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Post by quaysider on Jan 6, 2021 7:58:59 GMT
Just thought I might save someone the bother of "trying" out the Cello 22 inch rechargeable tv from amazon (there is one on ebay and a couple of caravan shops too)
The short version is, clumsy ginger idiot Capt. Ellis banged into during 'high-seas' and cracked the screen of the old one the other day. Expecting to be able to buy same model (cello 19 inch dvd/ combi thingy)I logged into my free month of amazon prime... found the one with the built in battery (supposed to las 6-10 hours) - it comes with a small solar panel to connect to it or the mains charger.
Good idea... but in practice I can only get 12 mins use out of the battery. Amazon unable to supply a replacement battery (assuming it's the battery that's goosed) and insisting on a return but refuse to collect it from their delivery hub (in this case a local shop about a mile away from the boat - which btw, was a pig carrying the big box it came in back from) - instead, I have to have it collected from my home address... back in wakey... AS I'm trapped in Manchester, that is not going to happen.
Thinking about the battery , I got googling and found the replacement available for 40 quid from Ferguson (they are now Cello) and on the "other extras page" found they also sell the charger which is 19v (with the car plug on ) to charge the batttery (12.8 v)....
On looking at the supplied MAINS charger that came with the telly, and testing the output, it's only giving out 12.2 ish... ergo, not enough to charge the internal battery anyway - despite the "flashing light" on the back of the telly saying it's fully charged.
Conclusion - I've come to is hat I need to buy the 19v one from Ferguson OR use the supplied solar panel to (eventually) charge the battery - ergo, Today I 'm boxing the wretched thing up and have ordered the one I already had - safe in the knowledge that it may consume 12amps of an evening but the new batteries will be ok with that....
Grrr - it's a shame, cause it's a good idea - just not what it claims out of the box
ANOTHER thing annoying about it is, that it claims to have 2 hdmi AND (importantly cause the sound is crappy) a headphone out like the old one had to connect to an speaker bar.
Incidentally, my "chat" with amazon lasted an hour and half to be told the same model was not in stock so they can't sent me a replacement - when "looking" I find it's now on sale 40 quid more expensive than the one I just bought but they cannot send that apparently.
1st world problems and all that... perhaps I should take Boris's advice and "read through Brexit" instead of trying for 'naked attraction'.
as you were..
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Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2021 11:55:26 GMT
I’ve been looking at these to power the tv and sound bar. The write ups are good, but also I’ve had conversations with people who own one, and that has been positive as well.
(Being a fat boat, we obviously have a fuck off tv and sound system.)
ALLPOWERS Portable Generator 372Wh Power Station Emergency Power Supply with DC/AC Inverter, PD Technology, Wireless Output, Charged by Solar Panel/Wall Outlet for Camping
On Amazon.
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Post by quaysider on Jan 6, 2021 16:26:51 GMT
Update - Having spoken with Cello today, it turns out (as I suspected once I'd spotted the power adaptor was only 12v) somewhere along the line, the 12 v adaptor in the box was erroneously there... ergo, Cello are posting me the correct one (for free) so I don't have to send the wretched thing back - I'm currently testing it using my "jump starter " pack thing which coincidentally has a 19v output and correct size plug to it... assuming it charges it up ok, all I need to do is take the back off, solder on a couple of cables to the built in speakers and connect them to a home-made 3.5mm audio jack to connect to the sound bar.
bit of a faff but the end result will be worth it. I've given the solar panel that come with it (30 watts I think ) to Steve here at the marina to connect to his starter battery.
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Post by quaysider on Jan 7, 2021 9:22:05 GMT
*taps screen* - I realize I'm talking to myself here (I do a lot of that) but having been able to CHARGE it from my jump starter pack for 2 hours. the TV ran 5 hours last night and was still going when I turned it off and went to bed. Ergo, once I get the proper plug connected up, it'll charge itself during the day from the solar panels/engine and it'll just be a case of remembering to unplug the charger from it on a night to save the boat's batteries.
My fight with amazon continued last night - I wanted to moan at them for sending out an open box product with the wrong power supply and get a bit more money back. (Having destroyed the box it would have been a bugger to send back anyway) - their basic line was "send it back for a full refund" - they came back with eventually (on the 3rd "chat" agent) with a would you accept 20 pounds back and keep it... declined with further explana5tion that I'd spent hours buggering about with it and my time isn't free (which it is of course) ... agent no 4 went to 30 and finally agent no 5 (after I'd pointed out by the time the telly got back to them wrapped in an old dog drying towel would be scrap anyway and thus a total loss) 40 quid plus a 10 quid credit on my account.
After my initial frustrations - I think it's fair to say, Amazon have (with a lot of pushing) put things right and have kept me as a customer... Starting price was £171. - first contact complain about receiving an obviously returned product got me a 50 quid refund... 2nd contact when it was discovered it didn't charge was to return for balance refunding 3rd contact was another 50 quid to keep the telly... ergo New 22 inch telly that will eventually (assuming cello send their adaptor) do what I want for 101 quid. I HAD been happy to pay the 171 for the properly working one in the first place so for a change, I feel victorious.
It won't last however , as I'm trying to see if I can top up my bounce back loan like Rishi said was possible but it turns out now I have ACTUAL figures to put in, you can't change from the estimated turnover ones (which were lower than the real ones for 19-20 ) and I've just seen a statement saying you cannot amend your original figures to increase borrowing.
Oh well... swings and roundabouts I suppose.
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Post by peterboat on Jan 7, 2021 9:31:04 GMT
I wonder how many others were given faulty/incorrect chargers or was it a customer doing a con on amazon?
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Post by quaysider on Jan 7, 2021 10:05:45 GMT
I don't follow ? how would a customer do a con on them? - I assume whom ever returned the telly I ended up with in the first instance, would have just discovered it didn't charge and left it at that- sending it back...
~Its only cause I have an ounce (just the one mind) of electrical sense, I'd spotted it would never have been possible to charge a 12.8v battery from a 12volt supply.
Cello's opinion was that given their NON battery tvs go out with 12v ac/dc adaptors, it must have been put in the wrong box by mistake. Makes sense to me ... but I did get narked with amazons total lack of trouble-shooting capacity... ie non, just send it back and bugger off basically until pushed.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2021 10:14:12 GMT
I don't follow ? how would a customer do a con on them? - I assume whom ever returned the telly I ended up with in the first instance, would have just discovered it didn't charge and left it at that- sending it back... ~Its only cause I have an ounce (just the one mind) of electrical sense, I'd spotted it would never have been possible to charge a 12.8v battery from a 12volt supply. Cello's opinion was that given their NON battery tvs go out with 12v ac/dc adaptors, it must have been put in the wrong box by mistake. Makes sense to me ... but I did get narked with amazons total lack of trouble-shooting capacity... ie non, just send it back and bugger off basically until pushed. I don’t see why you’re narked. They offered you a full refund, along with collection from the original delivery address. It’s hardly their fault you live on a boat, and at present miles away from the delivery address. You more or less admit on here that you are trying to screw them, and they are probably surmising the same. Me thinks you’re just looking for something to be annoyed about. |
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Post by quaysider on Jan 7, 2021 12:41:35 GMT
I don't follow ? how would a customer do a con on them? - I assume whom ever returned the telly I ended up with in the first instance, would have just discovered it didn't charge and left it at that- sending it back... ~Its only cause I have an ounce (just the one mind) of electrical sense, I'd spotted it would never have been possible to charge a 12.8v battery from a 12volt supply. Cello's opinion was that given their NON battery tvs go out with 12v ac/dc adaptors, it must have been put in the wrong box by mistake. Makes sense to me ... but I did get narked with amazons total lack of trouble-shooting capacity... ie non, just send it back and bugger off basically until pushed. I don’t see why you’re narked. They offered you a full refund, along with collection from the original delivery address. It’s hardly their fault you live on a boat, and at present miles away from the delivery address. You more or less admit on here that you are trying to screw them, and they are probably surmising the same. Me thinks you’re just looking for something to be annoyed about. No - you are reading this wrongly.... The TV was delivered to a hub here in Manchester where I am stranded - NOT my home address. IN fact, since I wrote this, my tenant has called to say a poor old amazon chap has been twice to try and collect the return, despite the final (prior to me getting it charged up through my own means) return address being changed to the hub I collected it from in Manchester.... as a result of much buggering about with online chat the other night. I take absolute exception to your comment that I was trying to screw them - I wanted to buy a "properly working new tv" as advertised for an agreed price. When that arrived and was discovered to be a previously returned item, with part of the start up routine already done (ie back taken off and battery connected) I was - quite right and fair to flag it up. which I did AND accept a discount on the basis I had NOT been sent a "brand new product as described". The additional discovery (next day for the avoidance of doubt) was that it would not charge. My "moan" WAS about the faff and lack of customer service ... i.e. ability to try and resolve an issue rather than make it a pain in the bum of a return. I have much bigger and more important things to be annoyed about than a tv and you will note, in the end but ONLY because I made them provide an aftersales service, the matter came to a satisfactory conclusion - and even if Cello don't send the correct adaptor as promised (I have no reason to doubt them as it's my 4 th cello tv and they are English afterall) I 'll still be happy to purchase the required adaptor using my (to paraphrase your accusation) my ill gotten gains. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2021 12:59:01 GMT
I don’t see why you’re narked. They offered you a full refund, along with collection from the original delivery address. It’s hardly their fault you live on a boat, and at present miles away from the delivery address. You more or less admit on here that you are trying to screw them, and they are probably surmising the same. Me thinks you’re just looking for something to be annoyed about. No - you are reading this wrongly.... The TV was delivered to a hub here in Manchester where I am stranded - NOT my home address. IN fact, since I wrote this, my tenant has called to say a poor old amazon chap has been twice to try and collect the return, despite the final (prior to me getting it charged up through my own means) return address being changed to the hub I collected it from in Manchester.... as a result of much buggering about with online chat the other night. I take absolute exception to your comment that I was trying to screw them - I wanted to buy a "properly working new tv" as advertised for an agreed price. When that arrived and was discovered to be a previously returned item, with part of the start up routine already done (ie back taken off and battery connected) I was - quite right and fair to flag it up. which I did AND accept a discount on the basis I had NOT been sent a "brand new product as described". The additional discovery (next day for the avoidance of doubt) was that it would not charge. My "moan" WAS about the faff and lack of customer service ... i.e. ability to try and resolve an issue rather than make it a pain in the bum of a return. I have much bigger and more important things to be annoyed about than a tv and you will note, in the end but ONLY because I made them provide an aftersales service, the matter came to a satisfactory conclusion - and even if Cello don't send the correct adaptor as promised (I have no reason to doubt them as it's my 4 th cello tv and they are English afterall) I 'll still be happy to purchase the required adaptor using my (to paraphrase your accusation) my ill gotten gains. If you read their T&C’s, you’ll see that your original address is the registered one you gave them upon sign up, and should be used for returns. You had it sent to a hub, for your convenience, which often will not allow returns. Now you’re on here bragging about screwing them on the price The fact is, they offered you a full refund upon return, it was not unreasonable of them to ask for it to be returned from your registered address. Thou doth protest to much, then take the pee about how much you screwed them for. Sorry I don’t see it from your point of view. |
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Post by quaysider on Jan 7, 2021 13:21:54 GMT
I didn't 'screw them at all - and I wasn't bragging... more rejoicing that despite a fundamental problem, it was resolved through patience and perseverance... maybe it loses a bit through being written down ... or maybe you look at the world through more devious /un-scrupulous eyes than I do.
For the avoidance of any doubt - had it just arrived, was as described and actually worked out of the box, I'd have been happily saving amps on a night - comfortable in spending the amount I'd agreed to spend in the first place ... instead, it took a lot of faffing about to achieve an acceptable result - ie me keeping a telly and being compensated for the buggering about.
I remain offended at the aspersions of my intention - I may be a big fat gobby ginger middle-aged puff and am not perfect by any stretch of imagination ... I DO however conduct myself (both financially and personally) with honesty and (mostly) humble intentions.
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Post by Jim on Jan 7, 2021 13:54:20 GMT
I didn't 'screw them at all - and I wasn't bragging... more rejoicing that despite a fundamental problem, it was resolved through patience and perseverance... maybe it loses a bit through being written down ... or maybe you look at the world through more devious /un-scrupulous eyes than I do. For the avoidance of any doubt - had it just arrived, was as described and actually worked out of the box, I'd have been happily saving amps on a night - comfortable in spending the amount I'd agreed to spend in the first place ... instead, it took a lot of faffing about to achieve an acceptable result - ie me keeping a telly and being compensated for the buggering about. I remain offended at the aspersions of my intention - I may be a big fat gobby ginger middle-aged puff and am not perfect by any stretch of imagination ... I DO however conduct myself (both financially and personally) with honesty and (mostly) humble intentions. Some old gimmers will use any excuse for a grumble a gripe or a moan. Well done you for besting Amazon. However,I do hope you used Amazon Smile and chose Skylight Circus in Education as your nominated Charity. Fewer beer tokens into the Bezos spare change jar. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2021 14:08:30 GMT
Changing subject a bit, I'm not a great lover of integral rechargable batteries, especially when you can't change them without a soldering iron!
We have a Cello TV too, but it's a 12v TV with no integral battery. I run it directly off our 12v domestic circuit which is run from my domestic battery, which is in turn charged by my engine and solar panel.
I kind of see some logic in integral rechargable batteries for mobile devices where you don't want to trip over wires, but TV's don't usually get moved.
More importantly, KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid). When I first started out as a live aboard, the TV was 240v. So it was plugged into an inverter which took the 12v from my domestic battery and stepped it up to 240v. The daft thing is that that LCD TV internally run on 5v/12v. So lots of wasted amps converting from 12v to 240v and back down to 12v. Leisure battery moaned at me.
Then again, if one is plugged into a shore line, who gives a.... ?
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Post by quaysider on Jan 7, 2021 17:17:54 GMT
To give the cello fair credit, it does have little plug on the wire that can be disconnected easily - it has to be so that it can be plugged into the supplied solar panel to charge independently from any other power source... It IS a bit flimsy though so I suspect after a few attempts, it might struggle to last long. Tonight (having charged it again all day using my jump starter pack) I'm going to try it on "home" setting rather than max battery (its a lot brighter on that setting) so we'll see how long it lasts.
Now that I've a work-around plan (and the proper adapter coming) it's got to be a bit easier on the boats battery supply. If it works out ok, I'm inclined to get another one to replace the guest cabin one - the downside being it doesn't have a dvd player and quite often we end up in places with no tv signal... then again, with the chromecast plugged in, they could always watch something from the tablet casted from the galaxy tablet.
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