My RCA Lyra MP3 saga...

Last February, I got a gift. A Lyra MP3 player. It was my first one and… I believe the last RCA device that I ever own.
This device was working fine until, some day, it started to be very slow to start up… then it started to loop at the start up (Please wait…. RCA…. Please wait… ). Well, I thought that something was wrong with my MP3 files (mostly pod-casts actually), so I formatted the device, refilled the battery… and… nothing new. Still looping.

I found this little button “Reset” and I was so happy ’cause I thought that I just found the way to reset my MP3 player to its initial state. I was disappointed. This button was not more that a reset that actually restarts the player or shut it down.

I tried to find a firmware to update it but guess what… RCA web site does not even list it in the download page. Even more, if I try to fill the contact form (the only on-line contact information), I got stuck with the postal code. It only accepts US zip codes and I live in Canada.

That is, I am still trying to find a way to fix my player because it is a gift. Otherwise I would have thrown it already….


....


After having spent weeks unsuccessfully trying to find a firmware update for my MP3 player, I sent an email via RCA web site to the support (faking a US postal code since the form is only for US residents). I received a reply pretty quickly that suggested me to call 866-449-7112 for any support information (they could simply publish this phone number on their web site. No?).

I called, and now I am going to send them the device. By the way, they confirmed me that there is no update for this device.

... Months later....

I've sent the player and got a replacement. An equivalent replacement according to Thomson (the manufacturer of the RCA Lyra MP3 series). I got an Opal. The problem is that the model I got did not have the FM Radio built in (the MC2602 has it). I called them back and after much negociations trying to convince them that an equivalent model should have at least the same features not just the same memory and same price, they sent me a post label and asked me to send them the player so that I get refounded this time (that was a tough negociation).

I got the prefilled label and sent back the player which I got back again few days later... Post Canada pretending that the address did not exist. I dealt with Post Canad and got a refound. Now I sent back again the player and finally Thomson got it.
Last time I spoke to them, they told me that they will refound me in about 6 to 8 weeks... which will bring me to something like 6 months after my MP3 player broke...

I wonder whether I get my check soon which will end this saga.