The analogue switch-off -- issues of public perception

In article ,
Ernst S Blofeld wrote:
but the [Maplin] sales bod assured him that this was true

Reminds me of ...

.... customer enquiring about CCD camera module, of which Maplin didn't have
any available at the time. But, to save the sale, they offered a CMOS camera
module instead, which is "basically the same thing". Huh?

Customer suggested that CCD was superior in quality, and CMOS were somewhat
cheap and nasty.

Maplin bod: "No, to be technically accurate, CMOS is just a manufacturing
process that chips are made from, and it's the process used to make CCDs,
so in fact a CCD is the same thing as a CMOS, just different terminology"

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

When the salesman disappeared to check something, the customer's expression
made it quite clear that he was *not* falling for it.

That's up there with heading off a customer that said "It's a shame that
hi-fi doesn't have a CD player, only Minidisc" with "Actually, Minidisc is
technically better quality than CD, as CD is limited to 16 bits, whereas
Minidisc isn't" (not Maplin, other local electronics retailer!)

Salesmen ... no lie too large

Mike.
--
--------------------------------------+------------------------------------
Mike Brown: mjb[at]pootle.demon.co.uk | http://www.pootle.demon.co.uk/

"Mike" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Ernst S Blofeld wrote:
but the [Maplin] sales bod assured him that this was true

Reminds me of ...

... customer enquiring about CCD camera module, of which Maplin didn't
have
any available at the time. But, to save the sale, they offered a CMOS
camera
module instead, which is "basically the same thing". Huh?

Customer suggested that CCD was superior in quality, and CMOS were
somewhat
cheap and nasty.

Maplin bod: "No, to be technically accurate, CMOS is just a manufacturing
process that chips are made from, and it's the process used to make CCDs,
so in fact a CCD is the same thing as a CMOS, just different terminology"

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

When the salesman disappeared to check something, the customer's
expression
made it quite clear that he was *not* falling for it.

That's up there with heading off a customer that said "It's a shame that
hi-fi doesn't have a CD player, only Minidisc" with "Actually, Minidisc is
technically better quality than CD, as CD is limited to 16 bits, whereas
Minidisc isn't" (not Maplin, other local electronics retailer!)

Salesmen ... no lie too large

Actually, most of the time I blame general ignorance rather than deliberate
lying. They don't know the answer so rather than admit it, they make
something up out of random soundbites they've heard.

As far as I'm concerned shops are just a supplier. If you want advice trawl
the internet, DYOR and bear in mind that experts in _any_ field tend not to
end up working in shops.

Z

On Tue, 29 Aug 2006 20:07:45 +0000 (UTC), (Mike)
wrote:

In article ,
Ernst S Blofeld wrote:
but the [Maplin] sales bod assured him that this was true

Reminds me of ...

... customer enquiring about CCD camera module, of which Maplin didn't have
any available at the time. But, to save the sale, they offered a CMOS camera
module instead, which is "basically the same thing". Huh?

Customer suggested that CCD was superior in quality, and CMOS were somewhat
cheap and nasty.

Maplin bod: "No, to be technically accurate, CMOS is just a manufacturing
process that chips are made from, and it's the process used to make CCDs,
so in fact a CCD is the same thing as a CMOS, just different terminology"

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

When the salesman disappeared to check something, the customer's expression
made it quite clear that he was *not* falling for it.

That's up there with heading off a customer that said "It's a shame that
hi-fi doesn't have a CD player, only Minidisc" with "Actually, Minidisc is
technically better quality than CD, as CD is limited to 16 bits, whereas
Minidisc isn't" (not Maplin, other local electronics retailer!)

Salesmen ... no lie too large

Mike.

I met someone once who was replacing all his CD's with Minidiscs
because "They are the future & sound so much better". I wonder how
he's getting on now?

Marky P.

"Marky P" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 29 Aug 2006 20:07:45 +0000 (UTC), (Mike)
wrote:

In article ,
Ernst S Blofeld wrote:
but the [Maplin] sales bod assured him that this was true

Reminds me of ...

... customer enquiring about CCD camera module, of which Maplin didn't
have
any available at the time. But, to save the sale, they offered a CMOS
camera
module instead, which is "basically the same thing". Huh?

Customer suggested that CCD was superior in quality, and CMOS were
somewhat
cheap and nasty.

Maplin bod: "No, to be technically accurate, CMOS is just a manufacturing
process that chips are made from, and it's the process used to make CCDs,
so in fact a CCD is the same thing as a CMOS, just different terminology"

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

When the salesman disappeared to check something, the customer's
expression
made it quite clear that he was *not* falling for it.

That's up there with heading off a customer that said "It's a shame that
hi-fi doesn't have a CD player, only Minidisc" with "Actually, Minidisc is
technically better quality than CD, as CD is limited to 16 bits, whereas
Minidisc isn't" (not Maplin, other local electronics retailer!)

Salesmen ... no lie too large

Mike.

I met someone once who was replacing all his CD's with Minidiscs
because "They are the future & sound so much better". I wonder how
he's getting on now?

They were the future in a way - compressed digital audio, but they never
sounded better.
I used them for the car, much more robust than CDs (didn't need cases) and
you could fit stacks in the smallest glovebox.
'course its all mp3s on SD cards these days, dread to think how many albums
I could fit in my glovebox now!

Z

On Wed, 30 Aug 2006 15:15:59 +0100, "Zimmy" wrote:


"Marky P" wrote in message
.. .
On Tue, 29 Aug 2006 20:07:45 +0000 (UTC), (Mike)
wrote:

In article ,
Ernst S Blofeld wrote:
but the [Maplin] sales bod assured him that this was true

Reminds me of ...

... customer enquiring about CCD camera module, of which Maplin didn't
have
any available at the time. But, to save the sale, they offered a CMOS
camera
module instead, which is "basically the same thing". Huh?

Customer suggested that CCD was superior in quality, and CMOS were
somewhat
cheap and nasty.

Maplin bod: "No, to be technically accurate, CMOS is just a manufacturing
process that chips are made from, and it's the process used to make CCDs,
so in fact a CCD is the same thing as a CMOS, just different terminology"

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

When the salesman disappeared to check something, the customer's
expression
made it quite clear that he was *not* falling for it.

That's up there with heading off a customer that said "It's a shame that
hi-fi doesn't have a CD player, only Minidisc" with "Actually, Minidisc is
technically better quality than CD, as CD is limited to 16 bits, whereas
Minidisc isn't" (not Maplin, other local electronics retailer!)

Salesmen ... no lie too large

Mike.

I met someone once who was replacing all his CD's with Minidiscs
because "They are the future & sound so much better". I wonder how
he's getting on now?

They were the future in a way - compressed digital audio, but they never
sounded better.
I used them for the car, much more robust than CDs (didn't need cases) and
you could fit stacks in the smallest glovebox.
'course its all mp3s on SD cards these days, dread to think how many albums
I could fit in my glovebox now!

Z

Thing is, this guy who said 'They are the future' was a bit late with
that remark, as the market for pre-recorded MD's was fastly
diminishing. I actually collect pre-recorded MD's as they're not many
about. Collect DCC tapes too. And DAT (very few pre-recorded DATs),
cassettes, 8-track tapes, reel to reel, 78's & vinyl as well :-)

Marky P.

"Marky P" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 30 Aug 2006 15:15:59 +0100, "Zimmy" wrote:


"Marky P" wrote in message
. ..
On Tue, 29 Aug 2006 20:07:45 +0000 (UTC), (Mike)
wrote:

In article ,
Ernst S Blofeld wrote:
but the [Maplin] sales bod assured him that this was true

Reminds me of ...

... customer enquiring about CCD camera module, of which Maplin didn't
have
any available at the time. But, to save the sale, they offered a CMOS
camera
module instead, which is "basically the same thing". Huh?

Customer suggested that CCD was superior in quality, and CMOS were
somewhat
cheap and nasty.

Maplin bod: "No, to be technically accurate, CMOS is just a
manufacturing
process that chips are made from, and it's the process used to make
CCDs,
so in fact a CCD is the same thing as a CMOS, just different
terminology"

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

When the salesman disappeared to check something, the customer's
expression
made it quite clear that he was *not* falling for it.

That's up there with heading off a customer that said "It's a shame that
hi-fi doesn't have a CD player, only Minidisc" with "Actually, Minidisc
is
technically better quality than CD, as CD is limited to 16 bits, whereas
Minidisc isn't" (not Maplin, other local electronics retailer!)

Salesmen ... no lie too large

Mike.

I met someone once who was replacing all his CD's with Minidiscs
because "They are the future & sound so much better". I wonder how
he's getting on now?

They were the future in a way - compressed digital audio, but they never
sounded better.
I used them for the car, much more robust than CDs (didn't need cases) and
you could fit stacks in the smallest glovebox.
'course its all mp3s on SD cards these days, dread to think how many
albums
I could fit in my glovebox now!

Z

Thing is, this guy who said 'They are the future' was a bit late with
that remark, as the market for pre-recorded MD's was fastly
diminishing. I actually collect pre-recorded MD's as they're not many
about. Collect DCC tapes too. And DAT (very few pre-recorded DATs),
cassettes, 8-track tapes, reel to reel, 78's & vinyl as well :-)

Don't think I ever bought one single pre-recorded MD.
Reason being I could buy the CD and easily digitally record it onto MD as
even the portable recorders had optical digital inputs. Thus I could keep
the CD for playing at home and as a backup for the MD copy.
No wonder they didn't sell many!

Z

On Tue, 29 Aug 2006 20:07:45 +0000 (UTC), (Mike) wrote:

In article ,
Ernst S Blofeld wrote:
but the [Maplin] sales bod assured him that this was true

Reminds me of ...

... customer enquiring about CCD camera module, of which Maplin didn't have
any available at the time. But, to save the sale, they offered a CMOS camera
module instead, which is "basically the same thing". Huh?

Customer suggested that CCD was superior in quality, and CMOS were somewhat
cheap and nasty.

Maplin bod: "No, to be technically accurate, CMOS is just a manufacturing
process that chips are made from, and it's the process used to make CCDs,
so in fact a CCD is the same thing as a CMOS, just different terminology"


Without wishing to get into an argument, CMOS technology has come on so much
that it is now at least equal to ccds

Many digital cameras in the more expensive bracket, Canon EOS 5D, Nikon D2X, etc
use CMOS image sensors.

Also, CMOS is starting to be used in video cameras, Sony's A1 for example.

So in this case both the customer and the salesman were wrong!


regards

Stuart

www.mckears.com

In article , Stuart McKears
writes

Without wishing to get into an argument, CMOS technology has come on so much
that it is now at least equal to ccds

Absolutely! In terms of ambient temperature operation, CMOS is now far
superior to CCD in all current equivalent device comparisons. CCDs are
still better when cooled, say to -40C or lower, which is why
professional astronomers use them. Of the top 10 professional still
cameras in picture quality terms, of which you mentioned probably two in
the lower half, you will struggle to find one that still uses a CCD -
the argument would be whether it would make the top 50 or not.
--
Kennedy
Yes, Socrates himself is particularly missed;
A lovely little thinker, but a bugger when he's ****ed.
Python Philosophers (replace 'nospam' with 'kennedym' when replying)

If anyone is REALLY interested in the pros and cons, you could do worse than
start he

http://www.dalsa.com/markets/ccd_vs_cmos.asp

Cheers,

Chris.

"Kennedy McEwen" wrote in message
...
In article , Stuart McKears
writes

Without wishing to get into an argument, CMOS technology has come on so
much
that it is now at least equal to ccds

Absolutely! In terms of ambient temperature operation, CMOS is now far
superior to CCD in all current equivalent device comparisons. CCDs are
still better when cooled, say to -40C or lower, which is why professional
astronomers use them. Of the top 10 professional still cameras in picture
quality terms, of which you mentioned probably two in the lower half, you
will struggle to find one that still uses a CCD - the argument would be
whether it would make the top 50 or not.
--
Kennedy
Yes, Socrates himself is particularly missed;
A lovely little thinker, but a bugger when he's ****ed.
Python Philosophers (replace 'nospam' with 'kennedym' when
replying)

In article , ChrisM
writes
If anyone is REALLY interested in the pros and cons, you could do worse than
start he

http://www.dalsa.com/markets/ccd_vs_cmos.asp

Just bear in mind throughout that this is from the perspective of a
company pushing CCDs.
--
Kennedy
Yes, Socrates himself is particularly missed;
A lovely little thinker, but a bugger when he's ****ed.
Python Philosophers (replace 'nospam' with 'kennedym' when replying)