Plasma:dodgy Repairman

[Guest JimboTHX1138]

I will be very careful before letting a plasma get taken away for repairs from now on. Especially from U-MATIC services in Adelaide which is an authorised panasonic service centre. I advise everybody to stay clear of this repair centre.

I had a Panny TH-42PV500A which i gave to my parents after buying a 42PV60A. The plasma had less than perfect blacks and were slightly noisy. So i thought i would call out the repairman while the plasma was in warranty in the hopes that i would be giving my parents the plasma in a like new condition. The guy came out and said a sustainer board needs replacing. It took him 6 weeks to get the part in, which i ended up getting sent to him myself after ringing Panasonic after the 5th week. He came and took the plasma away, and believe it or not it came back in WORSE CONDITION than when he took it. And i mean a lot worse.

I wish i never let him take it away. Now the HDMI connection doesn't work at all. Whenever you plug something into the HDMI a message comes on the screen saying "HDMI ERROR" in red letters. I was using the HDMI with a STB which never had any problems before he took it away. And if that wasn't bad enough, it has trouble playing any HD material at all now even from component. It just flickers like crazy.

None of these problems existed before he took the TV away, it worked perfectly except for the slight black problem which i could have probably lived with compared to the condition it is in now. U-MATIC services has broken the TV and basically turned it into a SD plasma.

I rung him today and he said he would call back and never did, but i'll be ringing back tomorrow. I'll call Panasonic and consumer affairs if need be. The short conversation i had with him on the phone describing what he had done was outragous. Because i've taken the plasma to my parents house he was hinting that me moving it is what has caused the damage. I'll be telling him tomorrow that i tested the plasma when he brought it back from the repair shop before i moved it and it was faulty then and in which case he must have damaged it upon transportion if that is indeed what has happened. If you ask me he broke it in the repair shop by a dodgy repair attempt or by fiddling with something he shouldn't have been.

The problem is now the plasma is out of warranty, but he broke it and will be fixing it one way or another. People i have spoken to seem to think this idiot guy won't do anything about it. But he broke it and i am not going to let it rest until i get a satisfactory result.

It comes to something when a so called REPAIRMAN breaks your $3000 plasma, bringing it back in worse condition than when he took it. Talk about incompetence. I should never have let him touch it.

People in Adelaide steer clear of U-MATIC service centre. Everyone else use caution before letting your $3000+ investment get taken away for so called repairs.

[Zacspeed]

I'd be getting onto Panasonic real quick if I were you. Dont rely on the service centre.

Getting accredited as a Panasonic Service Centre isn't as complex or difficult as you'd think. Theyd probably only have to prove qualifications and attend the odd seminar.

I know this through being a Samsung authorised repairer.

If there's any paper work, keep on to it as proof, especially paperwork proving the fault its gone in for and that they created a new fault.

Im not sure if this is the case for warranty work. But generally repairs are warranted for a further 90 days, so even though warranty has expired you still may have some room to move.

Despite this, they created a fault it never had so maybe you might be up for them getting a replacement for you. I'd look into the consumer affairs path also if things dont progress with Panasonic direct. You should also have some statutory rights when it comes to this, so good luck with it. Ive not seen alot of this but I'd say the ball is more so in your court as long as you're willing to perservere with going through the right channels.

[Struggo]

Lodge a complaint with fair trading ASAP!

Watch how fast they move then

[Wing Nut]

Where is this particular U-Matic Services located, Jimbo?

I've had a repairer in South Road Glandore (opp. Cunninghams) sort of not fix a couple of things in the past and a search just now showed a U-Matic electronic repairer at Clovelly Park and at Richmond.

[Guest JimboTHX1138]

I'd be getting onto Panasonic real quick if I were you. Dont rely on the service centre.

Getting accredited as a Panasonic Service Centre isn't as complex or difficult as you'd think. Theyd probably only have to prove qualifications and attend the odd seminar.

I know this through being a Samsung authorised repairer.

If there's any paper work, keep on to it as proof, especially paperwork proving the fault its gone in for and that they created a new fault.

Im not sure if this is the case for warranty work. But generally repairs are warranted for a further 90 days, so even though warranty has expired you still may have some room to move.

Despite this, they created a fault it never had so maybe you might be up for them getting a replacement for you. I'd look into the consumer affairs path also if things dont progress with Panasonic direct. You should also have some statutory rights when it comes to this, so good luck with it. Ive not seen alot of this but I'd say the ball is more so in your court as long as you're willing to perservere with going through the right channels.

Rang Panasonic today and am awaiting a call back. It seems your right about the repairs being warranted for a further 90 days, but they are unclear what they can do about it at this stage as there warranty has expired. But they did seem concerned about the way i had been treated by this repairman, and were interested in how these service centres deal with there products. Once the lady i spoke to on the phone gets in contact with her managers and complaints department she will be calling back to see what they can do.

Cheers.

[Guest JimboTHX1138]

Lodge a complaint with fair trading ASAP!

Watch how fast they move then

Thats my next stage if Panasonic can't be of any assistance.

Cheers.

[Guest JimboTHX1138]

Where is this particular U-Matic Services located, Jimbo?

I've had a repairer in South Road Glandore (opp. Cunninghams) sort of not fix a couple of things in the past and a search just now showed a U-Matic electronic repairer at Clovelly Park and at Richmond.

It's the U-Matic service centre on South Road at St. Marys. Whatever you do, don't contact these for any repairs. They are dodgy as, and i am still very angry with there shonky workmanship.

Cheers.

[strange_one]

I learnt very fast that typing up your own Condition Report and getting the repair guy to sign it before he takes it away is a good idea, although that mainly pertains to physical damage, yours is obviously hardware related. I hope you get this worked out, just make sure you keep at it with Panasonic, even if they start fobbing you off demand to speak to someone higher up

[mysticf1re]

If i was you, i would ingore this guy and cut stright to panasonic.

Tell them about the situation and that youd like it to be fixed by someone eles. If Panasonic wont care (casue its out of warranty) say you will seek action against them via a Fair Trading Office (if ur in nsw)

[Zacspeed]

As far as Panasonic saying theyre unsure where things stand as the warranty has now expired; all these issues relate to the Plasma when it was in warranty.

The poor customer service, delays etc led to the plasma being out of warranty and thats as a result of the (Panasonic Accredited) service centre.

Dont let them talk the talk and make it look like you're the sucker here. You've taken all reasonable steps as a consumer.

Just some advice, if this does get to the point of needing to go to Consumer Affairs. write up a journal time line of everything thats happened etc. ie, when purchased, when fault started, when contacted service centre, arrangements etc.

The more solid your case with factual proof the more ahead you are at getting somewhere with it.

Good luck with it. Keep this thread updated with your progress.

Cheers

[Hydrology]

As Zacspeed said, this all ocurred while the unit WAS IN WARRANTY. Its not your fault that 5 weeks expired before the part was supplied. That could be a problem at Panasonics end. If push came to shove you could request a copy of the delivery docket of the part if it came from overseas. Dont be easy on Panasonic, if theyre not helping you out, dont be afraid to tell them you will be contacting consumer affairs and the small claims courts as a matter of principle.

[Guest JimboTHX1138]

The repairman was supposed to ring back yesterday and never did, nor today UNTIL this afternoon after he had obviously had a phone call from Panasonic. He said Panasonic had been in touch with him and he will be coming back out on monday to take a look at it but was trying to pass the but onto my STB's and HDMI cables, he was told that i have tried multiple STB's and multiple HDMI cables and besides it was all working before he had taken it away. So that's how i left it with him, he'll be out on monday.

Panasonic called back soon after asking if i had a phone call from U-Matic and i told them the story that he was trying to pass the but onto my equipment as explained above. I told them it was all working before he took it. I think they understood as they said if this damage was done at the repair shop then it's included in the 90 day warranty and i think they know he did it as they were saying that all the boards in the plasma are basically inter-mingled, which tells me they understand that him changing over one board has probably damaged another board somehow. They said that they think he will be able to fix it or if i have no success on monday to call them back.

But Panasonic did seem generally concerned as they are now getting complaints due to this idiot repairman who is representing them and doing a very poor job of it. This repairman is going to be told straight on monday, trying to blame my equipment when he's the one who's broken it. He's got a bloody cheek i tell ya.

Hopefully all goes well on monday.

[Anton-P.]

PDPs ... are actually great computer monitor screens and are NOT meant to be used for long periods as a TV.

Come on come on ... are you quite sure of what you're ranting about?

Never heard of plasmas being mainstream use as PC monitor screens

(did own an IBM laptop with orange-ish plasma great many years ago, it wasn't a successful idea).

[Zacspeed]

You guys wouldnt know a dodgey repair man if he stood in front of you with a sign saying so.

For a person that has a lot to say about opinionated and thin skinned PDP consumers you certainly have alot of opinion and ill informed advice to give everyone.

I think alot of the facts have been twisted to make that statement seemingly have some substance.

You'd think it was written by a politician.

[SBOB]

and in case you havent been told, PDPs have a 100% failure rate over a 5 year period..

so those panels OLDER than 5 years, in regular use are what, a glitch in the matrix...

get a clue

[Zacspeed]

Good call, I think that guy is Jimbo's repair man hehe.

Jimbo gave the impression his repair guy was clueless and perhaps its only a coincidence, but so is Captain Howdy up there.

[d2b05]

You guys wouldnt know a dodgey repair man if he stood in front of you with a sign saying so. And the guy who says hes a Samsung authorised repairer...mate I bet I could have you at DFT within 5 minutes of investigating your business.

What right do you have to bag a colleague? Maybe this is a good opportunity to bag the crap out of your opposition eh?

The guys at U Matic have been in the business since Colour TV was invented and technically speaking, they are amongst some of the best technicians this country has to offer. The fact that he diagnosed the problem in your house should reflect that, or doesnt that count for anything?

Oh yeah, you probably thought it was a picture tube, right? Morons! And why would you blame him for a 6 week delay on the parts, whos the idiot now? He didnt make the TV, he didnt sell it to you, he didnt cause it to break down and he doesnt make the parts to fix it, all that is done by Panasonic. This bloke was simply trying to help an ungrateful illeterate that has nothing better to do than wingeand****andmoan and was trying to offload his dodgey TV to his mother...nice one son!

As for taking it away to the workshop, thats what normally happens if the work environment (your lounge room) is a dark and dingy Sh&@ hole!

Don't forget, your PDP was FAULTY BEFORE you rang him, and I bet you weren't even using the HDMI provision until your mother wanted it connected. In plain English, this means that it was ALREADY faulty but you didnt notice this because you weren't using it and the guys at U Matic didnt notice it because its generally not something that fails so it doesnt get checked after repairs, does this make sense? Its all but impossible to make a HDMI PCB fail, unless of course he took it out of the set and stomped on it half a dozen times...I think that would do it?

Panasonic will never admit to their products being rubbish, its not in their vocabulary to say so. Just like the 50" Panasonic PDPs that randomly develop a crack in the glass rendering your $8,000 TV useless! Must be "user error" they say.

And what are you worried about anyway, if Panasonic are keen to look after their clients as they should be, you wont have any problems getting this fixed under warranty.

You're all so quick to jump to conclusions. You sound like you've never had anything that has ever gone wrong in your life and God help you if it does because you're not handling this very well.

PS. You think your plasma TV is an investment? Nuh mate, try selling it on Ebay, lucky if you get $500. You're just one of the many gullible people who bought one and in case you havent been told, PDPs have a 100% failure rate over a 5 year period....congratulations, you've joined the club! They are actually great computer monitor screens and are NOT meant to be used for long periods as a TV.

glad to see you living up to your forum name or maybe you thought you'd start your posting at the bottom and work your way up.

either way, that kind of drivel is best left for other boards. be constructive or dont post.

[Shonky*]

Two options:

1) Troll

2) The dodgy repairman himself

[OakenShield1]

Two options:

1) Troll

2) The dodgy repairman himself

Agreed, just ignore him guys, troll alert. Location NSW!

Where is BITEY??

BITEY....

As for Jimbo, I agree with everyone, keep on it mate.

Panasonic aren't exactly renowned for their customer service. Sounds like you're having a good run with them, it's the "Approved" repairer thats the problem though.

did he pop in yesterday?

[angelus512]

LOL Thats got to be the most psychotic, spiteful post on DTV I think I've ever read. Seriously did somebody violate your sister's honor or something?

[Guest JimboTHX1138]

Yeah, that's disgusting. But yet further proves of the hassles i'm having with this repair centre. I think it may be the repairman or someone he's put up to it whose posted that nonsense.

The repair guy came out yesterday and informed me that he had seen this thread on this forum and he was mad about it. He said Panasonic had seen the thread and rung him up saying "what is this idiot on about", but i doubt that very much. Panasonic have been more than helpful so far, it's a pity they have someone so illinformed and incompetent representing them. I said that i prefered the TV in the condition it was in before and if possible to reverse whatever he had done, he then said he wanted me to reverse what i had written on this forum bagging him.

At first he was saying he wasn't going to honor his warranty and that i cannot prove this happened in his shop. He said why did i post this and that i have nothing better to do all day than bag him on this forum. A lot of what was written in that nasty post was said to me yesterday to my face, which is why i suspect it may be the repairman himself or a colleague as similar language and comments were made.

Later on in a subsequent phone call he had changed his tune and said he would honor the warranty and that he is going to fix it. It seems a HD board was damaged and needs replacing. Hopefully he keeps to his word but am skeptical at this point due to the jekyll and hyde attidude i've encountered so far.

I rang Panasonic today about my treatment once again and the suspicious post in this thread. Panasonic were very helpful yet again and reassured me that it is covered in the 90 day warranty and my TV will be getting fixed. Due to the nature of this repairmans arrogance i will be going through Panasonic from now on until the part comes in for repair and hopefully this matter will be over shortly.

Most of my posts on this forum is seeking genuine help or offering advice or trying to help someone else out. I didn't think i was doing anything wrong by starting this thread and letting people know of my experiences with this repair centre. If they could just admit that this damage was done in there shop instead of passing the but onto me and my equipment etc. none of this would be happening.

[Zacspeed]

Freedom of speech is what it is. Unfortunately people crumble under the pressure of the truth being out there and making them look like a dill.

I think the more people voice their experiences good or bad the better it is for all involved.

That guy sounds like the man that got dumped bad by his girlfriend yet is trying to save face by cowering back with a piss poor excuse.

Then again if we didn't have these oxygen thieves in society, what else would we do for entertainment when our TV's are in for repair

[Guest JimboTHX1138]

You guys wouldnt know a dodgey repair man if he stood in front of you with a sign saying so. And the guy who says hes a Samsung authorised repairer...mate I bet I could have you at DFT within 5 minutes of investigating your business.

What right do you have to bag a colleague? Maybe this is a good opportunity to bag the crap out of your opposition eh?

The guys at U Matic have been in the business since Colour TV was invented and technically speaking, they are amongst some of the best technicians this country has to offer. The fact that he diagnosed the problem in your house should reflect that, or doesnt that count for anything?

Oh yeah, you probably thought it was a picture tube, right? Morons! And why would you blame him for a 6 week delay on the parts, whos the idiot now? He didnt make the TV, he didnt sell it to you, he didnt cause it to break down and he doesnt make the parts to fix it, all that is done by Panasonic. This bloke was simply trying to help an ungrateful illeterate that has nothing better to do than wingeand****andmoan and was trying to offload his dodgey TV to his mother...nice one son!

As for taking it away to the workshop, thats what normally happens if the work environment (your lounge room) is a dark and dingy Sh&@ hole!

Don't forget, your PDP was FAULTY BEFORE you rang him, and I bet you weren't even using the HDMI provision until your mother wanted it connected. In plain English, this means that it was ALREADY faulty but you didnt notice this because you weren't using it and the guys at U Matic didnt notice it because its generally not something that fails so it doesnt get checked after repairs, does this make sense? Its all but impossible to make a HDMI PCB fail, unless of course he took it out of the set and stomped on it half a dozen times...I think that would do it?

Panasonic will never admit to their products being rubbish, its not in their vocabulary to say so. Just like the 50" Panasonic PDPs that randomly develop a crack in the glass rendering your $8,000 TV useless! Must be "user error" they say.

And what are you worried about anyway, if Panasonic are keen to look after their clients as they should be, you wont have any problems getting this fixed under warranty.

You're all so quick to jump to conclusions. You sound like you've never had anything that has ever gone wrong in your life and God help you if it does because you're not handling this very well.

PS. You think your plasma TV is an investment? Nuh mate, try selling it on Ebay, lucky if you get $500. You're just one of the many gullible people who bought one and in case you havent been told, PDPs have a 100% failure rate over a 5 year period....congratulations, you've joined the club! They are actually great computer monitor screens and are NOT meant to be used for long periods as a TV.

How would you know about my dark lounge room. The only reason it was dark was because when he was dribbling about the blacks i closed the curtains to get the reflection off the screen.

If the only way to make the HDMI fail is to take it out and stomp on it then how did i do it. U-Matic are the only ones who have taken the back off the TV.

For your information i was using the HDMI before i gave the TV to my parents and it was working perfectly. The fault with it now is bigger than the fault it went in for repairs for and it was in warranty then, so don't you think i would have been getting that fixed. Common sense tells you the fault occured at the repair shop.

As for giving my parents a dodgy plasma, i gave it to them so they could have the same joys of a large flat screen TV that i was getting. It wasn't dodgy before U-Matic touched it.

It's curious that you would say that U-Matic have been in the buisness since colour TV was invented because that was the same comment made to me yesterday by the repairman. Besides a company is only as good as the people working for them, and maybe U-Matic was good when they started out but i doubt this repairman was working for them then.

And as for the comment made to me over the phone about me having nothing better to do all day than write on this forum, he is obviously reading it. Maybe if he spent more time repairing things i would have a fully functional plasma now.

The plasma got this fault at the repair shop and he knows it, he's been caught and now his nose has been put out of joint which is why he has to resort to treating people like s*** . He would rather blame everyone else than admit the truth, that the fault occured at his repair centre.