Yet another item I have purchased is faulty. This can't be a co-incident. Do people just not make things to work any more? Is there no quality control?

In a somewhat impulsey type way I bought an USB tv card from Amazon the other weekend and it finally arrived on Thursday. Much excitement as I installed the software (30 minutes), rebooted (another 20 minutes), installed the hardware (10 minutes), rebooted (10 minutes) and channel scanned (30 minutes). Nothing. Zip. Nada. Computer brought downstairs and plugged into downstairs aerial which I know works (causing me to miss Due South ). Channel scan (30 minutes). Nowt. Nothing. Zip. Nada. Ok. Software uninstalled (20 minutes), hardware uninstalled (1 minute). Reboot (10 minutes). Software reinstalled (30 minutes), rebooted (20 minutes), install hardware (10 minutes), rebooted (10 minutes) and another channel scan (30 minutes). Nothing. Plug into output from digi box, nothing. Give up for one day.

A new day dawns, several variations of the previous days activities including installing the software on a different machine (which then crashed) but still no channels. Several emails to pinnacle support who, whilst very prompt, insist on calling me Mr (how many male Amy's do you know?) and give advice which actually doesn't relate to my product. Sorted.

Another day dawns, the weekend, and I've had enough of this laptops quirks, F day has arrived. It's formatted. About 3 hours later. Still no channels. It must be me. The tv card goes for a little holiday, tried on two other machines, nothing, zip nada. Ok. We shall conclude the card is faulty. You've got to give me points for persistance.

I give up. Amazon is contacted and a little ray of light. They're actually really good about this kind of thing. Five minutes through their returns "wizard" and I have my own printed pre-paid label and barcode. Now that's cool.

Unfortunately Amazon can't supply a replacement (or at least they can't in the near future and I can't be bothered to waste any more time on it), which they informed me of in some very polite and apologetic emails, on a Sunday no less, so the tv card is going back and I'm getting a refund.

Now where's the link for that sat nav...