CHS to close

[Alistair D]

Just read this over on UKVRRR.

http://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showt...p?t=130021

I can understand why but such a pity nevertheless.

Al

[Murphyv310]

Hi.
My good friend Bob and the last independent TV service dept to close in Ayrshire a couple of months ago told me two weeks ago.
The Scottish and North England Rep Alan Harrison has been with CHS a very long time, I feel for him and his search for work, it wont be an easy task.

The TV trade is finished and anyone thinking it isn't is living in fools paradise.

[Mike Watterson]

Yes, you buy TVs in the supermarket and they are rarely economically repairable. A big HD screen is cheaper in real terms than a 1950s radio, but because of automation in manufacturing, and high wholesale cost of say a panel, it's cheaper to make a new one. I suppose a SMPSU might have its capacitors replaced, but you'd earn more for your time, insurance and overheads on the supermarket checkout?

[Murphyv310]

Yes, you buy TVs in the supermarket and they are rarely economically repairable. A big HD screen is cheaper in real terms than a 1950s radio, but because of automation in manufacturing, and high wholesale cost of say a panel, it's cheaper to make a new one. I suppose a SMPSU might have its capacitors replaced, but you'd earn more for your time, insurance and overheads on the supermarket checkout?

Hi Michael.
Absolutely!!!!
I take it you work at the till in Dunnes stores now

[Murphyv310]

Hi.
From what I have heard ASWO did the dirty on CHS so I doubt CHS customers will get a good deal from ASWO. I suppose it remains to be seen.

[Mike Watterson]

I take it you work at the till in Dunnes stores now

No. But it's a challenge getting back money under SOGA!
Took a new tablet keyboard back to lidl and explained the design was "not fit for purpose", inherently faulty. He insisted as putting "disliked" in till as return reason!
* If you re-read paragraph you just typed and type again: First two characters or more lost as it sleeps (too quickly?) to save power.
* Special key beside space bar gives same code as space, so that needed special key neither works, nor mappable.
* USB charging cable doesn't reach floor even directly. It would be better if it ran on 2 x AAA cells like the one I bought 8 years ago for phone.
* One lip to clip on to tablet is in front of middle so thumbs catch on it.
* Though it felt like proper keys in the shop, it's like dead rubber to type on in reality. Thus slow, unresponsive and tiring to type on.
€20 for junk in a pretty alloy case.

Plus: It did have an Altgr. Very many small keyboards and keyboard covers are useless for accents or extra characters due to having NO AltGr key, nor right Alt and often the Ctrl + Left Alt (= AltGr on windows usually) is disabled

AltGr enabled characters (caps versions with shift):
áéúíó€  on PC windows.
áéúíó€ß§ðÐđª«»“”ł¡Ł¹³½¡½⅓¼⅜⅝⅞™±°¿˛on Android and Linux using AltGr
àèùìò is no bother with Windows, Linux or Android if ` is a "dead key".  I have ^ ~¯ ° ˝ etc as altGr dead keys on Linux and Android too, press twice for character, or else next character gets accent.
There is a free "power toy" Keyboard layout editor download from Microsoft that lets you start with any existing windows layout and edit AltGr and Shift AltGr for all keys (for own preference or to match Linux / Solaris / BSD, UNIX).

[Old Sparky]

I didn't know that CHS was closing until I read that post on UKVRRR, so thanks, Al, for the prompt. Over the years I've often bought spares from CHS, particularly original manufacturer's parts, and found the helpful. I've never had an account with them, simply paid CWO, as I get most things from CPC, but CHS were still a useful alternative source, which will soon be gone, as have SEME/NEDIS, Willow Vale, and others. As has been said, though, the repair trade(TV/Video and Audio) is virtually finished as most things are uneconomic to repair, with the possible exception of some vintage equipment.

[Alistair D]

What we need is a kind benefactor to buy all the stock and run the business as a non profit making service for those who still want to maintain some of the less vintage equipment that will soon enough gain full status. Any takers? OK it was a nice idea.

For my own part, I gave up repairing modern equipment a long time ago so didn't use them much. They were always handy for the odd 'love' job though, the family member that you couldn't say no to. Alas handy does not equate to profit so another parts supplier disappears.

Al

[Murphyv310]

Hi.
I believe all account holders were lettered. Alan Harrison I've been told was quite distraught with the news and spilled the truth to my friend Bob who had been a customer for nearly 50 years.
I now no longer refer to my days in the "trade" as the "trade" no longer exists.
My feeling is it went due to many different things.
The cheap imports have to be number one.
Young people don't understand the word repair for number two.
Manufacturers not supplying service info or spares number three
Engineers doing home jobs and charging a fiver killed many repair shops number four
Customers screwing you to a price that made it better to stay in bed, number five and the last nail in the coffin.
RIP the Radio & TV service trade

[ppppenguin]

Look at the number of places that will fix your mobile phone etc. Loads of them. Or the growth of the "maker" movement which also includes an element of repair and refurbishment. Or the growth of Arduino, Raspberry Pi etc.

Repair hasn't died. It's just that radios, TVs and even many whitegoods etc are no longer economic to repair. Mainly for the reasons stated by Trevor.