LIDL 22" TV - MPEG2 from Thursday 11th Nov

fat-tony

I note from Lidl's website that they are flogging a 22" Full HD TV from next Thursday 11th. Spec says MPEG-2 see here http://www.lidl.ie/ie/home.nsf/pages/c.o.20101111.p.22inch_Full_HD_LCD_Television

I've written to their Customer Service Dept. pointing out that this set is unfit for purpose in the Irish market. I've written to them twice before on this subject and both times have had an acknowledgement that they would pass on the comments to their purchasing people, but it doesn't seem to be working.:rolleyes:

seamus

They'll have to make it an offence to sell non-compatible TVs in Ireland before they go live.

I can see it now, "It's a disgrace, Joe....."

Macy0161

Aldi also doing a TV next week, but doesn't even say the spec if I recall the flier correctly.

The Cush

Macy0161 wrote: »

Aldi also doing a TV next week, but doesn't even say the spec if I recall the flier correctly.

Could be this Tevion 19" I posted about earlier - "analogue tuner" "7 day epg"

Sponge Bob

Complain about Lidl to the ASAI , www.asai.ie

championc

To be honest, many people only use a TV as a Display device. They use Sky or other types of digital boxes so they'll never have a need for any tuner at all

watty

Fine if it's sold as a Monitor.

I'm happy to buy a Monitor if it's sold as that, and priced accordingly. But not if they claim it's a TV and it isn't.

Sponge Bob

€199.99 is not a bad price for a monitor with VGA SCART and HDMI Inputs. This one here is €160 with no SCART.

It is not a TV either and is not described as such.

dowtchaboy

I emailed them last time (on Oct 3rd) about this:

.... Hi - will you be placing large and prominent signs on your 32 inch TV on offer on Thursday 7th to warn buyers that this TV does NOT have a HD tuner, nor is it compatible with the Republic of Ireland DTT system launching on Oct 31st?

Otherwise you can expect queues of people returning sets next month complaining of being able to "receive sound but no picture". According to the specification given in your flier this TV is MPEG2 whereas it needs to be MPEG4 for Ireland.

If the given specification is wrong and the set is in fact Irish DTT/SaorView compatible then you should make this clear.

Thank you.

and got a response:

Dear Mr xxx ,

We write to you following your recent email regarding the TV we have on sale on the 7th October 2010.

We wish to advise you that we have passed your comments to our Purchasing Department who welcome all suggestions and will certainly bear them in mind for the future.

Assuring you of our best intentions at all times.

Regards,

Emer Scully.

Customer Services Team

Tel: 1800 347 447

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lidl Ireland GmbH Registered Office: Great Connell Road, Newbridge, Co. Kildare, Republic of Ireland, Registered in Ireland No. 904141; Tel: +353 (0) 45 440 400 Web: www.lidl.ie ____________________________________________________________________________________________________

but I was not around on the day so I don't know if they did anything about it.

Macy0161

The Cush wrote: »

Could be this Tevion 19" I posted about earlier - "analogue tuner" "7 day epg"

It is - sorry, missed your post. It struck me that it didn't mention whether mpeg2 or mpeg4 at all, and I think they would've on previous offers.

The Cush

Macy0161 wrote: »

It is - sorry, missed your post. It struck me that it didn't mention whether mpeg2 or mpeg4 at all, and I think they would've on previous offers.

Maybe the message (such as dowtchaboy's one above to Lidl) is finally getting through. The "7 day epg" info included in the advert would indicate it probably is an MPEG-2 TV but no longer advertised as such.

watty

Sponge Bob wrote: »

€199.99 is not a bad price for a monitor with VGA SCART and HDMI Inputs.

Yes. but the Aldi / Lidl "monitors" will be classed as TVs by licence inspector. If you have no TVs and it's only for PC, then you would have to get a TV licence, because it's technically a TV set, even though no good after October 2012.

fat-tony

Folks,
You're derailing my thread with discussions of another item in Aldi which may or may not be a monitor. Lidl are also offering a 24" monitor for €199.99 next week - no issue with that.

But this thread is about a TELEVISION - http://www.lidl.ie/ie/home.nsf/pages/c.o.20101111.p.22inch_Full_HD_LCD_Television

I've had a reply from Lidl which indicates their purchasing people are aware that this is an MPEG-2 only set and that they are unable to help me any further with my query. So where to next? What regulatory body would have the appetite to take this on?

watty

In Ireland, none.
The ASAI and CAI "technically" are the two relevant bodies.

fat-tony

I've rattled the Lidl cage a bit more - let's see if they respond.

Macy0161

fat-tony wrote: »

Folks,
You're derailing my thread with discussions of another item in Aldi which may or may not be a monitor. Lidl are also offering a 24" monitor for €199.99 next week - no issue with that.

The Aldi have a TV and Monitor, too. TV here: http://www.aldi.ie/ie/html/offers/special_buys3_14953.htm

fat-tony

Yeh I know, the Cush referenced it just after your earlier post. Analogue tuner and 7 day EPG

Anyway - you can take on Aldi, while I tackle Lidl:D

championc

They'd have covered themselves if they had just put the TV down as "Analog"

watty

Maybe not as a TV has to be fit for purpose for two years. It's Nov 2010 and the Analogue is turned off in October 2012. Probably.
The Minister would want to sign something sharpish if this is the intention, or the Retailers could be sueing the Government for lack of notice.

jonnygee

Just to make matters worse , Lidl are advertising this for 99.99 sterling in derry store. Must get one.

The Cush

watty wrote: »

The Minister would want to sign something sharpish if this is the intention, or the Retailers could be sueing the Government for lack of notice.

I think the get out there could be that only Saorview certified receivers are guaranteed to receive the service.

This from the Saorview website

Consumers should seek advice from their specialist retailer or manufacturer if looking to make a purchase in the immediate future. Please note that the majority of UK "Freeview" boxes and iDTVs will not decode the SAORVIEW service.

RTÉ recommends that consumers wishing to avail of the SAORVIEW service only purchase receivers that carry the SAORVIEW approved logo.

watty

There wants to be SOME major publicity sharpish or in 6 months to 12 months time SOME PEOPLE (shoppers or vendors) are going to feel they weren't told

watty

jonnygee wrote: »

Just to make matters worse , Lidl are advertising this for 99.99 sterling in derry store. Must get one.

It's misleading advertising in UK! It can't be a Full HD set as the tuner will never receive the UK HD terrestrial via aerial in 2012. Active TODAY in some parts of UK. People in SW Ireland watching it from Wales!

STB

Sorry Cush (and you are not someone I disagree with normally)

This has come as no sudden surprise to manufacturers, most retailers and distributors.

They were written to by their respresentative group in 2008 to advise them whats what.

Furthermore nearly all manufacturers are members of CEDA. Just in case you dont know who CEDA are: The Consumer Electronics Distributors Association, (CEDA), is the sectoral association within ICT Ireland promoting the development and representing the interests of the major distributors of consumer electronic goods in Ireland.

CEDA would have regular contact with DCENR, COMREG and RTE.

There really is no Saorview certification to hide behind here. Profile the country with the right standards that have been know for the last 2 years. Certainly in the UK you wouldnt be allowed to sell TVs with MHP and no MHEG5 or indeed any other standard such as ATSC.

New TVs in 2010 with no MHEG5. No way. It is not rocket science. If you are going to bother of selling new TVs you profile the countries according to what they have been using or what they have published. TVs do not have that much a short shelf life. Given that TVs produced in 2010/11 have short analogue lives, at least get the Digital TVs tuner right including the middleware and software. Its not as if it was the best kept secret! They expect people to pay up to €1000 and they cant include mandatory requirements. The consumer doesnt know that they should have bought the UK model because the European/Irish model doesnt have the right software options turned on. And given the headaches with Dbook inconsistencies it just one big joke.

http://www.ibec.ie/ceda

Yes I am very annoyed

The Cush

STB wrote: »

Sorry Cush (and you are not someone I disagree with normally)

Not a problem, we'll agree to disagree.

dowtchaboy

I banged in a complaint to ASAI this morning re the LIDL TV - both the "HD Ready" not being the same as "Full HD", and the total disregard for Saorview/MPEG4 - just to be awkward, like.
Expect it will have just as much impact as my complaint to LIDL - i.e. none.

marclt

Hey Dowtchaboy,

I emailed the Lidl press people to see what they have to say about the set. We'll see!

M

dowtchaboy

dowtchaboy wrote: »

I banged in a complaint to ASAI this morning re the LIDL TV - both the "HD Ready" not being the same as "Full HD", and the total disregard for Saorview/MPEG4 - just to be awkward, like.
Expect it will have just as much impact as my complaint to LIDL - i.e. none.

Well - got a letter from ASAI this morning - a letter! 15 seconds sending an email would have been just fine....but obviously Office Procedure requires a letter....
The letter said - well nothing, really - they "will be in contact with" me in the near future. Hope they are in contact with LIDL before customers get gouged ...errr... misled on Thursday. I don't really care if or when they get in touch with me - I'm not important in this.

I am still wondering though - which public servant or public body bears responsibility for monitoring this mis-selling? ASAI are neither public nor a quango - BCI/BAI doesn't seem to cover it - Is there a section in the Department of Trade, Industry, Gender Equality, The Gaeltacht, Fisheries and Voting Machine Storage or something that would take an interest?

Sam Russell

I phoned Lidl and the guy that answered seemed happy that it was OK for them to sell a 'digital television' that could not receive RTE's digital service. I cannot understand why it is so difficult for them to put a sign out that says 'Unsuitable for Irish DTT, launched 29th Oct 2010'

Are compatible sets so much dearer.

watty

Because they are not legally obliged to do so and it would hurt sales.

I'm sure they will refund anyone bringing back a TV that is "not fit for purpose", which keeps them within the law.

Joe7

Nobody is going to advertise what their products don't do. I suppose if they were forced to, they wouldn't stock these tvs in the first place.