CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

Z-Photo · Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 2:12 pm Post subject:

The Ampros would revolt ----

and actually work for a bit

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 9:28 pm Post subject:

Just got the call from my shipping depot. the '150' lbs box has arrived. Wish me luck, gonna grab it now.

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 10:49 pm Post subject:

OK, it's here. It is a Runco. It's a 992. sh*t!

About to call Paypal and dispute the money that I paid.

CRT_Ben · Joined: 28 Aug 2006 Posts: 1684 Location: Northern Virginia

sh*t, I hope you can get your money back!! Sad

Zebu Fellenz · Joined: 21 Dec 2006 Posts: 2567

Ouch

I hope you kept good records of all your communications with the seller.

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 11:10 pm Post subject:

Worse yet, the tubes have wear. So much for new 'bulbs' about 50 hours ago.

The case is clean though.... Thumbs Up

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 11:42 pm Post subject:

I'm f*ck***. Paypal won't cover me on this one since it wasn't through eBay. I've ripped the customer service rep a new one. f*ck Paypal AND ebay.

Happy Friday the 13th!

<edit>. Amazingly enough the seller of the item did pick up the phone, and promises to call me back. Who knows, the mystery deepens...

Tom.W · Joined: 09 Mar 2006 Posts: 6635

OK I just read the rest of the story...

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 12:41 am Post subject:

That's what I did. Paypal absolutely refuses to deal with me. They can't verify what the ad originally said as it can be edited whenever the seller wants to. It's bull****.

MikeEby · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 5237 Location: Osceola, Indiana

That sucks...WTF is a 992 I don't see it the site?

Zebu Fellenz · Joined: 21 Dec 2006 Posts: 2567

MikeEby · Joined: 24 Jun 2007 Posts: 5237 Location: Osceola, Indiana

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 4:06 am Post subject:

Ah, whaddya do? I'll retube it, the case is mint, and maybe some eBayer out there thinks Runco is da bomb and will pay $2500 for it. When handed lemons, make lemonade.

Anyone know a hit man in Boston? I could use some blood topping on that lemonade.

Oh, and I scored a couple of sets of NOS Barco LC tubes today. I think I have one set of lenses here, so if possible, I'll turn it into an LC set. Not sure the age of the Runco, if I'm lucky I can turn it into a Zenith 1200 equivalent. If so, I can break even on it, I think.

stefuel · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 12:08 pm Post subject:

Ahhh the plot thickens. Watt'a you want to bet that the reason He blew us off that Sat. was becaues he knew it was mis-represented and was afraid the people who were picking it up would know the difference. There must be a Runco tag on it stating what it is. Where did he come up with 1200 over the 992 that it really is. You got scammed plain and simple.
I would have bailed on the whole mess that day. It stunk right from the get go. Are you able to sit down yet? It must be sore Wink

Curt, you said (I think) that he sent you 10 pictures. Can you pick through those with a fine tooth comb and see anything that might have given you a clue that it was anything but what you were told. The only thing that I just noticed is that the picture provided appears to have plastic cased lenses.

stefuel · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 12:17 pm Post subject:

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 3:19 pm Post subject:

No, the case and lenses are completely black with black lens covers. I haven't taken the thing out of the box yet, but it occurred to me late last night after i downed a few cold bitchpops that Runco wasn't using Barco sets until sometime after 2001, when NEC stopped making sets.

Since I've only seen a very few BArco 909, I know the case is 3" wider than the 808, but from the top, they look identical.

Maybe, just maybe it's a later model BG808, maybe even a Cine 8, in which case I still paid too much, but I could use it to test Cine 9 boards.

Edit. After sending a polite but firm email and phone message to the seller, he actually called me back this morning. Here's some research for you Bostoners to do for me:

He claims ignorance, but says that this set came from football player Bucky Jones, who went through a messy divorce, lost his house, and sold the Runco DTV 1200 to the guy that sold it to me. My seller is going to check his sales agreement, as he claims that all of his info came from Bucky rather than him looking at the set. Now, maybe this seller has a Canadian long distance plan, but wouldn't a true scammer run with the money and bail? Maybe I'm being way too optimistic here, but he says he's going to check the sales agreement when he bought it and apparently is 'willing to work with me' to try and get me some money back.

So I dunno, this is turning really twisted... one hell of a tale to tell the grandkids though.

But I encourage everyone to read the Paypal agreement. Damn, do they have their bases covered.

stefuel · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 4:29 pm Post subject:

"Maybe I'm being way too optimistic here"

I hope you are right but I have a real problem with the thought that He bought it, took possession of it, offered it up for sale, loaded it into a car to be delivered, unloaded it again and packed it for shipment without ever looking at the manufacturer's tag and noted the model# along with the manufacturers date. I have a bridge for sale. Interested???

macgyver655 · Joined: 22 Aug 2007 Posts: 8508

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 6:36 pm Post subject:

stefuel · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2009 12:21 pm Post subject:

So is there any news? Just curious if there was any resolution to the conflict. It really blows if this guy gets away with it.