Quote:
Originally Posted by divxhacker
(by the way, I do have above average knowledge in PCB designing, assembly line construction, and know how to shop sourcebooks for parts. That's how I know these things are made ultra-cheap. )
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Spent years in electronics manufacturing myself.
I said back over on AVS over a year ago, the coupon program actually raised the price of the boxes.
Best Buy sells an Insignia (good box) for $59 and tax. With a coupon you lay down $25 or close. They get $20 of it before tax. This pays for buying the unit, and selling it to you. So the money you give them covers costs. The coupon money is gravy.
No I don't have the figures or inside information, just a knowledge of what it costs to build overseas and sell it here.
If there were no coupon program I really think the average converter box with competition we all would have paid about $25 with tax for the boxes.
Even look inside the DTVPal Plus, the best on the market in my opinion. It's even more compact with less parts inside than an Insignia. It was next generation so to speak. A cheap FM radio has more parts.
Someone talk me down, but I really think the entire coupon program turned into a fake nanny state for political reasons, raised the price of the boxes and charged the taxpayer for many of them.
