Comments on: Equipment Malfunction http://austringer.net/wp/index.php/2008/05/31/equipment-malfunction/ Wesley R. Elsberry's personal weblog, talking about falconry, science, antievolution, computation, and the broken body he lives in. Wed, 23 May 2012 03:12:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Austringer http://austringer.net/wp/index.php/2008/05/31/equipment-malfunction/comment-page-1/#comment-239211 Austringer Thu, 11 Sep 2008 20:41:59 +0000 http://austringer.net/wp/?p=901#comment-239211 I have not attempted disassembly of the Samsung. Back in the days of mechanical cameras and lens shutters, I had fair luck with DIY. Things get lots harder with electronic consumer products, which often are made in a highly non-modular fashion; cheap to assemble, but a real bugbear to try to fix. Mostly, I think that they have gotten into a model where "service" consists of accepting an RMA and sending out a replacement unit. At the Samsung price-point, the hourly cost of an electronics technician likely doesn't fit with trying to diagnose and repair individual problems. Certainly the $165 service price I was quoted suggests that there is no examination of the unit I'd be sending in; I only paid $205 retail for it to begin with. So I've just been using it with the EVF and wishing I had budget to spare to buy another camcorder. I can't really afford to completely lose video capability if I botch a DIY fix job, so I don't plan on opening it up to try. I have not attempted disassembly of the Samsung. Back in the days of mechanical cameras and lens shutters, I had fair luck with DIY. Things get lots harder with electronic consumer products, which often are made in a highly non-modular fashion; cheap to assemble, but a real bugbear to try to fix. Mostly, I think that they have gotten into a model where “service” consists of accepting an RMA and sending out a replacement unit. At the Samsung price-point, the hourly cost of an electronics technician likely doesn’t fit with trying to diagnose and repair individual problems. Certainly the $165 service price I was quoted suggests that there is no examination of the unit I’d be sending in; I only paid $205 retail for it to begin with.

So I’ve just been using it with the EVF and wishing I had budget to spare to buy another camcorder. I can’t really afford to completely lose video capability if I botch a DIY fix job, so I don’t plan on opening it up to try.

]]> By: John http://austringer.net/wp/index.php/2008/05/31/equipment-malfunction/comment-page-1/#comment-239201 John Thu, 11 Sep 2008 18:42:26 +0000 http://austringer.net/wp/?p=901#comment-239201 My Samsung sc d353 has just encountered the exact same problem mentioned above (faulty LCD screen - just turns white when opened, but play back is visible through the eye-piece). Just wondering if you had had any updates on procedures that might be successful without having to rely on the good will of the company (vid cam out of warrantee, but used only twice before). Any DIY solutions? Thanks My Samsung sc d353 has just encountered the exact same problem mentioned above (faulty LCD screen – just turns white when opened, but play back is visible through the eye-piece). Just wondering if you had had any updates on procedures that might be successful without having to rely on the good will of the company (vid cam out of warrantee, but used only twice before). Any DIY solutions?
Thanks

]]> By: Rev. BigDumbChimp http://austringer.net/wp/index.php/2008/05/31/equipment-malfunction/comment-page-1/#comment-203993 Rev. BigDumbChimp Sun, 01 Jun 2008 22:40:54 +0000 http://austringer.net/wp/?p=901#comment-203993 Wesley, We recently sent a Cannon Point and shoot back for a similar issue way after any factory warranty and they fixed it no charge, and pretty quick. I also just sent a pretty much brand new Nikon D300 back for a repair but that was under warranty. Most any interaction I've had with Nikon and Canon seems to be on the good side. I can not vouch for Samsung. Wesley,
We recently sent a Cannon Point and shoot back for a similar issue way after any factory warranty and they fixed it no charge, and pretty quick.

I also just sent a pretty much brand new Nikon D300 back for a repair but that was under warranty. Most any interaction I’ve had with Nikon and Canon seems to be on the good side. I can not vouch for Samsung.

]]>