Technical innovations and mutiple tasks are no replacement for a good quality product

[Blazer]

It must have been in 2001 that I bought my first DVD player, a big hulking piece of equipment made by Samsung, it has served me well.

A couple of years later I decided to upgrade my system and bought a DVD player that offered more possibilities such as MP3 playing and CD ROM playing. I used that one for a couple of years when all of a sudden it just stopped working.

So I brought out my old Samsung again until I could buy myself a new DVD player.

So about a year ago I bought myself one of those new sleek flat DVD players which I used to great satisfaction up until a few days ago when all of a sudden the remote control just stopped woring, I replaced the batteries but noting worked, so I probably need to buy a replacement remote control.

So in the meantime I hooked up my trusty Samsung again and like old times it lets me watch DVD's without a single complaint.

There's some truth in the saying that "they don't make them like they used to" My samsung is a quality piece of equipment that does what it does, no fancy extras but just playing DVD's and doing it with a vengeance.

[CharvelRocker]

Personally, I think part of the issue is the leadless solder used now in everything. It's very vulnerable to heat, and in general it's harder to get a good joint with it. Many electronic things are high heat, thus that leads to issues. Another thing is the more stuff you cram into something, the more that can generally go wrong, particularly in something with delicate/moving parts.

[Danno]

Can one get leaded solder or has that been replaced for environmental reasons or some other reason?

[CharvelRocker]

Can one get leaded solder or has that been replaced for environmental reasons or some other reason?

Afaik, it is no longer commercially available. At least I haven't seen it.

[Ben...]

Oh, this is sooo true! My Nintendo 64 still works like the day I got it yet my XBox 360 already sounds like the average fighter jet.

[Cygnus X1]

I'm still buying 60/30 leaded at Radio Shack...I guess I ought to start hoarding.
True, CR...I have some of that Oatey lead free, and I hate the stuff. Cold joints, no way to make it work well.

ROHS compliance has pushed this issue, and although it's ok for some small robotically assembled components it does not hold up for larger power supply caps and especially tube sockets. Same with pushbuttons, human interface devices and panel controls.

[OnlineStageGear]

I have a Samsung DVD/VCR that I have had for 5 years and it is still kickin. It is a little picky and only wants you to feed it very clean DVD's, but other than that I have no complaints.

Matt

[thetroy]

Another problem is simply the push to make everything as cheap as possible (initial cost at least...). As a result everything is throwaway junk. Not meant to last at all.

[quadperson]

I have a Pioneer receiver and a Teac single cd player that I bought back in...'88? Still functions flawlessly.

[Danno]

Afaik, it is no longer commercially available. At least I haven't seen it.

Interesting. I ask because I was preparing to learn how to solder in order to eventually try replacing my own pickups. Although I would assume that passive pickups really don't generate much heat (?), so maybe the unleaded solder won't be an issue. Thanks for the info, CR.

[horns666]

My 1983 Fisher "Studio Standard" CD just took a dump a month ago..the rest of the stytem still works great. My other systen is an 1995 Radio Shack Optimus which works perfectly. My Sony Boombox is about 18 years old and I still use it everyday. I seem to keep eveything working forever for some reason.

I just bought a puny GPX DVD/CD player to replace the Fisher ..it cost me 27 dollars at K Mart last week..I hope it becomes an antique. Its very small and stupid lookin' ..but it works...so fuggit.

I bought my two cordless Uniden phones from Walmart about 12 years ago..they both still work..I paid 9.99 for them.

Lesson here is..don't pay big money for namebrand shit, it doesn't mean shit. A $5000 TV will break as fast as a $1000 TV..so fuggums.

I've yet had to by a flat screen, plasma screen..hi def whatever the fuck..because my old TVs still work..I have a 56" samsung and a 36" Phillups..and a 13" TV / VCR combo in my music room..I just hook up the DVD to it..so I could watch movies Orgazmo by myself because nobody else likes it.

Don't pay more for name brand shit..it's a scam. Always get the best bang for the buck no matter what name..even if you never heard of the fuggin' name..kepp the reciept and take it bacl..most stores take shit back if it fucks up within' 90 days. Talk to the managers nicely..they'll make you happy just to get rid of you...just be persistent..don't buy store warrantys ..don't buy shit...buy guitars or weed instead!

[Danno]

I have a Pioneer receiver and a Teac single cd player that I bought back in...'88? Still functions flawlessly.

\
Yeah, I had a Nakamichi (?) single cd player that I'm guessing was from, like, 1985 or so, and for it's day it was state of the art. I got it used for cheap about 1994 from someone who had used it heavily. It worked perfectly until I sold it in 2005. The problem was it had no rewind/ff function (one could only go to a track's start) and that was becoming a real issue once I wanted to try to learn stuff from cds. When I finally got a new Denon cd player from Sweetwater, I stuck with a single cd player as they are most trouble free. We'll see if the Denon outlasts the Nakamichi!