PAL in american sold PMW-EX1r

[Keith Greenfield]

Hi Michael, regarding having the supplier sort the firmware upgrade…well kinda did this. I handed over the camera to my supplier and requested they pass to Sony. Four weeks now, supplier not responding so..its going to be legal action I guess. Just how long can they hang on to my gear? Is it Sony or is it the supplier?
best regards
Keith

[Craig Seeman]

My experience is Sony won’t let anyone do the firmware upgrade as warranty service even if they are generally a Sony Pro authorized. My own supplier told me this and recommended I send the camera to Sony.

Sony told me the turnaround is roughly 8 business days (not including time in transit).

[Keith Greenfield]

Well Craig, quite right. Send to Sony.
I handed the camera over to my dealer and requested they send to Sony. Which they have assured me they did. It was after three weeks the dealer informed me that Sony has had a ‘little problem’ but can sort it.
Now its four weeks and I am getting suspicious…I wonder if the dealer had a go and toasted the camera? Hmm.! I have made two requests that the dealer supply the address of the Sony base and also the job number, no response. Getting more suspicious. I am checking on the serial number for the camera to see if it is a’grey import’ not sure if you have that problem over there. We in the UK have to be careful that the dealer is not sourcing the goods from another European country or direct from Japan. If it is a ‘grey import’ and the dealer is up to no good then Sony will not honor the warranty, which is now why I am thinking the dealer has tried a bit of DIY.
I am a member of a pro organisation and am handing this to the legal department tomorrow…watch this space. Sony don’t behave like this do they? do they?
best regards
Keith

[Craig Seeman]

Interesting background. If you have the warranty that came in the box with the camera you should check that. Also the box itself can indicate who (the dealer) it was shipped to. If you weren’t sold the camera in the Sony box I’d be suspicious.

I’ve heard of two types of responses to failed firmware upgrades. One is approximately $3000 to replace the processor (and motherboard I assume) and the other is a bit over $300 if it goes back to Japan as they alone apparently have the tools to rescue the processor.

My own dealer was forthright in saying I should send the camera directly to Sony for firmware upgrade.
There are very few Sony service centers so you can call them directly and give them the serial number and they’ll tell you whether it’s in and its status. If the service center in your country says they don’t have it then you have clear evidence.

[Keith Greenfield]

Hi Craig…checking box now…has an ‘E’ logo…so far so good. I am attending a trade show here in the UK tomorrow so will corner Sony with the info and get a definitive answer.