Re: filmscanners: SS4000 problems - again
The dust mote strikes again You could call this situation "the looping cycle" this happens because there is a dust particle sitting on the 'registration' sensor, the one which sets the carrier into the 'start' position... since it is blinded by the dust spek, it keeps the carrier moving back and forth, for as long as it will take to find the 'registration' indicator on the film carrier... which might be eternity time... blowing air into the left channel located into the tunnel should dislodge the disruptive dust speck... the sensor 'sits' in this area... also a good precaution, is to blow air onto the carrier, specially the under channel on the left side...to remove any dust which might then finds its way on this sensor... the only thing, keep the air can upright while using it, other wise... funny how a dust mote can blind a sensor searching for a unique marking, into an 'eternal' movement, but this kind of situations happens all the time, around us Tom Scales wrote: My SS4000 has developed a problem where the yellow light just continues to flash and the motor runs on and on. I called Polaroid and they sent me a 'cleaning kit', really just a little brush that attaches to the slide carrier. Whoopee. Didn't do a thing. Am I just SOL? Do I have to send it to Polaroid? How big a stickler are they on your original invoice? I can't find it. I do have the original box, which shows it was shipped to me less than a year ago and that is what I'll send it to them in. I just hope I don't have a fight for warranty service. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks, Tom
Re: filmscanners: SS4000 problems - again
Tom Scales wrote: My SS4000 has developed a problem where the yellow light just continues to flash and the motor runs on and on. I called Polaroid and they sent me a 'cleaning kit', really just a little brush that attaches to the slide carrier. Whoopee. Didn't do a thing. Well, in fairness to Polaroid, some units had problems like you describe due to a dirty sensor, apparently. Did you thoroughly clean the area they suggested? Art
Re: filmscanners: SS4000 problems - again
Yes, followed every one of their instructions. More than once. I understand the problem, but it does seem like a poor design. Tom Tom Scales wrote: My SS4000 has developed a problem where the yellow light just continues to flash and the motor runs on and on. I called Polaroid and they sent me a 'cleaning kit', really just a little brush that attaches to the slide carrier. Whoopee. Didn't do a thing. Well, in fairness to Polaroid, some units had problems like you describe due to a dirty sensor, apparently. Did you thoroughly clean the area they suggested? Art
Re: filmscanners: SS4000 problems - again
Been there, tried that g. First thing I tried, as I had heard that advice, but I'll try it again. Thanks, Tom The dust mote strikes again You could call this situation "the looping cycle" this happens because there is a dust particle sitting on the 'registration' sensor, the one which sets the carrier into the 'start' position... since it is blinded by the dust spek, it keeps the carrier moving back and forth, for as long as it will take to find the 'registration' indicator on the film carrier... which might be eternity time... blowing air into the left channel located into the tunnel should dislodge the disruptive dust speck... the sensor 'sits' in this area... also a good precaution, is to blow air onto the carrier, specially the under channel on the left side...to remove any dust which might then finds its way on this sensor... the only thing, keep the air can upright while using it, other wise... funny how a dust mote can blind a sensor searching for a unique marking, into an 'eternal' movement, but this kind of situations happens all the time, around us Tom Scales wrote: My SS4000 has developed a problem where the yellow light just continues to flash and the motor runs on and on. I called Polaroid and they sent me a 'cleaning kit', really just a little brush that attaches to the slide carrier. Whoopee. Didn't do a thing. Am I just SOL? Do I have to send it to Polaroid? How big a stickler are they on your original invoice? I can't find it. I do have the original box, which shows it was shipped to me less than a year ago and that is what I'll send it to them in. I just hope I don't have a fight for warranty service. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks, Tom
Re: filmscanners: SS4000 problems - again
Thanks for the advice on handling Polaroid. I always try to be nice and respectful. I think that gets the best service. I'm not really willing to spend $250 a year to keep their product working, since I'm just a hobbyist. If that is really a requirement, maybe it's time to try the Nikon g. Tom I'm not sure if this will go to the mailing list, as there seems to be some problem with the mailing list not posting my submissions to the list. So, I included you in the to: line as well. My SS4000 has developed a problem where the yellow light just continues to flash and the motor runs on and on. I called Polaroid and they sent me a 'cleaning kit', really just a little brush that attaches to the slide carrier. Whoopee. Didn't do a thing. nope -- I've had that problem several times. You have to tell them to take it back. I've noticed recently that the support people at polaroid will try to do or say anything they can to avoid sending you a new scanner. While on the surface that seems reasonable, they push it beyond fair and reasonable. If it weren't for my vast experience in having to send that d*amn scanner back so often due to internal problems, I'd have made the same mistake you did. Even now, I'm having problems with my scanner, and they were supposed to have sent me a new one all week. hasn't arrived yet. now the promise monday. Don't misunderstand this: I never had a problem with my SS4000 when I first got it, and I was surprised when I heard about all these people having problems with it, but when it started happening to me, I realized I'd better buy an extended service contract. For $250 a year, they'll send a replacement unit OVERNIGHT (you send your back in the box that included the new unit), but you still have to remind the support person constantly that, yes, the contract says to send one overnight. Am I just SOL? Do I have to send it to Polaroid? You have to go through tech support to give you an return authorization number. If you don't have the receipt, you could have a problem, but like getting first class upgrades at the gate, it's entirely at the discresion of the bureaucrat on the phone. When they send you the replacement (loaner) unit, you send back the defective one in the same box. (They provide a shipping lable for you.) -- --dan Photo Gallery: http://www.danheller.com/
Re: filmscanners: SS4000 problems - again
And they said a perpetual motion machine could not be constructed . . . Maris - Original Message - From: "heriltd" [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Friday, April 06, 2001 3:34 PM Subject: Re: filmscanners: SS4000 problems - again | The dust mote strikes again | | You could call this situation "the looping cycle" | | this happens because there is a dust particle sitting on the | 'registration' sensor, the one which sets the carrier into the 'start' | position... | since it is blinded by the dust spek, it keeps the carrier moving back | and forth, for as long as it will take to find the 'registration' | indicator on the film carrier... which might be eternity time... | blowing air into the left channel located into the tunnel should | dislodge the disruptive dust speck... the sensor 'sits' in this area... | also a good precaution, is to blow air onto the carrier, specially the | under channel on the left side...to remove any dust which might then | finds its way on this sensor... | | the only thing, keep the air can upright while using it, other wise... | | funny how a dust mote can blind a sensor searching for a unique marking, | into an 'eternal' movement, but this kind of situations happens all the | time, around us | | | Tom Scales wrote: | | My SS4000 has developed a problem where the yellow light just continues to | flash and the motor runs on and on. I called Polaroid and they sent me a | 'cleaning kit', really just a little brush that attaches to the slide | carrier. | | Whoopee. | | Didn't do a thing. | | Am I just SOL? Do I have to send it to Polaroid? | | How big a stickler are they on your original invoice? I can't find it. I do | have the original box, which shows it was shipped to me less than a year ago | and that is what I'll send it to them in. | | I just hope I don't have a fight for warranty service. | | Any thoughts would be appreciated. | | Thanks, | | Tom |
Re: filmscanners: SS4000 problems - again
Same thing happened to me. You could try compressed air into the left side of the scanner. There was a report that that worked, but it did for me only very temporarily. Maybe I was too timid. I had no problem with Polaroid. They asked only for month of purchase and serial number, gave me a return number and that was it; not sure if it would have been as simple if I hadn't registered. They got it back to me extremely quickly: they received it on thursday and it was delivered back to me the next tuesday (NY to Mass and back). Their estimate initially was 7 to 10 days so such quick service may not be invariable. John M.
Re: filmscanners: SS4000 problems - again
That's good news. I'm pretty sure I registered it. I'll call them on Monday... Tom Same thing happened to me. You could try compressed air into the left side of the scanner. There was a report that that worked, but it did for me only very temporarily. Maybe I was too timid. I had no problem with Polaroid. They asked only for month of purchase and serial number, gave me a return number and that was it; not sure if it would have been as simple if I hadn't registered. They got it back to me extremely quickly: they received it on thursday and it was delivered back to me the next tuesday (NY to Mass and back). Their estimate initially was 7 to 10 days so such quick service may not be invariable. John M.
