Spypoint support meltdown?

Spypoint is a bad word around me. I will admit I haven’t bought one of their cameras ( only because I had an abundance of regular trail cams ). I added a cell link 2 years ago. It hasn’t lasted through a season yet. It has been replaced a couple of times and just dies and won’t send pics. To put it in perspective it recently died September 30 and I’ve been dealing with customer service ever since.
I was talking to a fellow consumer at cabelas the other day and he said he had a micro link that wouldn’t work when it got wet.
The only good thing I’ve got from spypoint is the external 12v battery pack. Saves a fortune in batteries.
I did take a hard look at the Tactacam Reveal X ( wish they had a SK in the store ).

I have 2 micro link cameras. Both worked well until a battery died on one (wires chewed and shorted by raccoons). The one in question was 2 years old. I chatted with the online agent tonight, and within 40 minutes she has one on the way to replace the one that has failed. No receipt needed, BTW. Best service of ANY trailcam I have ever had, and I have had a bunch. Spypoint is OK by me!

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Originally Posted by Ouzel

I have 2 micro link cameras. Both worked well until a battery died on one (wires chewed and shorted by raccoons). The one in question was 2 years old. I chatted with the online agent tonight, and within 40 minutes she has one on the way to replace the one that has failed. No receipt needed, BTW. Best service of ANY trailcam I have ever had, and I have had a bunch. Spypoint is OK by me!

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Consider yourself lucky. I have seen so many reports of different issues with those including customer service that I would never consider buying one ever.

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Originally Posted by smitty55

Consider yourself lucky. I have seen so many reports of different issues with those including customer service that I would never consider buying one ever.

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I have a lot of experience with spypoint tech support. They don't know anything that you can't find on the web site. They've taken a page from the playbook of India's tech support industry where they tell you to go do something that a) will take a while or b) you can't do until you have the camera in-hand. This gets you off their back for a few hours or days. I suspect the chat group support is off-shored - they are a whole different level of stupid. The telephone guys are a bit better, but again - they give you the same steps which (if you're having transmission problems) are irrelevant. New SD card, reformatted, replace batteries - these don't affect cell reception. However, the power cycle you do when you do these does make it work better for a couple of days.

Let Spy Point HQ know their products are being severely bad mouthed on hunting forums and maybe they'll pay a bit of attention.

I was thinking of buying some of these but the more I hear about the issues people are having I probably won't.

I have noticed on cell phone that after 3 years they don't seem to pick up a signal as well. Places I use to get a full signal I don't now but my son who has a new phone gets a good signal. I guess after times the components degrade maybe these trail cams are the same cheap components.

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Originally Posted by greatwhite

I was thinking of buying some of these but the more I hear about the issues people are having I probably won't.

I have noticed on cell phone that after 3 years they don't seem to pick up a signal as well. Places I use to get a full signal I don't now but my son who has a new phone gets a good signal. I guess after times the components degrade maybe these trail cams are the same cheap components.

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Thats a good point and could be part of the issue. I listened to a podcast a while ago that had an interview with a trail cam manufacturer. He said there are various grades of electrical components. If I remember right something like base, high, gov't and medical. Medical being best, the cheapest often lasting only a year. He said price is significantly different, so cheap cams use cheap components.

The motion detection sensor seemed to be what he focused on the most, and said the cheap ones typically last a year in an outdoor environment, the top of the line should be expected to be more like 7.

That being said I have 2 cheap Wildgame Innovation cams at the cottage for security that are going on their 8th year and still working, but I've had others fail in just over a year, so who knows.

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Originally Posted by FishHog

Thats a good point and could be part of the issue. I listened to a podcast a while ago that had an interview with a trail cam manufacturer. He said there are various grades of electrical components. If I remember right something like base, high, gov't and medical. Medical being best, the cheapest often lasting only a year. He said price is significantly different, so cheap cams use cheap components.

The motion detection sensor seemed to be what he focused on the most, and said the cheap ones typically last a year in an outdoor environment, the top of the line should be expected to be more like 7.

That being said I have 2 cheap Wildgame Innovation cams at the cottage for security that are going on their 8th year and still working, but I've had others fail in just over a year, so who knows.

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Good explanation. Cheap in, cheap out.

I would definitely pay more for higher grade and more reliable cellular cameras. With the price of gas these days, these would pay for themselves in no time by not having to visit them every 2 weeks to reset them or fix them.

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Originally Posted by Ahuntr300

Good explanation. Cheap in, cheap out.

I would definitely pay more for higher grade and more reliable cellular cameras. With the price of gas these days, these would pay for themselves in no time by not having to visit them every 2 weeks to reset them or fix them.

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Except that they are not cheap. A link-s is ***SUPPOSED TO BE*** top of the line cell/solar camera. $600 CAD.
For that price, I do expect a bit of customer support.

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Originally Posted by werner.reiche

Except that they are not cheap. A link-s is ***SUPPOSED TO BE*** top of the line cell/solar camera. $600 CAD.
For that price, I do expect a bit of customer support.

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Can’t argue with you there