[drssyoon]

I haven't posted in a while, but I am so ticked off at Creative that I feel a need to vent. My son purchased a brand new Zen Vision:M late December. The thing dies in January - hard disk failure.

I had excellent experience with Apple with their repair policy and was expecting something similar. Was I completely wrong.

Nevermind the amount of time it took to actually speak to a live person, who insisted that I need to do xyz even though I told her that I had done that already! I had to send it back at my cost, and after waiting for a month for a repaired unit, I received a scratched-up replacement that is DOA! Now, I guess I have to restart the entire RMA process and will take another 4 weeks to get a replacement.

Creative may have technologically superior unit, but I will NEVER purchase another thing from them.

 

[LingLing1337]

One bad experience shouldn't ruin it for you, this is completely out of the norm for Creative. I have had nothing but stellar support from them, and most other people report the same thing.

 

[Omari149]

Thats terrible, well maybe your son will like the Zune better than the Creative. I haven't had any problems with it and its been almost 2 months. When my computer had problems Microsoft had good customer support, they helped me solve every problem and now my PC functions flawlessly.

 

[jmmtn4aj]

Heh, my friend dropped a Zen and the hard disk spoiled, so he sent it in and Creative insisted he had to pay for it, more than how much a second hand Zen of the same model would cost instead. Apple simply replaces iPods with hard disk failures

 

[abitdeef]

I went through the same thing with 2 zen micros, (broken headphone jacks), creative was horrible.

My first nano screen cracked, and apple had me a replacement in 3 days, all on their bill.

I only mention it because I usually expect awful service from big companies and apples service really suprised me.

 

[cfraser]

I have done lots of "research" on current Creative units. I own two fairly current. My interpretation of the bottom line is: when something goes wrong with a Creative unit, no matter what it is, you will probably not be able to fix the problem yourself. They have a horrible problem of going into some kind of shutdown state that you won't be able to get out of. Could happen when you're updating Windows, Media Player, Creative firmware or software, charging the unit, just using the unit, whatever. Check out the Creative site, most reported issues seem to be with the Vision M. Sure, all these units work great when everything's fine, but Creative really needs to get their software/firmware act together so units don't die when there is no real hardware problem. Their software/firmware dying often makes it seem like a hardware problem, what else is the typical consumer to think when the unit doesn't power up. They need a permanent piece of code in their players that is a bootstrap loader or similar, something the user can access in an emergency and completely re-install firmware etc. from scratch, like a PC has...bet they'd have a lot less returns and complaints. And there are a LOT of complaints, even the stores know about the problems, these can be finicky devices in some ways. I have seen one quit in the store after coming off the USB charger. My first Zen V+ failed after applying a Creative update to WMP...back to the store.

It seems that every other person I know who has an iPod got a DOA one. Yes, they were quickly replaced. Why I buy these gadgets at local stores. There are brands far less well-served than Creative and Apple, I just happen to follow those two so have a few more stories.

 

[kramer5150]

Well... I'm in the same boat, with the MuVo V100. Ive posted scattered positive comments about this little inexpensive player. Its murphys law I guess, and I jinxed it the minute I posted that first comment. I waited till' after 2-3 months of heavy use, to post anything. Figured if it died, it would die in that first 1/4 year.

Wrong... the other day, it just flat out refused to power up. Plugging it into the USB to re-format and re-install firmware, my PC doesn't detect it. It makes no difference if I use the creative media-source bundled software or windows explorer.

I'm bummed. I had a 512M muVo TX for 3+ years before it finally died. I still have an original Nomad jukebox 6G and it still works, but its HUGE and eats AA batteries.

So, I'll send the V100 in for warranty repair. and see what happens

Can you guys offer any further advice, in handling the RMA with Creative?

Thanks

 

[nfsu]

What in my Zen Micro broke down:
earphones (they were crap anyway)
earphones socket (3 times!)
USB port
Battery cover
Firmware (it was used to turn on without any help)
Also it's all covered in scratches and battery lasts only 8 hours. SQ without amp is terible. I paid for Zen 300$ and now I can't sell it for 100$ O_o

 

[cfraser]

I also have a Zen Nano Plus, very similar in performance/SQ to the MuVo. I think it actually performs and sounds very well. Its firmware and method of file display/access is kinda limited once you go over 1GB, not very convenient. Does rather well on a single NiMH AAA, I think. However, this thing looked like a piece of $#!+ after a week...it's impossible to even touch it without leaving a scratch, a microfiber cloth for glasses even scratches up the plastic...what's with that? And that battery door clasp is so obviously going to break. Whereas the Zen V+ probably has the best plastic going, no care really needed, and the cheapest 1GB V+ doesn't cost much more (actually, today, exactly the same here) than the Nano +. Weird stuff; they have the capability to do good things, just seem a little muddled somewhere along the line, hope it's temporary, they do make some interesting products. I understand they are having financial problems, maybe the cutbacks are in customer service???

 

[RickB]

I think these companies (and Apple is guilty of it too) deliberately design their products to scratch up easily/show wear and tear. It's like planned obsolescence. They want the product to look so beat up and scratched up in a year that the consumer will want to buy the latest model.

I bought an Apple iPod 5.5G in January (and reading how scratchtastic it is), bought a case (eVo 3) at the same time. The player has been kept in the case at all times. So do you think the player is mint? Of course not. It has little white marks on the center select button...

Rick

 

[threebeers]

I have a couple of Creative models, and a couple of interesting experiences.

I bought a Zen Nano from an after Thanksgiving sale last year. Sounded ok, a little thin, but no issues until it froze up when I was transfering files. Fished around on the Creative support section and found this thread, it gives a disaster recovery program that worked great and restored the thing:

http://193.95.171.83/SRVS/CGI-BIN/WE....creative.com/

My first MP3 player was a 128mb Creative Muvo, the kind that separates in two and one piece plugs into your usb port. No display, no equalization, no radio, nothing much except play and change track buttons. My wife ran it through the wash a couple of years ago, it wouldn't start, so I threw it in a drawer and figured I would use it as a flash drive in a pinch. Pulled it out the other day and it works! Not only that, but I compared it to the Nano and it sounds much richer, with a full soundstage comparable to a PCDP. It will hold a CD at 192kbs so it's still useful. I'm afraid the small flash players may be going the route of later PCDPs, trading sound quality for battery life.

My king of MP3 players remains a Archos Jukebox Recorder v.2, still going strong after 4 years of daily use.

__________________________________________________ ________________

Sources: Sony D-22, Sony D-33, Iriver SlimX 350, Archos Jukebox Recorder v.2 (Rockbox flashed)

Phones: Sony MDR-F1, Sony V-6, Koss KSC-75, 180s with Creative Earbuds

 

[richsto]

I was thinking of buying a Zen. I think companies like Apple and Creatives tactics are deplorable. All one can do is research and buy what they think the best product is for them. I've given up on trying to decide which mfg will try to "screw" me less....

Rich

 

[Fallingwater]

I dunno man, I've had a pretty good experience with my old Zen USB2.0.
It lasted four years before the charging/DC power circuit finally died, and even when that happened I franksteinized it to accept an external battery and it still plays music just fine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by threebeers /img/forum/go_quote.gif My wife ran it through the wash a couple of years ago, it wouldn't start, so I threw it in a drawer and figured I would use it as a flash drive in a pinch. Pulled it out the other day and it works!

It was probably wet when you tried to run it just after the washing. Then it dried up and became usable again.

 

[skudmunky]

I've had great CS experiences with creative. They fixed 2 of my Zen Micros (during warranty) for free, and they were very nice to me throughout the entire transaction.

Recently my Zen Micro hard drive died after 2 years, so I opened the unit up, replaced the 6gb microdrive with a 8gb CF card, reinstalled the firmware (I had major firmware problems that people all over reported, but I got around it fine) and now it works great. no headphone jack issues with this one either.

My first Creative Nomad IIc works great still too

 

[Tem]

I have had NOT one problem with my Creative Zen Vision:M. I am actually trying to get rid of my Zune and use the ZV:M more often because I personally think the Zune is garbage. I have to say the ZV:M is the best MP3 player I EVER owned and used. If anything other, I would prefer a iPod Video.