FRED MANTEGHIAN BLOG

Here’s how girls know if you’re checking them out. They yawn while looking away. Then five seconds later, they turn around and look at you. If you’re yawning, dude, you’re busted.

I think that’s how consumer electronic companies work. They pretend they’re not really paying attention to what early adopters say they want because they know they can’t provide it. But as soon as they see any one of their competitors giving it up, they go into flattery mode and act like they invented toast. What a yawn.

A few years ago, some upiddy-do at a big American consumer electronics manufacturer defended his company’s latest product which touted just two coaxial digits inputs as more than sufficient for an average home theater system. Two coaxial digital inputs today couldn’t handle my kitchen system!

So now, when you’re swooning for more digital DVI or HDMI video connections and could care less about analog component input switching, everybody and their brother is offering more component inputs than you’ll ever need. Two-in and one-out is so pass. Try six-in and two-out, as if, for some reason, you’ve found it more cost effective to pay someone to run three 50 feet lengths of component video cable through your walls to a TV on the other side of your house than just picking up a $50 DVD player at Wal-Mart and being done with it.

The new player would probably offer HDMI outputs too.

Wikipedia: Marketing - The ability to successfully provide that which no one needs at a time when no one needs it.

I want receivers and pre-pros that have three or four HDMI or DVI inputs for all the gear I’m now buying, not a gagillion component inputs for the etiques I’ve esold on ebay eready. People who don’t keep up with the latest weren’t using component inputs anyway. Stop pandering to them.

On the other hand, I do want a phono input or, if that’s not possible because the guy who designs those retired (or worse), then at least plenty of two channel inputs with direct analog pass through. Hey, I’m a consumer. I can be fickle. As long as I’m willing to back it up with cold, hard cash.

Caught ya’