firmware updates

dunsh

Hi people, any ideas please.
Christmas 2010 I bought a Samsung bluray player for my parents, this year I got my dad 'the lone ranger' film. The disc won't play because Samsung have not updated their firmware for 18 months and will not be updating it. Therefore a designated bluray player can't play bluray discs. Not fit for purpose I hear you cry! So I can't take it back to blockbusters as they are bump, I contact Samsung, they have no obligation after the 12 month warranty. I contact the credit card company, they only do charge back under 200 day's after purchase.
I have 6 years under the sale of goods act, according to all involved no one is answerable to the law. Please help.

Stooby2

I don't think you have a leg to stand on. It's still capable of playing Bluray discs from when it was made, but manufacturers can't be expected to know what changes to formats will occur three years down the line.

dunsh

The format is the same. So are you saying the disc is not Fit for purpose? It works in another player.
When you buy a tv, do u not expect to see a tv picture 3 years later because BBC have added to the picture? No you don't. It is a designated device that now can't do what it was paid for

flashg67

dunsh wrote: »

The format is the same. So are you saying the disc is not Fit for purpose? It works in another player.
When you buy a tv, do u not expect to see a tv picture 3 years later because BBC have added to the picture? No you don't. It is a designated device that now can't do what it was paid for

Actually, this happened to millions - my analogue TV tuner no longer receives a signal - I had to buy extra equipment to receive freeview - I didn't sue Bush because they didn't tell me analogue would be switched off 3 years down the line!

I agree thought that the situation you're in is pretty poor but you have to ask yourself how much is your time worth to pursue a case against a huge multinational like Samsung (who I think your case would be with), with no guarantee of success? Have you tried Twitter or Facebook to see if you can shame Samsung into helping?

Blu-ray players have dropped a lot in price - 3 years might be deemed a reasonable time to have lasted and perhaps it's time to move on. IMO, you'd be unlikely to get 100% of your money back anyway, seeing as you've had 3 years use out of it?

Stooby2

dunsh wrote: »

The format is the same. So are you saying the disc is not Fit for purpose? It works in another player.
When you buy a tv, do u not expect to see a tv picture 3 years later because BBC have added to the picture? No you don't. It is a designated device that now can't do what it was paid for

In that scenario it would hardly be the TV manufacturer's fault if the BBC decided to change the way it broadcast. The manufacturer may well decide to spend money on developing new firmware for the telly, but they are under no obligation to do so.

However, it seems that Samsung might offer some goodwill, if you're prepared to complain high enough about it, but whether that goodwill would extend to a three year old device is not certain.

http://consumerist.com/2013/04/04/samsung-replaces-blu-ray-player-that-wont-play-perfectly-good-discs/

System

The problem is more likely to be the protection system now in use on blu-ray disc. This evolves as each protection method gets circumvented it is very difficult for player manufacturers to keep up to date.

Stooby2

!!!!!! wrote: »

The problem is more likely to be the protection system now in use on blu-ray disc. This evolves as each protection method gets circumvented it is very difficult for player manufacturers to keep up to date.

Just reading through various AV / techie forums with loads of people complaining about this issue and it seems you're right. There's a few workarounds that having varying levels of success, but overall it seems Samsung are aware of the issue and have decided not to do anything about it.

System

I'm not really surprised. Samsung would be chasing an ever moving target. The people who keep devising these new protection systems are being paid to protect the film copyright holders and have no interest in the problems that it causes for the hardware manufacturers or, ultimately, the consumer. Until that is sales start plummeting due consumers not wanting to buy new players every year.

macman

Back to basics: even if you had a valid claim under SOGA within 6 years, then that claim is against the retailer, not the manufacturer. So I'm afraid this is not going anywhere. Samsung have no contract with you, and no liability in law whatsoever once their warranty expires.

dunsh

So your all saying "if you buy something to do a specific job, no one is to blame when that product isn't capable of doing the job" well I'm impressed with the lay down and die attitude. You make me so proud to be British!

penrhyn

Whats the model of the player? My Samsung is a few years old and I'm sure its had a couple of upgrades.