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    Default beware customer service optoma

    I have an Optoma HD66 projector, i purchased it from a seller, the projector is manufactured by Optoma in the United States (same factory all HD66 come from).

    I have contacted support to ask for a firmware update to enable compatibility with NVidia Vision glasses (feature was advertised at the point of sale)

    Optoma USA have said they will update the firmware if i Ship it over to them, but they cannot send it back to me?? (so in other words we will fix it but we will also steal it)

    They said i can get it done from the Optoma service center in Australia. i call them up and spoke to the rudest person i have ever been in contact with. Basically they said they will not perform the firmware update to the projector because it is an American serial number.

    I explained all it needs is a firmware update. Paul then said it is illegal even to have that projector in Australia. I checked with consumer affairs and it is not.

    I then explained to him Optoma is one large company and it is an Optoma projector and i was instructed by the American service center to get the firmware update done there. He then said they would only do it if I got the Australian C-tick certification on it.

    I then contacted an electrical engineering firm that deals with certification of these sort of products and they explained it would be the responsibility of Optoma to have it certified, not the customer.

    As a customer who has purchased an Optoma product i am shocked how an international company like Optoma can treat their customers like as if they are criminals for giving them money.

    There are no technical limitations that are preventing them from performing a firmware update or even providing the facilities to do so to me, so i have only one other explanation for this and that is they are trying to be as difficult to deal with as possible.

    I have learned my lesson and hope others will learn from this and that is if it bears the name Optoma, AVOID IT....



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    That sounds pretty reasonable.

    Sony are like that as well. (so are many other companys)

    Buy a unit in Japan? Need warranty? Send it back to Japan.

    They might not want to give out firmware as if it gets in the wrong hands it ends up in a chinese cloning factory where low quality clones will be pumped out and flood the market - Fair enough.

    Optima US won't ship it back to you? That might be a mis-understanding. You might need to organize shipping (i.e. courier to pick it up afterwords?)

    Did you not know of these issues when purchasing a US Projector? Bet you got a bargain so you overlooked it at the point of sale. If you really want the update just ship it over to the US and get it done and think of it as "breaking even" compared to buying a local unit.

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    before buying i confirmed with the company selling that the warrenty covered this. they said yes.

    Also i have confirmed and they have said they will only ship to the usa

    Regards

    Barry


    Quote Originally Posted by urban_s0ulja View Post
    That sounds pretty reasonable.

    Sony are like that as well. (so are many other companys)

    Buy a unit in Japan? Need warranty? Send it back to Japan.

    They might not want to give out firmware as if it gets in the wrong hands it ends up in a chinese cloning factory where low quality clones will be pumped out and flood the market - Fair enough.

    Optima US won't ship it back to you? That might be a mis-understanding. You might need to organize shipping (i.e. courier to pick it up afterwords?)

    Did you not know of these issues when purchasing a US Projector? Bet you got a bargain so you overlooked it at the point of sale. If you really want the update just ship it over to the US and get it done and think of it as "breaking even" compared to buying a local unit.

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    Quote Originally Posted by urban_s0ulja View Post
    That sounds pretty reasonable.

    Sony are like that as well. (so are many other companys)

    Buy a unit in Japan? Need warranty? Send it back to Japan.

    They might not want to give out firmware as if it gets in the wrong hands it ends up in a chinese cloning factory where low quality clones will be pumped out and flood the market - Fair enough.

    Optima US won't ship it back to you? That might be a mis-understanding. You might need to organize shipping (i.e. courier to pick it up afterwords?)

    Did you not know of these issues when purchasing a US Projector? Bet you got a bargain so you overlooked it at the point of sale. If you really want the update just ship it over to the US and get it done and think of it as "breaking even" compared to buying a local unit.
    Not reasonable at all. He's asking for a firmware update and not a warranty repair. I'm sure chinamen are able to dump the firmware if they really want to copy the units.

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    It sounds like a grey import. Realistically they dont have to do anything.

    Large companies/manufacturers have an appointed dealer in a country. They sell all their products through the appointed dealer.

    If someone goes and buys the same product from another country (because it is cheaper) and imports it themselves, they are the person you should be persuing.

    If someone grey imports in this way, usually the items do NOT have C Tick certification and realistically are not legal to use in Australia.

    You will need to take this up with the person you bought it from. They would know quite well this problem would happen.

    If you had bought the item from the appointed Australian dealer, you wouldnt be having this problem. In effect, you are asking Optoma Australia to fix someone elses problem. They would be doing it for free and not getting paid for it.

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    We live in a different world now with internet shopping, duty free shopping etc. The main company in the US should realise this as should the Aust distributor. Also they should offer the firmware so the OP can flash his gear.

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    The person selling the item should offer the firmware. If he cant offer it, he shouldnt be selling the item particuarly as he advertised the feature at point of sale.

    Its what you have to take in to account when buying cheaper from non official channels. The only support you have is from the seller, not the manufacturer.

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    i have the firmware for the HD65 3D Upgrade if that is any good for you
    When you do things right, people won't be sure that you have done anything at all

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sanity View Post
    It sounds like a grey import. Realistically they dont have to do anything.

    Large companies/manufacturers have an appointed dealer in a country. They sell all their products through the appointed dealer.

    If someone goes and buys the same product from another country (because it is cheaper) and imports it themselves, they are the person you should be persuing.

    If someone grey imports in this way, usually the items do NOT have C Tick certification and realistically are not legal to use in Australia.

    You will need to take this up with the person you bought it from. They would know quite well this problem would happen.

    If you had bought the item from the appointed Australian dealer, you wouldnt be having this problem. In effect, you are asking Optoma Australia to fix someone elses problem. They would be doing it for free and not getting paid for it.

    I am currently seeking advice from the purson i bought it from. however a few points.

    1. it was not cheaper it was about the same price as buying it local here, about $1400,

    2. as much as anyone wants to argue it, optoma is optoma and this is a product made by optoma. so it is very bad that optoma is refusing to repair an optoma product.

    3. i said nothing about not paying or doing it for free, i would have been willing to pay for the firmware update if needed.

    4. now i have been digging down into this i should mention this. Optoma where well awair of this issue with this moddel of projector even before the started mass production of the HD66. they did not release an updated firmware to allow it to actually be 3D untill after august 2010.
    This product should not have even been released to the public while it was incapable of doing what it was advertised to do. so nobody should have been able to purchas one anyware untill this was fixed.
    instead they have released the product knowing full well the 3d component of the projector was not working.

    I have one of these HD66 that where manufactured after the firmware update was developed and still has not been applied to the projector. further to this they are refusing to apply the firmware update to my product. being an optoma projector they should at the very least send me a copy of the firmware so i can flash it.

    5. when i purchased the optoma product my money would have gone to optoma to pay for the projector. so they affectivly have acceptem my money for the product so please explane to me how optoma is not being paid for the warrenty service when i have payed for the projector?

    6. what do they do to there american buyers that move to australia. do they shun them in the same way?

    In conclusion they are compleately unreasonable and if there staff had a shred of humen desency they would attempt to help. especialy if i am going to be a potential customer at the end of the warrenty.

    Take this example.
    situation 1
    a customer buyes a product. this product is shipped from the us and is not supported in australia. service center tells the customer they wont fix it and i sholdnt even have it. the customer has paid alot of money for there projector and is being told to go away buy support.
    Will this customer buy another product from optoma given there experience? VERY UNLIKLY
    Situation 2
    a customer buyes a product. this product is shipped from the us and is not supported in australia. service center tells the customer the projector is not actually supported within australia, and explaines the reason why not. support then says they will flash the firmware for the customer and advises the danger of buying from other places than optoma for there projectors.
    will the customer buy another product from optoma given there experience? Likely

    situation 1 = customer shuned
    situation 2 = customer treated like busness depends on customers

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    Quote Originally Posted by best4less View Post
    i have the firmware for the HD65 3D Upgrade if that is any good for you
    Hi

    could you pm me a copy of this firmware so i can have a look at it?

    i will see if i can read it

    Regards

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    Quote Originally Posted by bazzy View Post
    I have an Optoma HD66 projector, i purchased it from a seller, the projector is manufactured by Optoma in the United States (same factory all HD66 come from).

    I have contacted support to ask for a firmware update to enable compatibility with NVidia Vision glasses (feature was advertised at the point of sale)

    Optoma USA have said they will update the firmware if i Ship it over to them, but they cannot send it back to me?? (so in other words we will fix it but we will also steal it)

    They said i can get it done from the Optoma service center in Australia. i call them up and spoke to the rudest person i have ever been in contact with. Basically they said they will not perform the firmware update to the projector because it is an American serial number.

    I explained all it needs is a firmware update. Paul then said it is illegal even to have that projector in Australia. I checked with consumer affairs and it is not.

    I then explained to him Optoma is one large company and it is an Optoma projector and i was instructed by the American service center to get the firmware update done there. He then said they would only do it if I got the Australian C-tick certification on it.

    I then contacted an electrical engineering firm that deals with certification of these sort of products and they explained it would be the responsibility of Optoma to have it certified, not the customer.

    As a customer who has purchased an Optoma product i am shocked how an international company like Optoma can treat their customers like as if they are criminals for giving them money.

    There are no technical limitations that are preventing them from performing a firmware update or even providing the facilities to do so to me, so i have only one other explanation for this and that is they are trying to be as difficult to deal with as possible.

    I have learned my lesson and hope others will learn from this and that is if it bears the name Optoma, AVOID IT....
    I agree what others have said,

    We used to have a supplier who supplied tvs for us at a certain price, then another supplier undercut them and sold a heap.

    The problems arose when warranty issues came about, the second supplier said to use the first guys service centre, they told us to shove it as they hadn't ordered the tvs.

    The lesson to the people is, before buying overseas, how much value do you put on the warranty?

    Can't you use the shipto service.

    Also Optoma Australia is responsible for the c-tick but Optoma USA wouldn't be.

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    easy way out is use one of those address based shippers in the us and send it get it done they send it to the addy then it gets forwarded on back to you.

    I have used shipto before





    dont say linux if i wanted it id install it

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    Quote Originally Posted by diavalo13666 View Post
    easy way out is use one of those address based shippers in the us and send it get it done they send it to the addy then it gets forwarded on back to you.

    I have used shipto before





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    Quote Originally Posted by bazzy View Post
    I am currently seeking advice from the purson i bought it from. however a few points.

    1. it was not cheaper it was about the same price as buying it local here, about $1400,

    2. as much as anyone wants to argue it, optoma is optoma and this is a product made by optoma. so it is very bad that optoma is refusing to repair an optoma product.

    3. i said nothing about not paying or doing it for free, i would have been willing to pay for the firmware update if needed.

    4. now i have been digging down into this i should mention this. Optoma where well awair of this issue with this moddel of projector even before the started mass production of the HD66. they did not release an updated firmware to allow it to actually be 3D untill after august 2010.
    This product should not have even been released to the public while it was incapable of doing what it was advertised to do. so nobody should have been able to purchas one anyware untill this was fixed.
    instead they have released the product knowing full well the 3d component of the projector was not working.

    I have one of these HD66 that where manufactured after the firmware update was developed and still has not been applied to the projector. further to this they are refusing to apply the firmware update to my product. being an optoma projector they should at the very least send me a copy of the firmware so i can flash it.

    5. when i purchased the optoma product my money would have gone to optoma to pay for the projector. so they affectivly have acceptem my money for the product so please explane to me how optoma is not being paid for the warrenty service when i have payed for the projector?

    6. what do they do to there american buyers that move to australia. do they shun them in the same way?

    In conclusion they are compleately unreasonable and if there staff had a shred of humen desency they would attempt to help. especialy if i am going to be a potential customer at the end of the warrenty.

    Take this example.
    situation 1
    a customer buyes a product. this product is shipped from the us and is not supported in australia. service center tells the customer they wont fix it and i sholdnt even have it. the customer has paid alot of money for there projector and is being told to go away buy support.
    Will this customer buy another product from optoma given there experience? VERY UNLIKLY
    Situation 2
    a customer buyes a product. this product is shipped from the us and is not supported in australia. service center tells the customer the projector is not actually supported within australia, and explaines the reason why not. support then says they will flash the firmware for the customer and advises the danger of buying from other places than optoma for there projectors.
    will the customer buy another product from optoma given there experience? Likely

    situation 1 = customer shuned
    situation 2 = customer treated like busness depends on customers
    Its doesnt matter how you put it, it doesnt change the situation.

    If you purchase an item from non official channels and not via the Australian distributer, it is up to the person you purchased from to supply you warranty on the item. Take it back to this person and demand they fix the problem. This is the only person you have a come back on legally.

    If you bought a "new" Commodore from Crazy Joes discounts, do you think you will be able to take it to Holden under warranty ?

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    I think he is saying at least Holden would fix the problem for a fee

    FFS they even would fix a Ford for a fee :P
    When you do things right, people won't be sure that you have done anything at all

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    Quote Originally Posted by LeroyPatrol View Post
    We live in a different world now with internet shopping, duty free shopping etc. The main company in the US should realise this as should the Aust distributor. Also they should offer the firmware so the OP can flash his gear.

    Leroy
    And this is why, everyone jumps up and down when they buy items overseas and save heaps and then cry when they need after service advice/help.

    We can buy clothes,electronics and whatnot overseas andsave big $$$, but be aware, if it fails you are screwed.

    As urban says these practices aren't new and instead of slagging off the company, the post should be a warning about overseas buying.

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    Quote Originally Posted by hughdman View Post
    And this is why, everyone jumps up and down when they buy items overseas and save heaps and then cry when they need after service advice/help.

    We can buy clothes,electronics and whatnot overseas andsave big $$$, but be aware, if it fails you are screwed.

    As urban says these practices aren't new and instead of slagging off the company, the post should be a warning about overseas buying.
    And that's why the manufactures need to support their products all around the world regardless of where purchased.

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    Quote Originally Posted by hughdman View Post
    And this is why, everyone jumps up and down when they buy items overseas and save heaps and then cry when they need after service advice/help.

    We can buy clothes,electronics and whatnot overseas andsave big $$$, but be aware, if it fails you are screwed.

    As urban says these practices aren't new and instead of slagging off the company, the post should be a warning about overseas buying.
    Yep , it happens a lot. And what it comes down to is if the person selling you the item cant perform warranty and service, you should think twice about buying.

    Having said that, I occasionally buy stuff in a similar fashion. But I always factor the warranty/service in to the price I am prepared to pay.

    But this isnt anything new....many that have been here 10 years plus will remember when a Humaz 5400 was nearly $900 and to cut prices Hotchip directly imported units from overseas and performed warranty and service themselves on the units. You could not ring up Humax Australia and say "fix this". They were not their products.

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    Quote Originally Posted by LeroyPatrol View Post
    And that's why the manufactures need to support their products all around the world regardless of where purchased.

    Leroy
    Unfortunately it can't happen as a factory over here in Oz would have more expenses ie rent/wages than a place in china/india.

    And also the costs to get things C=ticked would have to be factored in.

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    Not all companies have factories here in oz and the issue is not Aust. manufactures selling OS and not supporting it's products and that's also got nothing to do with Optoma servicing their products.
    The days of having the rights to distibute something exclusively are over. We live in a global ecconomy now and every company needs to support their products on a global stage. So if a tick is required for a product then you manufacture to that spec if it meets all requirements in other markets.

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