jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I posted about how I was going to replace the touch screen in a Sony camcorder. I found many sellers on eBay, so I ordered one. After receiving it, I removed the old screen, and I was ready to install the new one. Unfortunately, the new one was missing a ribbon cable. Mine had four, but the one I received had only three. It wasn't defective; it was made that way. The video I watched on YouTube showed someone replacing the screen, and that had four cables.

Obviously, I wasn't going to use the new LCD, so I emailed the seller, and I just received a reply. I can return it for a refund because I "bought the wrong item." His lengthy reply emphasized the fact that it was all my fault, but he would allow me to return it for a refund if I said I was returning it because I bought the wrong item. "It is because you purchased the wrong product."

What's odd is that every seller is offering the same three-cable item, and I doubt that Sony made two different camcorders with the same model number but different connectors. I hate giving up on this camera because it works otherwise. If Sony didn't give it a touch screen, it would still be working.

Me being me, I bought a used Sony HDR-SR11 camcorder from KEH for a reasonable price, described as EX, so I sort of got the old one working. I'm going to keep looking for an LCD for the old one and hope that I remember how to reassemble it when the time comes.

EDITED: This was sold by a Chinese company, but it was shipped from Kentucky. However, I must return it to China! 😁 I don't think it's worth the trouble for a $22 item.

BebuLamar

I think doesn't want Ebay to think that he was selling bad parts.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Exactly!

photon-collector Loc: Tampa Bay Area, Florida

I have found that Japanese vendors are very honest and trustworthy. I have not had the same good feelings from several Chinese vendors. Maybe it's just me?

JBRIII

My first new car was a Ford Torrino, to buy parts you needed to take in the old one to be sure you got the right one! Apparently, they changed things a lot over the year it was made (1970).

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Agreed!

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

It would cost about $19 to send a $22 8 oz package to China. I don't think it's worth it. I'll put it on eBay for half the price I paid.

RolandDieter

North American and International camcorders use a different spec. International is P.A.L. and US spec is called something else. The issue may be related to that. And this difference is why it is important to avoid most grey market camcorders.

BebuLamar

It's more like Jerry either has the earlier or later version of the camcorder rather than either the part or his camcorder is gray market.

ecblackiii Loc: Maryland

Just wait until you find out how much it costs to return it to China! Bet the cheapest shipment is about six-seven times more than $22.

BebuLamar

I bought a number of items from China recently via Ebay and the shipping were free. The items were brand new and good and cost about 1/10 of regular price. I think they may be second shift production.

Stephan G

Nota Bene:

I bought a retired 1967 Bell South Ford Econoline back in the good old days. Had the Starter go out when at an Arts Festival. While GF was manning the tables, I took down the Starter and brought it over to a local Car Service Station a few blocks down. After checking the information in a Ford catalog, it turned out that there were two designs for the part back in 1967. Since I was in a hurry to get back, I grabbed the one that looked like the one I had.

Ran into a problem. The solenoid housing was on the wrong side of the starter. The clam shell was in the correct orientation and location, though. I brought it back to the Service Station. When I compared it with the old one from the Econoline, we discovered that it was indeed on the opposite sides and not matching either model number listed in the Ford catalog.

After a little scraping of the outside shell of the starter, it was discovered that my "original" starter was made for American Motors (!) vehicles. I learned later that when vehicles were ordered for the fleets, they were built with the lowest costing materials in bulk. For my particular model, the solenoids and housing were moved to and installed on opposite sides.

The solution to my problem back then was to replace the brushes in the starter and put it back together. Then replaced into my van where it worked perfectly for the next 200,000 miles I put on it.

So, "same ole, same ole." (depending on how you pronounce the words.)



I still tip my hat to the old Elm Tree Shade mechanic that day who was able to replace the brushes just like a Magician on stage.

KillroyII Loc: Middle Georgia

I also recently had an issue with an item bought from a Chinese company. Ordered the item on Amazon, received it quickly (they have stock stored in the USA), when assembling the item encountered a broken part, sent email to company with very specific info on broken part (their term describing the part, my pictures of part, picture of their assembly document page showing the part). Received a reply in a couple of days that said the factory was on vacation but they would ship part when they returned. Waited till after their vacation and emailed them again & they replied it was on the way... after a while sent email again... and again... and again. They finally replied I should have it shortly... and I finally received a packag. IT CAME FROM CHINA... not a part stored in USA. The box contained the WRONG PART. Several emails back and forth (which got a little heated) and they ended the conversations with... We sent you "a" part... Matter closed. Checked on Amazon to return the entire item... Return period had expired.

I put a detailed review of product/experience on Amazon... Immediately contacted by Chinese company, thru Amazon, wanting me to tell them what it would take to change/remove review... I replied... Give me the part I need. They replied... Take down review and we will refund entire price, including tax (about $160.) and no need to return item. I didn't feel good about it but took the review down and they IMMEDIATELY refunded, thru Amazon, with credit to my credit card.

I can use the item, with the broken part.

BebuLamar

We got burned one time buying from a seller in China. They have the driver IC chip that we need in one of the output cards used on our bag making machine. The chips are no longer made by the manufacturer and this seller from China said he had a lot. So we bought 100 of them at $5 each and that's $500. The 100 chips came in an none worked. The guy refused to refund out money.

KillroyII Loc: Middle Georgia

Finding new sources of parts, or design/manufacturers for assemblies, was what I did the last 3 working years (before retirement).

Northrop Grumman had a contract with the Air Force to put me in a government office to do that. The government has a lot of electronic items designed and built for their specific use... So, after a few years it is a problem finding parts. Also, we could only buy new designed assemblies from companies in USA and usually only when they had security clearances and facilities cleared to work classified.