Gaming Run Around Repair

[kizu]

For some of you who rememebr me, you may also know that I have a "gamecube deluxe", Panasonic Q, Sl-GC10, what ever you want to call it. Recently, in the last month or two (that isn't to recent is it :P) I have been having problems with it. I have a brand new disk in and nothin. It won't read. When it first started I would run a DVD Lens Cleaner. That would fix the problem for a while. After sever months of doing this my GCN has developed a more sever problem. It now takes on average 15-20 tries before I can get a disk read. So after a month of having to open and close the disk tray 20 times before the game would finally start I called the Customer Service number. I can understand how the Nintendo Of America can not and will not help me fix my game cube. The person I was talking to in a nut shell told me to go to [url]www.nintendo.co.jp[/url] and try to find it there. Or call 01181756629600 which would be no help. If I don't speak japanese he said that they would reroute my call back to NoA. So I am forced to either buy a new gamecube, or live with mine until I get tired of taking 20 times to read. Although the condition is getting worse, so I assume that eventually I will have to try 30 time, then 40, and so on until it finally won't read.

What bothers me the most is that the person from Nintendo I was takling to didn't know what the heck he was talking about. I told him what was wrong with my cube. The only problem is that the censor that detects a disk is going or has gone bad. He went on talking about the outlets and tv frequency. I am quite tempted to call back and hope I can talk to another person there.

Well, I hope that made sence.

[Semjaza]

You can call back there, but I'll tell you right now that they'll never be of much hope because you bought a model of the GCN that Nintendo of America never even released. Hell, Nintendo itself isn't even responsible for the thing -- Panasonic is -- so I'm not that surprised that they don't have a lot of information on it to help you with.

[James]

[color=#707875]You're calling Nintendo about a product that they don't even make. What you want to do, if anything, is call Panasonic. Even then, Panasonic in the US may not be able to do much, because the Q is exclusive to Japan as far as I know.

So, this is kind of what you get when you import a product -- you have to understand that no warranties or services apply to you when you import something like that. All you can do is try and take it to someone who repairs electronics...or scrap it, or put up with it. [/color]

[kizu]

James, I figured that since the Q has the Gamecube componnets Nintendo would still be able to help me . As far as I know the Q was a litited time offer only avalible in Japan. If I remember that correctly then that will probably add to my frustration. If they are no longer manufacturing the unit I will have fun trying to get a replacement part. :(

I described what was going wrong to a friend of mine. He told me that he same thing happens to ps2. So I am assuming that I played it enough to wear out a censor. I guess that I will try calling a custommer support for panasonic in the mean time. I know this much, if I can't get this problem resolved by or atleast in the process of be resolved by Christmans I am going to get a new American GC.

[James]

[color=#707875]Yeah, but...kizu, the Dreamcast has Hitachi parts inside it. You don't take it to Hitachi for repair, do you? You take it to the manufacturer -- SEGA. Same principle goes here.

But once again, this is what you have to anticipate when you buy an imported product like this. You simply have to be prepared to get it repaired by an electronics repair store -- you should try that as a last resort, I'd say. It's probably all you can really do, if Panasonic can't help you.

But yeah, at least if you buy a GameCube, you'll be able to get full warranty support from Nintendo.[/color]

[kizu]

As soon as I can find a number to call, and a calling card I am calling Panasonic. I just spent over 20 min constantly opening and closeing the disc tray every 7 sec (yes I timed it) and it still hasn't read. I honestly don't care if they won't speak English, no one else is home so I can say what I really want to say to them. In the mean time till I get a calling card I think I will have to find a 800 number to call for Panasonic. The whole thing has been constantly getting worse, and if I won't read within 20min, then who knows how long it will take next week. This is extremely annoying now because I just got Viewtiful Joe.