pkwcubs
07-28-2008, 10:13 AM
I am posting this today because others need to know what they are getting in to before they pay good money and take their time to use this serice. I will try to keep this short but thorough.
Back in November I learned about OTM through my Tivo. At the time, I tested it out with an old Canon digital camera in movie mode and, sure enough, it worked! Not only did it allow me (with ZERO editing experience) to string together the multiple .mpg movie files from my camera into one usable movie, but within one hour it was appearing on my "Now Playing" list via Tivo for playing right on my TV. With my family scattered across the country, this would be a great way for my technophobe parents and in-laws to get our family movies. So I purchased each of them a Tivo and the service to go with as an early Christmas. In addition, wanting to get better quality movies, I purchased a new HDD camcorder. Here is where things started to come undone.
When I uploaded the movies from my new camcorder and tried to play them on my Tivo, the images would "stutter" - basically any motion of the camera or of the subjects in frame would appear as a flash-strobe effect. After contacting their support email address (the ONLY way they offer support, by the way) and despite what their web site says, I was informed that they do not have a "codecs" to support newer HDD camcorders, even though it is in MPG format. Irritated but willing to go along, I went out and purchased another camera, this time a regular Casio that shot in Quick Time, another format that their web site stated they supported. However, after trying to upload my first file, their web site would only give me an "incompatible format" error. I contacted the customer service via email again, only this time I got the standard "we'll get back to you in a few business days"...that was November and 4 emails ago. So after waiting over 6 months and 5 emails (counting the first support message) only to be completely ignored, my most recent email informed them I was posting a negative review of their service on CNET.com, due to the complete lack of support I was getting and the apparent waste of over $1000 in movie equipment.
With that I FINALLY got a reply. But...rather than help me with my situation, I just got a two sentence message telling me that my account has been canceled!!!
I was completely floored. I'll eventually get over the wasted $1000, but can't get over having a company basically say to me through their actions, "We'll give you support when and if we feel like giving it. We will also bend the truth a little on our web site if it fits our needs. And if you even think about issuing a complaint, we will shut you off like a light!" And I don't appear to be alone on this. There are other postings of people saying they have had issues around being ignored for support when they were trying to use the DVD service through OTM.
Consider yourselves warned...don't waste your time and money like I did.
Back in November I learned about OTM through my Tivo. At the time, I tested it out with an old Canon digital camera in movie mode and, sure enough, it worked! Not only did it allow me (with ZERO editing experience) to string together the multiple .mpg movie files from my camera into one usable movie, but within one hour it was appearing on my "Now Playing" list via Tivo for playing right on my TV. With my family scattered across the country, this would be a great way for my technophobe parents and in-laws to get our family movies. So I purchased each of them a Tivo and the service to go with as an early Christmas. In addition, wanting to get better quality movies, I purchased a new HDD camcorder. Here is where things started to come undone.
When I uploaded the movies from my new camcorder and tried to play them on my Tivo, the images would "stutter" - basically any motion of the camera or of the subjects in frame would appear as a flash-strobe effect. After contacting their support email address (the ONLY way they offer support, by the way) and despite what their web site says, I was informed that they do not have a "codecs" to support newer HDD camcorders, even though it is in MPG format. Irritated but willing to go along, I went out and purchased another camera, this time a regular Casio that shot in Quick Time, another format that their web site stated they supported. However, after trying to upload my first file, their web site would only give me an "incompatible format" error. I contacted the customer service via email again, only this time I got the standard "we'll get back to you in a few business days"...that was November and 4 emails ago. So after waiting over 6 months and 5 emails (counting the first support message) only to be completely ignored, my most recent email informed them I was posting a negative review of their service on CNET.com, due to the complete lack of support I was getting and the apparent waste of over $1000 in movie equipment.
With that I FINALLY got a reply. But...rather than help me with my situation, I just got a two sentence message telling me that my account has been canceled!!!
I was completely floored. I'll eventually get over the wasted $1000, but can't get over having a company basically say to me through their actions, "We'll give you support when and if we feel like giving it. We will also bend the truth a little on our web site if it fits our needs. And if you even think about issuing a complaint, we will shut you off like a light!" And I don't appear to be alone on this. There are other postings of people saying they have had issues around being ignored for support when they were trying to use the DVD service through OTM.
Consider yourselves warned...don't waste your time and money like I did.