Mark 30 Dec 05

From that photo you’re providing, it appears as though you’re still having to get behind the TV to snake cables up to the front. Not sure if that really solves the pain in the ass issue.

On a positive note, however, I think the labelling and layout of the plugs are nice and intuitive. The lighting for the board is a huge help as well.

adidave 30 Dec 05

About the picture being too small.. I have always found Crutchfield’s “See More Photos” link to be very useful when comparing products. Especially the XL View.

BCM 30 Dec 05

Kind of a cool TV i guess, really ugly though. If I’m gonna spend 5K on a TV i’d rather have something that looks really cool. How many times do you really need to access that liyylr panel? If you already have a Cable Box, DVD player and Tivo at time of purchase, you plug it all in once and then you’re pretty good until something else really cool comes out. Seems kind of like a waste.

That Crutchfield design is horrible… it automatically focuses your eye off the product and onto the smiling helper guy.

fred 30 Dec 05

$5k for dlp??

Darrel 30 Dec 05

Cables in back has always been one of those gigantic ‘doesn’t ANYONE who designs these things EVER use them?’

Someone needs to design a lazy-susan media center. Just spin the whole thing around to configure it al.

Kyle 30 Dec 05

I used to like the Crutchfield site. This is the first time I have visited since they redesigned. I must say it SUCKS.

Oh well, I am sure some suits somewhere are happy with it.

Don Wilson 31 Dec 05

Too bad it’s ugly as hell.

Julian 31 Dec 05

Well, if all cables plug into the front, that looks kind of ugly� whereas in the back, they are nicely hidden from my eyes.

On some devices, there�s nothing wrong with some of the inputs being on the front if you just wanna plug something in. For example, USB stick on a computer. But on a TV, how many times do you connect something for a short amount of time?

I like TVs that have most of the inputs in the back and some (a video-in for your camera, e.g.) on the side. On the front, they’re rather distracting.

Peter 31 Dec 05

Someone needs to design a TV where the connection panel flips up, or out to the side. That way I can see what I’m doing when I need to connect stuff, and it’s in the back and out of the way otherwise.

Or maybe someone’s already thought of this? That would be a big selling feature for me. Especially now, having just wired in a TiVo with flashlight and mirror in hand.

Richard 01 Jan 06

Why do we have the need to have 10 different plugs anyway? Can’t some come up with a simple Multi-Media-Bus (firewire comes to my mind) where there is only one single kind of plug and everything else is handled automagically?

David 01 Jan 06

Huh, all my Sony’s (dating to the early 90s) have plugs in front and back.

Sally 02 Jan 06

I’m the Senior Web Designer at Crutchfield and I am totally offended, ha ha syke! Just kidding. Well, I am the Sr Web Designer, but I’m not offended. The answer to your questions about the redesign and why the site looks the way it does…outsourcing.

On a completely unrelated note, tomorrow’s my last day at Crutchfield, contact me if you are hiring and I’d love to chat with you!! :)

Amr Malik 02 Jan 06

About friggin time!

Totally agree with Darrel on the whole “doesn�t ANYONE who designs these things EVER use them?” sentiment!

now, how about built-in funnels for refilling the washer/radiator fluid in the dang cars? how about usb “keys” which are not twice as wide as the usb slot? how about power adapters which don’t cover up the whole wall outlet for no-good reason? The list of design crimes inflicted upon an apathetic and docile “consumery” is far too long.

In the olden days it was called “planned production” in which huge design burueaus dictated what the end-user would get (for example the soviet style design burueaus). These days we call them the “off shore designers in some huge ex-communist land” heh!

The tyranny of the anonymous sub-intelligent designer continues. :)

madison 03 Jan 06

Truly, its really painful as it is looking all black.

Eddie 03 Jan 06

Amr Malik
speaking of funnels, how about a built in funnel to refill the water in your iron (every water holding iron I’ve ever used is difficult to fill)

Scott 03 Jan 06

Another one that makes me chuckle is the cut-outs in the back of entertainment centers. Maybe if I zip-tie all my cables into one mega-cable, it will fit, but it certainly won’t work very well.

Kim Siever 03 Jan 06

I spent 90 bucks (CAD, mind you) on a Misakai TV nearly three years ago and all cables plug into the front except for the coax.

That being said, sometimes I want my cables hidden in the back.