High time to entertain our mind and soul<\/p>\n
K. Basrie, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
In such gloomy times, a big, nifty television with a smooth,
\ntrue-to-life picture from a flat screen accompanied by supersonic
\nsound might be an appropriate gadget to brighten up your house in
\ntime for the holiday season.<\/p>\n
And Jakarta has many perfect gadgets to bring entertainment
\nfrom places like Hollywood, Sydney's Opera House or London's
\nDrury Lane Royal Theater directly to your living room.<\/p>\n
From the popular shopping arcades of Mangga Dua and Glodok to
\ngrander places like Senayan Plaza, Pondok Indah Mall and Mall
\nTaman Anggrek, visitors can find a wide array of audio-video
\nequipment and all their accessories like amplifiers, speakers,
\ncables and remote controls.<\/p>\n
Similar electronic shopping centers can also be found in other
\nmajor cities across the country -- even though they have smaller
\ncollections.<\/p>\n
To attract more audio-video buffs, many stand-alone electronic
\nstores -- like Agis and Electronic City -- have been opened,
\nsurprising the many observers who repeatedly worry over the
\neconomic slowdown.<\/p>\n
\"It's indeed hard to believe that, after two and half months
\nof operation, our sales reach an average of Rp 25 billion per
\nmonth, which exceeded our estimate of Rp 20 billion,\" Daniel
\nTrisno, marketing director of Electronic City, told The Jakarta
\nPost on Friday.<\/p>\n
Tjandra Ghozalli, editor-in-chief of Audio Video, revealed
\nthat, based on his biweekly's coverage, sales of this electronic
\nproduct have shown a significant growth.<\/p>\n
\"Is that an indication of Indonesia's economic recovery? Of
\ncourse not!\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"The truth is Indonesia is not Africa -- even in a very
\ndifficult situation, there are still new skyscrapers here every
\nyear, Jaguars on the streets and super-expensive electronic
\nequipment with price tags in the hundreds of millions of rupiah
\nsold almost every week,\" Ghozalli explained.<\/p>\n
And merchants, suppliers and producers of audio-video
\nequipment here know pretty well that such festive seasons and
\nyear-end holidays are the harvest time for their businesses.<\/p>\n
\"It's time to entertain our body and soul,\" said resident Imam
\nSyafii of Pasar Minggu after spending Rp 17.5 million for a flat
\nTV at Glodok.<\/p>\n
A source close to the industry said that about 100,000 TV
\nunits are sold across the country each month. That number usually
\ngrows ahead of Idul Fitri, Christmas or year-end festivities,
\nwhen lucky companies often share their profits with their
\nemployees.<\/p>\n
\"We firmly believe that the Idul Fitri and Christmas seasons
\nplay a significant role in boosting our monthly sales to some Rp
\n25 billion in the past two months,\" Daniel said. \"That's why we
\ndon't need to be too happy.\"<\/p>\n
Today's market offers state-of-the-art, futuristic and chic-
\nlooking products. Most are already digitalized. Those with boring
\ndesigns and pointless functions will be left behind.<\/p>\n
Some high-end TVs are remote-controlled motorized -- that is,
\nyou don't need the presence of your hubby to change the angle of
\nviews. Other brands claim to be safest for human eyes and ears.<\/p>\n
Many even come with multifunctions -- such as TVs with built-
\nin video tape recorders, DVD\/CD\/VCD players, surround sound and
\nradios!<\/p>\n
Certain products, like Bang & Olufsen, a leading brand in
\nEurope, already has its first showroom here at Plaza Senayan,
\ndisplaying its latest high-technology products.<\/p>\n
\"Generally, customers and visitors are attracted by our
\ndesign. But for serious technology-minded people, they know the
\nquality of our advanced technology,\" said Arief Hadianto, retail
\nand brand manager for PT Sarana Elektrindo Utama earlier this
\nweek. His company is the sole distributor of Bang & Olufsen
\naudio-video products in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Bang & Olufsen TVs, he said, would free the eyes from the
\nannoying grain and scan line, which often occurs on other
\nconventional TV in a dimly-lit room.<\/p>\n
\"Ours are already equipped with anti-reflection screens,\"
\nArief said, adding that Bang & Olufsen TVs are mostly already
\ncombined with other gadgets, such as DVD\/CD players and FM radios
\nwith a single remote control.<\/p>\n
\"Unlike others, our technology will not the distract the high
\nquality of sound and pictures,\" he went on.<\/p>\n
But this Danish brand has its own specific market, as the
\nprice of its integrated TV set starts from some Rp 15 million
\n(for the 21-inch model) to some Rp 75 million (32 inches) each. A
\nCD player begins from around Rp 9.9 million to Rp 33.5 million.<\/p>\n
By comparison, a 21-inch, Made-in-China flat TV has a price
\ntag of around Rp 1.85 million, which is already some Rp 500,000
\ncheaper than Japanese-made products.<\/p>\n
With a separate DVD\/CD player, a set of sound systems and a
\nradio set, one might spend another Rp 1.5 million, with a total
\nthat could reach some Rp 3 million.<\/p>\n
It's quite economic -- but don't ask about the quality, as
\nit's sometimes very personal.<\/p>\n
The popular brands in audio-video equipment in Indonesia
\ninclude Aiwa, Acoustic Research, Bose, Blaupunkt, Denon, Fosgate
\nAudionics, JVC, KEF, Kenwood, LG, Marantz, Onkyo, Panasonic,
\nPhilips, Pioneer, Polytron, Samsung, Sony, Tannoy, Yamaha, and
\nZenith.<\/p>\n
Usually, their prices are two to three times higher than the
\nsecond-class products, particularly the Made-in-China and
\nMade-in-Glodok versions.<\/p>\n
But the local market witnesses that many Chinese products,
\nlike Changhong, Crystal, Sanex, Takashima, Konka, Akira, TCL and
\nHiSense, have managed to lure low-end users, mostly thanks to its
\nprice and simplicity.<\/p>\n
Audio Video disclosed that the Chinese products could be sold
\nat relatively low prices because they are smuggled, and are
\nalready overstocked in their home land.<\/p>\n
Whatever the finding, domestic consumers are so far happy with
\ntheir Changhong's -- or whatever the title of the Chinese names.<\/p>\n
Who knew that the attack of the Made-in-China products in the
\nmarket would lead big players to someday offer more competitive
\nprices, just as in the case of the Japanese motorcycles here.<\/p>\n
A major problem for urban customers to pick up their right
\nchoice of price and product is the easy-to-reach and convenient
\nelectronic stores, which offer a wide range of items and brands.<\/p>\n
\"Before we opened our store here, we learned that thousands of
\nJakartans always flocked to every audio-video exhibition at the
\nJHCC, mainly because they found Glodok and Mangga Dua are not
\nconvenient for them,\" said Daniel of Electronic City.<\/p>\n
\"The places are hot, not secured, macet (traffic congestion),
\nand buyers have no ideas whether the items they bought were
\noriginal or not,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Using the concept of an exhibition with 70 different leading
\nsuppliers, Electronic City at the strategic SCBD area expects to
\nattract the potential buyers in the southern and central part of
\nJakarta, especially employees at the Sudirman and Thamrin
\nbusiness district area.<\/p>\n
\"Employees in these areas might have no chance to go to Glodok
\nor Mangga Dua after the working hours since those places are
\nalready about to close,\" he said.<\/p>\n
But Daniel has to realize that, like it or not, Glodok and
\nMangga Dua have their own attractions. The places do not only
\noffer lower prices, but also have a complete range of products
\nand accessories.<\/p>\n
A resident of Kebayoran Baru in South Jakarta, Karim, who
\nwanted do-it-yourself installation for a home theater at his
\nhouse, preferred going to Glodok.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, he ended his sweat-inducing trip empty handed.<\/p>\n
\"I have set Rp 20 million, and what I want is a pure sound
\nwhere I could even hear a low-speed bullet -- but the market
\nconfused me with the so many choices and prices,\" said the
\ngovernment clerk.<\/p>\n
\"I think I have to save a little bit more,\" Karim added.<\/p>\n
After all, the model we choose for our living room is a matter
\nof our individual taste and lifestyle: it rests on whether or not
\nwe have golden eyes and golden ears.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/high-time-to-entertain-our-mind-and-soul-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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