So I bought my parents a 47 inch lcd flatscreen for X-mas. As part of the package i bought, Geek Squad will set up the television. I'm kind of hesitant to let people working for best buy come into my parents house and install an expensive product. Most of the employees there seem to not know what they're talking about when trying to sell me something tech related. Are the Geek squad workers different from the regular best buy employees?

Also, how hard is it to set up a hdtv? My dad is pretty good at setting hardware up and I'm thinking he and i could get it all done by ourselves.

Has anyone here used the geek squad people to set up their hdtvs? how was your experience with them?

I don't trust anyone from Best Buy to answer any questions for me while I'm even in the store (which is almost never these days), much less have them come into my home to do anything at all.

They are professional installers, not seasonal idiots.

I had them "set-up" my home theater last month. Which is to say they plugged in the receiver, routed the wires around the living room, mounted the speakers on the stands and wall mounts that held my old ones and hid all the slack neatly. Basically something I could've done, but didn't have time to do during the day since I work. But since it was part of the bundle I bought, I figured why not. The TV and the Blu-ray player, I'd already installed the night I bought them.

I wouldn't trust them to do things correctly either. Look at how poorly things are setup in store. Sure you might get a diamond in the rough, but I would wager the majority of people doing that work know far less than anyone posting in this thread does.

I just hope Best Buy does background checks on Geek Squad personnel. I am reluctant to let strangers into my home who might be "casing the joint" before coming back to burglarize my stuff. Senior citizens are particularly vulnerable.

Yea I am sure Best Buy has no idea about background checks or insurance on installers. Come on give me a break.

I think it depends on what is being done. If all you need is a cable box and DVD player plugged in, then it seems like a waste of time. I don't think it would be too bad if they helped you run some speaker wire or help mount them, as those are the things that require a little more time and effort but still fairly easy. It's not like I expect them to professionally calibrate the TV or anything.

You paid for this?

If



then yes.

If



then no.

My friend had his entire HT system set up (LCD, Blu-ray, Receiver, speakers, DVR) because he's not real tech savvy. Even though I wouldn't pay for it, I must say they did a very nice job. They used plastic ties to wrap up all the wires and everything.

I don't think they did much tweaking or calibrating though since his rear speakers seemed quite loud.

THANK YOU!
I am a Geek Squad HT installer and I can say that the majority of us are NOT idiots!

Is there an extended warranty for the install?

Well this sure gets my approval!

I would not have paid for this service. Unless the setup is complex, most user manuals have clear diagrams on how to hook things up.

When I bought my 50" plasma a year ago from BB I paid for installation, and was pleased with the results.

Since I wanted the set mounted on the wall - and the wires hidden - I decided it wasn't something I was comfortable with (knowing my general lack of handyman skills). I had bought the cables and mount ahead of time from monoprice, and the two guys had the set up and wires ran behind the wall in less time than it would have taken me to get the stuff out of the box.

No complaints at all.

A wall mount is a different - I definitely would have someone else do that.

Then again, I would never mount a display that high, but that's me.

Keep in mind, for those not paying attention to Best Buy offers, is they often have a pretty big discount on bundles if you buy a TV, Home Theater, and installation, in that it typically ends up around the same retail price of the TV itself. So I assume that there really isn't any extra being paid for the install.

I had a local company install some wall mounted speakers once. It was OK but I still had to take off work to be there.

My 2¢; they aren't doing anything that you can't do yourself. That being said they can do it faster than you can. I'm not going to pay someone to plug in a TV for me.

Other than fishing wires you don't need any special tools. IF you want to fish some speaker wires, go to any big box hardware store and buy a "fish tape". A 25 footer is about $18 and can fish the wires for you.

If these folks are real videophiles, I would be more inclined to have the set adjusted properly instead of having someone plug everything in. If not get the HT setup disc and make the adjustements yourself.

Do you not live anywhere near your parents?

I also got a bundle at BB when I bought my TV (the discount was much > than the cost of the install). I already knew how to set everything up, and in fact the appointment was a few days later, so by the time he came I had already plugged everything in. They didn't calibrate my set, which is one thing I would want a professional to do, but they did neatly bundle the wires. Probably not worth paying for, but useful if you don't have the time and it's pretty much free.

I'm sure jones can correct me if I'm wrong, but unless there is something special about the Best Buy arrangement, Geek Squad people aren't Best Buy employees, they are Geek Squad employees. It's a separate company that has a partnership with Best Buy. You can't blame the Geek Squad people for Best Buy's (or any other retailer's) poor policy regarding in-store setup of TV displays.

And from most of the accounts I've heard, when it comes to technical issues, they are generally pretty savvy. They may not be ISF certified techs (and they will NOT attempt to calibrate anyone's setup), but they can do a competent job of installing and wiring equipment, probably better than 80% of consumers could.

That could be.

But being adjacent to idiots can make one appear as an idiot too.

At the Buy More, the Nerd Herd appear to be Buy More employees, they report to the same manager in fact.

According to Wikipedia, Geek Squad is a subsidiary of Best Buy.

Still, it's not as though they just take random Best Buy employees and ask them to work there, which I assume what a lot of people jump to the conclusion of.