[MPlayer-users] [off-topic] Interneeds / 3w

[Andres Heinloo]

Hi,

I have a couple of NTSC VHS tapes that I try to convert to some usable 
format. My VCR has "60Hz PAL" output (so called "NTSC playback on PAL 
TV"), but my capture device wants true NTSC. AFAIK, "60Hz PAL" is similar 
to PAL-M used in Brazil, so I was looking for a converter that can convert 
PAL-M to NTSC and found the following device for 65 euro:

http://www.threedoubleyou.com/cam700.htm

There were some small misunderstandings with payment and shipping address, 
so I exchanged few (friendly) emails with the company. Anyway, finally I 
received the package. The device was in a bubble envelope without any 
other protection! I shaked the device and it sounded like there were many 
loose metal parts inside that were moving around.

In their shipment confirmation, they wrote:

    Please examine your package carefully upon accepting delivery and if 
    it looks at all damaged then please sign the postal service sheet 
    "packaging damaged or tampered with" or words to that effect. This 
    will assist us with making insurance claims should your goods have 
    been damaged or interfered with during transit.

OK, so I returned the package.

Today I got the email below. When reading it, I realized that the whole 
thing could have been fraud. Maybe the "device" they sent was just a box 
with some stuff inside? Damn, I regret so much that I sent it back instead 
of opening it and having a look inside!

Of course, it is also possible that the salesperson is a psycho. Or is 
this the world famous English humor? Being a Monty Python fan, I did 
started to laugh after reading the email. "The rattling sound you heard is 
just a small piece of excess plastic inside the box - something which is 
quite common." :-D

Finally a couple of questions. Does anybody have experience with this 
company? Do any of their devices actually work? Has anybody opened such a 
device?

And: Does anybody know a working device for converting "60Hz PAL" to true 
NTSC?

Thanks,
Andres.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

>From trade at interneeds.com Thu Jan 31 16:55:00 2008
Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 15:55:32 +0000
From: Interneeds Direct & The Threedoubleyou Company <trade at interneeds.com>
To: Andres Heinloo <andres at gfz-potsdam.de>
Subject: Re[4]: Your order


Dear Mr Heinloo

We have tested your CAM700 today and it works perfectly!! The rattling sound you heard is just a small piece of excess plastic inside the box - something which is quite common. You didnt even bother to unpack it and try it out before returning it!

You really have wasted our time here. First we send you the goods which are returned to us because the packing station you had it sent to couldnt be bothered to accept it for reasons only known to themsleves. Then we send it out again and you send it back when there is nothing wrong with it.! I have counted 25 emails that have gone back and forth with you on this sale which is ridiculous!

I can send it back to you if you pay the postage again , and you will have to pay the  10+ Vat testing fee as per our policy page term and conditions.

Or we will take the goods back and refund you the price of the converter minus the 30% restocking fee as per terms and conditions. Let me know what you decide, but if you want it sent back again whatever happens I will not be dealing with this anymore, we will not accept it back for a third time.

G. Weekes.


*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 23/01/2008 at 13:40 Andres Heinloo wrote:

>On Wed, 23 Jan 2008, Interneeds Direct & The Threedoubleyou Company wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> We have received your package and will be dealing with returns at the
>> end of the week. We deal with them approx every 10 days and they all
>> have to be tested before we can go further- we only have one technician
>> who can do this. As soon as it is done I will email you.
>
>OK, thanks for reply. I was already losing hope...
>
>Regards,
>Andres.
>
>
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