I was so happy. I came home with a TV that was worth $800 at the time for $400. What a deal!
Well my jubilation was to be short lived. I purchased this set on the 24th of July, 2008. Well it’s already dead and it’s almost two months old.
“What happened,” you might ask. Well it simply stopped turning on. The DVD unit still let me open and close the tray and the DVD itself would spin so I assume that part works. The rest of the TV is completely unresponsive, even though the standby light is on.
“Bring it back to the store”, you say. Well I tried calling them and apparently Staples Business Depot’s return policy only covers the first 30 days, and then I have to deal with the manufacturer.
“That doesn’t sound so bad”, you say. Well Staples Business Depot was even kind enough to search out the manufacturer’s phone number because http://www.v7-world.com/ has no mention of this device on their site. Nor do they offer any telephone technical support.
Indeed when I called the number I was provided, I was provided with yet another forwarding number. This number brought me to an actual company. Now, one would think I would be greeted with a professional tone and helpful staff. V7 has neither of these things. I was told twice that I had called the wrong number because V7 does not make an LCD/DVD combo unit. These people were flat-out lying as I pressed them for an answer as to whether they were from the same company that made it. One man answered what I think is the truth. He told me that they are the same company, but the company I had called isn’t the part that makes the unit I had bought. Both phone calls I was hung up on by a rather rude woman (the second call I was transferred to her). She simply hung up on me mid-sentence while insisting that I had called the wrong company and she could not tell me the right number to call.
After emailing the technical support email account on http://www.v7-world.com/ I was directed to yet another company!
This company is http://www.1800customerservice.com/. I filled out their request form and they have not contacted me since.
So let me summarise here. I’ve been lied to and the company which manufactured my TV denies its existence, I’ve talked to 3 companies in the process of trying to get a satisfactory answer as to what is going to be done about my brand new paperweight and I’ve wasted my own time which is worth more than just money (but it’s worth enough money too).
I’m a very frustrated Staples Business Depot customer at this point but I was happy to speak to their representative the second time. After offering me the phone number and hearing how V7 treated me, he told me that Staples would likely be able to do something for me such as a refund.
Usually I’m lucky with purchases such as this one but this time I seem to have hit the bottom of the barrell. V7 is the worst company I know of for technical support.
I just hope this all gets resolved in such a way as I get a new TV. I don’t even want a refund at this point. I just want a working display for my room so I can get back to the ten thousand other things pestering me at the moment that are more important.
Ugh… >_>
EDIT: I was called by Staples again and the representative gave me a number that did, in fact, provide technical support for the V7 in the US and Canada. I was told I would have to somehow get my set to Markham and I was given an RMA number. Now I just have to figure out how to get a big TV to Markham with no car.
EDIT: It’s fixed! I have just received my set back from Venturer Electronics in Markham. Once I spoke to them they were quite kind to me and returned it fully functional on Oct. 20th. I’m just glad I have this over with and don’t have to think of it anymore.
EDIT (Oct 23rd): Okay so I hadn’t tried hooking up my PS3 until last night. It doesn’t work using HDMI anymore. The issue seems to be with the PS3 or with the HDCP support for my TV. My laptop outputs HDMI just fine to it using the same cable. I can’t get my PS3 to do anything other than display a black screen at all.
I’ve tried resetting the config on the PS3 by holding the power button and waiting for the second beep several times. I’ve tried manually configuring it for HDMI. I’ve tried leaving both the TV and the PS3 disconnected from power for a long time and then plugging them back in. After this I tried everything several times again. Still no luck, only a black screen displaying HDMI1 480P in the dialog box at the top right.
GRR!
All this and Trent University is useless again. Their bookstore hours are wrong on the website so I missed my first opportunity to get my books. By the time I went to get them, they were out of the book for the one course where I was told specifically that I need to keep up with the readings. I had one due for tonight and it’s still not available.
T_T
alskdjf Thats just a mess and completely ridiculous. Gah, sorry Ean. I hope it gets resolved. *hug*
Arg, that sucks! sorry to hear that my friend.
Its irritating to think that businesses like these think that they can just tell the customers to essentially F#(k off. Perhaps the better business group might be interested to hear about your experience.
Wow. Sure wish I knew all this before I bought my VC3207. In any case, I’m trying to remove my “base” off the TV so I can mount it on a wall. I can’t find my instructions. Would you still have yours? Would you be able to email me info on how to remove the base? If so, that would be appreciated.
Hi , I am in the same boat I guess. I don’t have a combo but a flat screen V7 tv. After two years I am still looking for a solution to my V7 tv problem. Two weeks after one year having this tv it does not work when I turn it on. The green light is on , black screen. I have to unplug it every night and then usually it works next day when I come from work. If I forget to unplug when I turn it off then I will not be able to see watch tv next day. What a piece of junk!. I would through it out but it is special to me because my 18 year old son bought it for me as a gift for my birthday. He worked so hard to pay for it and this effing shit broke after one year. I am so angry . I cannot find a store to fix it and I can’t find anything on the web either. Maybe someone will read this post and help me out.
Hi Anna,
Did you see the part of this article about “Venturer Electronics?”
They fixed mine right up. It probably wouldn’t cost you much to fix even if it’s out of warranty.
Cheers
– E
CAPCITORS on the power board is why your tv/dvd will not turn on , replace them
This is an extremely old post. If I were willing to ditch my warranty at the time I could have easily fixed it myself if it were just the capacitors on the power board.
I was not, however, willing to put a lot of effort into a TV that was barely 2 months old at the time. I considered that someone else’s responsibility. Namely the people who made it.
Caveat emptor and all that.