Remote Dies, VP rings on!

G'day Everyone.

Have you ever have a little nightmare in your life lately when you are technology dependent on something? Like a Videophone? Well, I found a flaw in the Sorenson Videophone (VP) product. Maybe two. Is that enough for me to switch providers? No. I'd be stuck with the same equipment.

Well, I learned one thing lately. Never try to do an OUT-DUEL with another user. A friend of mine and I had been doing a VP remote fight for quite some time. That is to say to see who can log off the other in the fastest way with your VP remote.
There was a *PRICE TO BE PAID*!! My VP remote paid for it. How? Well, he pressed his end call button a microsecond faster than me. The result sent a signal right back at my remote through my VP. It fried the circuit board in the remote, but I didn't realize it happened.

When I got ready for bed, I picked up my remote and tried to power off the VP. No response from the VP. I tried several times with the remote and looked for a response. Nothing. Thought that the batteries are dead. Swapped batteries. Still no response. 2nd and 3rd sets of fresh batteries, still no response! The remote had *FLAT LINED*! (Funeral march plays. RIP my fateful remote!) So I ended up pulling the power off my VP for the night.

Next morning, I made sure the remote had definitely died. After numerous battery swapping, the VP remote was DORFed (Dead of Remote Functions). So I sent an email at my friend who "won" the duel. I gave him an eyeful of a email. He did a big *GLUP* and contacted VP support.
I also have done that as well.

For now, my VP rings and rings and rings. I have no way to answer the call. I looked over the VP itself for an optional answer button. Found none. Is that a flaw with the Sorenson VP Product? Possible. So I am in hopes that Sorenson will mail me another remote controller so I can answer my VP calls.

Should my experience call for a redesign of the VP-200? Yep. It ought to be redesigned so users have an option when their controllers stop working, they can still answer the calls on the VP machine itself. Just like when our remote controllers stop working for our VCR/DVR/TV stop working, we still have buttons on those machines to use as well.

Finally and lastly, I take one lesson to warn others: Don't do a end call VP Duel with your friend. You may just end up with a DORF in your hands. That is your remote controller gets killed by the other user.

So for many of my friends who call me during my remote-less days, don't worry. I'll get back to you when I get another remote. Thus, head back on the email again!

So without a VP I say Semer FI for now.
humm.. let's see what's on facebook.....

Update: well, a WARFC (With Ass Remote Function Controller) is coming on the way from Sorenson. Unfortunately, due to the snail mail of the UPS, it will take a few days. :-(

Some one suggest I buy a URC (Universal Remote Controller). I was laughing and had a URC laying around that was a gag gift some time ago. Some URCs are good, some are not. I took the old "new" gag gift out and tried it. It became an instant DOURCF. (Died of Universal Remote Control Functions.)

Lastly, I thinking I'm getting pretty good of coming up with short names. But no.. I'll never make a full blog of short words. Unless the old MacGuyverBond would be interested to do that stuff. I'll bet you he won't cuz he hasn't posted in a while. :-)

Later dudes!

Update #2: Just found out.. Sorenson says a week to 10 days for my new "WARFC" to arrive.
They're sending it by UPS. Makes me wanna wish for SUPS (super UPS). *sigh*