General Forum

Re: Software updates - should I have to pay?

TerryM — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 06:59:15 GMT

moxxey:
TerryM:

Well,I must be fortunate in that my local dealer does not charge for firmware updates.
Terry, is your dealer situation like mine? My dealer currently employes their engineers so they do not need to 'pay' a fee just to update the sw - they are paid a daily wage whether they are busy or not.
However, this is due to change. Our dealer's engineers will have to go freelance soon (which is the norm for B&O UK dealer engineers), which means the dealer will have to pay an hourly fee whenever they are working - ie. around my place installing a sw update :)
So, I'm wondering if the policy will change in future?

Hi,

no.

My dealer has to arrange for an independent engineer to update firmware,even for his "in shop" stock.

Hopefully his philosophy/policy will remain unchanged.

Terry.

Re: Software updates - should I have to pay?

Doc — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:20:57 GMT

I agree with TerryM that updates, whether or not "crucial", should be a service of an expensive premium brand like B&O.

Re: Software updates - should I have to pay?

moxxey — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:07:27 GMT

TerryM:
Well,I must be fortunate in that my local dealer does not charge for firmware updates.

Terry, is your dealer situation like mine? My dealer currently employes their engineers so they do not need to 'pay' a fee just to update the sw - they are paid a daily wage whether they are busy or not.

However, this is due to change. Our dealer's engineers will have to go freelance soon (which is the norm for B&O UK dealer engineers), which means the dealer will have to pay an hourly fee whenever they are working - ie. around my place installing a sw update :)

So, I'm wondering if the policy will change in future?

Re: Software updates - should I have to pay?

TerryM — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 02:24:29 GMT

Well,I must be fortunate in that my local dealer does not charge for firmware updates.

He considers it to be part of the service a customer is entitled to,especially given the price of B & O's high end TVs.

Given previous comments,is support for 1080p24 really an added feature that should be charged for?

After all Pioneer's TVs have supported it for at least the last three model generations.

Re: Software updates - should I have to pay?

moxxey — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:35:21 GMT

I think that his point - most sw updates are done by an engineer, outside of the store. I'd always make sure you really need the sw update (most updates fix minor issues that we'll rarely notice) and perhaps save an update to once or twice a year. As Peter says, you may need to find a reason for requesting the update ;)

Re: Software updates - should I have to pay?

beo-ap — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:22:43 GMT

If it's a chip that needs to be replaced then I think we should pay.

If it's a service call to you home we should pay.

If it's a software only upload at the store, then we should not have to pay.

Of course, I won't be taking my Avant to the store any day soon.

Re: Software updates - should I have to pay?

MartinW — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 05:35:03 GMT

Thanks for the replies guys. And Peter - funny you mention that - I can see it now!!

Re: Software updates - should I have to pay?

moxxey — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 01:01:05 GMT

A problem with B&O is that their store engineers are freelancers, so the store has to pay for their time. Luckily for me, our local dealer employs their engineers, so they were/are always keen to send one out, update sw, fix issues etc. However, that's due to change now B&O UK own the store - they want the employed engineers to go freelance.

However, if you can prove that there is an issue with your TV, and the required sw update will fix this issue, then they ought to do the update for free. Perhaps one update a year? That's reasonable.

With B&O technology, you are buying products that are a) supposed to last and b) can be upgraded. In fact, that was one of their selling points - that if a problem occurs, or technology is updated, they can sw upgrade the TV (and hw upgrade in some cases).

Re: Software updates - should I have to pay?

Peter — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:42:12 GMT

So be sure to mention the muting problem you have with the CD, the fact that the picture format changes when your wife turns on the audio in the link room and that irritating white flash. If you have them of course.

Re: Software updates - should I have to pay?

PhilLondon — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 11:40:12 GMT

The policy is not to charge if the update is to correct a bug that you experience, and to charge if it is to add features.

Software updates - should I have to pay?

MartinW — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 10:40:51 GMT

I have read the post on 4.24a software update for BV7-40Mk3 to allow support for 24p with great interest, and contacted my dealer to arrange this for my set. They advised me that they would come back to me with suggested dates and the cost?

I had assumed as the TV is less than a year old that the software updates would be free - does anyone else have any experience of whether you have to pay for this or not?

Cheers,
M