I used to have my sony DV videocam and my Sony digital camera plugged into my Sony Vaio desktop using proprietary Sony software to edit and share content while listening to my Sony mini-disc player.

Fast forward five years. I still have a desktop, a laptop, a video camera, a music player, and a still camera, but not a single one of them is from Sony and I no longer need proprietary software for them all to easily share content.

All the Sony replacements were a.) cheaper b.) use standard storage c.) use standard formats d.) easier to operate and inter-connect out of the box e.) have never broken.

Why would anyone continue to pay a premium for a Sony product? Even at the same price, I would choose a competitor.

according to many posters here who have had few problems, and I’m glad for them, I really am. For those who say “can’t bash a company for one bad product”, I’m sure as you kept reading, you noticed that this isn’t a “just one product” problem.

When I speak, I speak for my entire family: parents, uncles, aunts, cousins, even friends… (Think about it – that’s a lot of Sony products over a range of products lines), and all of them have confessed that no matter what the product (TV, Computer, Walkman…) with the exception of Sony Music as a production company for artists (can’t screw up a CD too bad, can ya?), it has broken down/gone wrong/stopped working and usually just after the warranty expires. It’s usually a build quality issue (ie: not a consumer-at-fault thing) or part that will be expensive to replace.

Customer Service? Plenty of websites and blogs speak of the third ring of hell that is Sony CS, so I won’t get into it here.

Personal example: 1 1/2 years ago I had my eye out for a Digital Still Camera. I went to a “specialist” place in town and asked for their recommendation. They praised the Sony product line. I told them: “I’m not sure about this. My entire family has learned expensive lessons with regards to Sony and their lack of reliability.” He assured me that in the case of the Digital Still Cameras, that’s not the case. He agreed with me on several points, and continued to assure me that I shouldn’t have any problems with the Sony. In fact, the internal workings of most DS Cameras are provided by Sony. (sobering thought)

So my girlfriend got one model, and I got the slightly upgraded model.

Just this past summer, approx. 16 months later, my camera’s “still Image correction” device starts rattling around every time I turn the camera on…constantly. I have to shut it off then on, sometimes it fixes itself, sometimes it doesn’t. Now my ability to pull out my camera and take a great shot of the moment is lost – the whole point of me getting one in the first place.

A search on the net finds that;
1- I’m not the only one with the problem
2- Sony is aware of the problem (just shy of admitting it’s a fault in production/quality)
3- Sony Customer Service is not willing to offer any help
4- It’s (you guessed it) an expensive fix

What gets me is that *I* should have known better. Now add me to the list of family members who learned an expensive lesson. I’m going back to that shop, BTW, and sharing this with them.

Panasonic? No issues on any of their products.

I should note that my girlfriend’s Sony has shown no problems. (Lucky little Minx…)

They almost had me though. Great shots, great look, but (caveat) only while it WAS WORKING!

Sigh.

Rant off. I’m done. Thanks for reading.

In Dec 2005 I finnally saved enough money to buy a big screen only 3,000 dollars, in less than a year it quit working turned out to be a Thermo fuse. That’s ok it was under warranty right, only a year later thermo fuse again thats 200 bucks parts and sevice, Its 2008 another thermo fuse and told my bulb is about to burn out cause the picture is getting dark thats another 300-400 dollars. Sony says sorry the TV’s waranty is out even though they know these problems should be recall items. My TV is now 3 years old spent nearly 4,000 bucks and the technition told plan spending this much every year or 2 to maintain the tv. Thanks SONY you lost a loyal customer forever now I’ll be on a quest to tell all my friends,family and everyone on the internet to never to buy a sony product. Thanks for letting me vent.

a good read !

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the screen was turning green then turning off for the last year. since I’m unemployed I can’t go out and spend 3 G’s on another.

now its gone for good I think ist now Blue with a red hase and will not kick on.

is it some projection bulb or is it trash? someone advise?

bulbs are $300.00 I’m hearing.

two years old and is junk and big sandy superstore , will replace it with a 1,700 i payed 3,600 do the math and big sandy thank thay are more than nice,dont thank so

I bought the first generation Sony Reader when it first came out and it has never worked correctly for long. I did send it back for service when it was still under warranty and the fix lasted for about a month. It went back to its old tricks of locking up. After that I just threw it in a drawer. I just got it out to see if the new software version would make it work correctly but no dice. Sony support has never seemed to care. There was a time I would pay extra for the Sony name but no more. They don’t care about quality anymore.

We bought a big screen TV that has developed a green haze. We found out that the problem was acknoledged by Sony and a class action suit was launched. BUT until now we weren’t aware of all this, we never recieved a letter from Sony telling us that we needed to have out problem taken care of in a certain time frame. We rarely used the TV since we bought it and in terms of “TV mileage” it is just off the lot. Yet they will not allow us to have our problem fixed as they fixed others and can only offer a discount on a new TV. They don’t stand by their product,they admit it was faulty, but refuse to take responsibility for the repairs. Car makers write letters and anounce problems on TV, they admit to the mistake and make amends by repairing it with no time frame. When this problem surfaced I began to look up if others have had problems with Sony and am finding multiple complaints. They said that the problem was discussed on their website and instructions were given on how to get repairs. Does this mean that every Sony product I buy, I have to check their website daily to see if it has been recalled? They said that they notified their authorized repair dealers. SO were they the ones that were supposed to let the person that actually bought the product about the issue and the availability of repairs? Or was I supposed to call them every day to see if they got any news from Sony about problems with my product. YOU KNOW I won’t be buying or recommending Sony products. The repair that it needs costs $1000 or more, almost as much as the TV itself!! so much for quality control, and longevity of a well made product!!!!