DV Help
I’m not actually begging .. but it’s getting close.
Long story short: My replacement ordered video camera is taking “longer than expected” to be delivered, and two weeks after my other one was stolen, I am using my backup camera which – if you had a hard time listening to the video from two days ago – is clear evidence that it cannot cut it in terms of what I want to do with video on my trip.
I stayed in New Orleans one day longer that I was meant to in hope that my back ordered model would turn up this morning (Monday), and now I am getting exceedingly frustrated.
I know that there will be some out there that say “Just get on with the trip and enjoy it for what it is”, or others “Your videos are fine! Just get on with it”, but I’m going to be terribly pretentious and professional and note that one of the main things that I built up this trip for was to get some decent quality video footage down – and right now that’s not happening, because I am in desperate need of a DV camera.
So if you know me – hell, even if you don’t – and you have a MiniDV taped based camera that you can loan to me (I’m in Memphis for the next two nights, and i’ll pay for the FedEx) please drop me an email … please. Otherwise I might have to actually start begging.
After living in London for the first 33 years of my life and working for the 
So for ten weeks in June, July and August 2009, I drove 20,000 miles around the the lower 48 contiguous states of the USA visiting towns and places that shared the same name as places on The London
(Because it’s been one of those kind of days when…)
- My new travel companion for this week … my mum, yes! my mother!, who flew out at the last minute at the weekend, got sick this morning, emptied her guts up and has been drinking water and spent most of the day passed out in my car, as I had to drive 6 hours by myself … she was in no fit state to drive
- ‘Bond’ Louisiana turned out to be a middle-of-nowhere crossroads that did nothing to cheer my mood
- The Britney Spears museum in Kentwood, Louisiana was CLOSED .. only open Tuesdays to Fridays
- I had a stand-off/argument with the guy at the exit in Walmart because i couldn’t find my reciept for something I’d just bought and the alarm went off, and there was this horrendous stand off for a few moments where i realised that he really did think i was trying to steal stuff. but then i fond the receipt, it was no fun.
Sorry to hear it’s been a shitty day, Geoff. Hope things are better for you today.
Could there possibly be a place in Memphis to rent what you need? Maybe they’ll give you a big discount if you tell them the whole story…?! Or try placing a plea on Memphis Craigslist…I bet someone would be able to help you out, especially if you link to the whole saga on here/Twitter.
I have a gay old Digital 8 that you can borrow if you want – but I guess its pretty crass … I mean, I bought it 6 years ago! LOL!
So my morning went something like this:
Using google & yellow pages, call up every singe A/V retailer/service center (and i do mean EVERY one) in Memphis. No one is selling Sony pro video. one guy “might” have a Panasonic or JVC somewhere, but will have to check and call me back, duh.
Get desperate and decide to go down the consumer route… Wolf Video – 6 branches in Memphis, but no… none of them have what i need either.
My Sony AVH-A1U that was on back order with B&H (cost – $2,200) i decided to cancel, i cancel it by calling them up. i see on their website that they DO have the Sony HDR FX-1000, except it costs MORE at $3,200. i NEED a camera, i gulp, bite the bullet and try not to think about the money i can’t afford.
what’s more, the battery accessories that i orders (that DID get delivered to me already) are NOT compatiable with this camera, fuck.
HANG ON! everything screwed… when the B&H dude tells me that they ONLY deliver to residential & business address. not motels/hotel/campground. “but a campground IS a business, i argue”, no joy. wanker. order cancelled.
i get a twitter from Rudi. (how many times has twitter saved my fuckin’ arse on this trip?, how many more times will it be my support saviour and network in the forthcoming weeks? thanks to emma5036, raineth, jonhind & joeybenton for your tweets too) because he’s following my feed. He’s found an AVH-A1U on Amazon… except it costs $1000 more than what B&H were offering it for!
however.. they can deliver the next day. Fuck it. I order it… i can’t afford it, but i order it. the receipt comes through – delivery? TWO days. Agh!
so i’ve got a ‘Care of KOA…’ order through via a re-seller on amazon (which i always find a bit dodgey) for the camera that i want, but $1000 more than what i should have paid for it, being delivered in TWO days time, and not overnight like this promised.
and that consumed three hours of my morning, and my hurts actually hurts through all the agony of trying to sort that all out.
that’s all.
Brilliant!
[--- Transcript of online conversation with B&H, New York ---]
Yoel K: Hello RD. My name is Yoel. I see your question, “A blogger I’m following needs your help to order new equipment, but he is in a hotel in Memphis. His other gear was stolen, his previous order is backlogged. Is there anyone who can help Geoff Marshall of Charleston, SC?
RD: He was told your company won’t ship to a hotel address… Is this tue?
Yoel K: Yes that is.
RD: Why is this?
Yoel K: Security risk.
RD: Or even to a facility of confirmed location, suchj as a nearby UPS/Fed-Ex?
Yoel K: Unfortunately, the Customer Service Department can not give that type of information. If you like, I can transfer your chat session to our Sales Department and one of our Product Professionals will be able to assist you further.
RD: As in, his gear would be stolen again?
RD: Or insurance issues? I’m tring to understand… his need is very real, and his gear was supposed to be in New Orleans by Monday…
RD: Ok, transfer me over, please
Yoel K: What type of items are You interested in ?
RD: I’m not— he ordered some type of pro mini dv, which apparently fell into backorder. He tried ordering again, but not he’s in Memphis, and he can’t get the gear
Yoel K: is he trying to get Mini dv’s ?
RD: I’m just an outraged blogger-follower. He’s doing a tour of the continental US http://www.geofftech.co.uk. Had his gear stolen in Greensboro
RD: Yes, trying to get a mini dv
Yoel K has left the session.
Please wait while we find an agent from the Consumer Video department to assist you.
Albert N: Hello RD. My name is Albert. How can I help you today?
RD: Did Yoel leave his info from previous chat?
Albert N: no, one moment while I read it
RD: I’m following a blogger, Geoff Marshall, as he travels the US. His gear was stolen, and he ordered a new mini dv, but it’s backlogged. He was supposed to get it delivered in New Orleans
Albert N: B&H cannot accept Credit Card payments for orders shipped to Hotels, Motels or Resorts. We will ship to these locations under the following circumstances.
RD: Can I send this page to him?
Albert N: I can e-mail a transcript to you or him
RD: to him, please. geoff@geofftech.co.uk thank you.
God, I thought I had a bad day!!! But when I followed up on twitter you day got better. I do hope that all the bad karma from the south is over, even though I am a southern girl, and you get makeup time!!