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Do you give free estimates?
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Date : 4/15/2008
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Yes. If we do not repair a unit, you
pay nothing. No evaluation, diagnostic, or other charges are assessed on
carry in items.
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How soon will I get an estimate?
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Date : 4/15/2008
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You are given an estimate when the item
is brought in (see our published labor rates). We give a preliminary estimate
of $20 in parts, however you would only be charged for any parts actually
used (for example, if the parts cost $5, you are charged only $5, if no
parts are needed you are not charged for parts). If at any point the parts
would exceed the quoted $20, the technician will call you to provide a
new estimate and explain what is needed. If you decline the estimate, there
is no charge (see free estimate question).
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Do you give a warranty?
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Date : 4/15/2008
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All repairs include a 45 day parts and
labor warranty.
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Do you repair brands not listed under the Warranty Authorizations?
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Date : 4/15/2008
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Yes, we can repair most major brands,
and even some little known ones. As always, if we cannot fix it, you are
not charged.
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What is the average turn around time?
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Date : 4/15/2008
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Usually about 2 days if the unit does
not need parts, or if we have the needed parts in stock.
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My unit is under warranty, what do I need to do?
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Date : 4/15/2008
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For manufacturer's warranty, bring your
purchase receipt so that we can make a copy. If you do not have your receipt,
try calling the manufacturer and explaining the situation (if you sent
in a warranty registration card, they may have the info). Most manufacturers
will fax us a "proof of purchase" or other warranty concession
so that we may provide warranty service to you. If the unit is under an
extended warranty, be sure to bring the policy information with you, and
call ahead to the warranty company if required.
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My unit is completely dead, is there a reset button I can push to restart it?
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Date : 4/15/2008
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Generally no. Sometimes unplugging the
item for about 10 minutes and then plugging it back in may reset a microprocessor
when there has been a power interruption or surge (even though you may
not have noticed it). Some audio items have consumer replaceable fuses,
however do not attempt to replace with a higher amperage fuse - the fuse
is supposed to blow first to prevent further damage to internal circuitry.
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My remote does not work my set. How do I know if the problem is the remote or the set?
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Date : 4/15/2008
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First, try using the buttons on the unit
to power it up, change stations, volume, etc. If those do not work, then
the problem is not the remote. Try changing the batteries in the remote
(or make sure they are in correctly if you just changed them). Weak batteries
give a weak signal which may not be picked up by your set. If still not
operational, you can bring in the remote first if you wish, and we can
determine if it is putting out an infrared signal or not. If it is, then
the set is most likely the problem and we would need both remote and set
to accurately diagnose.
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I know my remote is broken, what do I do now?
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Date : 4/15/2008
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We can repair many problems with remotes
(you only need to bring in the remote). If we cannot repair the remote,
we can get a price on a replacement from the manufacturer or advise you
if we have a universal that will work for you.
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The door will not open/shut or tape/disk is stuck. How do I get it out?
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Date : 5/7/2008
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Do not try to do this yourself! The tolerances and parts in these items are extremely small and very unforgiving. Please bring the item in to us and we can remove the tape or disk. Trying to remove the tape/disk yourself could result in damage to your item that would cause it to be beyond economical repair (broken video heads, disk drive, etc.). Unless there is a physical defect with the tape or disk, this symptom occurs only when there is a problem with the unit. Removing the tape or disk is a part of our service with a repair.
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My camera will not run very long with the battery. Is something wrong with the camera?
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Date : 4/15/2008
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Most batteries are at their optimum life
when they are brand new. Nonuse of a battery can be just as detrimental
as constant use. Most trade references indicate that 1 year is about an
average life span for a battery. In some cases, a battery you purchased
may have been on a shelf for several months and start to decline before
you have owned it a year. Therefore, it is wise to buy from a source whose
stock is fresh.
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I have a new battery and my camera still doesn't work. Is it the camera?
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Date : 4/15/2008
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Not necessarily. Make sure you check
the battery's compatibility with your camera. Some camcorders are extremely
finicky and will not run on one brand, but will run on the manufacturer's
brand. If you are unsure, bring in the camera, battery, charger, and AC
adapter and we will examine the entire system. Remember, if we don't find
anything wrong with it, there is no charge to you. We do not sell batteries,
and finding only a bad or non-compatible battery is still a "no fix"
in our book, and is not charged to you.
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My camera ate a tape. Can I reuse or replay the tape?
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Date : 4/15/2008
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It is best not to reuse or replay the
tape, however, if you must save the contents of the tape, play it one time
only to transfer the data to another tape, stopping before the bad section
if possible. Be aware that even running the tape one time could clog the
video heads or cause it to get stuck again. 8 mm units are especially prone
to getting clogged heads from bad tapes. If the unit ate a tape, and there
was no physical problem with the tape (foreign matter, crinkled, improperly
wound), then the camera may have a problem that will recur.
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My TV has just a horizontal line and no picture. Is that a bad picture tube?
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Date : 5/7/2008
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No, this is usually a problem with the
vertical circuit and not the picture tube.
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I only get weather information on channels 3, 8, 10, 13. What happened?
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Date : 5/7/2008
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Most TV's have an SAP (Supplemental Audio
Program) mode. This can be activated by a series of inputs from the remote or buttons on the TV. Power fluctuations can also change these settings. Find the instruction manual, or go through the menu options
to find out how to turn this function off and your regular audio will return.
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My TV has only snow, no picture, what could be the problem?
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Date : 4/15/2008
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First of all, if you are connected to
cable and the cable service is out, this could happen (if you have 2 TV's
with the same symptom this is a strong possibility). Also, if the cable
within your home becomes broken or the service interrupted, or a defective
cable box, this would be the result. You can check this by hooking up another
TV you know is good to the cable line currently attached to the non-working
TV. If the good TV does not work, the problem is the cable or cable box.
If the good TV is still working, then the problem is in the first TV.
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My tape is stuck, what do I do?
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Date : 4/15/2008
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Do not try to remove this yourself. A
stuck tape is indicative of a problem with the VCR (absent a physical defect
in the tape). Removal of the tape is part of our repair service. If the
tape is a rental tape, let us know when you bring it in, and we can have
it removed while you wait, or within a short time. Even if you are not
going to have us repair your VCR, VHS tapes are always removed for free
(this does not include TV/VCR combinations).
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I hear sound, but do not get a picture. What could cause this?
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Date : 4/15/2008
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Clogged video heads is a possibility.
If the only repair needed on any unit is a cleaning, you are only charged
for a cleaning, and not for a full repair.
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My VCR plus does not record the correct channel when it records. Is this a problem with the VCR?
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Date : 4/15/2008
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In almost all cases, the problem is how
you set up the program. It can be very confusing, so it is extremely important
that you read the manufacturers instructions. Some customers have remarked
that it seems like they had to program the channel vs. cable setting backwards
from what the manual seemed to imply. If you still experience problems,
call the customer service number for the manufacturer of your unit and
go over the setup with them first.
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My timer record does not work, what could be wrong?
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Date : 4/15/2008
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In most cases this is in the set
up of the record programming. If you have a cable box in line before the
VCR then you need to set the cable box on the right channel, and the VCR
should be set to record on whatever channel your cable box outputs to.
Also, if you accidentally set an end time that is before the start time
the program won't be accepted. Additionally, make sure that the clock and
date on the VCR are correct, and that you used the right date or day settings
in the program.
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One of my speakers is not working. How do I determine if the problem is in the speakers or the receiver?
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Date : 4/15/2008
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The easiest way is by switching the speaker
wires (so that the left is now the right and vice versa). If the problem
stays in the same speaker, then the problem is the speaker. If the problem
switches to the other speaker then the problem is either in the unit or
the wires to the speaker. Speaker wires do get brittle with age, and even
though it worked yesterday, it could be broken today. This is especially
true when wires are run under carpets. Also be sure to double check the
balance control to make sure it hasn't been moved all the way to one end.
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I get no sound from any speakers. Is this the speakers or the receiver?
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Date : 5/7/2008
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First, check to see if the Tape Monitor
switch has been activated on the receiver. If so, turn this off and sound
should return. If not, you could try the above steps with another set of
speakers if you have them available. It is unusual for both speakers to
go bad when the unit is not in use, so this would generally indicate a
problem with the unit.
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My CD player skips, what could be the problem?
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Date : 4/15/2008
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If it skips only on certain CD's, the
problem is most likely the CD's. Scratches, dirt or smudges can cause the
CD to be unreadable. CD cleaning kits can be used to clean the CD's and
this may resolve the problem. If this does not help, or if the unit skips
with all CD's, then the laser may need an alignment, cleaning or replacement.
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