TCL launching Android and Google TVs in South Africa in November

[Vuilhaas]

Great stuff but watch them disappear when technical queries and complaints arise

Hope not. Time will tell.

 

[Ryno']

@TCL_South Africa why can’t we get the American models of your TVs? Why are we getting the UK and European ones? You guys are pulling a Hisense here by doing that.

 

[TCL_South Africa]

So, how about pixel phones for your second act?

Can't speak to that, but will post if we have news!

 

[TCL_South Africa]

that is a real pity

If I could say something it would be inserted <Here>

 

[TCL_South Africa]

My 42" TCL that I got from my brother in China is still going strong. Years and years later.

Yeah, great products. As a consumer; I was looking at them and hoping to measure them up against local competitions - and then we got a call the sets were coming in. So, great news I feel.

 

[TCL_South Africa]

Great stuff but watch them disappear when technical queries and complaints arise

Almost tempted to make a bet on that,

 

[TCL_South Africa]

@TCL_South Africa

We don't want to pay additional taxes where we don't need to. Many people want to use panels as gaming and PC displays.

The tuner and the taxes associated with it is just money wasted. ultimately, the client might decide not to purchase, or decide not to go with the more expensive model.

Yeah, well aware, we're consumers too. That's the law we must follow to import and all manufacturers have to comply with it.

 

[TCL_South Africa]

Yes!
We dont need no tuners!

Unfortunately we do need to comply and to bring in Smart TV's that's the law.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Unfortunately we do need to comply and to bring in Smart TV's that's the law.

I know its not necessarily in your product lineup internationally, but what would the work effort be to not have Tuners in the models? Then they just become "Displays" and not TVs.

I know that has other duty implications, but it would be interesting to see as an thought experiment in some ways.
I honestly have no need for a tuner in any of my displays and haven't for years. Its somewhat of a baffling thing that Smart TVs still include Tuners in that fashion given the prevalence of streaming services globally these days.

 

[deweyzeph]

Unfortunately we do need to comply and to bring in Smart TV's that's the law.

There's no law that says an LCD panel has to have a tuner in it. Plenty of other manufacturers already import and sell tuner-less LCD panels. It's just curious that TCL has chosen not to.

 

[Lupus]

I know its not necessarily in your product lineup internationally, but what would the work effort be to not have Tuners in the models? Then they just become "Displays" and not TVs.

I know that has other duty implications, but it would be interesting to see as an thought experiment in some ways.
I honestly have no need for a tuner in any of my displays and haven't for years. Its somewhat of a baffling thing that Smart TVs still include Tuners in that fashion given the prevalence of streaming services globally these days.

Displays will end up costing more then the TV themselves in SA.

 

[Vuilhaas]

The problem with displays over televisions is that they are subject to additional taxes, which usually means they end up being too expensive as compared to the equivalent sized TVs. So then the consumer loses out anyway

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

asking the silly question
are these basically the exact same as those Amazon branded TV's they announced a few years back?

 

[ToxicBunny]

Displays will end up costing more then the TV themselves in SA.

Would just be interesting to see the breakdown...

I'm aware there is that extra duty, just not sure what it actually works out to.

Its annoying really, since the product itself is "simpler" and just because of daft taxes we can't easily and cheaply cut out the SABC.

 

[Lupus]

Would just be interesting to see the breakdown...

I'm aware there is that extra duty, just not sure what it actually works out to.

Its annoying really, since the product itself is "simpler" and just because of daft taxes we can't easily and cheaply cut out the SABC.

Sadly that's exactly why it was done :-(

 

[deweyzeph]

Would just be interesting to see the breakdown...

I'm aware there is that extra duty, just not sure what it actually works out to.

Its annoying really, since the product itself is "simpler" and just because of daft taxes we can't easily and cheaply cut out the SABC.

It's crazy. I've opened up several panels and TV's from the same manufacturer to compare, and the hardware is EXACTLY the same. Same screen, same motherboard, same everything. The only difference is that the panels have a blank spot on the circuit board where the tuner would be, they even have the holes and the words "Tuner" written on the board. That is literally the only difference in the hardware.

 

[ToxicBunny]

It's crazy. I've opened up several panels and TV's from the same manufacturer to compare, and the hardware is EXACTLY the same. Same screen, same motherboard, same everything. The only difference is that the panels have a blank spot on the circuit board where the tuner would be, they even have the holes and the words "Tuner" written on the board. That is literally the only difference in the hardware.

That is largely exactly what I would expect tbh.

 

[TCL_South Africa]

There's no law that says an LCD panel has to have a tuner in it. Plenty of other manufacturers already import and sell tuner-less LCD panels. It's just curious that TCL has chosen not to.

I don't know what to tell you. The products coming in are TV sets and to import those TV sets we have to comply. We're not selling panels. I understand that's what you want (panels) but we're importing mass-market TV 's where we must be compliant when marketing as Televisions.

 

[deweyzeph]

I don't know what to tell you. The products coming in are TV sets and to import those TV sets we have to comply. We're not selling panels. I understand that's what you want (panels) but we're importing mass-market TV 's where we must be compliant when marketing as Televisions.

No worries, I get it. For most of us (on this forum) the whole TV license issue is not about the money, it's about the principle.

 

[ToxicBunny]

I don't know what to tell you. The products coming in are TV sets and to import those TV sets we have to comply. We're not selling panels. I understand that's what you want (panels) but we're importing mass-market TV 's where we must be compliant when marketing as Televisions.

Yeah, as much as we wail about it, we do generally understand. If you import a "TV Set" then its deemed to have a tuner in it and must follow all of those requirements.

Pisses on our battery because as @deweyzeph said, its not actually about the money, its the principle of it in terms of the TV License and funding the SABC corruption and incompetence.