New Frame rates

[Sam Young]

I told the Canon service rep lady here in Hong Kong that $500USD is outrageous, she smiled and agreed with me.

She even suggested that I tried to find the firmware online and do it myself (we can only wish).

Must all Canon camcorders be sent back to its service center for firmware reflashes?

[Frank Spangler]

Originally Posted by Sam Young

Okay, I will go to Canon and ask personally before I leave for the US. I will also ask them if you can send ship the camera straight to them, and ship it back to you in Vietnam after the upgrade, unless the camera is your baby, that is a logic money and time just to fly over here to HK. I will let you know.

It is more a case of the shipping back into Vietnam, and what some costoms official might want to charge me to release the camera to me!

To quote Forest Gump. "Vietnam .... It's like this whole other country!"

[Frank Spangler]

Originally Posted by Nigel Barker

Am I the only person who thinks that it's pretty outrageous for Canon to charge $500 or more just to install updated firmware to provide missing features that other manufacturers include without extra cost?

I am OK with the cost for the feature you get. What I don't like is that you have to send the camera in to have it done, or how some service centers say it will take three days to try and give the impression that it is a bigger job then it really is. I purchased three Canon XHA1 cameras over three years, and would have gladly done this to all three, at $500 each, had the process been easier. I don't want to ship a camera in and be without it for a week. It is just not convenient. Canon needs to supply their dealers with a limited number of units that already have this activated. I would have GLADLY paid the extra $500 up front for the last four cameras that I have bought. To get it done after the fact, is a real pain in the backside, not to mention the lost time, if I have to fly it in, and wait around a few days to get it done. If it is just a matter of flashing the firmware, just sell us the file on line! My credit card is poised!

Frank

[Sam Young]

Originally Posted by Frank Spangler

It is more a case of the shipping back into Vietnam, and what some costoms official might want to charge me to release the camera to me!

To quote Forest Gump. "Vietnam .... It's like this whole other country!"

Ahhhhhh gotcha! Reason I love about Hong Kong is there is no customs tax. I never have to worry!

I called Canon HK service center. She said that on average, the drop off service is 5-7 days. But she added that there is a chance they can get the camera back to you on the same day, depending on their traffic for that particular day. So there is no guarantee if they can service it for you quickly (even though it is a freaking quick firmware reflash job).

I leave for the US in two days, but I will try to go up to the service center to ask personally.

By the way, I love Vietnam, and Pho' is my favorite food in the world (even above steak)!

[Vincent Oliver]

Originally Posted by Matt Ford

Takes 10 mins.. If you book it in and take it yourself the London centre will do it why you have a coffee..

For the price I would expect a coffee and lunch to be included.