What Is Website On About? Just Looking To Buy A Service Manual

I have a tape deck, I am restoring and have ordered the new belts for it from Germany and now the postal strike is over the two week wait already I have waited, they should soon be here.

To help me fit them and any other problems I may have, I've been looking for a service manual for the machine Hitachi D-550, I came across the website turntableneedles.com and they have the service manual to download for about £9 (well I think they do)

In the Description it says,

"YOU ARE BUYING 5 minutes of non-component level telephone troubleshooting time w/our senior tech. within 30 days. Prior to our OPTIONAL consult, we (sometimes instantaneously) email you a link to view our professionally scanned 200 DPI full PDF service manual. Once we email you the link there are NO REFUNDS.
NO paper manual will be mailed to you! NO EXCEPTIONS! Mail orders of this service info will require a telephone and email address."

Now, what does this mean? I buy the pdf but call them up, they call me up? it says "OPTIONAL" how do I turn it down. Also "(sometimes instantaneously)" or is that sometime in the next week.

Has anyone used this site or know where I can view this manual for free? Everything I have ever repaired the service manual has been on the web for before now. I am not talking pirate, but like minded people hosting then to help others.

It means find another source for your manual. turntableneedles.com, while not a scam site per se, is quick to try to make as much money off of you as they can, often without you realizing it. Sometimes it takes a bit more grunt work, but your reference manual is out there somewhere.

Matter of fact, you'll find it HERE. It's a 3 part RAR file that you'll have to get all parts for to decompress it properly, but it's all there. I think you'll find that to be a lot less expensive, and a lot more convenient, than having to deal with a company that wants you to jump through hoops.

It sounds more like they are telling you they have the PDF of your manual and if you pay £9 you will be allowed 5 minutes on a premium rate phone number to one of their agents and a quick glimpse of a PDF that could be for a Ford Anglia but tough because once they send the link (even if its the wrong one) you ain't getting your cash back.

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Originally Posted by GuidoLS

It means find another source for your manual. turntableneedles.com, while not a scam site per se, is quick to try to make as much money off of you as they can, often without you realizing it. Sometimes it takes a bit more grunt work, but your reference manual is out there somewhere.

Matter of fact, you'll find it HERE. It's a 3 part RAR file that you'll have to get all parts for to decompress it properly, but it's all there. I think you'll find that to be a lot less expensive, and a lot more convenient, than having to deal with a company that wants you to jump through hoops.

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Thank for your help but that is for the D-5500 I have the D-550, also not to be confused with the D-550R.

The hunt goes on.

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Originally Posted by Bambooz

Here are 3 alternatives that seem a lot less shady than turntableneedles..

http://www.manualscenter.com/manuals...l#.VZ7-5KLcW_5
http://www.mikesmanuals.com/Manuals_Details_1874.htm
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201279568836

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1, I hope the PDF is better then the preview. 2 and 3 I think going through ebay ill be my best option. Still funny how it is online but in this world can't find a 38 year old manual for free. I have found a site which has hundreds of free manuals but not the one I am looking for lol

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Originally Posted by TheDutyPaid

Thank for your help but that is for the D-5500 I have the D-550, also not to be confused with the D-550R.

The hunt goes on.

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Interesting - when I entered that search initially, the last zero wasn't there - and the model in the PDF looks strikingly like all the google images. Ah well - sorry it wasn't the one. My advice still holds about turntableneedles.com - I attempted to actually purchase some needles through them to refurb a couple of all-in-one machines for a thrift/resale shop, and they made the process so difficult that I took my business elsewhere. Find a better source.

It's amazing how some things are so hard to find on the net...... yet the ease of finding 'illegal'* material is incredibly easy.

* definition of illegal - torrents or sport streaming sites etc

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Originally Posted by Bambooz

Yet another one brainwashed into thinking "torrent = illegal" :confused:

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Oh dear. :clapping:

So 9 days ago I ordered the service manual D-550 (U) as per item description and picture, from a gent in the US from ebay.

Today I got the service manual for the D-550R Please remember the "R" makes all the difference. Of course the two models are similar but it is the changes between the two do add up.

I have sent a message to the seller, but if he only offers a refund on return, then the post would cost more then the item.

The faults of others have upset me.

See what he says, but if you don't get anywhere, can you complain to ebay? After all, it seems like you ordered one thing and got something else.

Sometimes though, when doing this kind of thing, you have to be prepared to take a punt, order and hope. If you get what you paid for, great. But before you order, be prepared to write it off if you don't. This kind of transaction is inherently a bit of a risk, and is an almost perfect demonstration of the old legal principle - caveat emptor.

It's a bit like buying from a local market trader, or John Lewis. There are some great market traders, but there are some crooks, too, and you might get John Lewis standard customer service, but you slso might not. It's the punt you take, I'm afraid. You now just have to wait to find out if this bloke is a JL, or a dodgy geezer.

Oh, and this is very much a long shot, but .... have you tried talking to Hitachi? If you can find, and get through to the right person (if they exist) you might get a surprise. I have known cases like this, on well-old hardware, where an 'enthusiast' in tech support has been willing to copy an old tech manual and post it, not least because they admire what you're trying to do.

Like I say, it's very much a long shot, but ..... ;)

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Originally Posted by Saracen

See what he says, but if you don't get anywhere, can you complain to ebay? After all, it seems like you ordered one thing and got something else.

Sometimes though, when doing this kind of thing, you have to be prepared to take a punt, order and hope. If you get what you paid for, great. But before you order, be prepared to write it off if you don't. This kind of transaction is inherently a bit of a risk, and is an almost perfect demonstration of the old legal principle - caveat emptor.

It's a bit like buying from a local market trader, or John Lewis. There are some great market traders, but there are some crooks, too, and you might get John Lewis standard customer service, but you slso might not. It's the punt you take, I'm afraid. You now just have to wait to find out if this bloke is a JL, or a dodgy geezer.

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The seller in question has been a member since 2000 and has a feedback score of 13564 all 100% positive Feedback and only deals with service manuals, instruction books ect.

He was listing for sale 2 D-550 in one auction and 1 D-550R in another. I bought (and have checked) the D-550. He also has listed for sale 6305 other items.

Here is a copy of the message I sent, also sent a picture of said wrong manual.

"I ordered the service manual for a D-550 (U) as in the listing picture and description, what I received today was the service manual for the D-550R (U,C)

I wanted the right manual as I have the D-550 not the later model D-550R and I could have ordered the manual you sent cheaper as well, but only you had the "right" manual.

This is a mistake on your part, could you please advise what is best to do?
Please note, ebay say to send back for refund, but the postage cost would be the same as the item. I would probably end up being be out of pocket which is not fair."

I see if I can get in touch with Hitachi. If I phone it be on a Friday, everybody is in a better mood on Fridays.

I feel for your situation!!! This type of thing has happened to me plenty of times. That said I recently got a surprise refund for a rare CD from an Amazon seller in April listing it as new sealed when it was simply resealed and very used. But for £2 or whatever it was, sending it back was a waste of effort. At least they eventually got round to reading my feedback... so hopefully this will spur on some good luck.

Just a couple of ideas if you get nowhere with Hitachi, try the AVForums and if someone owns a copy ask if they could scan it for a beer or there are a couple of Youtubers reviewing the deck, perhaps they still have the manual as well.

Best of luck!

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Originally Posted by TheDutyPaid

The seller in question has been a member since 2000 and has a feedback score of 13564 all 100% positive Feedback and only deals with service manuals, instruction books ect.

He was listing for sale 2 D-550 in one auction and 1 D-550R in another. I bought (and have checked) the D-550. He also has listed for sale 6305 other items.

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I have no practical help sorry, just sympathy/empathy for the fact that having gone to lengths to handpick your seller, this should still happen. :( Even after many a similar experience, I must have some residual ability to be taken aback by people's incompetence, as that's just dire after your efforts. Hope you get something halfway helpful back from the seller (and your manual from somewhere of course).

nb may I have this - "The faults of others have upset me" - done into Latin as my family motto? Ta. :D

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Originally Posted by sammyc

nb may I have this - "The faults of others have upset me" - done into Latin as my family motto? Ta. :D

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https://translate.google.com/#en/la/...e%20upset%20me

:laugh:

and very lovely it will look with a suitable crest - I'm thinking toads, reguardant.