# Cheeky TV advice request



## hazydaze (Nov 12, 2001)

Hi all, haven't posted here for many moons, but do still lurk from time to time (like when suggestions stop working!)

Anyway, I know that this is the home of people with far superior tech knowledge than me and i was hoping you could share some advice as my 32" medion HD tv has just died.

I am looking for a 37" screen, and though I only use Tivo and reeview as my current TV source, I also use a 360 and ps3.

First, is it worth 1080p? Most games run at 720p, and then upscale--is this actually better on a TV that is natively 720P? I know my computer monitor is only crisp at it's native resolution.

Secondly, as to which set to but, play have a couple of Samsung's around the same price. I think the pricier one is older, but is it better.

The cheaper model looks fine, but I read a comment on Amazon about ghosting, which ruins the psp's screen for me, and I would hate to see it on my telly.

Anyway, links to both posted below, and I would greatly appreciate any further advice or recommendations.

Thanks in advance.

http://www.play.com/Electronics/Electronics/4-/5320509/-/Product.html

http://www.play.com/Electronics/Electronics/4-/3477020/-/Product.html


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## hazydaze (Nov 12, 2001)

Hi again..one more to look at.

Hadn't thought about panasonic--do they have a good name?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-T...eeview/dp/B0015LV9DU/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top


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## verses (Nov 6, 2002)

hazydaze said:


> my 32" medion HD tv has just died.


Slightly OT, but hopefully of some use.

I don't have one myself, but a friend bought a Medion a few years ago and I'm sure I remember him saying it had a long warranty (5 years maybe?). Have you checked yours has definitely expired?

Cheers,

Ian


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## hazydaze (Nov 12, 2001)

Thanks verses. Sadly I checked, and it was 2 years. The set is now 2 years and 4 months.

I've had medion pc's with 3 year warranty's, and have always had to use the warranty. When I bought this telly it had the problem I now have upon first set up so got it replaced. All this leads me to conclude that I will not but medion again. They are usually quite high spec for the price, but the failure rate in my experience has been shocking (and the pc repair company they use were also a nighmare!)


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## terryeden (Nov 2, 2002)

Check the Sale of Goods Act. Should be covered for 5 years.

As for 1080p - if you can tell the difference between 720p and 1080p from a viewing distance of a few metres, your eyesight is super-human!


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## countjocular (Aug 28, 2002)

I've got the 32" Panasonic TX32LZD85 and I'm happy with it, though not yet got any HD devices to use with it. John Lewis give a 5 year warranty with their TV's.
I'll be going to mode 0 this week as hopefully this'll reduce the noticable pixellation that my old CRT didn't show.

Does anyone know it these's a 'soften picture' facility with HD tv's? Something to replicate standard definition? I've not come across anything like it in the Panasonic settings yet.

Cheers,
Phil


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## Fred Smith (Oct 5, 2002)

hazydaze said:


> Hi again..one more to look at.
> 
> Hadn't thought about panasonic--do they have a good name?
> 
> http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-T...eeview/dp/B0015LV9DU/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top


Forget LCD at that size, get a plasma while they are stiil around at that size:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Panasonic-T...2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1224503516&sr=1-2

http://www.richersounds.com/showproduct.php?cda=showproduct&pid=PANA-TH37PX80

Note some retailers were giving a free five year warranty on these sets, not sure if the offer is still on. Got mine from JL a few months ago, it a great set, but JL no longer stock it.

For reviews from actual users, go to avforums dot com.


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## TCM2007 (Dec 25, 2006)

If playing Blu-rays from your PS3 is a possibility, then look for a TV with native 24fps support (This is how films are encoded on Blu-ray, and while the PS3 will convert the picture to "normal" 50 or 60Hz, it does so by introducing a noticeable juddering effect). Depending on your viewing range, this may be a more noticeable issue than the resolution difference between 1080 and 720. 

For me, I'd go 1080p - the sharpness difference is small, but it is there.


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## hazydaze (Nov 12, 2001)

Thanks for all the replies.

Decided on 1080p, though did consider plasma after the above post.

Next up--I currently use freeview and tivo for tv, but are their any freesat HD PVR's worth looking at out their yet?

Having said that it looks like their is precious little broadcast on freesat at HD.


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## TCM2007 (Dec 25, 2006)

hazydaze said:


> Having said that it looks like their is precious little broadcast on freesat at HD.


Heroes, Little Britain USA, Gardeners World, Strictly Come Dancing, Silent Witness, Little Dorrit, The American Future, Man Utd v Celtic, Red Dragon - there's a fair bit these days.


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## Heuer (Mar 15, 2004)

Buy a Popcorn Hour: http://www.popcornhour.com/onlinestore/ and download HD content - amazing little device for the price that will play just about everything. The PS3 is the best blue ray player on the market by far and you did right to opt for 1080p. As regards LCD vs Plasma it was an easy decision a couple of years ago but recent LCD sets are very good, especially at 37". As for which make I suggest you visit the AVTalk Forum and see what is hot - those guys are seriously into quality and value.

For plasma it has to be Pioneer or Panasonic; for LCD Samsung rules.


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## Pugwash (May 23, 2003)

My LCD TV does 1080p and supports 24fps too. Worth a look if they still make them or it's replacement model. Toshiba model number in my sig I hope!


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## TCM2007 (Dec 25, 2006)

Pugwash said:


> My LCD TV does 1080p and supports 24fps too.


I don't think your TV does support 24fps natively; you can feed it a 24fps signal, but it converts it to 60Hz for display with the usual reverse telecine judder.


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## Pugwash (May 23, 2003)

You may be right. 24fps support on the Tosh web site says it accepts 24fps for display at 50/100Hz. I can't say I'm aware of any of my Blu Rays being 24fps to be honest.


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## TCM2007 (Dec 25, 2006)

Pugwash said:


> You may be right. 24fps support on the Tosh web site says it accepts 24fps for display at 50/100Hz. I can't say I'm aware of any of my Blu Rays being 24fps to be honest.


They all are...  Well all the films anyway; video sourced TV series might not be.

Sure I remember something about someone getting some money out of Toshiba because they advertised that set as "24fps".


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## iankb (Oct 9, 2000)

I have a 40" Samsung 6 series and, apart from the great look ("rose-black"), it has an excellent picture, 24fps, 1080p, etc. Just see it in action at your local John Lewis, Comet, etc.

Here are sample prices for the 37" at PriceRunner.

The 40" isn't a lot more expensive than the 37"; if you have the room, and shop on the internet.

I view Blu-Ray, HD-DVD and HD downloads from a Vista MCE computer, and that also upscales SD material for me. I use an LG Blu-Ray/HD-DVD combo player in the PC. By far the cheapest way to play HD discs - if you can add it to an existing PC.


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## hazydaze (Nov 12, 2001)

My thanks again.

My mistake has been to order from Amazon. My next day delivery is now two days late, and the item has been returned to swansea.
Brilliant. I plan to cancel, and stop using Amazon until they stop using city link (or hdnl for cheap delivery!) As this will never happen I guess that's it for me and amazon.


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## AMc (Mar 22, 2002)

Called time on Amazon when they failed to deliver a complete Christmas of presents. Repeated 'attempts' were made over a 2 week period but no deliveries - in the end they claimed the postcode was incomplete - all the deliveries were to an office/depot building on a street with precisely one building, staffed 24/7.
Amazon's response to the couriers incompetence was to silently cancel all the orders!
I know that one rogue driver can cause a lot of trouble but the customer service was so poor they will never see another order for anything I can buy anywhere else.
(rant over  )


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## TCM2007 (Dec 25, 2006)

I also had problems one Xmas with a City Link delivery driver who kept saying he called and left a card, but who has simply not been attempting to deliver. Finally caught him out when he said he posted the card through a white door - I didn't have a white door and there are only two houses within 3/4 mile in either direction on my road!

City Link are the worst.


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## Pugwash (May 23, 2003)

I have one of my motion-sensitive cameras on the front door - always handy when you're waiting for deliveries.


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## BrianHughes (Jan 21, 2001)

I have to say that my local City Link driver is great. He took a note of my mobile number & gives me a call when he's got a delivery for me and asks if I'm nearby. He has met me on the road in the past which saved me going all the way home from work.

So I wouldn't say City Link were all bad - obviously it depends on how committed individual drivers are - I think it helps that I'm in a very rural area. Our postman even picks up any post that I need to send when he delivers - service with a smile


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## dvdfever (Jun 2, 2002)

I've got this Panny 37" plasma. Does 1080i, but I only see a few feet from it and it's bloody lovely. Not sure if John Lewis still stock it as they used to pricematch with Sound and Vision in Bolton (579 as I type) since they have a physical shop, so you'll get the 5-year warranty.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0013UMYPK/dvdfevecouk-21


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## hazydaze (Nov 12, 2001)

Lots of plasma love going on.

If they are so great why aren't they more popular?? One of the draw-backs that I percieved was burn-in on the screen from games etc. 
Once I read they could be damaged by paused games etc. I was turned off.


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## martink0646 (Feb 8, 2005)

hazydaze said:


> Lots of plasma love going on.
> 
> If they are so great why aren't they more popular?? One of the draw-backs that I percieved was burn-in on the screen from games etc.
> Once I read they could be damaged by paused games etc. I was turned off.


Not anymore. The new generation ones don't suffer. e.g. I fell asleep in front of the TV last night watching a film on my HTPC. When I woke up it had been sat on the same screen for about 5 hours. When I turned off there was a faint image as it shut down but is gone again as soon as I turned it on again. My previous, first gen plasma, did suffer horrendous screen burn and the screensaver hack was a necessity for TiVo.

As far as plasma vs LCD, I have chosen plasma for two main reasons; firstly, at my price point (circa £700) plasma knocks spots off LCD when viewing SD material. The LCD's I trialled had horrendous smearing on moving objects (sport) and the contrast ratios were v.poor in real life viewing conditions. As I will be watching mainly SD that was important to me. Secondly, I wanted a 42" screen size and there just wasn't the choice.

Admittedly I did see some great LCD's at higher (much) price points but they were still comparable with the plasma.

I see a lot of cheapish LCD's at friends and relatives and the way they have them set up I find almost unwatchable so I always offer to come back with my Video essentials DVD and sort out thier settings. You wouldn't believe the change from how it leaves the factory.

Martin


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## Fred Smith (Oct 5, 2002)

dvdfever said:


> I've got this Panny 37" plasma. Does 1080i, but I only see a few feet from it and it's bloody lovely. Not sure if John Lewis still stock it as they used to pricematch with Sound and Vision in Bolton (579 as I type) since they have a physical shop, so you'll get the 5-year warranty.
> 
> http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0013UMYPK/dvdfevecouk-21


Suggested it in post 7 above.


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## dvdfever (Jun 2, 2002)

Fred Smith said:


> Suggested it in post 7 above.


Ah, I just glanced through and it ... to some of the URLs. Still, great minds think alike


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## TCM2007 (Dec 25, 2006)

hazydaze said:


> Lots of plasma love going on.
> 
> If they are so great why aren't they more popular?? One of the draw-backs that I percieved was burn-in on the screen from games etc.
> Once I read they could be damaged by paused games etc. I was turned off.


Mainly because they're typically not available under 42-inches, so no good for most people.

Burn-in is a thing of the past.


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## TCM2007 (Dec 25, 2006)

martink0646 said:


> I see a lot of cheapish LCD's at friends and relatives and the way they have them set up I find almost unwatchable so I always offer to come back with my Video essentials DVD and sort out thier settings. You wouldn't believe the change from how it leaves the factory.


Yeah, you get so used to it it takes a while to become accustomed to a properly set up telly with accurate flesh colurs etc.


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## kitschcamp (May 18, 2001)

I've been totally turned off by LCD tellies over the last couple of years. Every hotel I stay at has them - usually LG or Samsung - and everyone without exception looks absolutely awful. As described above, huge amounts of smearing and a really bad quality picture. Now I know that that's probably because they're not set up right, but... it should look OK out of the box, surely? My 32" plasma did.


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## dvdfever (Jun 2, 2002)

hazydaze said:


> Lots of plasma love going on.
> 
> If they are so great why aren't they more popular?? One of the draw-backs that I percieved was burn-in on the screen from games etc.
> Once I read they could be damaged by paused games etc. I was turned off.


Apart from the fact that you can't get plasmas in 28" and 32" sizes (which most people tend to have as their CRT prior to changing), LCDs are also cheaper - but then you find out why.

But then most people don't tend to have a clue about quality, which is why you get some people with a WS TV of any description, with a 16:9 letterbox image stretched across it so it looks like you're watching Bella Emberg In Cinemascope. I just hope I don't get anyone who does this happening to drive the car behind mine because their eyesight is shot.

I even saw that done in a bar once, and they should've just stuck it on 'zoom' because all the music videos were shown in 16:9 letterbox anyway so if anything this would've cut off some of the dumb channel logos.

On my plasma, at around 170 hours into use, I accidentally went out to work while pausing The Wright Stuff, which has loads of garish blue all over the screen for the most part. When I got back home 9 hours later and saw what I'd done I freaked! I instantly turned it off, then put it back on a moment later, cursing myself endlessly... but it was fine.

I have stupidly once done this again, but I didn't freak out as much


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## Pugwash (May 23, 2003)

Any LCD that smears is probably old! I remember being put off LCD computer monitors some years ago when they had early models at work. You'd see trails as you dragged windows around and had to stop moving the mouse to find the pointer.
My TV wasn't the cheapest available, but also not the most expensive. I had to fiddle to get flesh tones correct as it was too faded out of the box. I've since connected a PS3 by HDMI and an old Xbox by component and both look fantastic.


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## Ian_m (Jan 9, 2001)

Don't be fooled into thinking that only plasma's get screen burn !! (actually with modern plasmas not an issue, which is why they no longer have screen savers. image movers etc).

There are image retention issues occuring with LCD's, which I have seen a couple of times. I don't think it affects the big name LCD players, Sony, Panasonic, but certainly the cheaper end of the market. Samsung & Hitachi have been rumoured as well, though I have not seen.

It appears the issue maybe caused by UV light from poor quality back lights, poor quality glass filters and/or poor quality liquid crystal causing the liquid to break down and thicken causing a either a static image to be retained or serious loss of contrast in shape of image. Sometimes cured by leaving screen off for a while, sometimes permenant. I have seen it quite a few times on in store advertising screens, info kiosks and LCD TV's that share use with PC monitor.


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## TCM2007 (Dec 25, 2006)

Ian_m said:


> Don't be fooled into thinking that only plasma's get screen burn !! (actually with modern plasmas not an issue, which is why they no longer have screen savers. image movers etc).


Mine has an "image mover" - if you mean that it shifts the whole picture around by a single pixel at intervals. I have it turned off though.


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## iankb (Oct 9, 2000)

dvdfever said:


> ... you get some people with a WS TV of any description, with a 16:9 letterbox image stretched across it so it looks like you're watching Bella Emberg In Cinemascope. I just hope I don't get anyone who does this happening to drive the car behind mine because their eyesight is shot.


It's got nothing to do with the quality of their eyesight, but the ability of the brain to adapt the an external image to match its database of known objects and, after a while, to gradually ignore any deviation from previous experience.

They did experiments with people who wore prism glasses that inverted the image.  After a while, their brain adapted to turn the image upside-down and, when the glasses were removed, they probably saw everything upside-down for a while.

I know that I can watch TV from my bed with my head on its side, and I don't think of the image as being tipped to one side.

Your brain is quite capable to upscaling an image, and converting it from 2D to 3D, so that you can identify part of a low-res bitmap image as (part of) a real person. Asking it to translate one dimension a little differently to another dimension is not that much of a task and, maybe, a skill that you just haven't exercised enough.


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

hazydaze said:


> My thanks again.
> 
> My mistake has been to order from Amazon. My next day delivery is now two days late, and the item has been returned to swansea.
> Brilliant. I plan to cancel, and stop using Amazon until they stop using city link (or hdnl for cheap delivery!) As this will never happen I guess that's it for me and amazon.


Never had any trouble with Citylink myself when shipping stuff from other suppliers. Always turned up next day.

I would suggest your problem is with the Amazon supplier not shipping the goods to Citylink on the day they promised


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

dvdfever said:


> I have stupidly once done this again, but I didn't freak out as much


Surely watching The Wright Stuff once should be enough for anybody not to make the same mistake again.


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## dvdfever (Jun 2, 2002)

Pete77 said:


> Never had any trouble with Citylink myself when shipping stuff from other suppliers. Always turned up next day.
> 
> I would suggest your problem is with the Amazon supplier not shipping the goods to Citylink on the day they promised


I wouldn't touch Citylink with a bargepole if I can help it. One company I was going to buy a laptop from said they used them and HAD to deliver the first order to my home address (ie. the cardholder). I said they never come when I'm in (it's like they're waiting round the corner for me to go out). After a lot of to-ing and fro-ing they wouldn't bend so I said I couldn't buy it from them and went elsewhere.

They're not called '****ylink' for nothing(!)

As for Home (Non)Delivery Network, they're just as bad. Expecting a delivery? Not from them! And when they card you, you have to ring an 0870 number to get through to someone - which isn't always answered!

I did go on saynoto0870.com for a local number, but there were about 3 depots in the country that could've been the one mine had gone to and the only numbers were for elsewhere in the country. I phoned one and asked them to put me through and they refused and told me to ring 0870. By then I'd do so much faffing about and getting nowhere I had no alternative.

If I was to put into words what I think about these useless companies it wouldn't get past the swear filter. God help anyone who uses them - and still has something planned on that day which involves being out of their house!


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## dvdfever (Jun 2, 2002)

Pete77 said:


> Surely watching The Wright Stuff once should be enough for anybody not to make the same mistake again.


Sometimes you get the delightful Amanda Lamb


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

dvdfever said:


> If I was to put into words what I think about these useless companies it wouldn't get past the swear filter. God help anyone who uses them - and still has something planned on that day which involves being out of their house!


I never have any trouble with them but I am based at home most of the time. Your annoyance seems to come from the fact you are not at home when they try to deliver and then trying to rearrange the re-delivery or depot pickup.

They do offer delivery at more specific times of day but they charge a higher delivery fee for that service.


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## dvdfever (Jun 2, 2002)

Pete77 said:


> I never have any trouble with them but I am based at home most of the time. Your annoyance seems to come from the fact you are not at home when they try to deliver and then trying to rearrange the re-delivery or depot pickup.
> 
> They do offer delivery at more specific times of day but they charge a higher delivery fee for that service.


It's not that straight forward, though. If I'm ordering something myself and they happen to use those services - fine, I'll get them delivered elsewhere. However, it's when PR companies send stuff to do with my website and they don't tell me when something's being sent (often it's some time after the request went in) and the first time I know something's coming and that they've used a crap courier is when I've been carded.

Sadly, several of them use the same mailing house as an inbetween step so guessing where its come from without knowing is impossible. One time a guy at a courier company said in a bored voice that I'd have to contact the mailing house to get them to fax authority to leave in a safe place about my property.

Firstly the guy that then said they'd send the fax, and then the guy at the courier company that said they'd received one, both sounded like they couldn't care less AND that they hadn't done/received anything, but still said I'd get the package "tomorrow".

I then got home that night to find the driver had been back again anyway and stuck the package somewhere else safe so I got it in the end, but with a load of unnecessary faffing about.

One complete GRRRR! at Citylink, apparently a manager, said to me in the most sarcastic voice ever - "To be frank, sir, the problem is - *you're* not the customer", as if they pride themselves on managing to NOT deliver parcels.

This didn't help me one bit, and in the end when I said I couldn't get to the depot through rush hour traffic before they shut for the day and so do they want to deliver the parcel or don't they, they relented and brought it on the Saturday morning at no charge to me! When I found out who'd sent it (by opening it up) I then gave them alternate delivery instructions for the next time.


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

Unfortunately Royal Mail isn't getting any better either but much worse.

Even in this countryside area they used to always deliver by 12pm and usually 11am but now they deliver any time up to 3pm.

This is basically the same as the couriers as due to where I am on their round they always deliver between 10.30am and 2.30pm.

Don't you perhaps need say a full time office with a receptionist who can perhaps take these items in for you.


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## dvdfever (Jun 2, 2002)

Pete77 said:


> Unfortunately Royal Mail isn't getting any better either but much worse.
> 
> Even in this countryside area they used to always deliver by 12pm and usually 11am but now they deliver any time up to 3pm.


I've got an arrangement with them so they know when to come with anything that wouldn't fit through the letterbox.

I even used to like Parcelforce as they were round the corner from me... until they halved the number of offices and out went the one nearby 



> Don't you perhaps need say a full time office with a receptionist who can perhaps take these items in for you.


You're hired!


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## TCM2007 (Dec 25, 2006)

Pete77 said:


> Never had any trouble with Citylink myself when shipping stuff from other suppliers. Always turned up next day.
> 
> I would suggest your problem is with the Amazon supplier not shipping the goods to Citylink on the day they promised


I've had CityLink claim they tried to deliver but they didn't. A CityLink driver told me they routinely load the vans with more than its physically possible to deliver, so they commonly register a proportion of the parcels as undeliverable in order to get home at a reasonable time.

As I live about an hour from the depot, I probably see that more than most.


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## Pete77 (Aug 1, 2006)

TCM2007 said:


> I've had CityLink claim they tried to deliver but they didn't. A CityLink driver told me they routinely load the vans with more than its physically possible to deliver, so they commonly register a proportion of the parcels as undeliverable in order to get home at a reasonable time.


Never had any trouble here with non deliveries but I live in the kind of place where the Citylink drivers know the residents won't stand for it and will kick up a big fuss. I expect if you just live in an average suburban street they think they can get away with it.

My problems with couriers here are the opposite with them ringing on my bell and trying to get me to sign for goods for neighbours who are out that I have never agreed with those neighbours to take in. I object to that strongly as there is no reason to think all flat owners are on good terms with their neighbours and goods can be taken in and then forgotten about etc, etc. Not to mention goods that you possibly don't want your neighbours to know you have ordered.........

But I do see to some extent why the drivers are tempted as otherwise they keep on coming back and back with the item. I have found no evidence they are lazy and do not deliver what they are meant to deliver.

Probably I am lucky because I am in the middle of their round and they never get to the stage where they are near running out of time to deliver here.


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## kitschcamp (May 18, 2001)

In the UK I used to routinely have problems with CityLink claiming to have tried to deliver when they hadn't, and even faking my signature to avoid penalties for late delivery of 24 hour delivery items! I wouldn't order from any company that uses them.

Here in Sweden no-one, including the Post Office, delivers parcels to homes. Instead they are delivered to your local shop, and a slip is put in your post box to collect them. At first that seemed weird, but in reality it works really well.

The only thing that hasn't been delivered that way was our new satellite dish. I doubt the local shop wanted a 1.8m dish taking up the space!


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