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Dear Walmart: Thank You, and We Hope You'll Do It Again!

7K views 15 replies 9 participants last post by  EscapeVelocity 
#1 ·

Dear Walmart: Thank You, and Please Do It Again!

 

We are extremely grateful to you! You came through for us by asking Funai to continue building DVD recorders with a hard disk drive (HDD DVDRs).


Funai is currently responding to your request with their latest generation, the std def (SD) 53x Series: MDR533H/F7, MDR535H/F7, and MDR537H/F7.


Knowing that Funai has to plan its human and physical resources well in advance of a new production run, we'd like to appeal to you again to consider the NEXT generation of video recorders.


The Magnavox 53x Series SD DVDRs you're currently selling are really dual-purpose units. They have some DVR functions, like record to hard disk drive (HDD), Pause/Rewind Live TV (up to 6 hours), skip, replay, simultaneous play/record, resume-play on all partially played HDD titles, plus some features DVRs don't have like coax passthru when on or off, DVD burner for saving things to DVD and playing DVDS/CDs, composite/S-Video/firewire inputs for copying home movies etc. to HDD or DVD, and editing on HDD or DVD.

 

Regardless of the future viability of DVD technology, the HDD and DVR features of these recorders will endure and be useful to many people well into the future.


The people these units will appeal most to are VCR and older, analog-only DVDR users wondering what to do next. These people could easily be persuaded to take their first step into the 21st Century with a HDD recorder with both analog and digital tuners. They'll get much better picture quality (PQ) than their VCRs or analog DVDRs and MANY more modern features that make TV watching and time-shifting so much easier.


SO, now, we'd like you to ask Funai to plan ahead for the next generation of HDD recorders, even if it's a continuation of the SD 53x Series you're selling now. If this option is chosen, see  Wish List #1... Our Recurring Dream .

 

However, the next generation would appeal to a MUCH WIDER universe of buyers if it had multiple tuners and recorded in high def (HD) like most DVRs. If this option is chosen, see  Wish List #2... The Next Generation .

A NEW Incentive:

 

"TV Guide On Screen" (TVGOS) is a free Guide delivered by Rovi Corp. thru coax and internet connection, but coax delivery is being discontinued as of Apr 2013.

 

Some existing HD DVRs (e.g., Sony DHG series) relied exclusively on coax-delivered TVGOS for their Guide and unattended recording capabilities, forcing those people to search for replacement recorders.

 

Other HD DVRs have TVGOS but can still set manual timers, but even those people could be persuaded to replace their units with a new, Guide-based unit like that described in our Wish List #2... thousands more potential HD customers suddenly available.

 

Funai/Walmart will not have a more opportune time to fill the gap for thousands of people seeking replacements!?

 

* * * * * * *

Members:

Post Your Support and Concurrence in This Thread.

Please try your best to keep this positive.

Send a Personal Request to Walmart.

Send a letter to Walmart HQ in Arkansas. Here's the text of my letter.


* * * * * * *


Walmart Home Office

702 SW 8th Street

Bentonville AR 72716-8611


Attention: Product Selection & Ordering Coordinator for Funai Electric, One of Your Strategic Suppliers


Dear Walmart:


We need a continuing supply of recorders with hard disk drive (HDD) in North America like the latest std def (SD) MDR53x Series (MDR533H/F7, MDR535H/F7, and MDR537H/F7), which Funai is currently producing for you! We thank you for asking Funai to keep making these units!


You've been our primary source for HDD DVDRs since 2007. They've been the ONLY DVDR available in North America with HDD and digital tuner for the past 6 years.


However, to assure a continuing supply, we understand that Funai needs advance notice and time to plan for their human and physical resources to design the next generation.

 

So, now, we'd like you to ask Funai to plan ahead for the next generation of HDD recorders, even if it's a continuation of the SD 53x Series you're selling now. If this option is chosen, se Wish List # 1 here:

 

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=19080385

 

However, the next generation would appeal to a MUCH WIDER universe of buyers if it had at least two tuners and recorded in high def (HD) like most DVRs. If this option is chosen, see Wish List # 2 here:

 

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=20496947


I am writing this letter on behalf of other members of the million-member-strong AVS Forum who frequent the following web site, which has had more than 2 million views from people all over North America:

http://www.avsforum.com/t/940657/magnavox-537-535-533-515-513-2160a-2160-2080-philips-3576-3575#post_12244086


Sincerely,
 
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#2 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by wajo  /t/1426295/dear-walmart-thank-you-and-we-hope-youll-do-it-again#post_22343129


You've been our primary source for HDD recorders since 2007. They are produced by Funai, one of your Strategic Suppliers, and they've been the ONLY ones available in all of North America with HDD and digital tuner for the past 5 years.


We need a continuing supply of recorders with hard disk drive (HDD) in North America...

All great stuff but they aren’t really available in North America, just the USA part of North America. Canadians have zero warrantee or other support and may be subject to duty via Canadian customs. The units are in fact considered a gray market product to Canadians and Wal-Mart is not authorized to ship to Canada; they would be breaking a trade agreement and the law by doing so. In fact the only way Canadians can order a unit from Wal-Mart USA is to “fraudulently” give a USA residency and pick the item up at a Wal-Mart store outside the country. I do not blame Walmart.com, as I’m sure they would welcome Canadian orders with open arms but unfortunately this is a trade agreement between Walmart.com USA & Walmart.ca Canada.


So please let’s be honest here and give truthful information to folks who read this post. Unless our trade agreement changes or unless Walmart.ca starts shipping the units to Canadians – this will remain a gray market product with zero warrantee support for Canadians
 
#3 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by Super Eye  /t/1426295/dear-walmart-thank-you-and-we-hope-youll-do-it-again#post_22343463


All great stuff but they aren’t really available in North America, just the USA part of North America. Canadians have zero warrantee or other support and may be subject to duty via Canadian customs. T

Good point, do you know if hat includes Mexico (ATSC/NTSC, same voltage, etc)? I'm sure that the 513 box has written some Spanish instructions, and the firmware of the Maggy also come in Español.


Anyway Walmart I'd like to buy a HD DVR with INPUTS (I don't care if digital or analog) and a safe way to export the recordings.


I don't want a useless (for me) OTA only can't-export-nothing DVR.
 
#4 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by profhat  /t/1426295/dear-walmart-thank-you-and-we-hope-youll-do-it-again#post_22348247

Quote:
Originally Posted by Super Eye  /t/1426295/dear-walmart-thank-you-and-we-hope-youll-do-it-again#post_22343463


All great stuff but they aren’t really available in North America, just the USA part of North America. Canadians have zero warrantee or other support and may be subject to duty via Canadian customs. T

Good point, do you know if hat includes Mexico (ATSC/NTSC, same voltage, etc)? I'm sure that the 513 box has written some Spanish instructions, and the firmware of the Maggy also come in Español.


Any way Walmart I'd like to buy a HD DVR with INPUTS (I don't care if digital or analog) and a safe way to export the recordings.


I don't want a useless (for me) OTA only can't-export-nothing DVR.

Here are 4 Canadians who took the time to post their positive experience in buying Mags from Walmart-US and apparently didn't mind their "grey market" status there. No one has posted the same for Mexico.
 
#5 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by wajo  /t/1426295/dear-walmart-thank-you-and-we-hope-youll-do-it-again#post_22348266


Here are 4 Canadians who took the time to post their positive experience in buying Mags from Walmart-US and apparently didn't mind their "grey market" status there. No one has posted the same for Mexico.

It’s not a matter if they mind gray market products or not. It’s a matter of putting known facts out on a forum. Simply put 1) Anyone who takes the DVDr out of the US voids any and all support including any warrantee support and 2) if they reside in Canada or Mexico they have to use a fraudulent US address in order to buy from Walmart.com.


Whether anyone under such circumstances wants to beg or thank a company is up to them – as long as they know the facts.
 
#6 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by wajo  /t/1426295/dear-walmart-thank-you-and-we-hope-youll-do-it-again#post_22348266


Here are 4 Canadians who took the time to post their positive experience in buying Mags from Walmart-US and apparently didn't mind their "grey market" status there. No one has posted the same for Mexico.

I only wanted to know if the Magnavox was "designed" for the continental U.S., Canada and Mexico, or it was a device just for U.S. market.


Thank you Wajo, your answer is enough for me.
 
#7 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by profhat  /t/1426295/dear-walmart-thank-you-and-we-hope-youll-do-it-again#post_22348910

Quote:
Originally Posted by wajo  /t/1426295/dear-walmart-thank-you-and-we-hope-youll-do-it-again#post_22348266


Here are 4 Canadians who took the time to post their positive experience in buying Mags from Walmart-US and apparently didn't mind their "grey market" status there. No one has posted the same for Mexico.
I only wanted to know if the Magnavox was "designed" for the continental U.S., Canada and Mexico, or it was a device just for U.S. market.


Thank you Wajo, your answer is enough for me.
 

It's designed for the North American NSTC TV system, but warranted only for U.S.
 
#8 ·
Don't know if you have one but there are services that allow you to use their address for Canadians that want to get items from the US but the companies don't ship to Canada. There is one across the US border which is a 40 minute drive from my house. They have lots of customers on this side of the border and have been in operation for years. Wal-Mart can just ship the item to them. They then send you an email and you go down and pick up the item. Very little problem at all. I've a bud who goes down every 2 weeks says this is a godsend for his business. If I ever need anything, he will be glad to pick it up for me.


But now I've found a great condition Pioneer DVR-650H-S at one of the local pawn shops that I'll pick up in a couple days. That, along with the 640 I got last year should do me for recorders for awhile...
 
#9 ·
It sure has been working fine for me for the past 7 months. Only comment I can add for Canadians (actually, even US) is that, for OTA, the tuner is not so great for out-of-market (read : fringe) stations.


Somehow, all the US channels, which are about 80 miles away in my case, have a hard time and some don't even come in at all on the Mags, while our TVs are receiving them at 90% signals, and 75% in the case of the one that wil refuse to come up on the Mags. It's ironic that a local channel that comes in at 92% in my TV will also come in in the 90% range in the Mag, but a US channel wit the same at 92% signal on my TV, will only come in at 16-18% with freeze-ups on the Mag... I've been battling with my setup for months trying to figure this out, and gave up.


So, yeah, I think it's important to mention this fact. But I've heard of people locally using TiVo and also having issues with the US stations. Somehow the DVRs tuners seem less sensitive to fringe stations. I guess most DVRs put more emphasis on the QAM tuners, for cable subscribers, and forget about us OTA users...


But, to Wal-Mart, kudos for insisting on Funai to supply a new generation. Please, PRETTY PLEASE, consider our requests for future versions. 2 tuners would be great, but honnestly in my case if they're high quality OTA tuners, at least equal to those supplied with TVs (which would mean the fringe OTA stations would come in fine in my case) that would still be fine if it remains a single tuner. And (dreaming part)... BD quality would be the cherry on top. Make this a HD recorder (and 5.1 channels sound), and I'm driving down to Vermont again to pick up at LEAST 3 units... if not more!
 
#10 ·

rxheaven, have you considered installing the DTV-s Ver0x2C FW update ?

 

It was designed for units that freeze, but it's strictly for the tuner so I'm wondering if it would help your situation? Unfortunately, I have no info on whether it might also fix a "fringe" problem or not.
 
#11 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by wajo  /t/1426295/dear-walmart-thank-you-and-we-hope-youll-do-it-again#post_22445848


rxheaven, have you considered installing the DTV-s Ver0x2C FW update ?


It was designed for units that freeze, but it's strictly for the tuner so I'm wondering if it would help your situation? Unfortunately, I have no info on whether it might also fix a "fringe" problem or not.

Hi wajo! No I haven't... I figured the "intent" of the upgrade wasn't targetting my issue at all. As I said, I basically "gave up". I still cringe sometimes because I can't record FOX so on Sunday nights when I want to watch football I have to watch the Simpsons first since I can't record it. But oh well...
 
#12 ·

Quote:
Originally Posted by rxheaven  /t/1426295/dear-walmart-thank-you-and-we-hope-youll-do-it-again#post_22461775

Quote:
Originally Posted by wajo  /t/1426295/dear-walmart-thank-you-and-we-hope-youll-do-it-again#post_22445848


rxheaven, have you considered installing the DTV-s Ver0x2C FW update ?


It was designed for units that freeze, but it's strictly for the tuner so I'm wondering if it would help your situation? Unfortunately, I have no info on whether it might also fix a "fringe" problem or not.

Hi wajo! No I haven't... I figured the "intent" of the upgrade wasn't targetting my issue at all. As I said, I basically "gave up". I still cringe sometimes because I can't record FOX so on Sunday nights when I want to watch football I have to watch the Simpsons first since I can't record it. But oh well...
 

The "intent" is to specifically address your problem... tuning problems with freeze-ups. It gives you an entirely new DTV tuner operating FW upgrade.

 

But then, you know what's best in your situation, so please don't try this.

 

I'm really posting this in case someone else has a DTV tuning problem with freezing.
 
#13 ·
Dear Walmart,


Rovi, a supplier of TVGOS, has decided to stop support in North America. This is a great time to have Funai make an HD/DD5.1 model. They already have the DD5.1 part for the DVD, all that is needed is to increase the power to get the HD storage. Thanks for selling Funai products.


Joe Kustra
 
#16 ·
Make the next ones HD! And Boo Hiss at TVGOS being abandoned!
 
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