Technology snob vrs. Taiwan brand and similar electronics.

[mups]

Sales Staff (3C) play with local Incentives to promote TW brands. I had a Teco, Chimei, B&Q, Westinghouse TV (4 in 5 years and were crap)

Now, after doing extensive research on plenty of global sites decided to go for LG LED TV. Best ever. Plays well on TV - HD - 3D - DVD and you don't have to turn contrast higher than 50% having a splendid image. Go LG. CNet Asia can guide you in their accurate testing reviews.

I would say LG is my favorite TV brand as well..good build quality, good picture, reasonable price, solid overall productline. Samsung is the best at picture quality (I have both Samsung and LG TVs), but for me LG would be the brand I'd be most loyal to, based on everything I've seen.

I think Panasonics seem pretty solid too in the mid-range market along with LG...I'd stick with those brands for quality consistency and price.

[Mother Theresa]

Everytime I am shopping around for a Flat panel Monitor, TV Set, mp3 player, etc.
The dealer pushes me towards brands that I never heard of ( Mostly Taiwan brands Chimeia?? BenQ, some others)
the price seems very affordable compared to the well known brands.

But I never bite, I stick with the names I am familiar with.

Ha ha ha.

I work for a major Taiwanese OEM company -- a technology manufacturer who makes a wide variety of tech products for companies such as HP, Dell, Apple, Nokia, Siemens, Ericsson, Motorola, Kodak, Lexmark, Alpine, etc. You may have never heard of our company, although we're publicly listed and sell several billion USD of products per year, because our brand doesn't go on the products. Those other companies, our customers, their names go on the products. So, while you may have never heard of our company, I'm almost certain that you own at least one, or perhaps several products made by us.

And we're just one OEM company. That's how the technology business works. All of the big names have their products manufactured, and often designed, by Taiwanese and Chinese companies that the world never heard of. So, while you might get better warranty service from HP or Dell -- or maybe not -- their products are no less Taiwanese than Asus, Acer and BenQ. To a certain extent it's all the same inside; it's just a matter of paying extra for the recognizable brand.

I admit that may not be 100% true, but pretty much.

[ceevee369]

To a certain extent it's all the same inside; it's just a matter of paying extra for the recognizable brand.
I admit that may not be 100% true, but pretty much.

Of course you are right. Otherwise the glide-in digital tuner being delivered separately with a TV 3 years ago wouldn't be coming from 1 manufacturer and being sold to 3-4 local TV brands
The Apple items would have no life neither being called Pegatron or Foxconn. OEM/ODM for mass brands you referred to by TW companies exists for 20-30 -40 ? years.
Though I guess you guys are doing the R&D and PCB washing while manufacturing (putting the brand label on it) happens on the mainland no?
As for TV's - I was told the main difference per brand is still the quality of the screen (pixel failure etc) aside some "innovation" for which brand A can ask more than brand B

I was a Bang & Olufsen Sales man in the old days. The main HF board and cathode tube of a TV was the same as the 70% cheaper Philips next door. The first VHS vide they sold inside were Hitachi.The betamax was a 100% sony / philips - simply oversprayed with other paint and a "prestige" Remote control. The speakers used in their first Beolabs were Wharfadele...Damn I made money on sales commissions those days

[Taiwan_Student]

Ha ha ha.

I work for a major Taiwanese OEM company -- a technology manufacturer who makes a wide variety of tech products for companies such as HP, Dell, Apple, Nokia, Siemens, Ericsson, Motorola, Kodak, Lexmark, Alpine, etc. You may have never heard of our company, although we're publicly listed and sell several billion USD of products per year, because our brand doesn't go on the products. Those other companies, our customers, their names go on the products. So, while you may have never heard of our company, I'm almost certain that you own at least one, or perhaps several products made by us.

And we're just one OEM company. That's how the technology business works. All of the big names have their products manufactured, and often designed, by Taiwanese and Chinese companies that the world never heard of. So, while you might get better warranty service from HP or Dell -- or maybe not -- their products are no less Taiwanese than Asus, Acer and BenQ. To a certain extent it's all the same inside; it's just a matter of paying extra for the recognizable brand.

I admit that may not be 100% true, but pretty much.

Ahh an insider! Here's a question...

I've noticed that electronics just don't last so long here. When I first came here, I noticed my future wife's family had a grave yard of Boom Boxes. They'd last one year then "Poof!" I certainly remember keeping similar products in the states for at least five years or more. This observation included brand names too.

We were led to believe that Taiwan doesn't get first class product. Also, out of the less then first class product stores like Carrefour that sell products at discount prices get "special" cheaper versions of the same product.

Is there any truth to this? Or is it just the humidity killing my electronics?