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Hands up time

post #1 of 15
9/15/01 at 8:06am
Thread Starter 
For a bit of light relief:-

Who here actually reads the manual in the equipment they buy now a days?

You know, that bit of paper that comes in the box and starts with the words "thank you for buying this (insert name and model here)we hope you have many years of reliable service etc etc....

OR

Do you just rip it out of the box and plug the whole damn thing in and start playing around with it immedieately??
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post #2 of 15
9/15/01 at 8:43am
Sometimes...I like my euipment simple as possible.

2 Ch stuff is simpler, but the HT stuff these days...need programming degree
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post #3 of 15
9/15/01 at 11:29am
I never read the manual,not ever.Just no fun in reading a little cheezy B&W four page booklet that basically tells me not to pour coffee inside the unit.

There was a time whenas much effort went into the literature as the actual device and I would read it cover to cover.First it would have a nice cover,usually a glossy picture of the device,then you would get the design philosophy behind the unit,next up would be detailed instructions on how to use the ubit under any conceivable circumstances.Alsmost an audio primer and I learned much in my youth reading this stuff,and finally would be the full schematic diagram of the device-a real troubleshooting or modifying aid-not to mention just plain fun to figure out how this thing works.

Sometime back in the '80s I purchased an Apt Holman Preamp.Best owners manual I have ever seen in my life.It went into great detail explaining each and every stage ,how and why it was designed,and what parts were used and why.A real good read.And all of the Dynaco/Hafler manuals were great fun

Rick
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post #4 of 15
9/15/01 at 11:53am
Sometimes I do. I almost always look at the first few pages. If they look well-written, I usually read the rest of it as well.
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post #5 of 15
9/15/01 at 12:46pm
I usually not read the manual as soon as I get a new toy... After about a month my curiosity kicks in and I decide to read the manual. With stuff like VCRs and Recievers you kind of need to read the manuals though...
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post #6 of 15
9/15/01 at 12:57pm
I always read the manual after I hook it up and start playing with it.
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post #7 of 15
9/15/01 at 1:01pm
I always read the manual before I use anything.

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post #8 of 15
9/15/01 at 1:34pm
I always start without reading the manual. then, after a few hours I flip through the manual to check if I missed any features and get info about features I'm not sure about what they do. IMO if a product needs a manual for common people to operate it, it's a bad design.
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post #9 of 15
9/15/01 at 3:57pm
if experience has taught me anything it is i DON'T know everything, thus iread the manual before plugging it in. i even look at the other languages as sometimes there's info there not in the english version (like different power supply settings). i like sony's manuals, they have been using the same cheesy comic book characters to show what to do and not to do. they look like jack chick comics!
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post #10 of 15
9/15/01 at 4:45pm
I only use the manual if I can't figure it out first.

I use the manual for comuter software and thats about it really. I mean most consumer electronics can't be broken by just fiddling with the buttons. So why not fool around with it and have a little fun figuring it out?
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post #11 of 15
9/15/01 at 6:19pm
I do, I read everything first, even if it is just a CDP.

On items I am familiar with ( CDP, PC etc) I just scan the pages thru. But if I buy a MAX, I be reading every page of it Reacing the manual is part of the *new toy* fun for me.
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post #12 of 15
9/15/01 at 6:35pm
I always read the manual. Usually it is just an exercise in futility, but every once in a while I actually glean a useful piece of information.
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post #13 of 15
9/15/01 at 7:18pm
I try and destro-I MEAN use the product; then go to the manual.

So, "sometimes".....
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post #14 of 15
9/15/01 at 7:53pm
I agree with Tides, reading the manual is part of the fun. Sometimes before, sometimes during and always after a couple of times.
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post #15 of 15
9/16/01 at 2:41pm

It's the story of Manuel...

My RKV didn't come with a manual...:-(

My headphones did, though...:-)

I read it. I like reading the spec's: 5-35000Hz (or whatever it is).

Mackie write the greatest manuals (recommend that you only read the first part to get an idea of their sense of humour):
http://www.mackie.com/TechSupport/Te...2VLZPRO_OM.asp
For example, on the safety and warnings page, the paragraph about keeping the product away from moisture mentions a "...salivating St. Bernard..." as an example. And what's particularly clever about that particular style is that it makes you actually _want_ to read the manual.
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