experience we had in Carnarvon, WA recently in the hope that others can benefit and learn by our mistake.
We arrived in Carnarvon in late August for a 3 month work stint at a local caravan park. As we would be in town for quite a while, we got the TV antenna out and tried to tune it in - but could only get SBS. We looked around the caravan park and about half of the vans etc had the same antenna as us - a Foldaway TV antenna, which has always worked fine.
Anyway, to cut a long story short we went to an electronics place in town (wont name names but its on Robinson Street) and were told in no uncertain terms that this type of antenna would not work in Carnarvon and we needed to buy another type of antenna. After spending nearly $85 at that business, we trotted off back to the caravan park and tried, unsuccessfully, to get TV reception.
In the end, it turned out that our antenna was not the issue. The problem was that the TV tuner we use to get reception (using our laptop) was digital only, and in Carnarvon you need a tuner that receives digital AND analogue signal.
SO, we bought a cheap little TV from Retravision (very helpful Manager there who gave great advice), connected our original TV antenna and hey presto, all TV stations came through.
Unfortunately for us though, the electronics place who sold us the TV antenna we didn't need refused to give us a refund and left us out of pocket and feeling a bit ripped off. The manager and his staff were extremely rude and even became abusive and one staff member suggested we "be nice because we are the only place in town where you can buy certain stuff".
You live and learn all the time don't you?

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Reply By: joff1 - Wednesday, Sep 16, 2009 at 20:38

Wednesday, Sep 16, 2009 at 20:38

We are in Carnarvon today! I don't have TV so I guess I'm all good.

I went to that shop this arv to get me a certain type of plug but they didn't have it.

None of this has any relevance :)

AnswerID: 383425

Follow Up By: Member - Dave and Shaz (NSW) - Wednesday, Sep 16, 2009 at 20:50

Wednesday, Sep 16, 2009 at 20:50

One less thing you have to worry about I guess!

Go see Mike at Retravision - lovely guy and maybe he can help you with the plug you need.

Enjoy your stay.

FollowupID: 651056

Reply By: RoberHL (SEQ) - Wednesday, Sep 16, 2009 at 21:23

Wednesday, Sep 16, 2009 at 21:23

In hindsight may have been cheaper & less stressfull for you to ask the others with the same antennae what sort of reception they were getting.
May have saved the anguish.

Cheers,

Bob.

AnswerID: 383436

Follow Up By: Member - Dave and Shaz (NSW) - Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 12:03

Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 12:03

Believe me Bob, we asked everyone in close proximity for their help/advice but like I said, I wanted to keep the story short and sweet so didn't bore you with those details! No-one else in the park knew about the digital/analogue aspect.

FollowupID: 651136

Reply By: DIO - Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 09:41

Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 09:41

You'll have to pardon me - BUT - I thought that heading off into the bush (outback towns etc) was a GREAT opportunity to get away from TV, mobile phones and the like. Isn't that what a 'holiday' is all about !!

AnswerID: 383488

Follow Up By: Dunco (NSW) - Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 11:09

Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 11:09

Dio,

Read the original message again mate....they were there for a 3 month WORK stint. Not a holiday.

I travel for 5-6 months so I take my TV....because I like it. You don't have to mate, but I do.

FollowupID: 651122

Follow Up By: Member - Dave and Shaz (NSW) - Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 12:06

Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 12:06

Yep, that's true for short trips but we have left our life in Sydney behind (yippee) and hope to work and travel around Australia for the next couple of years - so surely a little TV is OK! Plus we need our phones otherwise the kids would worry about us :-))

FollowupID: 651137

Reply By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 10:50

Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 10:50

Same applies to most places away from main centres.

Digital only on SBS and ABC.

You will also find quite a few places that have vertical polarity so normal

Wineguards on vans dont work nor do horizontal aerials.

AnswerID: 383493

Reply By: Dunco (NSW) - Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 11:12

Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 11:12

Dave,

Unless you damaged the aerial you purchased, the Shop MUST give you your money back as it was not what was promised.

If you have any problems, contact Fair Trading in WA and I am sure they will help you....and tell the shopkeeper you are doing so as he may come to the party before it goes that far.

AnswerID: 383498

Follow Up By: Member - Dave and Shaz (NSW) - Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 12:10

Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 12:10

Yeah we've been told that by a lot of people, but the manager of the shop didn't agree. He claims we "changed our mind" so therefore he wont give a refund. We have gone through the channels with Department of Commerce WA and approached the trader on quite a few occasions, until he threatened to throw us out and call the police on us! We've since emailed Dept of Commerce and copied the trader in on that email. His response to us was priceless, and we'd be rich if we had a dollar for every swear word in his response. Anyway, have put in a written complaint with Dept of Trading as our last resort and are waiting to hear from them. So much for customer satisfaction.

FollowupID: 651139

Follow Up By: Member - Mike DID - Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 20:25

Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 20:25

"we'd be rich if we had a dollar for every swear word in his response"

- hopefully you included that in your letter to the Dept of commerce to mke it clear what type of vendor you are dealing with.

FollowupID: 651228

Reply By: _gmd_pps - Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 11:28

Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 11:28

thats a known subject throughout WA, you need a hybrid receiver.
Do your research before you go, or just open your mouth and ask others
before you blame a shop. He does not know what receiver you have !
It's your problem, don't imply it's his.
have fun
gmd

AnswerID: 383499

Follow Up By: Dunco (NSW) - Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 12:09

Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 12:09

Wow...a little strong.

Not everyone is as intelligent as you gmd :-)

FollowupID: 651138

Follow Up By: Member - Dave and Shaz (NSW) - Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 12:13

Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 12:13

That's great that it's known all throughout WA - shame the shopkeeper didn't think of that issue straight away and ask what tuner I used! Would have saved a lot of anguish. We told him the brand of antenna, we told him we used a laptop to get TV on and told him everything else we thought he would need to know. What about the shopkeeper asking a few intelligent questions as well.
As we've come from Sydney and done over 9,000kms to get to Carnarvon (via Alice, Darwin etc) it's a little hard to research each and every aspect of every single place we stop, but we did our best.

FollowupID: 651142

Follow Up By: _gmd_pps - Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 12:14

Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 12:14

Then learn, easy
have fun
gmd

FollowupID: 651143

Follow Up By: timglobal - Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 13:31

Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 13:31

Blimey GMD,

Do you own an electrical shop on Robinson St in Carnarvon?

If the shopkeeper doesn't know what receiver you have, how does he know he's sold you the right aerial?

It is a clear point of law that any product has to be of merchantable quality and fit for purpose required.

It is a clear point of good business to not threaten your customers or shirk your legal responsibilities.

Does that sound unreasonable?

FollowupID: 651159

Follow Up By: _gmd_pps - Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 14:37

Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 14:37

When you fill up Diesel into your Petrol tank is it the shop owners problem ?
Always make others responsible for your own short comings. And no.. I do not do retail.. we wholesale to 450 shops and guys like him make it a pain to retail, thats why I stay out if this.
Do you expect to ask the pharmacist of you have hemorrhoids when you buy painkillers ? Or do you want the service station owner ask if you checked your brakes when you filled up ? Blame the government when you don't make enough money ?

give me a break
have fun
gmd

FollowupID: 651166

Follow Up By: Dunco (NSW) - Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 14:48

Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 14:48

What a nice person you are.....

If I asked someone for an answer, then I don't know it....that is why this person ASKED the shopkeeper on THIS occasion. You are a very strange person gmd.....

As I said before, we are not all as intelligent as you !!!

FollowupID: 651168

Follow Up By: timglobal - Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 15:18

Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 15:18

Blimey GMD,

If I ask the pump attendant if it's OK to put leaded in my catalytic car and he says yes, then it's his fault when it knackers up as he has given incorrect professional help. If he says no and I fill it up, it's my fault. Do you see?

When I ask the pharmacist for painkillers then they always ask what other medications I'm taking and advises any side effects. If I don't tell him I'm on something, it's my fault. If I have haemorrhoids and I don't tell him the symptoms, then I won't get any medication. Do you see?

So, your examples are poor and undermine your own point, but maybe I'm not seeing what a man of such great intelligence as you can.

FollowupID: 651172

Follow Up By: Rob! - Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 15:24

Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 15:24

gmd,

If you came for advice to a service station about which fule to use, and they sold you the wrong one, then they would be responsible for any damaged caused.

R.

FollowupID: 651174

Follow Up By: Rob! - Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 15:25

Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 15:25

fuel not fule

FollowupID: 651175

Follow Up By: _gmd_pps - Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 16:19

Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 16:19

Rob - how clever you are
The OP did not say that he asked the shop keeper why it did not work.
He only statet that his antenna does not work.
So spare me all that nonsense. You'r probably all in the same league.
get a life
gmd

FollowupID: 651177

Follow Up By: Dunco (NSW) - Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 16:28

Thursday, Sep 17, 2009 at 16:28

He said "Anyway, to cut a long story short we went to an electronics place in town (wont name names but its on Robinson Street) and were told in no uncertain terms that this type of antenna would not work in Carnarvon and we needed to buy another type of antenna."

"No Uncertain terms" that it wouldn't work...to me it wouldn't matter WHY as a so called expert told him otherwise !!! And He needed to buy another one !!!

You are a sad loss here mate...no argument as you can't state the right facts old son.

Not everyone in this world knows everything about TV reception...tosser

FollowupID: 651179