Is 18 months well out of warranty?

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456 posts

Ultimate Geek

#328564 10-May-2010 16:01

freitasm: The problem with name and shame is how easy you will get a defamation lawsuit in your back.

that's what i was wondering and why i didn't name them. easy enough to find out who they are though.

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SepticSceptic

2051 posts

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#328576 10-May-2010 16:19

Well, that wasn't too hard to figure out ;-)

Seems that they are not standing by their "Customer satisfaction 100% guaranteed" claim !

My thoughts are no longer my own and is probably representative of our media-controlled government

MLT

9 posts

Wannabe Geek

#328774 11-May-2010 09:07

I have just had a long phone conversation with the NZ distributor for Draco. He is adement that he will not support product not purchased from him which includes all of the Draco receivers not paid for by DBNZ.

Since the box is over 18 months old it is not covered by warranty, however, he will do repairs for a reasonable cost. $30 for a power supply or $70 for a mother board plus freight.

I do see his point that if he hasn't been paid for goods, he has already lost once, and now he is facing losing a second time by repairing faulty product so is sticking by the 12 month warranty.

He also offered me a trade-in of $50 on my Draco if I want to purchase a new receiver from him.

Not sure where the CGA stands on all this but unless someone wants to test it, we won't know. I see our friend being caught in the middle here but I certainly won't buy or recommend a Draco product to anyone.

So, do I get my receiver repaired, trade it in, or go for something else???

freitasm

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Geekzone

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#328777 11-May-2010 09:09

Is he the exclusive distributor in New Zealand? If you did your box come from a parallel imported retailer or an official retailer?

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grolschie

911 posts

Ultimate Geek

#328779 11-May-2010 09:12

For me, $30 seems reasonable in this scenario. Cheaper than disputing it, less time and stress for all involved. Just my $0.02. Do you know if it's exactly the same PSU, or is it an improved one? i.e. will the same problem occur with the new one?

butlerboy

456 posts

Ultimate Geek

#328788 11-May-2010 09:22

MLT: So, do I get my receiver repaired, trade it in, or go for something else???

personally i'd bin it (as i have) and buy a pvr. the homecast can be had for $549 from smiths city and the jc matthews was $399 on 1-day a couple of weeks ago.

Deev8

481 posts

Ultimate Geek

#328829 11-May-2010 11:09

freitasm: The problem with name and shame is how easy you will get a defamation lawsuit on your back.

A company cannot succeed in a defamation lawsuit if someone simply states facts - for instance:
A product was bought from company A who have gone out of business. 18 months after purchase the product no longer works as intended. The product was imported or distributed by company B, who say they have no obligation to repair or replace the product under the Consumer Guarantees Act and are only willing to repair if a payment is made.

Problems start when people mix their opinions with the facts.

vexxxboy

4089 posts

Uber Geek

#328834 11-May-2010 11:22

Deev8:
freitasm: The problem with name and shame is how easy you will get a defamation lawsuit on your back.

A company cannot succeed in a defamation lawsuit if someone simply states facts - for instance:
A product was bought from company A who have gone out of business. 18 months after purchase the product no longer works as intended. The product was imported or distributed by company B, who say they have no obligation to repair or replace the product under the Consumer Guarantees Act and are only willing to repair if a payment is made.

Problems start when people mix their opinions with the facts.

all true, but can you afford to fight a big company throught the courts, they have deep pockets and most individuals dont

Common sense is not as common as you think.

MLT

9 posts

Wannabe Geek

#328999 11-May-2010 16:34

i've decided to bin the Draco receiver and get a Satmax from JA Russell who I deal with. Any feedback on these receivers?

I think the lesson of the day is to deal with larger, reputable companies in the first place. At least they will be around if the product goes faulty and more likely to get it fixed if there are known faults.

Thanks to you all for you help and comments on this.

savag3

188 posts

Master Geek

#329007 11-May-2010 16:52

vexxxboy:
Deev8:
freitasm: The problem with name and shame is how easy you will get a defamation lawsuit on your back.

A company cannot succeed in a defamation lawsuit if someone simply states facts - for instance:
A product was bought from company A who have gone out of business. 18 months after purchase the product no longer works as intended. The product was imported or distributed by company B, who say they have no obligation to repair or replace the product under the Consumer Guarantees Act and are only willing to repair if a payment is made.

Problems start when people mix their opinions with the facts.

all true, but can you afford to fight a big company throught the courts, they have deep pockets and most individuals dont

There are 2 defences to defamation - Truth and Honest Opinion - see s8 and s9-12 Defamation Act 1992. If you are an individual facing a defamation lawsuit and you can't afford a lawyer you would probably be eligible for legal aid. If it was me I wouldn't worry about getting sued if I was pretty sure that one of the defences applied because the chance of the lawsuit being filed is pretty low. The PR consequences of the judge finding that what you said was in fact true can be very damaging given the case is likely to be reported in the media.

1gkar

722 posts

Ultimate Geek

#329034 11-May-2010 17:55

MLT: ...I think the lesson of the day is to deal with larger, reputable companies in the first place. At least they will be around if the product goes faulty and more likely to get it fixed if there are known faults...

That's why I have never, & ever will purchase certain items from small companies or sites like Trademe ie. electronics, PC components, etc. I try to carry out due diligience on items over a certain dollar value. But even then, you can get caught out. But it is in people's best interest, & not just your own, to stand up for your rights. because if you don't, then it simply states it is alright to conduct your activities in that manner. And over time, those traits only become worse.

@ butlerboy, you obviously earn more than most to be able to simply throw away items of reasonable dollar value without even a fight. Don't expect sympathy, or even understanding from people like me who don't have either that luxury or that philosophy. I'm old school: you sell something, or supply a service, you give your best & back it up.

It's a shame my standpoint is distinctly in the minority in this so-called modern civilisation.

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Deev8

481 posts

Ultimate Geek

#329065 11-May-2010 18:58

vexxxboy:
Deev8:
freitasm: The problem with name and shame is how easy you will get a defamation lawsuit on your back.

A company cannot succeed in a defamation lawsuit if someone simply states facts - for instance:
A product was bought from company A who have gone out of business. 18 months after purchase the product no longer works as intended. The product was imported or distributed by company B, who say they have no obligation to repair or replace the product under the Consumer Guarantees Act and are only willing to repair if a payment is made.

Problems start when people mix their opinions with the facts.

all true, but can you afford to fight a big company throught the courts, they have deep pockets and most individuals dont

Companies who import and distribute set top boxes and PVRs really aren't that big*. If one of them was foolish enough to go after me for deformation in a case such as I stated earlier, then yes I would happily take them on.

* It's not like getting involved in a legal action with a company like Microsoft, Apple, Vodafone, Sky or similar - they have very deep pockets.

Deev8

481 posts

Ultimate Geek

#329068 11-May-2010 19:01

1gkar: I'm old school: you sell something, or supply a service, you give your best & back it up.
It's a shame my standpoint is distinctly in the minority in this so-called modern civilisation.

I agree absolutely on that point citizen Gkar.

SATECH

25 posts

Geek

#329103 11-May-2010 20:05

Having been in the electronic servcing game , for more than 30 years, Warrenty and replacement parts for all kinds of domestic electronic equipment has always been a sore point . Like wise also the warrenty time of 1year and extended warrenties have also been hotly debated for years.

With regard to the Draco DTT boxes i have repaired a few for the importer under the warrenty period . Normally warrenties on such items as Tv's DVD's Rtc work thus. The importer sells to the retailor who's job it is to provide under warrenty service for the duration of the warrenty period . If its 12 months then its 12 months . It is the retailor's responsibility to honour under warrenty service. Thats part of what his profit should include . It is the import or suppliers responsibility to provide suitable spare parts under the warrenty period . Distributors used to carry spares for 7 years . Not any more!

The servicing of such equipment should be borne by the retailor , in this case the retailor has gone bust i understand . I guess any servicing of the equipment out side the warrenty period is at the descretion of the distributor since the retailor is no longer in business .

It is true that some of the earlier draco's suffered from power supply failure ,however so do alot of chinese made STb's which use switch mode power supplies "SMP's . normally the failure is in the output rectification diodes and smoothing capacitors . these SMP's generate sveral different output voltages such as +3v3 ,5V5 12V , 24V and 30V normally the smoothing capacitors leak or dry out on the 3v or 5v5 rails causing the rectification diodes to work harder and then go S/C.

In some extreme cases the 3V3 or 5v5 rails spike and the flash in damaged , however this is not very common. These issues apply to alot of imported STB's which work from 90V to 220v AC not 240V.Once the caps and diodes have been changed a 1K resister changed to 1.5K these units work extremely well and cause little problems.

Complaints have been voiced about may STB's both satellite and Terrestrial and realiability issues , mainly because no one was set up to service these units which left owners of faulty product at a disavantage both in and out of the warrenty period.

The importer has made the offer of repairing the faulty unit for a realistic cost considering the call out and charge out rates offered by the two nation wide electronic service companies.

The example i can think of is my lap top which was 3 months out of warrenty when it failed , the retailor send it back to the distributor who promptly said Bin It. Not worth repairing. Or my first generation plasma TV which the driver boards failed again 6months out of warrenty . to be told yes it can be fixed but it would be cheaper to invest in a new model.

thats my 2 cents worth .

butlerboy

456 posts

Ultimate Geek

#329151 11-May-2010 21:51

1gkar: @ butlerboy, you obviously earn more than most to be able to simply throw away items of reasonable dollar value without even a fight. Don't expect sympathy, or even understanding from people like me who don't have either that luxury or that philosophy. I'm old school: you sell something, or supply a service, you give your best & back it up.

what's the point of attacking me and my opinion. i made my decision and i don't appreciate your attacks on me. also, for your information i don't earn a lot of money, in fact considerably below the median wage.
i do however agree with your last sentence. in the past i have used the cga to get my laptop fixed 8 months out of warrenty and don't usually back down from a fight. however, this time due to my circumstances i'm not going to waste my time fighting this distributor over a stb which has been religated to the tv in the spare room. rant over...

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