Flip UltraHD Video Camera - Black, 8 GB, 2 Hours (2nd Generation) OLD MODEL by Flip Video
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Digital camera reviews of Flip UltraHD Video Camera - Black, 8 GB, 2 Hours (2nd Generation) OLD MODEL
Digital camera Review: Awful Customer Support. Doesn't work with Alkaline Batteries
Summary: 3 Stars
This product is fun. But let me tell you a horror story... One of the main reasons I bought the Ultra HD rather than the Mino is because it claimed to accept AA alkaline batteries. That was a selling point in case I forgot to charge the device or I was away from my computer on a trip and couldn't charge it. Well it doesn't accept AA alkaline. I put in 2 brand new regular Alkaline batteries and it died after 5 minutes (tried again and again with new ones). I finally (through trial and error) learned that it works only with Energizer Ultimate LITHIUM batteries. Not Alkaline. Lithium batteries give the camera about 3-4 hours of heavy use. BUT I FIGURED ALL OF THIS OUT ON MY OWN. Flip has the worst customer service ever. I contacted Flip 5 different times. THEY lost my case number 3 of those times and barely spoke English (Eastern Euro?). Each time, the technician said it was too advanced for her so she forwarded the case to "Advanced Tech Support" and they would call me in 24 hours. Well they haven't called me for 5 weeks. Finally she gave me the direct number of advanced tech support 949-823-1398. Please call this number for a good laugh. It goes to the personal voicemail of some guy at Cisco. Flip is a brand of Pure Digital Technologies (owned by Cisco Systems). Well, I left this guy a voicemail and never heard back. It seems as if Flip Tech Support has a great ring going where they transfer any tech support call to a black hole. THIS COMPANY IS FLIP-ing AWFUL!Digital camera Review: Awful experience
Summary: 1 Stars
I usually spend a lot of time before make a purchase, specially in Electronics. I read many reviews, lot of technical details of different video cameras. I live far away of USA and I have just one shot to get the right product. Finally I choose Flip... Damn decision.
I received the camera, the tripod, the wide angle, a replacement battery... the whole picture in order to take beautiful memories from my son's fifht birthday. i received the camera five days before the birthday... Santiago my son will have only still pictures from my Canon camera... Flip Ultra hD just doesn't work. Yep. It turn it on for a second and then turn it off. With the original battery charged, with the replace one charged, with alkaline batteries... doesn't work.
I thought to insert a video to show the problem but I realize I can't!!, the camera doesn't work, dumb me!.
You know what? there's something I ask my self ususally: in the consumer's world, companies like Flip maybe had idea all the damage they make when didn't do a properly quality control of their products? I lie myself and answer me "Yes man, sure they do". I love this world, it just things that happen, but anyway, try another brand with a heavy story behind as Canon, Kodak, even Panasonic. Not Flip.
Digital camera Review: BATTERY PACK 1 Stars
I have been a member of Amazon.com since it practically started. I can't count how many products I have bought off this site. This is my first review of a product. I read about the battery problems in the reviews section on this site but I thought I might be immune and get a camera with a good rechargeable battery pack.CONS:
Now the reason I gave it a very poor rating is because of the battery pack issue. If the rechargeable battery pack can't be recharged then it's hard to give the product a good review. There are so many reviews about the battery that I can't believe that this problem hasn't been isolated and fixed yet! I'm writing this review on 5/26/10!
BATTERY PACK: After 2 days of playing with the camera the battery died so I plugged it into my laptop to be recharged. The charge takes about 6 hours so you better think ahead if you plan on using the camera the next day. The next day I went to use the camera and the camera said low battery. I took the battery out and the battery was still dead. I tried to charge it again. It still didn't charge properly.
CUSTOMER SERVICE: I used the Flip site to open an email ticket about the battery pack not recharging. They emailed me back the next day with the following instructions.
If your battery pack is not charging properly, please try the following:
1) remove the battery pack from the camcorder
2) connect the camcorder to a powered USB port on your computer
3) when the "Connected" indicator comes on, insert the battery pack into the camcorder
4) safe eject your camcorder from your computer
5) reconnect your camcorder to your computer
6) the battery pack should now begin to charge within the camcorder
If the issue persists, please contact us again so that we may provide the next necessary steps.
Of course this bit of knowledge did not help.
After that waste of time effort I contacted customer support on the phone. They told me to do the same thing as above. I told them I had already tried it. He told me to do it again then tell me what the screen on the camcorder states. Talk about a Flip USB arm being a bad usability idea when a product needs to be debugged. Case in point point! Have the video screen facing up and not facing down to the desk. In order to see the screen I had to either pick up the laptop with the flimsy flip arm connected to the USB port and risk it breaking off or I could have turned the laptop over and connected the flip to the USB port or I could push the laptop towards the edge of the table so I can crawl under to look at what the screen was saying. I chose the latter. Once again this was a waste of time. I gave him the info. He said give it time to charge and call back if there are problems. Once again the pack did not charge.
I called back and talked to another CS I told the CS what I had already done. The CS stated she thinks it's a firmware problem. I said are you guys getting a lot of these Flip Video ULTRA II HD back? She said no! I said then how can it be a firmware problem. If it was a firmware problem it would affect more Flips then just this one. I eventually said screw it and sent it back for a refund.
PRO:
The camera is convenient to carry around for those quick spur of the moment shots but once again if the battery dies the convenience does not matter.
If you point and shoot be aware that you better have a steady arm. The picture will suffer from shaky cam syndrome. This camera works best on a tripod.
The video is actually pretty good for a cheap camera. It's not movie quality but then if you're looking for movie quality you better shell out the serious bucks.
Digital camera Review: BE CAREFUL, HOPE YOU GET ONE THAT WORKS!
Summary: 1 Stars
I should have listened to all the reviews about battery problems(not charging) and recording times disappearing because both happened to mine on the first day I opened and used it. Calling Flip Customer Service was useless; "oh maybe try this or maybe try that"...WHAT??!!!! Why should I have to try "this and that" - the product should work as advertised right out of the box, mine did not! BUYER BEWARE!!
I SENT IT RIGHT BACK TO AMAZON THE NEXT DAY FOR A REFUND, NOT A REPLACEMENT!
Digital camera Review: BEWARE!!
Summary: 2 Stars
This product only has 30 day warranty from Amazon and 90 DAYS FROM THE MFG. AFTER 90 DAYS YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN.