Owain F Carter

Troubleshooting your new stereo


Humour


Problem              Probable Cause                Remedy
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Does not work        Power plug in hand            Place plug in socket
                                                    and turn socket on


Not turned on        Turned off                    Turn on.

Still does not work  Bought it from Tandy          Take it back and get
                                                   a real stereo.


Lights up but no     No speakers                   Buy some speakers.
sound


Still no sound       Volume set to zero            Set volume to ten.


Too much sound       Volume set to ten             Set volume to three.


Raucous hiss         Radio turned on and           Turn radio off, place
                     no aerial                     record on deck, place
                                                   stylus on record.


Sounds too slow      HMV 78 written on record      Discard record, replace
                                                   with `Hells Bells' by
                                                   ACDC set volume to
                                                   ten, place stylus
                                                   on record.


Can't hear anything  Gone deaf                     turn stereo off and
                                                    or learn to say `eh?'


Don't understand     Stupidity                     Turn stereo off, buy
what all the lights                                gramophone and retrieve
are for                                            HMV 78.


Record a little      Record is a CD                If it cost over 10
small and hole too                                 pound send it to me
big for spindle                                    else check for CD player
                                                   on stereo if there is
                                                   one, insert into CD
                                                   player and set volume
                                                   to ten.


No CD player         Not buying a CD player        Buy a CD player or
                                                   stop buying CDs.


Too noisy            CD playing and volume         Set volume to three.
                     set to ten


CDs don't fit in     Haven't got a car CD player   Buy car CD player,
car stereo                                         place CD in player and
                                                    set volume to ten.


Car speakers broken  Volume of car CD player       Take CD player back
                     set too high                  to shop - it would
                                                   have been stolen
                                                   anyway!


CDs don't fit in car Car stereo only plays tapes   Tape CDs.
stereo


Don't understand the  a) Stupid                    Turn stereo off, buy
automatic sequencing                               gramophone and
compact disk, magnetic                             retrieve HMV 78.
media instant audio
transposition mega    b) Normal                    Nor does anyone else
wacko editing                                      just do it by hand
commands                                           like you used to.


Reel to reel tapes   You're still wearing          Remove flares and
don't fit in tape    purple flares                 reel to reel tape.
deck                                               Attatch sign saying
                                                   `Outdated Hippy' to
                                                   forehead, place
                                                   Tchaikovsky's 1812
                                                   overture in CD player
                                                   skip first 6 minutes
                                                   place head between
                                                   speakers and set
                                                   volume to ten.


Profound deafness    Placing head between          None.
with persistent      speakers with volume set
tinittus             to ten whilst listening
                     to cannon detonations.


Other Problems

Does not show        Not a television              Buy sex pistols album
Coronation Street                                  place on deck, place
                                                   stylus on record and
                                                   set volume to ten.


Neighbour beats head  Constant annoyance with       Go to hospital and
in with a brick       loud music                    learn to eat through
                                                    a straw.


Stereo not where      Stereo has been stolen        Call Police and or
you left it           or repossesed by bailiffs     pay Poll tax demand.


Records, tapes and   Stereo is a microwave         Place egg in microwave
CDs melt during play,                              rip glass and metal
only a buzz comes                                  grille from door look
from stereo                                        inside and turn on.


Egg on face          Stupidity                     None.


Stereo not good      Stereo not girlfriend         Unplug girlfriend
in bed                                             from mains and take
                                                   tape from her lips.
                                                   Plug in Stereo and
                                                   turn on girlfriend.


Pressing space bar   Bought typewriter             Slam head in fridge
causes a little                                    door.
click, but does
not play recently
purchased Paul
Simon album


Light in fridge      Door not shutting             Slam Harder!
does not go out      completely

P. Harris © acknowledged