Tech support (or why I shoulda bought an iPod)

[sPod_newB]

I've just had my first encounter with Samsung's online tech support, and it wasn't pretty.

I have a SGP 4 and I wanted to pose my question about hanging downloads and video freezeups to them by e-mail, which would seem an appropriate first step. After navigating the various drop-downs, I ended up on a page requires you to select Product Group > Product Type > Product Sub-type > Model #. And wouldn't you know it -- it's that last one where there's no drop-down. No matter how you click on it, it just keeps saying "Select".

So my question/vent is: What should I expect when I phone them? Long wait times and non-English speaking tech reps? Is this typical with Samsung?

[CrowdAds]

[Daniel644]

how about you ask your problem here, there's a chance we might be able to help.

[1776]

I got my SGP 5 right after Thanksgiving in the middle of the holiday rush and I was uncertain about how to tell if the SGP was charging when plugged in so I called Customer Support. I got through quickly, had very little, if any wait time, and the tech was pleasant and answered my questions and waited while I checked out what he told me. It actually was one of the better customer service experiences I have had.

[GeorgeP1111]

I found the phone Customer Support to be overly polite. I had a question about my need to use a static IP on my home system (none of my laptops do) and the erratic compass sensors. A lot of background typing and repeating of my questions but not much help. Got bumped up to a higher level of Tech support and after a lot of typing and repeating my questions, was told that they would have a senior tech research this and get back to me..... that was in January.... I'm still waiting.

On another note, I also wondered if there was a way to check the charging status on my SGP5. Seems like all other devices have some sort of indicator that shuts off or changes color when the charge cycle is complete. What did they tell you?

tnx
George

[Marvin the Martian]

Originally Posted by GeorgeP1111

On another note, I also wondered if there was a way to check the charging status on my SGP5. Seems like all other devices have some sort of indicator that shuts off or changes color when the charge cycle is complete. What did they tell you?

tnx
George

My SGP is running a custom ROM now, so I don't know if it will behave exactly the same as yours, but when it reaches a full charge, there is a beep that sounds, and the numerical icon reaches the number 100.

In all fairness, using the wall charger, it does appear to be stuck at 90% for a long time before it hits that 100% mark. Most of the time I don't bother charging it fully like that, I'll unplug it once I break 80% most of the time. When I do want a truly full charge, like if i am going to be away from AC power for a long time, I use the 2A charger from my Galaxy Tab Plus instead of the 700mA charger from the SGP. It charges faster with that.

[1776]

Originally Posted by GeorgeP1111

On another note, I also wondered if there was a way to check the charging status on my SGP5. Seems like all other devices have some sort of indicator that shuts off or changes color when the charge cycle is complete. What did they tell you?

tnx
George

A quick push of the power button will show a large battery image on the screen with the charging progress. This stays on for a few seconds. When it is complete, it will show the battery all green with 100% in the middle.

It does vibrate momentarily when finished but if you leave it to charge and come back you will of course not have heard that. Just push the button.

[GeorgeP1111]

I haven't heard the vibrate, but as you said, most of the time I'm probably not near enough to hear it. I didn't know about the displaying the charge indicator with the momentary button push.... thanks for that one.

George

[Captain brick]

Originally Posted by sPod_newB

I've just had my first encounter with Samsung's online tech support, and it wasn't pretty.

I've always had good experience with Samsung? I've called a few years ago about a smart phone & recently about my washer not spinning & yesterday about my SGP 5. They are great about helping.

Once I had a lady not do so well but the problem was still solved despite the not so friendly tone of voice.

[steinburger1109]

Going through here I am having zero issues sending them an email right now as I am trying it out.

[Goucham]

Originally Posted by steinburger1109

Going through here I am having zero issues sending them an email right now as I am trying it out.

I think the problem with that link is that when you get to the actual email form, there isn't actually a category for the SGP.

[steinburger1109]

I went all the way to the point at which it was asking me to write my problems. I didn't go on because I didn't want to send them a faulty report merely for testing. Sorry if I was wrong, but it was working just fine for me.

[brosko]

Ya the sgp is not listed there when you email them. I brought this to their attention a few months ago.

[Boneskid1]

hey george, what problems are you having with the ip on your wireless connection? is it disconnecting when you put it to sleep?

you can set the wireless to where the connection will not sleep but it will stay on until either the device is turned off or you turn the wi-fi off.

go into settings, then go to wireless and networks, and go to the wireless settings, and click on the far right capacitive key (i don't know what it is actually called), it will bring up a menu and one of the options is advanced settings click on it, and somewhere in the new page it should say wi-fi sleep policy and in there you can tell it to never sleep.

if you are talking about setting the static ip. you have to use the set values from you home network, or where ever you are using it, i have never used this before cause my connection is usually pretty good

[GeorgeP1111]

Originally Posted by Boneskid1

hey george, what problems are you having with the ip on your wireless connection?

When running my SGP5 using a Dynamic IP address on my home network, it will Disconnect, Search, Find, Connect about every 45 seconds or so (I wrote about this in a earlier post). When I set it with a Static IP address it connects and stays connected. I have two laptops and a Polaroid tablet and these work fine using a Dynamic address, only the SGP5 requires the Static one. I have two WiFi modems, Belkin and D-Link, same results on both.

Downside is that when I go to a public WiFi access spot I have to reconfigure the SGP5 for dynamic IP to access the WiFi, then set it back to Static when I get back home.

George