My Glorious Day With Pioneer Customer Service
DarqueKnight
Posts: 6,765
Introduction
My Pioneer Elite BDP-09FD blu-ray player stopped recognizing BD-R DL (Blu-ray Recordable-Dual Layer) disks in May of 2017. The unit was purchased in May of 2009 and up to that time, had provided 8 years of outstanding video and audio performance and trouble-free operation. The BDP-09FD was Pioneer's flagship blu-ray player in 2009 with a retail price of $2,200 and offered videophile picture quality in addition to audiophile sound quality.
All other disc types played fine: commercial blu-ray, single layer blu-ray recordable, commercial and recordable DVD, commercial and recordable compact disc.
The problem is due to the fact that some of the early BDP-09FDs had drives with defective Blu-ray lasers that would fail after approximately 300 hours of use. Of course, Pioneer replaced drives that failed during the 2 year parts and labor warranty. If a drive failed outside of warranty, the owner was responsible for the repair, which cost between $360 and $550 depending on the repair facility used.
I have long been aware of this issue, as it has been extensively discussed on the AVS forum. Some AVS members had their units repaired under warranty, others paid several hundred dollars to have a service center do the repair, and others tracked down the laser drive and replaced their drives themselves at a cost of less than $75. I chose the latter method. Neither Pioneer nor their service centers will sell a replacement drive to a consumer. The part number for the drive is BDR-L04SH and was ordered from a Chinese electronics dealer via the Alibaba.com website. I don't expect to have any problems with the replacement drive, but I ordered a spare just in case.
To provide some idea of my usage history, my video disc collection consists of 603 DVDs, 177 commercial blu-rays and only 18 "home movies" and professional presentations on blu-ray recordable single layer and dual layer discs. In my case, drive failure symptoms began after approximately 150 hours of blu-ray recordable dual layer watching. Due to my very sparing use of BD-R DL media, it took 8 years to accumulate 150 hours of use.
The reason why my blu-ray recordable dual layer discs became unplayable, while my blu-ray recordable single layer and blu-ray commercial single and double layer discs play fine is due to the intensity of laser light required for dual layer blu-ray recordable media. BD-R discs record information on a layer of dye that not as reflective as the stamped polycarbonate and metal films used in commecially produced blu-ray discs. The failing laser of my player can still generate enough light to "see" the surfaces of commercial blu-ray and single layer blu-ray recordable discs, but not enough for dual layer BD-R discs. In time, the blu-ray laser would have failed altogether and no type of BR disc would have been read.
Working It Out With Pioneer "Customer Service"
I was aware that Pioneer had a history of telling owners of its $2K+ flagship BR player to kick rocks when their laser drives failed. I still wanted to see what they would say. This is the note I sent to Pioneer customer service via their website on the early morning of 5/25/17:
"My BDP-09FD blu-ray player just recently
stopped playing burned blu-ray discs. In other words, burned
blu-ray discs that used to play now cause a "can't play disc" "unknown disc"
message to display.
The player still plays commercial blu-ray discs as well as
commercial and burned DVD discs.
The firmware version is 2.74"
This is the response I received later the same day:
My response:
Pioneer CS's response:
The CS agent did some research and emailed the next day saying the blu-ray laser was failing and recommended that I buy a refurbished replacement player:
I didn't like the suggestion that I should trade in a $2200, albeit older, flagship blu-ray player for a refurbished, near bottom of the line player...that they would no doubt turn around and sell for hundreds of dollars:
Summary
I actually would have preferred to replace my BDP-09FD with a BDP-88FD, move the '09 to my home office, and kick the Sony BDP-S2000ES currently in my home office into storage. However, Pioneer CS did not make that option financially attractive. It didn't make sense to play full retail price for a refurb unit with half the warranty, since I wouldn't have paid full retail price for a brand new unit with full warranty.
I received no response to the email I sent to Pioneer's Michigan service center. I called a few days later and was told that they could not give me a quote over the phone, and that a technician would have to diagnose the unit and send me a repair estimate, and that the diagnostic fee would be $79.95 (applicable to the repair). The fact that I already knew exactly what was wrong was irrelevant to them.
From what I can determine by Internet research, the blu-ray laser early mortality problem was not widespread. That's why it is all the more baffling that Pioneer didn't step up and take care of the relatively few customers who were affected.
Fortunately, I had Al Gore's Internet invention at my disposal and was not at the mercy of Pioneer CS or their service center. After having doors slammed in my face and toes stepped on from "authorized channels" I set about acquiring the required part and making the repair myself.
By the way, I did not know that Pioneer had sold the majority interest in their home entertainment electronics unit in 2014. The majority interest (51%) went to a private investment firm. The remaining 49% was split between Pioneer and Onkyo, although the ownership distribution between Pioneer and Onkyo was not publicly disclosed.
I considered replacing the '09 with an Oppo UDP-205, but I really have no interest in 4K at the moment. I drop by Best Buy occasionally to look at 4K sets and I haven't experienced anything remotely similar to the mesmerizing visual rush and feeling of "I gotta have it" that I experienced when I saw a 1080p picture reproduced on a Pioneer Elite Kuro plasma TV.
My Pioneer Elite BDP-09FD blu-ray player stopped recognizing BD-R DL (Blu-ray Recordable-Dual Layer) disks in May of 2017. The unit was purchased in May of 2009 and up to that time, had provided 8 years of outstanding video and audio performance and trouble-free operation. The BDP-09FD was Pioneer's flagship blu-ray player in 2009 with a retail price of $2,200 and offered videophile picture quality in addition to audiophile sound quality.
All other disc types played fine: commercial blu-ray, single layer blu-ray recordable, commercial and recordable DVD, commercial and recordable compact disc.
The problem is due to the fact that some of the early BDP-09FDs had drives with defective Blu-ray lasers that would fail after approximately 300 hours of use. Of course, Pioneer replaced drives that failed during the 2 year parts and labor warranty. If a drive failed outside of warranty, the owner was responsible for the repair, which cost between $360 and $550 depending on the repair facility used.
I have long been aware of this issue, as it has been extensively discussed on the AVS forum. Some AVS members had their units repaired under warranty, others paid several hundred dollars to have a service center do the repair, and others tracked down the laser drive and replaced their drives themselves at a cost of less than $75. I chose the latter method. Neither Pioneer nor their service centers will sell a replacement drive to a consumer. The part number for the drive is BDR-L04SH and was ordered from a Chinese electronics dealer via the Alibaba.com website. I don't expect to have any problems with the replacement drive, but I ordered a spare just in case.
To provide some idea of my usage history, my video disc collection consists of 603 DVDs, 177 commercial blu-rays and only 18 "home movies" and professional presentations on blu-ray recordable single layer and dual layer discs. In my case, drive failure symptoms began after approximately 150 hours of blu-ray recordable dual layer watching. Due to my very sparing use of BD-R DL media, it took 8 years to accumulate 150 hours of use.
The reason why my blu-ray recordable dual layer discs became unplayable, while my blu-ray recordable single layer and blu-ray commercial single and double layer discs play fine is due to the intensity of laser light required for dual layer blu-ray recordable media. BD-R discs record information on a layer of dye that not as reflective as the stamped polycarbonate and metal films used in commecially produced blu-ray discs. The failing laser of my player can still generate enough light to "see" the surfaces of commercial blu-ray and single layer blu-ray recordable discs, but not enough for dual layer BD-R discs. In time, the blu-ray laser would have failed altogether and no type of BR disc would have been read.
Working It Out With Pioneer "Customer Service"
I was aware that Pioneer had a history of telling owners of its $2K+ flagship BR player to kick rocks when their laser drives failed. I still wanted to see what they would say. This is the note I sent to Pioneer customer service via their website on the early morning of 5/25/17:
"My BDP-09FD blu-ray player just recently
stopped playing burned blu-ray discs. In other words, burned
blu-ray discs that used to play now cause a "can't play disc" "unknown disc"
message to display.
The player still plays commercial blu-ray discs as well as
commercial and burned DVD discs.
The firmware version is 2.74"
This is the response I received later the same day:
My response:
Pioneer CS's response:
The CS agent did some research and emailed the next day saying the blu-ray laser was failing and recommended that I buy a refurbished replacement player:
I didn't like the suggestion that I should trade in a $2200, albeit older, flagship blu-ray player for a refurbished, near bottom of the line player...that they would no doubt turn around and sell for hundreds of dollars:
Summary
I actually would have preferred to replace my BDP-09FD with a BDP-88FD, move the '09 to my home office, and kick the Sony BDP-S2000ES currently in my home office into storage. However, Pioneer CS did not make that option financially attractive. It didn't make sense to play full retail price for a refurb unit with half the warranty, since I wouldn't have paid full retail price for a brand new unit with full warranty.
I received no response to the email I sent to Pioneer's Michigan service center. I called a few days later and was told that they could not give me a quote over the phone, and that a technician would have to diagnose the unit and send me a repair estimate, and that the diagnostic fee would be $79.95 (applicable to the repair). The fact that I already knew exactly what was wrong was irrelevant to them.
From what I can determine by Internet research, the blu-ray laser early mortality problem was not widespread. That's why it is all the more baffling that Pioneer didn't step up and take care of the relatively few customers who were affected.
Fortunately, I had Al Gore's Internet invention at my disposal and was not at the mercy of Pioneer CS or their service center. After having doors slammed in my face and toes stepped on from "authorized channels" I set about acquiring the required part and making the repair myself.
By the way, I did not know that Pioneer had sold the majority interest in their home entertainment electronics unit in 2014. The majority interest (51%) went to a private investment firm. The remaining 49% was split between Pioneer and Onkyo, although the ownership distribution between Pioneer and Onkyo was not publicly disclosed.
I considered replacing the '09 with an Oppo UDP-205, but I really have no interest in 4K at the moment. I drop by Best Buy occasionally to look at 4K sets and I haven't experienced anything remotely similar to the mesmerizing visual rush and feeling of "I gotta have it" that I experienced when I saw a 1080p picture reproduced on a Pioneer Elite Kuro plasma TV.
Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country!
Post edited by DarqueKnight on
Comments
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We are waiting for part 2.
How did the interaction with customer service end?Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes
Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables
Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
Three 20 amp circuits. -
I hit the "post comment" rather than the "preview button by mistake". The rest has been posted.Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country!
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Yes. I see. Good to see Sony isn't the only company with terrible customer service. Glad you can fix it.Lumin X1 file player, Westminster Labs interconnect cable
Sony XA-5400ES SACD; Pass XP-22 pre; X600.5 amps
Magico S5 MKII Mcast Rose speakers; SPOD spikes
Shunyata Triton v3/Typhon QR on source, Denali 2000 (2) on amps
Shunyata Sigma XLR analog ICs, Sigma speaker cables
Shunyata Sigma HC (2), Sigma Analog, Sigma Digital, Z Anaconda (3) power cables
Mapleshade Samson V.3 four shelf solid maple rack, Micropoint brass footers
Three 20 amp circuits. -
Wow, not good on their part. You would think they would support a known issue better than that.Pio Elete Pro 520
Panamax 5400-EX
Sunfire TGP 5
Micro Seiki DD-40 - Lyra-Dorian and Denon DL-160
PS Audio GCPH phono pre
Sunfire CG 200 X 5
Sunfire CG Sig 405 X 5
OPPO BDP-83 SE
SDA SRS 1.2TL Sonicaps and Mills
Ctr CS1000p
Sur - FX1000 x 4
SUB - SVS PB2-Plus
Workkout room:
Sony Bravia XBR- 32-Inch 1080p
Onkyo TX-DS898
GFA 555
Yamaha DVD-S1800BL/SACD
Ft - SDA 1C
Not being used:
RTi 38's -4
RT55i's - 2
RT25i's -2, using other 2 in shop
LSI 15's
CSi40
PSW 404 -
Look at the bright side Ray, the HDMI socket still works
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DonnerUndBlitzen wrote: »Thank you for documenting Pioneer's very impressive customer service and support for an 8 year old BD player. Pioneer cares about copyright issues and is willing to say something. They also are not a black hole, but instead responded promptly several times and offered a variety of solutions including repair and other equipment options for playback of BD-R discs, from low cost to premium.
1. Responding promptly with an unwarranted insult is not very impressive customer service. The fact that the CS agent got himself together and apologized should have provided some insight to you that what he said was way out of line.
2. My complaint had nothing to do with "copyright issues". I had to do with one of the player's functions ceasing to work. Accusing a customer of content piracy simply because he complains that a player stopped playing recordable media it was designed to play is not very impressive customer service.
3. Refusing to acknowledge a known problem with defective drives is not very impressive customer service.
4. Offering a refurbished unit, with half the warranty period, at the full retail price of a new unit is not very impressive customer service.
5. Offering the option of trading in a flagship, heavily constructed, videophile grade, audiophile grade, feature-rich player for a flimsy, bottom-of-the-line, player is not very impressive customer service.
6. A repair center refusing to provide a "ballpark" repair estimate for a specific, well-known issue is not very impressive customer service.
7. Refusing to provide replacement parts is not very impressive customer service. The part in question is not some specialized, esoteric item that requires special skills and special equipment to replace. It's just one of Pioneer's computer blu-ray read/write drives that was modified for use in blu-ray players. The drive's write functions were locked. A R/W drive was chosen over a read-only drive because R/W drives have a higher level of read precision.
8. My issue was not solved to my satisfaction by anything Pioneer said or did. They and their service center were absolutely useless. My issue was resolved by my own initiative and by the information provided by other affected '09 owners who generously posted information on the Internet.
Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country! -
I wonder if Al Gore's Internet invention could find me a backup laser for my Sony 620ES CDP ?
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I wonder if it could find a solution to his other invention,
Global warm@#$# err Climate Change? -
In the "consumer [high] technology" arena, how much support do folks expect companies to provide for eight year old hardware? My sense is that an eight year old component is extinct from the perspective of the technology juggernaut.
Plus, Pioneer (heh, like Polk!) has experienced quite a bit of flux as a company since 2009, haven't they?
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Definitely an insulting and disrespectful customer service experience. Seems to be a trend with many companies with a number of factors causing it. Idiocracy was right...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5d7SaO0JAHk
The Oppo 4k players are about more than 4k playback. They can also stream audio and video files over a network via wifi from a RAID configured NAS device. I have found drive mechanisms to be the main point of failure even in flagship models. One would not read the SACD layer on hybrid discs and the other had a physically flawed drive that spun loudly. They really are cheap computer parts in expensive AV equipmen, sometimes with some extra noise dampening foam, that should be cheap to replace. Computer manufacturers don't tell you to toss the whole computer if the disc reader or hard drive fails.
Oppo also allows direct streaming of MKV files. -
Yes, "Bryan" is lucky you didn't push back harder after his insulting assertion. Terribly unprofessional. Fortunately, you knew what you were doing and fixed it yourself, which at least brings a little satisfaction.
FYI, I wasn't sold on 4k at first, either, and honestly, I still don't need it. However, the few shows we do watch in 4k are pretty stunning. I marvel at it each time. -
Maybe DonnerUndBlitzen is being sarcastic or he works for Pioneer."Sometimes you have to look to the past to understand where you are going in the future"Anger is just anger. It isn’t good. It isn’t bad. It just is. What you do with it is what matters.
You can use it to build or to destroy. You just have to make the choice. Jim Butcher
Harry / Marietta GA -
Since I glossed over it before: The snarky comment in the Pioneer rep's first reply to the OP's e-mail was absolutely out of line.
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Honestly Ray....were you expecting something different ? 8 year old player....out of warranty. Everyone doesn't have Polk style CS., very few in fact. I certainly wouldn't expect it from the major brands like Pioneer/Sony/Denon/Onkyo, etc.
Their responses sucked, and they failed to direct you to a way to secure the parts needed or get it fixed. This is an obvious attempt to direct customers into newer products or spend more money rather than assist them in legacy products.HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's -
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Well what you find to be reasonable obviously wasn't for Ray, and the fact he can fix it himself and save the hassle of sending it out and save some coin on top or it, seems he found a reasonable way to deal with it..Polk Audio SDA 2.3tl Fully Hot Rodded. 😎
SVS SB16 X2
Cary SLP-05/Ultimate Upgrade.
Cary SA-500.1 ES Amps
Cary DMS 800PV Network
OPPO UDP 205/ModWright Modification
VPI Scout TT / Dynavector 20x2
Jolida JD9 Fully Modified
VPI MW-1 Cyclone RCM
MIT Shotgun 3 cables throughout / Except TT, and PC’s -
"If that came off wrong I do apologize".
IF that came off wrong ?
Just curious as to how accusing the customer of burning illegal dvd's could be made to sound as "coming off right' ?
Bryan also mentioned "If you wish to get this repaired you can BRING this to ...".
Now, while I assume one could FedEx/UPS the unit in for repair, I wouldn't care to wager against the possibility that the unit has to be physically brought in by the customer.
And the advice to "Did you try turning the unit off for 90 seconds and back on ?".
No comment needed on that, IMO.
Sure, the unit is 8 years old. But we're not dealing with a Kmart Magnavox $24.99 unit.
Sal Palooza -
Look how many of the Elite DVxxi sacd players are still running2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC
erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a -
Bryan did leave out one possible solution, which I'll handily provide:
"Did you insure that the unit was turned on when attempting to play BluRays ?"
Sal Palooza -
mhardy6647 wrote: »In the "consumer [high] technology" arena, how much support do folks expect companies to provide for eight year old hardware? My sense is that an eight year old component is extinct from the perspective of the technology juggernaut.DonnerUndBlitzen wrote: »Very reasonable policy for an 8 year old unit.mrbigbluelight wrote: »Sure, the unit is 8 years old. But we're not dealing with a Kmart Magnavox $24.99 unit.Honestly Ray....were you expecting something different ? 8 year old player....out of warranty.
Yes, the player is 8 years old and 6 years out of warranty. However, those facts are mitigated by the following:
1. The part that was failing was known to be defective by Pioneer. The decent thing to do, years ago when the problem first surfaced, would have been to step up and proactively offer to replace the drives or offered an extended warranty. Instead, they quietly waited to see who complained and probably hoped that most failures would occur out of warranty.
To cite an automotive example, I once owned a vehicle that began experiencing a problem with fine cracks developing in the paint after six years. This was three years after the warranty expired. When I took it to the dealer, they found a service bulletin that authorized dealers to fix the problem by repainting the car for free because some of the earliest cars off the production line had a defective paint formula.
2. Typical of other owners who have experienced this failure, my drive started experiencing failure symptoms after relatively light use (approximately 150 hours). I only use this player a few hours a month, and most of that use is DVD rather than blu-ray (two separate laser systems). My video disc collection is 30% blu-ray and 70% DVD. This definitely was not a case of me wearing out the blu-ray laser over time and looking for a free replacement.
3. The part that was failing was not something like a circuit board or power supply that might be expected to be obsolete and long out of production after 8 years. The replacement part is an improved version of the original Pioneer blu-ray drive and is still in production. It is a computer blu-ray/DVD/CD writer that has the writing functions locked. This drive is not "extinct" and is still used in blu-ray players and desktop computers. The PC version of the original drive was model number BDR-203. The PC version of the replacement drive is BDR-209.
4. Blu-ray players are specialized computers. It is not unreasonable to expect that a comparable replacement for a computer media drive would be available after 8 years. In my decades of CD, DVD, SACD, and BR player ownership, this is the first instance I have had of laser failure. I know nothing lasts forever, but I have two Yamaha CDX-1110U CD players that were manufactured in 1988, that I bought used, and they still work like new.
To answer Tony's question about what did I expect, I expected Pioneer to stick their head in the sand and pretend like the problem didn't exist, just like they have always done. But who knows? Even when the corporate policy is one based on deniability, sometimes you make contact with a company representative who wants to do the right thing. It never hurts to ask.
I definitely didn't expect to have my integrity insulted by accusing me of content piracy and I didn't expect to have my intelligence insulted by offering me the "option" of trading in a flagship player for a refurbed sample of their bottom of the line player. Lastly, I didn't expect their service center to refuse to provide a "ballpark" estimate for repairing a specific problem.Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country! -
I have to agree with this.Pio Elete Pro 520
Panamax 5400-EX
Sunfire TGP 5
Micro Seiki DD-40 - Lyra-Dorian and Denon DL-160
PS Audio GCPH phono pre
Sunfire CG 200 X 5
Sunfire CG Sig 405 X 5
OPPO BDP-83 SE
SDA SRS 1.2TL Sonicaps and Mills
Ctr CS1000p
Sur - FX1000 x 4
SUB - SVS PB2-Plus
Workkout room:
Sony Bravia XBR- 32-Inch 1080p
Onkyo TX-DS898
GFA 555
Yamaha DVD-S1800BL/SACD
Ft - SDA 1C
Not being used:
RTi 38's -4
RT55i's - 2
RT25i's -2, using other 2 in shop
LSI 15's
CSi40
PSW 404 -
Honestly Ray....were you expecting something different ? 8 year old player....out of warranty. Everyone doesn't have Polk style CS., very few in fact. I certainly wouldn't expect it from the major brands like Pioneer/Sony/Denon/Onkyo, etc.
Their responses sucked, and they failed to direct you to a way to secure the parts needed or get it fixed. This is an obvious attempt to direct customers into newer products or spend more money rather than assist them in legacy products.
I agree with Tony on this one.
There really is no such thing as legacy products any more. These companies aren't interested in you keeping your old machine alive and operating, since it doesn't really get them any money. So they make the alternatives as unappealing a possible so that you CHOOSE to get a new machine.Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2 -
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Their responses sucked, and they failed to direct you to a way to secure the parts needed or get it fixed. This is an obvious attempt to direct customers into newer products or spend more money rather than assist them in legacy products.
That's true and that's unfortunate since legacy customers are the best testaments to a brand's reliability and service. I'd be way more inclined to buy a new product from a company that had many satisfied customers talking about how products they bought years ago are still in service. I'd also be way more inclined to buy a new product from a company that took responsible and reasonable action whenever there was a problem.There really is no such thing as legacy products any more.
Yeah, it's a "throw it away" and "on to the latest and greatest" culture. The sad truth is that the "latest and greatest" is not always as better than, or even as good as, the "old thing".These companies aren't interested in you keeping your old machine alive and operating, since it doesn't really get them any money. So they make the alternatives as unappealing a possible so that you CHOOSE to get a new machine.
I understand that new sales are required for a business to remain viable. I don't agree that taking care of legacy customers doesn't get them any money. Satisfied legacy customers are the ones most likely to recommend a brand to others and are most likely to choose a brand they trust over taking a chance on a new brand.
In my case:
1. I recently chose a Yamaha home theater preamp/processor due in part to to my many positive experiences with the company's legacy products and customer service.
2. When I decided it was time to replace all the speakers in my home theater, Polk was the first company that came to mind. I thoroughly enjoy my legacy Polk products, Polk has always treated me very well as a customer, and the performance of their current products is highly regarded.
3. I know Dell gets a lot of flack, but I have had good experiences with my Dell computers and with Dell customer service. My good customer service experiences are mostly due to the fact that, when I had an issue, question, or concern, I kept calling until I got someone who wasn't located in India and reading from a "script".
I have a Dell XPS 9000 desktop that I purchased in 2009 that has gone through several operating system, memory, hard drive, heat sink, and even processor upgrades. Likewise, my Dell XPS M1330 laptop has gone through several operating system, hard drive, memory, heat sink, and even processor upgrades. There is no performance or functional incentive to replace either one of them with a new computer at this time. Information I found on the Dell forums was extremely helpful in updating my machines.
Based on all that, when it came time to buy five new tablet computers, who did I look at first and end up buying? Dell. When I decided to replace two older, larger, and slower desktops in my office at work and guest bedroom, who did I look at first and end up buying? Dell.
4. In the case of Pioneer, I'd love to have an updated and improved version of my BDP-09FD, but Pioneer no longer offers a flagship reference level blu-ray player. Furthermore, with the selloff of most of its home electronics business, Pioneer is not even Pioneer anymore.
Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country! -
DonnerUndBlitzen wrote: »Well, you can always try to escalate the matter with Pioneer, or contact your State's Attorney General Office if you believe you have been wronged by Pioneer, or maybe their consumer protection bureau.
6 years out of warranty, your best bet is either to fix it yourself, buy a new one, or get a goodwill gesture from Pioneer. Maybe they will agree to split the difference for repairs. They may have a customer retention branch. If you are on good terms with a Pioneer dealer, you may ask them to go to bat for you. If you were a year or less out of warranty that would probably carry more weight with Pioneer than 6 years out of warranty. Mechanical equipment breaks, wears out, may need servicing and occasional repairs.
I went into some detail saying that I had followed the example of other BDP-09FD owners who had this problem: found the part at a Chinese electronics supplier and replaced it myself.
In light of this, your "advice" makes no sense whatsoever.
This thread on the AVS forum, starting at post #8720, was very helpful and useful:
http://www.avsforum.com/forum/149-blu-ray-players/1112343-pioneer-elite-bdp-09fd-owner-s-thread-291.html#post32618609Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country! -
The '09 economic downturn changed business models for the market leading electronic makers forever. The day of even buying a 20 year lifespan washer/dryer set is gone and skid marks in the bottom of your 1.6 gallon water saver toilet is simply a part of life now. The sad part is that my triple flush adjustment method actually uses more water than my old model ever did.HT Optoma HD25 LV on 80" DIY Screen, Anthem MRX 300 Receiver, Pioneer Elite BDP 51FD Polk CS350LS, Polk SDA1C, Polk FX300, Polk RT55, Dual EBS Adire Shiva 320watt tuned to 17hz, ICs-DIY Twisted Prs, Speaker-Raymond Cable
2 Channel Thorens TD 318 Grado ZF1, SACD/CD Marantz 8260, Soundstream/Krell DAC1, Audio Mirror PP1, Odyssey Stratos, ADS L-1290, ICs-DIY Twisted , Speaker-Raymond Cable -
I do remember the 88FD model. Looked way too much like the Oppo 105 in features to pay much attention to it considering the big price differential. One of the marketing features they used on that model was the disc drive was painted with special vibration absorbing paint to help keep the drive quiet. Pioneer appears to have abandoned the higher end disc spinner market quickly after they released that model. I am surprised they have any new stock left of the 88FD, or possibly they have a truck load of unsold product sitting somewhere.
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I am surprised they have any new stock left of the 88FD, or possibly they have a truck load of unsold product sitting somewhere.
They don't have any new stock '88FD left, and '88FDs show up on the used market about as often as pygmy unicorns. If I were willing to put in the effort, I could probably find a new-old-stock unit hidden behind some boxes in a dusty dealer stockroom or warehouse.
I am not clear on why they still feature the '88FD at the top of their blu-ray player web page since it was discontinued years ago:
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/Blu-ray-Disc
It appears as if they are attempting to mislead people into thinking that their current blu-ray players, the BDP-80FD ($300) and the BDP-62FD ($400) have the same construction and parts quality technologies as the $2000 BDP-88FD.
The link above starts out with pictures and an overview of the BDP-88FD, although the '88FD is not mentioned by name. Then there is a link to the details about the '80FD. I imagine that some people might fall for the okey-doke and switcheroo and not notice that all the wonderful heavy duty construction does not apply to the '80FD.Proud and loyal citizen of the Digital Domain and Solid State Country! -
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