LG debuts washer and dryer that play 'tunes' for problem diagnosis
By Laura June 
posted August 11th 2010 8:08AM
posted August 11th 2010 8:08AM
posted August 11th 2010 8:08AM
A look back on popular stories from today in a specific year.
Now that we've thrown 'em off the trail, use the form below to get in touch with the people at Engadget. Please fill in all of the required fields because they're required.
Lame. Why don't you just tell me what the problem is. You sound like a girl playing guessing games.
@ROCKandREVIEWcom
What's wrong with error codes!
@ROCKandREVIEWcom
I totally agree. Instead of making them beep randomly, they should make them actually communicate with you.
@ROCKandREVIEWcom Exactly, if the error codes is not good enough, why just say...the cloth is too dirty and I cannot wash that, or if you came if an iPhone turn it off.
@ROCKandREVIEWcom
I await the day it gets stuck playing the cheeky girls song.... oh the humanity!
@fingers It is kinda clever, eliminates possible transcription errors by the user, but also prevents the user from being able to do their own maintenance.
@dgoulston "Don't be shy, touch my drum!"
@fingers
Beat me to it. I suppose the next model will send out smoke signals.
@ROCKandREVIEWcom
You've selected ... Agent Zero? If that's correct, press one.
You've selected ... Brown-Eyed Girl? If this is correct, press one.
Why don't you just tell me the name of the movie you've selected?
@ROCKandREVIEWcom : Because error messages are so...2009?
Why does the female editor get the "washer and dryer" article? That's sexist! :)
@One Love
And it comes with a convenient foot-soaking tub attachment!
Why not just give it at Wi-Fi connection so it can call a service technician all by itself?
@One Love Yet she fails to actually use a picture of both a washer and dryer proving she doesn't do laundry. Those are 2 washing machines in different colors...
@Funke Tobias Dr
Love that episode. Classic.
So the big selling point of these is: they're good if they break :/
Why not just output an error code on the screen or verbally speak the problem instead of playing a series of meaningless beeps?
@Bob the Terrorist
Come on, do you really want your washer to BSoD on you? At least the tune might possibly help you from killing someone while your house floods out.
@Bob the Terrorist
They Do have an error code on the screen. I have an LG washer and dryer for about 4 months now and all of the LG appliances that I saw back then played some sort of jingle when ever you do something.
Every time my clothes finish washing or drying I feel like I completed a level off an NES game. :]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwcCqpVAmQg
Agree! this is really stupid. Why don't they include an Ethernet or wireless port where it can send troubleshoot information to a server instead? LMAO!
@VicRod74
That's what I thought. Put in a nic card and add a web interface. Then other smart devices like a home server can keepit in check.
@VicRod74
Wireless... maybe. But I don't know anyone with network cables near their washer and dryer nor do I know anyone that would bother to run them for something like this.
The Spartenburg, SC BMW factory does this as well. When a machine or an assembly line goes down, they play old TV show themes through out the facility notifying the rest of the plant of future delays. If the Andy Griffith show theme was playing for example, the front suspension station is down and delays will ensue (example of course).
Why not play songs? Or send error codes via web (provided a wireless network connection)?
Wait, no, that requires royalty fees and then RIAA will sue us for downloading files to our machine washer.
@richiepr77
repair man: you see it's lady gaga error..it will be 200 bucks
...oh...i hate lady gaga
Will it play the imperial march when something goes very horribly wrong?
In addition to washing and folding my clothes for $2000 it better wash my car and make me a western omelet with fresh squeezed orange juice.
i wonder if they had to pay MS for using the squircle?
This can not possibly be real
... is this coming from The Onion News Network?
Yeah, because a tune is soooo much more informative than simply stating "Error Code 12934" and then giving a description of what that code means.
I'm guessing it's actually more complicated than "it plays music". Each tone probably corresponds to a point in the machine, which sounds and is picked up by a computer at the support end of the phone call. Error codes are well and good, but what if something happens that the manufacturers didn't anticipate with an error code?
If this machine can tell the support computer exactly what parts are not working, the computer can provide a much more detailed solution.
@TheRealCJ
But that doesn't make any sense.
A tone is not something that can be easily described in words (it "bing" not "ding"), nor reproduced (short of holding a microphone up to your dryer), and good luck doing that if you have screaming kids and a barking dog around.
And the idea that it might not be a problem that was anticipated is an even scarier proposition. If there is a sensor that can spit out an error tone, it can just as easily spit out an error code. And this washer/dryer already has a screen, so it's not like the cost of the LCD is the problem here.
Anyone that has ever had the misfortune of trying to describe the sound their car was making to a mechanic will quickly realize how stupid this idea really is. Compare that to getting an ECU reader that spits out a code that can be looked up to see what the problem really is.
Have to wonder if this is more like an acoustically-coupled MODEM connection than a tune. They could shift a heck of a lot of diagnostic data in both directions.
Do I really need my dryer mocking me with a sad trombone every time it becomes unbalanced? :/
I hope it makes that sound when everything fall apart
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ytCEuuW2_A
typical Korean junk...they are all the same basic machine from their lowest model to their top except the higher models have fancier colours and an lcd screen that is sure to die in 2-3 years because it's not insulated from moisture enough...
Get a real machine.... miele cannot be beat...
For once it seems every commentor has the exact same feelings about an article.
Weirdly enough, I caught my wife humming the tune my LG washer makes when it is done. We had a good laugh about that one, and can't wait for the LG Greatest Hits album.
if you look at the washing machine industry, you can tell its one of those areas that doesn't need improving , and yet the companies need to keep competing so they keep adding "new, innovative features" like this.
a couple months ago the "big breakthrough" was a washer that rolls your clothes in addition to spinning them, to get them "cleaner then ever before". riggght. because the clothing we've all been wearing since the dawn of the washing machine has never really been clean?
if LG and Kenmore and Maytag want to compete for my money, they can simply try to make a machine that's cheaper, sturdier, and easier to fix. I don't need gimmicks.
Nice. So they're catching up with technology the Roomba had in... what? 2001?
And yes, the darn thing should really just output an error message with a number and text description. That's the oldest and best way to do this.
Frigging dumb marketing BS, how bout just a numeric error code or, gasp, an LED panel that spells the problem out in english?
I think my $1000 Amana pair already does that. Each mode and each problem plays a specific little tone jingle. What's new here?
I'm sorry..? it plays tones over a phone..? How very 1988! I'm not paying this much for a washer dryer unless it's WiFi enabled and connected to the internet!
the size of the drum is more impressive IMO
Laura, your place is in the laundry room to begin with
Their form factor are now quite the same so why don't they do research to make a washer AND dryer in the same goddam machine instead? Space economy is one of important issues of the 21st century!
What's the sound for "someone threw a brick in me?"
Sounds like they are trying to control the service of these devices. If they put out error codes, the info would eventually make it to the web and anyone could service them. This way they get full control over the diagnosis and can sell the service calls to local shops. They're basically trying to make money off the failure of their products. I'd stay away from LG just because of this.
What antriver said. Why would there be any problems in the first place?
Stupid - just state the error code and preferably description on the display. Besides, using R&D money and added cost to the consumer for this crap is stupid, considering sometimes the machine isn't even able to figure out an error code (or it is completely dead...)