Accurian Display Issue

[wgliradio]

My Accurian is starting to have a display issue.. as if someone has turned down the contrast, yet there is no setting (unless there is a hidden Easter Egg).

Although I like this tuner, the software is very buggy. Has anyone else experienced this *new* problem?

 

[hipporadio]

Waaaay back in the early 70s, my proud parents thought their pre-teen first-son needed some “style”—so they bought me a shiny new chocolate-brown polyester “leisure suit” for Christmas. Upon unwrapping it, I turned to them and said:

“Ahhhh—Ohhhh—Did you save the receipt?”

Next day, we were off to J.C. Penny's for some Levis! Many times—the simple things "work"... Like good ole’ fashioned analog radio

 

[700WLW]

My Accurian is starting to have a display issue.. as if someone has turned down the contrast, yet there is no setting (unless there is a hidden Easter Egg).

Although I like this tuner, the software is very buggy. Has anyone else experienced this *new* problem?

With the vent holes in back, I understand, that the Accurian can be used, as a toaster - so much, for portable HD Radio !

 

[hipporadio]

With the vent holes in back, I understand that the Accurian can be used as a toaster - so much for portable HD Radio!

OMG NO... We can’t have that—an Accurian portable toaster... It might melt the shirt pockets of those who still purchase unnatural fibers at WallyWorld

 

[wgliradio]

It's nice to see intelligent on-topic conversation here. Thanks.

 

[hipporadio]

Sorry wgli—it’s a bummer to buy something and a few months later have it giving you grief. Honestly, I can only recall once enduring that frustration—IIRC it was a cheapie “stick-on” 3-watt mono power amp I used for the solo/cue buss on my console about ten years ago. I replaced it once. The second time—I just threw the darn thing away. The saying goes: “First time—a victim... Second time—an optimist... But third time—a fool!”

My first post was a suggestion that I hoped that you still had the receipt (steeped in a bit of comic relief). Since the Accurian appears to be a couple large-scale chips mounted on a circuit board—I suspect repair may not be an option (unless it’s the physical display panel). You may have to return the radio for a replacement.

As for “intelligent conversation”—I’ve tried to contribute my fair share on this board. ‘Just being a bit light-hearted, but SORRY if it was at your expense.

GOOD LUCK!

 

[clouseau]

It's nice to see intelligent on-topic conversation here. Thanks.

I feel your pain, but don't have much to add. I follow a few lists and boards and your report is the first I've heard of this issue. Any thoughts from the collective. Maybe a power supply issue? These radios come with a 90 day warranty.
(Can't believe it's not a year.)

I'm assuming you are no longer in the warranty?

Clouseau.

 

[wgliradio]

No, it is under warranty, I was just wondering if this was an issue with other units since two friends have recently picked up radios... even though all of us are using them more for C-Quam now.

I may take it to RS but they may want to repair it over replacing it (which is what I would want).. and I have never had anything repaired by RS that has worked correctly every again

 

[700WLW]

No, it is under warranty, I was just wondering if this was an issue with other units since two friends have recently picked up radios... even though all of us are using them more for C-Quam now.

I may take it to RS but they may want to repair it over replacing it (which is what I would want).. and I have never had anything repaired by RS that has worked correctly every again

RS, sells nothing but cheap, Chinese-made junk (or, should I say, what's left of their receiver inventory) - their AM/FM/WX 12-150 extreme range (big joke) AM/FM radio, is another Grundig S350 look-alike, piece-of-junk. RS will be out-of-business, in a few years - God, don't you just hate RS !

 

[Mike Walker]

Radio Shack sells LG, Sony, Yamaha, Kenwood, HP/Compaq, Kodak, Samsung, Koss, Etymotic, Creative Labs, Netgear, Roku, etc (I could easily come up with fifty more...those just immediately spring to mind). Any of THAT "cheap Chinese junk"?

Is the Accurian even made in China? I honestly don't know. If it is, so what? Most innovative new radio products are coming from China. Other than high end analog tuners and desktop communications receivers, it's hard to name any innovative radio products coming from anywhere but China. That's where quality radio manufacturing lives now. Deny that, and you deny yourself a whole lot of cool toys. Like the new Kaito KA11...shortwave, am, fm stereo of truly high quality, about the size of a cassette tape (remember those?) with A THOUSAND MEMORIES for about 50-60 bucks. If that's "junk", then I'm all for it!

 

[700WLW]

Radio Shack sells LG, Sony, Yamaha, Kenwood, HP/Compaq, Kodak, Samsung, Koss, Etymotic, Creative Labs, Netgear, Roku, etc (I could easily come up with fifty more...those just immediately spring to mind). Any of THAT "cheap Chinese junk"?

Is the Accurian even made in China? I honestly don't know. If it is, so what? Most innovative new radio products are coming from China. Other than high end analog tuners and desktop communications receivers, it's hard to name any innovative radio products coming from anywhere but China. That's where quality radio manufacturing lives now. Deny that, and you deny yourself a whole lot of cool toys. Like the new Kaito KA11...shortwave, am, fm stereo of truly high quality, about the size of a cassette tape (remember those?) with A THOUSAND MEMORIES for about 50-60 bucks. If that's "junk", then I'm all for it!

Is the Accurian even made in China? I honestly don't know. If it is, so what? Most innovative new radio products are coming from China. Other than high end analog tuners and desktop communications receivers, it's hard to name any innovative radio products coming from anywhere but China. That's where quality radio manufacturing lives now. Deny that, and you deny yourself a whole lot of cool toys. Like the new Kaito KA11...shortwave, am, fm stereo of truly high quality, about the size of a cassette tape (remember those?) with A THOUSAND MEMORIES for about 50-60 bucks. If that's "junk", then I'm all for it!

I'm talking receivers only - walk into any one of their stores, and they are almost devoid of receivers, now. The Accurian, with its massive 2" speakers, and ugly looks, is obvioulsy Chinese-made junk, and so are the Grundigs, it sells. Its AM/FM/WX 12-150 radio is another S350 look-alike junk, whose switches have failed, the first day of use. RS is only interested in selling cell phones, iPods, and Satellite Radio - no fancy displays for HD Radio, unlike these other items. Everyone hates RS, because like iNiquity, they are an unscrupulous company.

 

[Mike Walker]

Actually they carry probably more radios than ever. ("Receiver" as I'm sure you know 700...since you obviously are in posession of all knowledge...means a device with a tuner AND amplifier, but not speakers. If speakers are included, it's a RADIO). I've been a customer for 40 years, and never known a time when there were more RADIOS.

 

[hipporadio]

Radio Shack sells LG, Sony, Yamaha, Kenwood, HP/Compaq, Kodak, Samsung, Koss, Etymotic, Creative Labs, Netgear, Roku, etc

I'm talking receivers only - walk into any one of their stores, and they are almost devoid of receivers, now... Its AM/FM/WX 12-150 radio is another S350 look-alike junk, whose switches have failed, the first day of use. RS is only interested in selling cell phones, iPods, and Satellite Radio...

Mike... What the heck Radio Shack store are you hanging out at—certainly NOT the ones I circle quickly thru at the mall! Yamaha – Kenwood - Sony? ...That’s quite a “Shack” you frequent somewhere north of Charlotte! A product search at Radio Shack’s website reveals the following...

Yamaha: ONE entry-level keyboard

Kenwood: ONE “Theater-in-a-Box” system—ONE THOUSAND WATTS for under $200 (can’t wait to fire that sucker up), and ONE “throw-away loss-leader” DVD player for $60

Sony: Now, were getting closer to “The Shack’s” current MO—Dozens of batteries for Camcorders, Notebook PCs, PDAs, and cordless/cell phones (RS always had a penchant for the battery biz). Web-only, you’ll find a few discontinued and un-competitively-priced digital cameras. Back in-store (Sony “parts” aside) you’ll find ONE “un-hip” MP3 player, a bottom-of-the-line non-current camcorder, and a couple pairs of earphones.

Roku: YES—the very cool M1001 antithesis of HD radio seems to be upfront and prominent! Interesting!

I have been a longtime devotee of Radio Shack (my first stereo receiver was purchased by my sister there in 1970—and still plays today), but 700WLW is on the mark in his assessment of the current RS operation. Sadly, it has become a glorified cell phone kiosk! I’ll start taking HD radio products seriously when I find serious service and customer-oriented retailers making the decision to offer them. I personally know TWO—long-established and successful in a “big box” world—and they aren’t “taking the bait”!

 

[700WLW]

Actually they carry probably more radios than ever. ("Receiver" as I'm sure you know 700...since you obviously are in posession of all knowledge...means a device with a tuner AND amplifier, but not speakers. If speakers are included, it's a RADIO). I've been a customer for 40 years, and never known a time when there were more RADIOS.

Here is Radio Shack's pathetic list of SW radios, which are all Chinese-made junk:

http://www.radioshack.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=2032073&cp=2032052

Nothing, that they carry now, compares to their long-ago discontinued DX-440.

Here is Radio Shack's pathetic list of weather radios, which are all Chinese-made junk:

http://www.radioshack.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=2032069&cp=2032052

Every time I go to RS, I see fewer-and-fewer radios - they even discontinued my model 12-898 digital AM/FM PLL radio. The Eton E10s and E100s, that they used to carry, are now gone.

 

[Chuck]

Mike... What the heck Radio Shack store are you hanging out at—certainly NOT the ones I circle quickly thru at the mall! Yamaha – Kenwood - Sony? ...That’s quite a “Shack” you frequent somewhere north of Charlotte! A product search at Radio Shack’s website reveals the following...

I have to agree with Uncle Hippo. The Radio Shacks I've visited in my area have very little quality equipment in stock. Mostly it is cell phones, satellite TV, batteries and telephones. Maybe yours is an independently owned store. There are some of those left, but they are few and far between. Those stores are usually owned by people who actually enjoy technology, and they know something about it. Their stock is often quite different from what you'll find in the usual corporate owned store. If you have one of those in your neighborhood, consider yourself lucky.

A few years ago, Radio Shack tried to buy out or close most of their "associate" stores, leaving only corporate owned versions in their place. That was when a lot of people noticed that they pulled back radically on stocking odds and ends and component parts.

I've never really thought of Radio Shack as a place for quality. Even when they were just two stores in Boston, they were well known for selling a lot of crap mixed in with a few good things. There were much better sources for hobby electronics like Lafayette Radio, Allied, McGee Radio, Olson’s, and several others. They are all gone now. Radio Shack is the last vestige of that type of store. An old friend of mine used to call Radio Shack "Japan-Land." That was back in the days when "Made in Japan" was the kiss of death. Not much has changed, other than the country of origin.

 

[hipporadio]

Every time I go to RS, I see fewer-and-fewer radios - they even discontinued my model 12-898 digital AM/FM PLL radio. The Eton E10s and E100s, that they used to carry, are now gone.

And that’s a very interesting observation. Both Eton radios are well-regarded and reasonably-priced. The widely-discounted E-10 ($129.95 at Universal Radio) and E-100 (under $100) are generally considered to be very good “intros to shortwave radio”. They are also favored by enthusiasts—but NOT by “The Shack” which used to carry Grundig’s wildly-popular YB-400PE “Yacht-Boy” that preceded the E-10. RS never made that transition—opting instead to sell the $30 “Mini 300”—sure to disappoint! In their wisdom, Universal Radio chose NEVER to even offer that piece of junk to any potential customer wishing to explore SW. Leave it to RS to sell a product destined for return by an unsatisfied victim. And this is a place “The Alliance” happily directs you to for your first impression of fledgling HD radio :

I have to agree with Uncle Hippo. The Radio Shacks I've visited in my area have very little quality equipment in stock. Mostly it is cell phones, satellite TV, batteries and telephones...

Thanks Chuck! I’m also saddened by the state of affairs at Radio Shack. I’ve run a very long “register slip” there over many years—it was my respite at the mall rather than endure my mother’s shoe shopping. Nowadays—it’s a poorly-guided convenience-oriented place to quickly grab a cell phone... And they usually manage to mess-up the activation!

There were much better sources for hobby electronics like Lafayette Radio, Allied, McGee Radio, Olson’s, and several others. They are all gone now.

Oh so very true. Tandy cannibalized and eventually ruined the once-stellar Allied Radio. RS reportedly pursued them for their reputation in home hi-fi, in an era when that market was beginning its explosion, only to drop nearly all their popular lines (including the Allied brand made by Pioneer). I believe RS resurrected only one stereo receiver that carried the Allied name after it earned a Consumer Reports “Best Buy”. That lasted but a year... Smart folks there at Tandy!

Lafayette Radio and Olson Electronics were very fond memories... R.I.P.

 

[Mike Walker]

Well my local Radio Shack (Wilkesboro NC) has a Yamaha surround sound system (receiver and speakers), a couple of models by Sony, and one by Kenwood. There's also a Sherwood stereo receiver. And it's a FACTORY store, not a "dealership" (dealer-owned stores can stock any brand they want in addition to those from Radio Shack). This is what was on the shelf the last time I looked.

Here are some items from their website which obviously escaped "Uncle Hippo's" notice.

Yamaha receiver
http://www.radioshack.com/family/in...s&fbx=0&fbc=1&f=Brand/92310/&fbn=Brand/Yamaha

JVC Receiver (actually there are SEVEN models, but I settled on this one)
http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...vers&f=Brand/1000423/&fbc=1&parentPage=family

Sherwood receiver (there are two, I settled on this one)
http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...vers&f=Brand/1000288/&fbc=1&parentPage=family

Sony receiver
http://www.radioshack.com/family/in...bx=0&fbc=1&f=Brand/1000130/&fbn=Brand/Sony+++

Teac-two tuners and a receiver
http://www.radioshack.com/family/in...s&fbx=0&fbc=1&f=Brand/1000857/&fbn=Brand/Teac

And finally Yamaha
http://www.radioshack.com/family/in...s&fbx=0&fbc=1&f=Brand/92310/&fbn=Brand/Yamaha

There are many other examples, I just did "receivers and tuners". I think I know why I had better luck searching their website than you did. Radio Shack's internal search functionality truly sucks (I yelled at them about it on the phone last week). Their webmaster must be a heavy drinker! Rather than searching on "Yamaha" which may well yield nothing (I haven't checked), I went to "Home Entertainment", then "Receivers and Amplifiers". Click on "more" for a complete list of brand. BINGO. "Thar' she blows!"

That searching for what they sell is a bit of a "treasure hunt" truly sucks. The specific reason I yelled at them was a photo and "links" to new Creative mp3 players, that led to truly old models. NOWHERE could one actually buy the pretty new "Zen V Plus" that they feature in their photo. Come on, guys!

 

[hipporadio]

You're right Mike... I concede to the missteps of the SQL programmer at work on the RS website! I searched Yamaha, Kenwood, and Sony from the entry provided on the homepage... They really need to get that fixed! Still, I don't see these premium offerings in the mall locations I walk thru.

Better that they are headed in that direction then their former “strategy” to make RCA their “house brand”. Remember when they blew up the Realistic audio brand in favor of that :

 

[Mike Walker]

Agreed Hippo. The hell of it is, Radio Shack's original RCA receivers were identical to the previous Optimus brand receivers, which were re-badged Pioneer! OPTIMUS had a better name among audiophiles than RCA, for God's sake! If you're going to offer the same stuff under another name, how about PIONEER...the people who made the damn things? The Shack has definitely made some weird decisions in recent years!

 

[XTalker]

My LG phone (not from RS) is made in Korea! Not China, but not the US either.

We have about 8 RS stores in this market - each one seems to have lots of different things. I suspect managers are allowed to stock items that sell best in their stores! What a novel idea!!

One thing I do like about RS these days is not having to give the my address every time I buy a connector or cable.