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Thompson RCA Warranty Rip-Off Crock Lie

A few years ago I needed a 6-foot S-Video cable. I had to choose
between two RCA cables--a $10 cheap cable with no features or an
"Ultimate" cable with 24-karat gold plated connectors, copper spiral
shielding, precision dielectic insulation, oxygen-free conductors, etc.
for $28. The $28 cable has a lifetime warranty that promised a "no
charge replacement with a current equivalent cable". So I bought the
"Ultimate" cable for $28.

Then the "Ultimate" cable dies. So I send it to Thomson Multimedia
Inc. in Socorro, TX. I also send a photocopy of the original packaging
that contained the "current equivalent cable" lifetime warranty and the
features of the cable. That way they would be able to determine the
"current equivalent cable". Turns out they still make a cheap cable
(RCA model VH976--MSRP $7.95) and an "Ultimate" cable (RCA model
PD6SV--MSRP $29.95). The PD6SV has--24-karat gold plated connectors,
copper shielding, oxygen-free conductors, etc. The VH976 does not.
They replaced my "Ultimate" cable with a VH976. That's not the
"current equivalent cable". That's not even close. I was owed a
PD6SV.

A half dozen phone calls later--several were spent on hold for 10
minutes before getting cut off--I'm screwed. One guy told me it was
"warehouse discretion" that determined what cable I was owed. Why
didn't "warehouse discretion" appear on the warranty? Another customer
support person said she was sending me a pre-paid shipping label so I
could send back the VH976 before they would send me a PD6SV but the
shipping label never came. Then yet another call said what was on file
was that I was owed "current market value"--the price of the cheap
cable. I don't see "current market value" on the warranty I see
"current equiavlent cable". This feels like, and probably was, a
systematic run-around. I've spent more in phone calls than I spent on
the original cable! I'm screwed. Lesson learned. $20 plus the phone
bills. At least it wasn't several hundred dollars wasted on an RCA TV
with a bogus warranty.

So I now know to avoid all RCA products. What else does Thompson/RCA
make? GE? Who buys parts from Thompson/RCA? I want to know where to
put my dollars to avoid this pain and suffering in the future. Sony
prices seem so much cheaper now...

Walt
 
N

NSM

Jan 1, 1970
0
So I now know to avoid all RCA products.

I've said that here several times. I bought one cable on eBay for a few
bucks and another at a dollar plus store - same price.

"24-karat gold plated connectors, copper spiral shielding, precision
dielectic insulation, oxygen-free conductors" All of that is total crap. You
could describe a donut like that "pure cane juice, ground essence of wheat,
...." and the taste would be no better or worse.
 
T

Travis Jordan

Jan 1, 1970
0
So I now know to avoid all RCA products.

Oh, no, the fun is just beginning.

I assume you already filled out a complaint here:
https://www.rca.com/secure/service/contactrca/1,,,00.html

if not, then start there.

If you don't get the results you are looking for, it will be time to
write a letter (a print out of your post, edited approrpriately would be
fine) to Thompson's senior management. I'll bet that gets you the kind
of customer attention you deserve. Besides, if nothing else it will
waste more than $29.95 of their executive assistant's valuable time,
which should be of some value to you by itself <grin>.

Write (use snail mail, not email, not a fax, not a phone call) to:

Michael D. O'Hara
Executive Vice President, Consumer Solutions Businesses
Thomson Consumer Electronics
P.O. Box 1976
INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46206
 
J

Justice Gustine

Jan 1, 1970
0
A few years ago I needed a 6-foot S-Video cable. I had to choose
between two RCA cables--a $10 cheap cable with no features or an
"Ultimate" cable with 24-karat gold plated connectors, copper spiral
shielding, precision dielectic insulation, oxygen-free conductors, etc.
for $28. The $28 cable has a lifetime warranty that promised a "no
charge replacement with a current equivalent cable". So I bought the
"Ultimate" cable for $28.

Then the "Ultimate" cable dies. So I send it to Thomson Multimedia
Inc. in Socorro, TX. I also send a photocopy of the original packaging
that contained the "current equivalent cable" lifetime warranty and the
features of the cable. That way they would be able to determine the
"current equivalent cable". Turns out they still make a cheap cable
(RCA model VH976--MSRP $7.95) and an "Ultimate" cable (RCA model
PD6SV--MSRP $29.95). The PD6SV has--24-karat gold plated connectors,
copper shielding, oxygen-free conductors, etc. The VH976 does not.
They replaced my "Ultimate" cable with a VH976. That's not the
"current equivalent cable". That's not even close. I was owed a
PD6SV.

A half dozen phone calls later--several were spent on hold for 10
minutes before getting cut off--I'm screwed. One guy told me it was
"warehouse discretion" that determined what cable I was owed. Why
didn't "warehouse discretion" appear on the warranty? Another customer
support person said she was sending me a pre-paid shipping label so I
could send back the VH976 before they would send me a PD6SV but the
shipping label never came. Then yet another call said what was on file
was that I was owed "current market value"--the price of the cheap
cable. I don't see "current market value" on the warranty I see
"current equiavlent cable". This feels like, and probably was, a
systematic run-around. I've spent more in phone calls than I spent on
the original cable! I'm screwed. Lesson learned. $20 plus the phone
bills. At least it wasn't several hundred dollars wasted on an RCA TV
with a bogus warranty.

So I now know to avoid all RCA products. What else does Thompson/RCA
make? GE? Who buys parts from Thompson/RCA? I want to know where to
put my dollars to avoid this pain and suffering in the future. Sony
prices seem so much cheaper now...

Walt

Aint they owned by the French nowadays?

Anyway - how does the picture look with the $7.95 cable?
 
J

Jumpster Jiver

Jan 1, 1970
0
I know I will get flamed for this but...
I say screw the company right back the way they screwed you. Go to an
electronics store that offers cash refunds, and buy that "current
equivalent cable." Open the package, remove and keep the new cable, and
return the old one in the same package for a full refund. Problem solved.
This also works for DVD players that quit working in 91 days with a 90
day warranty, assuming the same model is still available.
 
K

kip

Jan 1, 1970
0
Not Flamed you are Just an " Insult To Human Intelligence."
 
J

James Sweet

Jan 1, 1970
0
Jumpster Jiver said:
I know I will get flamed for this but...
I say screw the company right back the way they screwed you. Go to an
electronics store that offers cash refunds, and buy that "current
equivalent cable." Open the package, remove and keep the new cable, and
return the old one in the same package for a full refund. Problem solved.
This also works for DVD players that quit working in 91 days with a 90
day warranty, assuming the same model is still available.


Except chances are you won't screw the company, but the next person who buys
the set you return, or the store.

Lesson in the future I suppose is to buy the inexpensive no-frills cable,
I've been stupid and bought expensive cables a couple times only to discover
that not only does the picture look identical to a cheap cable but the fancy
expensive ones are heavy, awkward and often crack the soldering at the
connectors.
 
A

Alan Harriman

Jan 1, 1970
0
I know I will get flamed for this but...
Except chances are you won't screw the company, but the next person who buys
the set you return, or the store.

I notice some places want your drivers license or other identification
when returning items. So it looks like they could come back on you.
Some years ago I knew of someone that was barred from returning items
at a major retailer for doing some pretty questionable tactics,
possibly similar to that described above.

Alan Harriman
 
N

NSM

Jan 1, 1970
0
Lesson in the future I suppose is to buy the inexpensive no-frills cable,
I've been stupid and bought expensive cables a couple times only to discover
that not only does the picture look identical to a cheap cable but the fancy
expensive ones are heavy, awkward and often crack the soldering at the
connectors.

I laugh at people who pay big bucks for super speaker leads. I use the
lightest, cheapest wire available. You will never hear the difference.
 
De said:
Maybe a stupid question but how does a cable die?

What are the signs?

How does a cable die? My DVD picture got red and wavy. Cleaned the
rented disk. Same thing. Put in a DVD from my personal collection.
Same thing. Composite cable to TV works fine. Got a different S-Video
cable and the picture was fine.

How did I get suckered into an "Ultimate" cable? The features
sounded good. And with a lifetime warranty-how could I go wrong...?
I don't know if the picture is really better than a cheap cable or
not because I've never done a side-by-side test. An EE major with
the right test gear could tell if the signal were any better. Maybe
Consumer Reports has already done that? I'm sticking with the cheap
stuff from now on. I can tell you that the S-Video connection picture
looks better to me than the composite on my 27" Zenith.

I don't know if this O'Hara guy would do anything or not. I've
been at this for two months and dealing with the RCA/Thompson customer
service people has been nothing but pissing into the wind. You can do
it but you only get wet. I'm done. What I find the most
disappointing is that RCA/Thompson re-writes the terms of the warranty
at will. They can't do that-"replacement with a current
equivalent cable" means just that. There is no "warehouse
discretion" or "current market value" written into the warranty.
The warranty was the reason I decided to spend the extra 20 bucks. And
the warranty was a lie.

As for buying a new cable and returning the broken cable-that's not
something I'd do. If it isn't illegal it feels wrong. I don't
want to stoop to RCA/Thompson's level. And I think even the rookie
high-school sales associate at Circuit City would realize that the
VH976 cable doesn't have 24-karat gold connectors. Clearly not an
equivalent cable...

So back to my original as yet unanswered question-what brands to I
need to avoid to steer clear of Thompson and RCA? GE appears to be one
based on other newsgroup articles. Does anyone know what brands are
owned by or use Thompson/RCA parts/components? The Thompson web site
is vague.


Walt
 
T

Travis Jordan

Jan 1, 1970
0
what brands to I need to avoid to steer clear of Thompson and RCA? GE
appears to be one based on other newsgroup articles. Does anyone know
what brands are owned by or use Thompson/RCA parts/components?

You mean Thomson, right?
http://www.thomson.net/EN/Home/Products/ForYouAtHome.htm

You sure got taken in by the high-end cable marketing hype. It boggles
my mind that intelligent consumers still fall for this stuff.
 
N

NSM

Jan 1, 1970
0
So back to my original as yet unanswered question-what brands to I
need to avoid to steer clear of Thompson and RCA? GE appears to be one
based on other newsgroup articles. Does anyone know what brands are
owned by or use Thompson/RCA parts/components? The Thompson web site
is vague.

If you take it out of the box and it doesn't work or there's something
stupid about the way it works - it's Thompson/RCA. I gave them one last
chance - bought a 5 disk DVD player. Took it home - jammed - wouldn't work.
Took it back - got another. You can't change disks with the remote - hello?
What the hell piece of crap is this? Got a refund and bought an Akai which
is a no-name rebranded but works OK. I'd got for LG (Goldstar) or a no-name
before I went near RCA shit. I think the company was asset stripped and they
rent the brand out to put on junk no one will buy.
 
G

Gary J Tait

Jan 1, 1970
0
On 13 Feb 2005 23:39:41 -0800, [email protected] wrote:



I never buy premium cable. I buy what I can afford, and look for
deals.
So back to my original as yet unanswered question-what brands to I
need to avoid to steer clear of Thompson and RCA? GE appears to be one
based on other newsgroup articles. Does anyone know what brands are
owned by or use Thompson/RCA parts/components? The Thompson web site
is vague.


Walt

I have seen cabling accessories RCA branded.
I have seen RCA, Thomson, Proscan, GE for some. Scenium is supposedly
their "premium" line.
I think Alcatel is somehow owned by Thomson.
The DirecTV R10 receiver is I believe Thomson manufactured.

Otherwise, I couldn't say what Thomson brands are sold retail in North
America.

Their semiconduictor division is ST (and there is numerous other
brands which use ST chips)
 
T

Travis Jordan

Jan 1, 1970
0
A few years ago I needed a 6-foot S-Video cable. I had to choose
between two RCA cables--a $10 cheap cable with no features or an
"Ultimate" cable with 24-karat gold plated connectors, copper spiral
shielding, precision dielectic insulation, oxygen-free conductors,
etc. for $28.

Next time, try a $3.00 6' S-video cable from pccables.com - I've bought
cables from them for years, never a problem.

http://www.pccables.com/cgi-bin/ord...0700&search=SVHS&rsite=google.comsearc&rcode=
 
S

Sparky

Jan 1, 1970
0
Jumpster said:
I know I will get flamed for this but...
I say screw the company right back the way they screwed you. Go to an
electronics store that offers cash refunds, and buy that "current
equivalent cable." Open the package, remove and keep the new cable, and
return the old one in the same package for a full refund. Problem solved.
This also works for DVD players that quit working in 91 days with a 90
day warranty, assuming the same model is still available.

I love it, making the system work for you!
 
S

Sparky

Jan 1, 1970
0
James said:
Except chances are you won't screw the company, but the next person who buys
the set you return, or the store.

Lesson in the future I suppose is to buy the inexpensive no-frills cable,
I've been stupid and bought expensive cables a couple times only to discover
that not only does the picture look identical to a cheap cable but the fancy
expensive ones are heavy, awkward and often crack the soldering at the
connectors.

I've been hearing/reading the same thing for at least 30 years (or
whenever Monster Cable hit the audio shops).
 
S

Sparky

Jan 1, 1970
0
How does a cable die? My DVD picture got red and wavy. Cleaned the
rented disk. Same thing. Put in a DVD from my personal collection.
Same thing. Composite cable to TV works fine. Got a different S-Video
cable and the picture was fine.

How did I get suckered into an "Ultimate" cable? The features
sounded good. And with a lifetime warranty-how could I go wrong...?

I would never assume I could find or even would have the receipt for a
cable bought years ago.
 
N

NSM

Jan 1, 1970
0
Sparky said:
I've been hearing/reading the same thing for at least 30 years (or
whenever Monster Cable hit the audio shops).

Yep. Some people use super gas in their car when the maker says regular is
fine. And then there are 'light' cigarettes. Words can lie - see G W Bush as
an example ("Clear Skies", "Healthy Forests", ...)

N
 
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