MP3/IPOD woes

 Written by: newgabe


So does anyone have experience in getting such things shipped from USA to UK? Are there usually tarrifs, customs delays etc??

My big bro' bought me a Creative Zen Micro from Japan and shipped it over to me. I had to pay customs on it when it entered the UK (even though it was marked as a gift). Apparently you have to pay customs on anything over the value of £30 (gift or not) that's shipped to the UK. But it was still loads cheaper than buying it over here

Gabe - did you decide what to do???

 Written by: Helz Bellz

 Written by: newgabe


So does anyone have experience in getting such things shipped from USA to UK? Are there usually tarrifs, customs delays etc??

Gabe - did you decide what to do???

Indeed I have Hels.
Stayed in touch (or Skype at least) with Tott Ct Rd dudes (enjoying the Indian accents to the max) and have pretty much acquired the first of the new model minidiscs released in the UK with the aid of My Man In London. well, my boy in london anyway... Should be in his hot hands today or so.

It's a different model number and appearance to the US one: Now called MZ-RH1
(easily confused with the MZ-RH10 which only uses horrid Sonic Stage/PCs. I am trusting the Mac software is better. And as it is supposed to output in mp3 it should be OK. If not I shall be back down the Tott Ct Rd!!

Am also cancelling the Dubai stopover cos the place just is too expensive. There doesn't seem to be sqat do there but fake 'bedouin' feasts and shopping since Zanzibar isn't going to be there. (That sentence makes no sense does it? Cue French juggler with a penchant for orange trousers) SO now I'm arriving in London Thurs 24th. Is that ? Not to me

 Written by: FieryFireWorld


Hello out there with Mp3 Player/Ipod Woes. Please dont throw them away as your fed up with them. Even if they are broken beyond reasonable repair. (If you are based in the UK) You can send your broken/faulty MP3/Ipod to the voluntry organisation/charity I run. We can make use of them by refurbishing them or taking the flash memory and placing it in another player. These are then distributed to the blind containing Mp3 audiobooks. (Its better than throwing it oin the bin)What Apple are doing is terrible they know that the Ipod has severe (I would say almost deliberate) software faults. Pm me an I will give you the details of the organisation to send unwanted/broken mp3/Ipods to.More details available if needed.
Thanks

Ithink you should post all the details of this in social chat. It's something lots of people would respond too.

I have an old dead flash player I would be happy to donate, please put all the contact details/web links etc in the post, no one will consider it spam if it's for such a deserving charity

 Written by: me on the web form


Subject: CLE - Technical Support Request - (Zen Touch)
Name: Simon Roe
E-mail Address: XXXXXXX
Self Description: Advanced PC User
Country: United Kingdom
------------------
Support Inquiry: ID(3) My Creative hardware stopped functioning correctly
Product: Zen Touch
Purchase Date:
Serial Number:
------------------
Operating System: Macintosh OS X.x
Creative Model Number: don't know
Computer Brand/Model:
Processor/CPU:
Memory:
BIOS Type/Revision:
System Board/Chipset:
------------------
Detailed Problem Description:
The battery is dead on my player, can you tell me how much it is for a new battery please? How much do I need to pay in total?

 Written by: Creative


Dear Customer,

To help address your inquiry as quickly as possible, we are sending you
this automated express reply that includes the steps you should take to
restore full functionality of your Zen Touch.

Please enter Recovery Mode, where you can perform simple Recovery
operations on your player:

1. Turn off the Zen.
2. Hold down the Play/Pause button and insert a paper clip into the
reset hole. The reset hole is located on the side of your player in the
bottom left corner.
3. Remove the paper clip and release the Play/Pause button once the Zen
Touch has booted in to Recovery Mode.

There are three options in Recovery Mode that will help to restore the
functionality of the player. Please try each of those options one at the
time and test if the functionality of the player is restored:
1. Clean Up: This performs a disk scan. It does not remove any data.
Once completed select ?Reboot?.
2. Format All: This formats the player's hard disk. Note: ALL CONTENTS
ON THE MP3 PLAYER WILL BE LOST!! Once completed select ?Reboot?.
3. Reload Firmware: This option starts the process of reloading the
player?s firmware:
a) download a new firmware for the player from:

http://www.europe.creative.com/support/downloads/

and save it on your PC in the location you will easily find it ( e.g.
Desktop)
b) Select Option ?Reload Firmware? from the player?s Recovery Menu and
then follow the on-screen instructions on your player. This process will
take a few minutes. Please be patient and do not disconnect your player
during the process.
c) Once completed select ?Reboot?.

If these steps fail to resolve the problem then please reply to this
automated email and a Technical Support advisor will assist you further.


For your convenience please find a checklist below. It will help us to
assist you further.

Player enters recovery mode (Yes/No)
Clean up and reboot successfully completed with no errors (Yes/No)
Format and reboot successfully completed with no errors (Yes/No)
Reload OS successfully completed with no errors (Yes/No)
Downloaded firmware detects and installs (Yes/No)

Did you get any errors when you tried all the above steps?

Best Regards

Creative Customer Support Services
Creative Labs Europe

Creative Care Protection Plan Now Available for Zen Product Family!
Your can protect your investment by extending the warranty coverage of
your Zen Touch to a full 2 years.
To learn more, please visit:
http://uk.europe.creative.com/shop/welcome.asp?category=102&

 Written by: me



This did not help at all.

Please can you tell me how much a new battery is?

How do I go about getting one? Will it cost me for you to fit it?
Can I do it myself?

 Written by: creative


Dear Simon

Thanks for contacting Creative Technical Support.

Please do not screw open the player as doing so will void the warranty,
if there is any left on the player.
May i know the serial number and date of purchase for your zen touch?
A link to find serial number of the product: http://uk.europe.creative.com/support/kb/article.asp?l=3&sid=6648

I will need you to carry out the following troubleshooting:
Connect the zen touch to power main via power adapter.
Does the player power on?

Charge the zen touch for 4 - 5 hours.
Is there any charging icon?
Are you able to power on the zen touch itself?
Does the power adapter feel warm?

Kindly carry out the following troubleshooting on your pc:
Click START -> RUN -> type MSCONFIG and click OK.
Click SELECTIVE STARTUP and then uncheck LOAD STARTUP GROUP ITEMS.
Apply the changes and reboot the computer when prompted.
Disconnect all other USB devices. Connect your player to the back USB
port of the pc.
Open up device manager. Go to START -> RUN -> type in devmgmt.msc
Is your player detected under USB controller or windows portable device?
If your player is not detected, please try other USB ports on your pc.

Please retain all the previous correspondence when replying to this
email.
Best Regards
Jason
Creative Customer Support Services
Creative Labs Europe

To provide feedback on your "Creative Experience" and our service please
click on the following link:

http://www.creativehelp.com/support/contact/welcome.asp?r=CLE&d=TS

Please note that technical queries submitted through this link won't be
answered.

 Written by: me


I don't know the number, it was a gift and I am trying to get a price to fix it.

Also, I told you on the form that I am on a Mac, so until I get a
start menu, you'll have to try harder.

Now please can you tell me how much a new battery costs? I don't mind
sending it back to you, but I need to know a price.

Why not just put it on the web site?

I await your quick reply.

 Written by: creative


Dear Simon,

We don't sell the battery as a spare part. The player has to be
replaced.

As your Creative product is no longer covered by a hardware warranty, I
can offer you a repair/replacement Zen Touch 20GB at a charge of £95.18
(incl VAT and Post & Packaging).

This includes, labour, replacement/repair and operational costs. The
cost is subject to change until the order has been placed. Your product
will be replaced with a refurbished unit and is covered by a six month
warranty.

We can only accept Mastercard and Visa credit cards as form of payment.
If you would like to take advantage of this repair/replacement service,
please let me know your address and telephone number and I will contact
you by phone regarding the credit card details, as these should not be
sent via email due to security reasons.

Please retain all the previous correspondence when replying to this
email.

Best Regards

Odd Magne
Creative Customer Support Services
Creative Labs Europe

 Written by: Sym

There has also been some debate about creative players being somehow better in some ways (you know who you are).

No, who are we? Anyway it wasn't debate, it was merely a conveyance of facts

how come you ignored their attempts to help with questions such as
"Does the player power on?
Is there any charging icon?
Are you able to power on the zen touch itself?
Does the power adapter feel warm?"

As they tried to help find other alternate causes you just rant about battery price, perhaps your adapter was the cause not the player? Perhaps a technical component inside the player related to the charge process? You shouldn't presume to know the reasons for low power output or that it's internal battery failure

Perhaps Apple are better at batteries now that they've been caught up with and it's been so publicised their change of policy ensured they saved face, and of course they're cheaper batteries, Creative only have to fix about 10 a year compared the trillions and billions of ipod batteries

*runs aways after vague and ambiguously misleading statements*