Hi All,
I have had a problem with my EX 85 HDD DVD recorder ( purchased March 07). when viewing on its inbuilt tuner, an am experiencing an intermittent loss of colour. This problem manifested itself soon after installation. I contacted the Panasonic help desk who had no idea. I was told they would discuss it with tech support and call back. No response from them for two months.
This is most prevalent on 7 or ten. I am in Adelaide. The unit is playing through a Sony AV receiver via HDMI to a Sony Bravia 40" V series LCD.
Also in this installation is a Topfield master piece PRV. never a problem with either the LCD or Topfield's reception. I also have a Wintal x10 pvr & AWA LCD running off this aerial installation, these are also faultless performers.
The program also has been recorded to HDD and its location given to the repairer.
I have taken the unit to the local Panasonic warranty repairer. who has bench tested the unit & found nothing and told me to pick up the unit.
What should I do? I am already 25% down on warranty. If I pick up the product and the problem is still present then I will have lost even more of the short 12 mth warranty period.
Should I ask for a replacement unit. Am I likely to get this unit replaced or can I expect a Kiss off?
This new generation of digital products are a night mare. In the past a VCR was just as likely to sustain mechanical failure as an electronic component problem so a tech would spot it & fix it. but now it seems so many invisible problems occur that the repairers just dont seem to have the time or resources to resolve.

I seem to always buy Panasonic units built on POETS day!!!

Any others out there who have come across this problem with Panasonic EX series HDD DVD recorders?

thanks in advance
Lew

Most likely a hair-line crack, or dry joint on the PBA somewhere.
Obviously they gave it the spray freeze and heatgun treatment to induce the fault?

I have fixed equipment myself in the past, after the incompetent service dept couldn't fix it.
Service departments generally don't spend too long looking for intermittant faults, real sausage factory stuff.
Next!

The above doesn't really help you, but if you have a second repairer, and it costs you nothing being under warranty, take it there and see how you go.

Persist with Panasonic to fix/replace it. The squeaky wheel gets the oil

Thanks Guys, Yes it is very frustrating, I will Panasonic tomorrow. I really do not want to pick up the unit until I know the problem has been fixed.
I hate the policy that passes the costs of running all over town picking up and dropping off faulty units because someone thinks its just a warranty repair! Not caring about the costs incurred by the consumer in the quest for the product, they have purchased believing it fit for purpose. Only to find the product faulty.

Lew

Up date
I have had my antenna tested vhf 70 bd + uhf 68 db + verdict great reception system fine.
I advised the Panasonic help line of this outcome, result the warranty period was extended by three months, so I agreed to pick up unit.
I was told the unit did not display a problem on the test bed so it must be a problem with the cables or too close to a speaker or too close to a display. These all seem to lame excuses for a warranty system that fails consumers. It appears that an authorised repairer is paid a fixed fee + parts for repair. In my case the problem is intermittent. So there is not enough money in the contract assessment fee to allow an adequate investigation of the problem.
There fore as a consumer you should the cost of running back & forth picking up a faulty unit.
As I suspected )and stress to Panasonic) the problem still is present. Especially on seven & ten.
I have recorded the fault to the hard drive & played it back, the loss of colour or change from red to blue or green displays in the same location in the recording each time it plays.
This would indicate to me that the problem has nothing to do with sundry cables of speaker location but with the tuner module.
I will now transfer the recorded fault to DVD SOt is even easier for the tech to see.

When asked by Panasonic what I wanted, I replied if the repair is not rectified and if it is beyond the capability of their authorised professional repairer, then the unit should be replaced.
I was told in no uncertain terms I had signed for a repair warranty not a replacement, so I should keep returning it until it was fixed.
Looks like I have an uphill battle to get a unit that actually works to the standard you would expect from a premium brand at a premium price!!!

Oh well how does it go " Buyer beware" or be warned all ye who pass this point are lost!

regards
Lew