# You don't have to pull the plug when you do the two minute cable drill **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 28, 2006, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-pull-the-plug-when-you-do-the-two-minute-cable-drill/362547 "2006-06-28T21:28:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2006, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-pull-the-plug-when-you-do-the-two-minute-cable-drill/362547/1 "2006-06-28T21:28:07Z")
You know how the cable techie tells you to pull the plug to the box, wait a minute and plug it back in. Then you get the “boot” and “~” messages, the box goes black and in a minute or two or bingo! the time comes on and you can watch TV. Well having just this morning graduated from MIT and after lunch, got a PhD in TV Scientectomy from CalTech for Dummies, I can suggest you just turn off the power strip. instead of pulling the plug. It’s just as effective (which the cable techies just admitted), and as an added plus, you get many, many commercials with your TV programs. There is no charge for this hi tech advice, but if you want to email me a Steinway 9-foot Concert Grand Piano, and a house to put it in, I would considerate them as adequate expressions of your appreciation of my magnanimity. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2006, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-pull-the-plug-when-you-do-the-two-minute-cable-drill/362547/2 "2006-06-28T21:38:12Z")
> [@BarnOwl](#): > > Well having just this morning graduated from MIT and after lunch, got a PhD in TV Scientectomy from CalTech for Dummies, I can suggest you just turn off the power strip. instead of pulling the plug. It’s just as effective (which the cable techies just admitted), and as an added plus, you get many, many commercials with your TV programs. It took two BS degrees to figure that out? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2006, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-pull-the-plug-when-you-do-the-two-minute-cable-drill/362547/3 "2006-06-28T21:51:33Z")
That’s what I always do, but just don’t tell the techie, as I think, like telemarketers, they just read from a script and it would confuse them. Actually, I have always insisted that I have already done that, and something is wrong with their damn cable outside, but they still make me go through the ritual. Then they send somebody who finds something was wrong with their damn cable outside. Sheesh! ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2006, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-pull-the-plug-when-you-do-the-two-minute-cable-drill/362547/4 "2006-06-28T21:56:24Z")
What if you don’t use a power strip? What then? Huh? Huh? Hah. Outsmarted you. Why is this in GQ? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2006, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-pull-the-plug-when-you-do-the-two-minute-cable-drill/362547/5 "2006-06-28T22:01:35Z")
Some look at things and wonder “why,” I look in my forum and wonder “Why me, Lord?” Off to MPSIMS. **samclem** ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2006, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-pull-the-plug-when-you-do-the-two-minute-cable-drill/362547/6 "2006-06-28T22:01:45Z")
[QUOTEExapno Mapcase] What if you don’t use a power strip? What then? Huh? Huh? Hah. Outsmarted you. [/QUOTE] Then trip the circuit breaker. Duh. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2006, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-pull-the-plug-when-you-do-the-two-minute-cable-drill/362547/7 "2006-06-28T22:14:14Z")
> [@Exapno Mapcase](#): > > What if you don’t use a power strip? What then? Huh? Huh? Hah. Outsmarted you. > > Why is this in GQ? Sorry, you just violated the One-Question-Per-Post Congress will now vote a Resolution to Condemn You. ---
**Author:** ![DadWagonDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@DadWagonDriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DadWagonDriver)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-pull-the-plug-when-you-do-the-two-minute-cable-drill/362547/8 "2006-06-29T02:25:34Z")
> [@KlondikeGeoff](#): > > That’s what I always do, but just don’t tell the techie, as I think, like telemarketers, they just read from a script and it would confuse them. > > Actually, I have always insisted that I have already done that, and something is wrong with their damn cable outside, but they still make me go through the ritual. Then they send somebody who finds something was wrong with their damn cable outside. Sheesh! So, could the phone person fix that problem outside for you? Seriously, having everyone do this cuts down on a ton of trouble calls. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-pull-the-plug-when-you-do-the-two-minute-cable-drill/362547/9 "2006-06-29T03:23:11Z")
> [@wmulax93](#): > > So, could the phone person fix that problem outside for you? Seriously, having everyone do this cuts down on a ton of trouble calls. I do it whenever the TV’s response times slow up. Like when I’ve recorded and erases a lot of programs over a period of time, and the TV is sluggish in carrying out Remote commands. It works. I think it’s like an electronic enema. Now, for something completely similar (and weird)… I swear to God, a Cable techie once told me to face **away** from the TV and push specific buttons (I don’t remember which) on the remote. Of course I thought she was putting me on and said so, but she insisted — rather remorsefully — that this was no joke. Anyway, it worked. And I still laugh about it; until now, I never admitted to it. ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-pull-the-plug-when-you-do-the-two-minute-cable-drill/362547/10 "2006-06-29T06:23:02Z")
We had a settop dish box that was taking remote commands only if you pointed offline about 40 degrees. The phone techs almost accused us of lying, but we had three college graduates playing with it, and one of them was an MIT engineer. The darn thing didn’t like to be pointed directly at the receiver. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-pull-the-plug-when-you-do-the-two-minute-cable-drill/362547/11 "2006-06-29T11:34:07Z")
I think part of the unplug ritual is just to ensure that the damn thing is plugged in properly in the first place. You can’t count on random people being smarter than dirt, so you have to check stuff like this. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-pull-the-plug-when-you-do-the-two-minute-cable-drill/362547/12 "2006-06-29T13:13:26Z")
> [@BarnOwl](#): > > Sorry, you just violated the One-Question-Per-Post > > Congress will now vote a Resolution to Condemn You. “My fellow Americans, I am pleased to tell you I just signed legislation which outlaws **Exapno Mapcase** forever. The bombing begins in five minutes.” - Ronnie Dubya Raygun ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2006, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-dont-have-to-pull-the-plug-when-you-do-the-two-minute-cable-drill/362547/13 "2006-06-29T13:54:44Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > I think part of the unplug ritual is just to ensure that the damn thing is plugged in properly in the first place. You can’t count on random people being smarter than dirt, so you have to check stuff like this. Totally. The reason they tell you to “un-plug/plug” is to cut power in the way that can least be screwed up. Tell someone to “just turn your power strip off then on”, it doesn’t fix the problem, you make a trip to the house and find that they plugged the tv, stereo, and lamps into the power strip but the cable box is plugged directly into a different outlet.