|  | Posted by thanatoid on 04/16/06 03:39 
Here are slightly abbreviated copies of a letter I e-mailedto Sony service and their responses:
 
 ==========
 ME:
 
 I bought two of your DVD players in the last few years, the
 DVP-NS325, and the DVP-NS50P, in two different stores, an
 "authorized dealer" and Costco.
 
 In BOTH cases, the remotes, while beautifully designed and
 NOT cheaply made like so many others, require MORE THAN ONE,
 and often as many as THREE presses of any given button for
 the machine to react. And it's not only a remote problem -
 the buttons on the players are equally intermittently
 responsive. Since, for instance, the same button opens and
 closes the tray, it can be EXTREMELY annoying, as I'm sure
 you can imagine. When trying to skip back or forward between
 chapters or tracks, it can drive you crazy.
 
 I can't possibly be the only person to have had this happen
 to with two different machines bought about 2 (or 3) years
 apart.
 
 Maybe you simply ship bad batches to third world countries.
 Of course, I know you won't admit it even if you do. No
 manufacturer would, but most of them do it.
 
 The problem is I can not simply accept that both remotes and
 both units would behave in such an irritating manner. What is
 happening to this company? You used to be a standard by which
 ALL others were measured, and now it's all going downhill
 like everything else.
 
 If you have ANY comments on my IDENTICAL problem with these
 BOTH units, I would appreciate hearing from you. Exchanges
 and/or repairs are NOT acceptable. In this country, if
 something breaks down, you have to accept it and either do
 without or get a new machine. In any case, I believe it is
 simply bad manufacturing. I just want you to admit it, or
 provide another acceptable explanation.
 
 Membrane switches are a particularly good example of cheap
 technology used by everyone - which is unfortunately garbage.
 One would expect of >>>SONY<<< to be a notable exception and
 use simply "touch-sensitive" buttons which do not have any
 mechanical or moving parts. They're not expensive either.
 
 PLEASE DO NOT forward this letter to my local Sony. I do NOT
 wish to have anything to do with them. I just happen to be
 here at this time. I want YOU to tell me why your products
 are misbehaving as they are.
 
 ==========
 SONY:
 
 Your Question has been Submitted
 The reference number for your question is (XXXX).
 You should receive a response by email from our support
 department within the next business day.
 
 ==========
 SONY:
 
 Recently you requested personal assistance from our on-line
 support center. Below is a summary of your request and our
 response. We will assume your issue has been resolved if we
 do not hear from you within 24 hours. Thank you for allowing
 us to be of service to you.
 
 Response
 Thank you for contacting Sony Style Customer Care.
 I apologize for the issues you are experiencing and regret
 that I am unable to assist you in this matter. For
 assistance, please contact Sony Technical Support at
 1-800-222-7669
 
 ===========
 ME:
 
 I received a reply, thank you.
 I wrote back saying the phone number provided in the answer
 was NG to me since to call it from the monopoly-controlled
 country where I happen to live at the moment would cost me
 $2/minute and asked for an email contact for the same people.
 
 That question does not appear on my history page so maybe you
 never received it.
 
 I did receive a "service eval" link but it leads to a page
 which says Submit Answer with two buttons and no place to
 submit any comments.
 
 Anyway, you can read my thread. Please provide an email link
 to someone who can resolve or at least discuss the problem I
 am experiencing.
 
 ==========
 SONY:
 
 Response 04/07/2006 10:19 AM
 Dear Sony Style Customer,
 
 Thank you for contacting Sony Direct Customer Care.
 
 In regards to the issues, I apologize about all
 inconveniences. I see that a previous representative advised
 you to address this with Sony Technical Support Team. That is
 the most appropriate department to refer you to. I cannot
 assist you as I do not handle purchases made outside of Sony
 Style (which is an online dealer). Please understand that we
 would like to offer you some assistance; however, you must,
 first, address the problem with the correct individuals. You
 may call 800-222-7669 for possible options/suggestions.
 
 If you would rather address this via e-mail, please submit
 this informaiton to
 http://esupport.sony.com/EN/feedback/feedback.html.
 
 Thanks for choosing Sony Style!
 
 ==========
 
 [So, obediently, I e-mailed my problem to the address above,
 and got an auto-responder reply.]
 
 ==========
 SONY:
 
 Thank you for contacting Sony Online Support.
 
 To assist you as quickly as possible we are providing you
 with the following support information. These topics resolve
 the majority of the DVD Player/Changer inquiries sent to our
 email department. However, if after reviewing the
 information, your request has not been resolved, simply reply
 to this letter and your specific request will be answered in
 the order it was received.
 
 I.   How should I connect the DVD to get the best possible
 picture?
 II.  What Video Recording Formats does my DVD player
 support?
 III. My DVD player shows a "C:13/NO DISC" or "INSERT
 DISC" error.
 IV.  Service/Repair Information
 V.   How to obtain Missing or Replacement Parts or Accessories
 VI.  How do I contact Customer Relations?
 VII. Where to find online manuals
 
 <SNIP>
 
 VI.  How do I contact Customer Relations?
 
 We apologize for any difficulties you are experiencing with
 your SONY product(s). Unfortunately, the SONY E-mail
 correspondence department is not involved in the resolution
 of Customer Service issues. All customer service issues are
 handled by telephone only. Please contact the SONY Customer
 Information Services Center for assistance. They may be
 reached at the following:
 
 Phone: (800) 222-7669
 Mon - Fri:  8:00 a.m. - 9:45 p.m. (EST)
 Sat & Sun: 10:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (EST)
 
 NOTE: Contact with one of our customer service
 representatives is not a promise or guarantee of favorable
 resolution, but only a point of contact with the correct
 division of SONY for these issues. We provide this
 contact information as a courtesy only. No warranty
 policy alteration or promise of support is
 expressed or implied.
 
 <SNIP>
 
 Thank you for the opportunity to be of assistance.
 
 Your Sony Email Response Team
 CCKA
 
 ==========
 
 Sigh...
 
 Like everyone, I have used dozens of remotes over the years,
 and while some of them were just crap (the Sony ones have
 always been REALLY nice), they either worked forever or
 crapped out after three months. This click-two-or-more-times
 thing is driving me nuts. AND like I said, it's the *same
 thing* with the player buttons on BOTH machines.
 
 Has anyone had this problem or am I just CURSED?
 Thanks for your time and sorry this was so long.
 
 t.
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