Phatnoise still exist? Email doesn't work & they don't return phone calls

[markt]

I was told to send my hardware and software back for repair, and for the past 2 months I have not been able to get in touch with anyone.  I tried emailing from the Volkswagon Phatnoise website and it doesn't work.  I called tech support (310-954-3561) and customer service (310-954-3650) and only get a machine and no call backs.  Does anyone know another way to connect them or can offer advice?  Thank you.

[judb]

Call Harmon-Kardon's corporate headquarters I guess.. They bought phatnoise.. maybe they know whats up.

[markt]

Looks like Phatnoise might be reading this website as I got a quick response.

"I spoke to our technician, Sylas. Unfortunately, your PhatBox will not boot up in our development environment and cannot be repaired. We apologize for being unable to assist you. We do not stock or distribute Audi/VW Edition PhatBoxes or PhatBox parts. If you would like to have your PhatBox returned, please email your shipping address to stseng@harman.com."

Since Phatnoise nor Harman support this product, does anyone know where to go for repairs?

[judb]

That is a total bunch of bullshit right there. 

The guts of that box are the same as any other old phatbox.. so what they are saying is if you don't have a phatbox that is very new (the 1.2a release or whatever it was called that works with some newer head units) they won't even allow you to pay for a new board!

Phatnoise would be who should be doing repairs.. I'd think they should offer you the costs of parts and labor to swap in a new board and be done with it.

I guess either find one on ebay, or ditch the phatbox and get the alpine iDA-X000 or whatever and hook an ipod up to it.  or something. 

Email them back and ask them what you should do since VW / Audi discontinued their sales of those boxes.. who do you contact for support?

[sbingner]

WTH, did they not tell you to mail it tot hem?   By accepting it from you, one would assume they accepted the responsibility of fixing it... you could have told THEM it didn't boot.  I wonder what a lawyer would say...

[markt]

Here's their response when I asked if anyone fixed these or if I could get parts or a new board from them.  Anything!

Hello Mark,
 
Audi/VW of America distributed this edition of the PhatBox exclusively. Now that the product has been discontinued for some time, we do not know about replacement availability. We apologize for being unable to assist you further.
 
Best regards,

Jennifer
PhatNoise Customer Support

So I guess if you have one of these units (not sure the model number, but it came in a 2004 Tourag) you are SOL.

[judb]

That is SUCH a load of crap!

Seriously contact VW and most importantly contact Harmon Kardon's corporate arm in America and pitch a major bitch about how they accepted the phatbox from you and now they wont fix it due to some contract loop hole or something. 

They should be able to offer you parts and labor repair since they should have the internals and its easy to flash a box of one type to another.

[todd1010]

Some company just bought Harmon. Here is the article:


http://www.audioholics.com/news/industry-news/harman-agrees-buyout.html

[thisonefoo]

I believe there are laws according to this kind of situation. It goes something in the way that a company MUST produce a product that is offered from the factory within a certain amount of years.

Think of it this way.. (In my world.. and in the US) The rims on a MK4 '05 GTI - Arietta's. Since the release of the NEW MK5 models, VW is still under law to produce products, eg. Arietta's, for the '05 GTI even though that generation of the model is 'finished.' It should be the same way as Phatnoise..

[todd1010]

I just wish we could get them to release the code so judb can do some magic on it. If they did we would have a great product.

[judb]

Since no model of car shipped with it installed from the factory I don't believe that the automobile protections apply.. these were dealer sold add ons..

Not sure though..  VW may be able to assist you but phatnoise SUCKS bigtime for their handling of it.

[todd1010]

Since no model of car shipped with it installed from the factory I don't believe that the automobile protections apply.. these were dealer sold add ons..

Not sure though..  VW may be able to assist you but phatnoise SUCKS bigtime for their handling of it.

I agree. What is Phatnoise up to? Do they still make products for anyone? I know they had some media servers in some GM models but I'm sure they aren't selling very well. Are they trying to improve on the product or anything?