Reading Bug said:
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invest in new burners and tighten up the chain.
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I am aware of the high quality reputation that Pioneer once held.
Regarding this full featured model of Pioneer USB burner I could not locate a new one so, based on the recommendations of this forum, I took a chance and ordered the refurbished ones from Geeks.
I normally avoid buying most "refurbished" items for a variety of reasons.
This does not equate to buying "used" or "rebuilt" merchandise, so long as I am either very familiar with what I am purchasing or am aware of a common standard when it comes to the term "rebuilt."
Sometimes people just return things and there is nothing actually wrong with them. The items are as good as new but are resold as "used" or "refurbished."
In such cases the second buyer gets a great deal at a fraction of the "new" price.
Unfortunetly when it comes to "refurbished" items today one seldom has an inkling as to what "refurbished" actually means... the term is very subjective and can be falsely reassuring to the uninformed.
Just exactly what is tested and to what "standard," and what is being replaced or repaired before resale... one seldom knows.
In order to avoid "a game of chance" one must know and trust the company and/or the refurbisher.
With so much impersonal communication these days that element of trust is becoming more and more to difficult obtain.
Too often with too many companies and their underpaid, inexperienced, misinformed staff, one is just as likely to receive somebody elses unfixed problem, as they are to get something that is as good as brand new.
Whether deliberate or not the old axiom regarding "used car salesmen" and "unscrupulous mechanics" still applies: "let the buyer beware."
You'd better be a good mechanic, or know someone who is who will thoroughly check that vehicle out for you before you lay down your hard earned cash, or live in a state that has No Lemon Laws in effect.
Generally speaking, electronic components either work or they don't. But sometimes one newly replaced component will strain an older component causing it to eventually fail.
I don't know Geeks from Adam, but based upon my conversations with their "tech" department, I'm so far unimpressed.
No one could or would share any details about who and how their "refurbishing" system is supposed to work, i.e. Just what components are tested, how they are tested and what is actually repaired or replaced.
In this instance, if testing merely means turning something on and seeing if it can read and burn then that may not give an accurate picture of whether there is an existing problem.
That is why
I was initially hopeful that a member of this forum that owns the same model of Pioneer burner (External USB 2.0 DVD/CD Writer DVR-X162Q ) and uses ImgBurn software with Windows XP or Vista OS would see this thread and could share with me their burning experience at 8x or greater.
That way I could easily rule out whether this is an inate concern with this particular model or not?
Unfortunely, no one has come forward to share so I must endure this cumbersome process....
Here are some of the RMA details from Geeks:
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(This is not a prepaid label.)
What to expect with a Warranty Exchange (WE) return:
Merchandise returned is for Warranty Exchange only.
Computer Geeks will test and replace all authorized items received.
If an item returned is found to be in working condition Computer Geeks will return the product immediately.
(Please ship all product back as originally received including all retail packaging and accessories.)
If the returned merchandise is found to be defective Computer Geeks will replace the item with a like, suitable, or upgraded replacement that is equal in value.
Computer Geeks will replace all defective merchandise within 7 to 10 business days.
If a suitable replacement is not available the return will be credited to your Computer Geeks account for the full purchase price.
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Regarding my RMA to Geeks, since these burners are in "working condition" (albeit with some caveats in that they do not perform as well as they should be able to) what may happen is that I could possibly get the very same Pioneer burner returned to me, just as I sent it, existing problem intact.
Or I could recieive a different model "of equal
refurbished value" which would also foil the "experiment."
I am at the mercy of some technician at Geeks to actually read and follow up on the notes I have included describing the problem as I have in this thread.
If that person is concientious, and Geek policy allows, I should receive a different unit, preferably of the same model that the techs have tested beforehand to determine (using the same
Imgburn software and operating systems) that no burn rings appear at 8x or greater burn speeds.
But too many past experiences in a variety of venues with issues far less "complex" than this have proven that complacency &/or incompetance is too often becoming the norm as opposed to the exception these days.
Admin said:
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Trade in one drive and see what happens.
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It's a lot like pot luck, but here goes...