CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Wed Jun 29, 2011 7:59 pm Post subject: Friggin' Sony....

... got an email from a customer today saying that Sony has stopped servicing the $27K Qualia projector from 2004 due to lack of parts being available.

How'd ya like them apples?

Friggin' Sony!

Good thing I have the service manual, I can fix them!

draganm · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 8990 Location: Colorado

That's only $3857.14 a year to operate until you need to chuck it and buy something else from Sony, so what's the problem? Laughing

Tom.W · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 6637

There seems to be a pattern here...

It's kind of like buying a $27K car and you have to junk the whole thing due to one defective part Rolling Eyes

TheVerge · Joined: 19 Jul 2009 Posts: 928

Wow, way to be sony.

30,000 dollar projector and that's how they reward their super high end customers. Although if the repair bill from sony is anything over 2,000 dollars, i think you are somewhat nuts having the things repaired.

Spanky Ham · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5643 Location: Comedy Central

And here I wanted to buy a Sony direct view. Smile

km987654 · Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2011 4:33 am Post subject:

WanMan · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 10273

I cannot imagine the projected image by the 004 was anywhere near that of the G90. And I bet it is easily beat by projectors <20% of the cost today.

But, when you can afford a $27K projector then your income assumes you will be accepting large annual deprecations on things.

Spanky Ham · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5643 Location: Comedy Central

The Qualia is supposed to be pretty bright and have a zenon bulb for better colors.

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2011 1:51 pm Post subject:

At the time, the Qualia had a big WOW factor. When I got the one in at the beginning of the year, even the WOW factor was there in the build quality. Too bad this stuff becomes so obsolete so quickly in the manufacturers eyes.

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 3:47 am Post subject:

Got a second call today from a client that has an 004. Sony told him as well 'it's 7 years old, we no longer support it'.

Good for me, bad for the customers that don't know of me.

WanMan · Joined: 19 Mar 2006 Posts: 10273

Is this client an end user? Someone owning (e.g. paying for the original price) calling Sony isn't gonig to get the 'skirt the middle man' discount he thinks. Maybe sell him a repairable projector for the same price ...

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2011 2:13 pm Post subject:

Nope, this is a Sony Qualia dealer, go figure.

WE've come to that point folks. Manufacturers are so desperate to sell stuff, they stop supporting things 7 years and a day after it's out of manufacturing.

I was talking to my audio sales supplier who is in direct contact with the manufacturers. He says that since semiconductor and other parts suppliers are in bad shape in Japan, a bunch of the manufacturers now need to rely on China for parts. QC is very poor, counterfeit parts are rampant, and they have no idea if the parts they are putting into their products are any good. Not a good time to be buying electronics. This really is sad if what he's saying is true.

Person99 · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 4901 Location: Flower Mound, TX

Honestly, I'm not sure where people get off on the pricing thing.

I had a Zenith Pro 1200x. $30K in 2001--Zenith doesn't support it and today, and it is worth worth virtually nothing. So, a $27K PJ from 3 years later being unsupported and worth a a grand does not seem so strange to me.

Person99 · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 4901 Location: Flower Mound, TX

Spanky Ham · Joined: 22 Mar 2006 Posts: 5643 Location: Comedy Central

It is brighter than the cheaper pjs of today. You still have to pay for lumens.

I find it interesting and great that Sony's new 1000 is as bright as the Qualia with a very high on/off cr. It is also 4k and should be streeting for under $20k.

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2011 10:49 pm Post subject:

I'll give you $20