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Slingbox under 2 years no longer working, worth pursing?

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Hi there

I have a Slingbox Solo, which is less than 1.5 years old. Yesterday it decided to stop working. It powers on but will not connect to the network. I know it isn't a fault with my router or my wired network at home because I have tested all of that and have other devices running ok. I've even restarted; reset and done a factory reset of my router.

Now Sling box on their Web Site suggest replacing the power lead, for which they sell a replacement. I'm not so keen on buying such a thing to find it doesn't actually fix the problem. Slingbox do state they do not claim this will always resolve the problem. So it's a buy at ones own risk. What's to say the next lead they sell won't develop the same fault.

I've not contacted Slingbox directly because they charge a support call fee to speak to you. I have read on other forums that other people have taken more drastic action and replaced their capacitors, as they have started leaking. This something they have done themselves, as opposed to getting Slingbox to do and not something I would be comfortable doing myself. I don't even know if that is the problem in my case.

The box cost me £115 and I spent £20 on the iPod Touch app. Is it worth me pursuing this further because I believe, having spent that much, that the product should work for longer than 1.5 years. I certainly didn't buy it with the intention of it only last 1.5 years.

There are a reasonable number of people experiencing capacitor issues with their Slingbox's. Of course it isn't in Slingbox's interests to admit a design flaw. They may not have been aware such a problem would occur when they built the Slingboxs'.

Having done some reading on this forum I am aware I would need to speak to the retailer. As it is over a year I would need to get proof of a manufacturing fault. How would I go about doing this and is it worth doing, given it cost me £115? The box can only be opened by taking the feet off and once that happens, would there be the accusation that I or someone else damaged the box and not the manufacturer?

Thanks for reading

Comments

  • Moneymaker
    Moneymaker Posts: 1,984 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Replacing the power lead won't help if the unit isn't completely dead. Replacing the AC adapter might - look for one of the same ratings. If that doesn't help, replacing the capacitors is quite a simple matter for anyone with hands and a soldering iron. It's such a common fault that there's even a You-tube video showing how to fix it. (If you want to do the repair only ONCE, be sure to use the proper Low-ESR capacitors. It's the ESR that matters, not the temperature rating.)
  • Creosote
    Creosote Posts: 113 Forumite
    http://support-worldwide.slingbox.com/get/KB-2000042.html
    How long is the hardware warranty for Sling Media hardware?

    All Sling Media hardware products come with a 1-year hardware warranty (US) or 2-year hardware warranty (Europe).
    If you contact technical support outside of your complimentary support and hardware warranty period, you must pay for a single support incident or have an extended care agreement (where available) in order to get help from our support experts. Extended care agreements are no longer being offered to new customers.

    Call them on below, explain the issues and that it's under warranty. At first they tend to supply the power adapter. If it still fails they then tend to send a replacement box, with a prepaid returns label to sent back your faulty device.

    We are available from 9 am GMT - 6 pm GMT (10 am CET - 7 pm CET) Monday through Friday.
    UK: (020) 7294 0157
  • Thank you for all your replies. I am very grateful.

    I've not followed this up yet but hope to do so in the next month.

    Kind regards
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