Digital Service Solutions

Wow. Don’t know what the one star rating was about; I know YMMV but I just had a great experience with Digital Service Solutions.
The sound on my 7 year-​old Sony XBR9 went out a few weeks ago and although I have another flat screen, I wanted to see if I could fix it so I called these guys. The gentleman on the phone was pleasant, courteous, knowledgeable, and patient as we discussed my issue.
We talked on the phone for about ten minutes and we came to the determination that if the sound problem was because of parts, it wasn’t worth fixing because I’d have to get a new motherboard, plus the labor for installation. We discussed a number of ways I could bypass the TV and run the sound directly from the cable box and I now have a number of good ideas to try out — while keeping dollars in my wallet that would have been unwisely spent.
So without even a house call or a trip to their shop, they helped me solve my problem about as well as could be effected, thus the 5 stars.

Some time in the late ‘90s or early oughts, both of my Technics 1200 turntables were worn out. They tonearms were wobbly and unbalanced from about 15 years of mobile DJ work and record scratching. I’d re-​adjusted the speed knob inside, so the pitch controls were no longer calibrated. The RCA outputs were failing. One had once had a nearly full rum and Coke spilled into it sometime around 1993. They were in baaaad shape. I found Digital Service Solutions when I was told their technician specialized in Technics 1200s. Sure enough, they came back to me as if they were brand new.
Fast forward to 2012. Again my turntables were showing signs of age. Both were skipping like crazy, and the sound was cutting out because of corrosion between the tonearm and the cartridges. I could not for the life of me remember the name of the place that I had been to years before. I remembered they were near the airport, but that was about all. I turned to another shop (which I’ve previously reviewed) and was badly taken advantage of. That repair shop told me that for $ 1100 they could make them «like new,» or for $ 550 have them cleaned up and «almost like new.» I paid $ 550 and got them back, after more than a month, in the exact same condition they’d been in when I brought them in. The owner of the shop even admitted that he didn’t know much about Technics turntables, but was unwilling to give me my money back. It seemed like all he had done was take a q-​tip and try to clean out the tonearm housing. :(
I’d sort of given up on having them fixed, but in 2013 I heard from someone about Digital Service Solutions. I called and learned that though they had relocated to San Carlos, they were in fact the shop I’d been to years before, and the same technician worked there. I brought the turntables in. On June 25^th I brought them in, and on July 5^th they were ready. For a total of $ 361.10 both got entirely new audio cables, brand new tonearms, were cleaned, rebalanced, and completely refurbished.
Once again, I have good-​as-​new Technics 1200 MKII turntables to beat to hell with my turntablist efforts!

i can not believe this guy! as a favor for my family member i called around for a electronics repairman and this is what i get? not even 1 minute into the phone conversation & this s.o.b. got so rude with me over the phone on our very first initial call! i dont know who gave you a business license but that doesnt give a license to be an a******* towards to potential customers!!!
and i live in san carlos trying to support my san carlos local businesses, but forget it now!!! i will never and i mean never use these people for the simple fact that this guy doesnt know how to conduct himself over the phone! and i hope he didnt feel it was right to talk to me that way because im a woman! rude! rude! ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude!!!
btw – my family member was around the corner from your location but turned around and headed the opposite direction…

I had my recently purchased Panasonic plasma inspected by DSS repairman Gary. After only a couple of weeks of use and despite the proper break-​in settings and screensaver, Pandora (a native App to the TV) had caused image retention that wouldn’t disappear. Naturally, Panasonic refused to admit this as a defect, but still gave me the number of their certified repair company. Upon inspecting the TV, Gary agreed we had a legitimate claim and personally attempted to argue the case with Panasonic on our behalf. Despite Panasonic ultimately refusing to allow a replacement of the screen, DSS did the best they could to support me and my case, even showing willingness to provide documentation as necessary when returning the product to the retailer. Thank you, again, Gary and DSS.

Expect long delays, no communication, and having to follow up and push them repeatedly to get any kind of service.
We took our Panasonic vacuum here for warranty service at the end of March 2012 and was told that repairs usually take about 2 weeks or longer for vacuums, depending on whether they have parts in stock. I followed up after a month (beginning of April) and was told that the technician «probably hadn’t looked at it yet, give it another couple weeks.» At the end of April, I followed up again and was told they were still working on it. I followed up again after a couple weeks after that and was told it was ready; promptly got it home, plugged it in, and it didn’t work at all. Took it back and they asked their technician to «look at it while the customer waits,» but I did not have time to sit there and let them have it overnight, coming back the next day to pick it up.
Took it home (now it is early-​mid June) and it worked for a day, then stopped functioning. Finally took it back in on July 6 and followed up every few weeks or so after that, constantly being told «the technician is swamped, haven’t been able to look at it yet» or some other excuse. On August 17^th I called again and was told to wait one more week while they try to fix it, as the technician is busy (again). Call back in a week (⁸⁄₂₃ to be exact) and was told that they may not be able to fix it, that they would call Panasonic and either provide a replacement or a refund check, and that it takes about 10 days to 2 weeks to resolve. I called on ⁹⁄₇ and found that the paperwork still hadn’t been submitted, call back in a week. I gave them TWO more weeks and call back on 9/​20, and was told they still haven’t heard back from Panasonic. I finally call on ¹⁰⁄₁ and was told «I happen to have your refund check here, thanks for saving me a phone call.» I had to go to their site to pick up the check.
Now, on the plus side, they are very nice, kind people when you talk to them, and having worked in corporate bureaucracy for decades myself I truly understand the «red tape,» but this level of customer service is simply unacceptable and inexcusable. It has taken SEVEN months to have a vacuum cleaner looked at and dealt with. The customer should not have to follow up so frequently to ensure progress and this business repeatedly made promises they were clearly unable to deliver. Panasonic should be ashamed at this level of service; be wary of having to use these guys.

I had my Panasonic plasma repaired under warranty via Digital Services Solutions. They were a pleasure to work with, and came out to our home twice to replace parts before finally deciding to take the set back to their shop (I can’t blame them for not wanting to drive all the way to Emeryville from Foster City again). Even after almost removing all the noise I was seeing on my set, they didn’t hesitate for a moment when I told them it still wasn’t sufficient. They took TV and returned a week later, and it was good as new. This all occurred as my one year warranty came to a close, and they worked with Panasonic to make sure I didn’t pay a dime. Thanks Doris & Gary!

If you own a flat-​screen TV (who doesn’t) then you need to know these guys!
I bought a Sharp 32″ TV from Costco about 5 years ago and needed service at the end of my warranty so they sent these guys out. In the age of giant TVs they now make housecalls. It is the best way. The TV was losing picture (all black) but with sound. You needed to undo the back of the TV and tighten a few screws. They did it – the TV went back to normal and there was no charge! A+++
Flash forward a couple years later… it was happening again. Since I was out of warranty and no longer with Costco I hunted through Unilocal.Big mistake! Looks like a bunch of crappy repairmen. So I called Costco and they were of no help. They did put me in touch with Sharp who advised me to use 2 companies with crappy reviews on Unilocal.I then asked for somewhere in San Mateo county and they gave me the # of these guys.
I called and they had me on file. This was the company that fixed my TV! They sent a repairman out the next day and he looked at the TV. It actually looked like nothing was wrong inside but he installed snugger screws which did the trick. Cost about $ 160 but was worth it. Better than getting a new TV.