Products > Test Equipment
Keysight officially lost the plot - don't buy if you're a hobbyist
Nominal Animal:
--- Quote from: Brumby on January 15, 2022, 04:41:48 am ---I'd like to find out the nature of the support that was sought - but nowhere is this information provided.
--- End quote ---
It would be nice for TwistedTransistor (and others) to clarify this –– exactly what did they ask from Keysight tech support? –– but the point here is kinda that it never even came up with Keysight's response.
Keysight simply stated that they "are unable to provide [TwistedTransistor] with technical support without a VAT ID or equivalent proof of business license."
To me, this indicates the issue is not the contents of the support request, but the fact that the person contacting them did not provide a VAT ID or equivalent proof of business license. But it would be very useful to know what kind of support others have asked from Keysight when getting such responses, most definitely.
JohanH:
Not sure if this is useful, but I also verified this by contacting their support (in Finland) and asked to buy a spare part, telling them the part number.
The response was that the part is available, but they need:
Name and address of the company
Company email where they can send the offer.
I then asked if they sell to non-businesses. The response was the blanket text (translated into Finnish):
--- Quote ---Keysight products are designed, manufactured, and tested for professional and industrial use. They are not designed or tested for personal, domestic, or household use. While we thank you for your interest in our products and/or services, we are unable to provide you with technical support without a VAT ID or equivalent proof of business license.
--- End quote ---
So, maybe I will create a business at some point, but I wouldn't bother right now. Have dealt with owning a cooperative style company that didn't have any business for a number of years and it was a pain in the a** to deal with the tax authorities until it finally got erased from all registers. Now maybe a one-man business is a bit easier to maintain (easier to gather the signatures of the board of directors for sure). Seems that registering a trade name is 60 €. You can also be a private entrepreneur for free. That might be an option, but technically you don't have a company name.
From their response, I also understood that they didn't care who did the request. So I could have asked a random company to handle it for me from here on and provided their address etc. But my point was rather to verify the thing.
Brumby:
--- Quote from: Nominal Animal on January 15, 2022, 06:08:51 am ---To me, this indicates the issue is not the contents of the support request, but the fact that the person contacting them did not provide a VAT ID or equivalent proof of business license.
--- End quote ---
That could be as simple as it appears on the surface - or it could be Keysight's escape response. You know, the sort of thing you would say to save yourself from a WOFTAM.
--- Quote ---But it would be very useful to know what kind of support others have asked from Keysight when getting such responses, most definitely.
--- End quote ---
This sort of clarification is, indeed, why I asked.
metebalci:
--- Quote from: nctnico on January 14, 2022, 08:40:02 pm ---
--- Quote from: metebalci on January 14, 2022, 05:35:33 pm ---
--- Quote from: ogden on January 13, 2022, 08:47:54 pm ---Other manufacturers simply do not tell that their test and measurement equipment are not home appliances. Purpose of such disclaimer is to avoid liability in case someone using T&M equipment like RF generator, causes harmful interference or radiates himself with powerful RF till death. Do you guys really think that test & measurement equipment of any other manufacturer is going through all the consumer product certification? Look at cert labels of your TV and your scope (if any) - you will see huge difference ;)
[edit] AFAIK it does not say that Keysight instruments can't be sold to individuals? It does say that whoever bought instrument, shall use it in industrial field only. IMHO huge difference. Anyway I always buy from dealer which I can reach legally, thus as close to my jurisdiction as possible. It obviously means - I do not buy from manufacturer unless it is local farmer. Obviously I expect to get warranty and support from dealer, not manufacturer.
--- End quote ---
I was wondering this since it is possible to buy Keysight or any other product from resellers. Getting support from the reseller or dealer is OK for sales and after sales when the item is still under warranty but I wonder if the reseller has any obligation beyond that. In other words, can I send a product to Keysight for repair etc. as an individual even if I cannot buy something from them directly ?
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No, a reseller is your primary contact. But ofcourse you can choose any reseller / service center you want to have your equipment repaired or calibrated. Again: why the persistence to send equipment to Keysight directly??? :palm:
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I dont have any particular interest to buy directly from Keysight or send something for a repair to them. Just trying to understand. Independent service or repair or calibration center is a different thing, I can send anything to anywhere who says they can fix it. I question the issue with the manufacturer and the reseller. Maybe I bought the product second hand and have no connection with the original reseller, or I moved to a different country where original reseller has no presence.
nctnico:
--- Quote from: Brumby on January 15, 2022, 10:35:53 am ---
--- Quote from: Nominal Animal on January 15, 2022, 06:08:51 am ---To me, this indicates the issue is not the contents of the support request, but the fact that the person contacting them did not provide a VAT ID or equivalent proof of business license.
--- End quote ---
That could be as simple as it appears on the surface - or it could be Keysight's escape response. You know, the sort of thing you would say to save yourself from a WOFTAM.
--- End quote ---
I agree. There is a lot of jumping-to-conclusions going on in this thread without knowing the precise circumstances. The OP hasn't clarified what kind of support request was denied by Keysight.
Look at this recent thread for example: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-spd3303x-e-cant-set-it-to-current-mode/ OP buys a PSU, sets the output voltage to 0 and expects current to flow from the PSU. Not saying the OP for the thread I linked to is stupid; he/she just doesn't got the basics of electricity yet. I can imagine that at some point manufacturers don't want to deal with these kind of support requests.
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