Digital Review Aliens Digital UHD Review (8 Viewers)

[Josh Steinberg]

I wish I had your patience, Todd

To me, it seems clear that at the customer-facing level, customer support exists to make sure payment has been processed and that a title purchased directly on their service appears in your account.

Issues with product configuration, wrong masters provided, linking with third party providers like Movies Anywhere, all of that seems like it’s just not their purview, and that no amount of reaching out will ever achieve anything because those are not areas that they service.

It’s hard to tell how much of this is them not understanding your issue and how much of this not having any mechanism to address it, but the result is the same, there’s an issue with no one you’re allowed to speak to that’s authorized to assist in any meaningful way.

This seems like it’s own version of an Amazon shipping issue where a fragile item is coded for insufficiently protective packaging, where Amazon’s customer service can’t help because they don’t have a mechanism to communicate that to the shipping warehouse and the actual warehouse employees don’t have the authority to override the type of packaging material the system directs them to use.

 

[Todd Erwin]

I wish I had your patience, Todd

To me, it seems clear that at the customer-facing level, customer support exists to make sure payment has been processed and that a title purchased directly on their service appears in your account.

Issues with product configuration, wrong masters provided, linking with third party providers like Movies Anywhere, all of that seems like it’s just not their purview, and that no amount of reaching out will ever achieve anything because those are not areas that they service.

It’s hard to tell how much of this is them not understanding your issue and how much of this not having any mechanism to address it, but the result is the same, there’s an issue with no one you’re allowed to speak to that’s authorized to assist in any meaningful way.

This seems like it’s own version of an Amazon shipping issue where a fragile item is coded for insufficiently protective packaging, where Amazon’s customer service can’t help because they don’t have a mechanism to communicate that to the shipping warehouse and the actual warehouse employees don’t have the authority to override the type of packaging material the system directs them to use.

FAH Customer Care is the most difficult customer service team I have ever had to deal with. The main problem I see is that Customer Care is, essentially, nothing more than a call center that can provide a few troubleshooting steps over the phone, in chat, or via e-mail, but once those are exhausted, all they can do is take a message and pass it on.

Gumming up the works is that EVERY TIME A CUSTOMER MAKES CONTACT a new case is created - that is how their system is set up. And yet they wonder why their caseload is so high.

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

Any further response?

I asked for an update today, and was told that I first needed to provide a ton of rather unnecessary info, or my request would be cancelled.

Speed test results:

The type of device you are using:

The make and model of your modem:

The make and model of your router:

Whether your device is connected via a wired or wireless connection:

The distance from your device to your modem and router:

Your Internet Service Provider:

Your city and state:

Movie title and definition (SD, HDX, or UHD) you are attempting to play:

Your Public IP Address:

I sent them all of that info. It hasn't helped.

 

[Todd Erwin]

I sent them all of that info. It hasn't helped.

So, no further response, then? Not surprised...

As soon as I am over this chest cold or bronchitis, I will be recording an episode of my video podcast centered on FAH. It will not be pretty...

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

They haven't replied since the other day. I wish we had a simple way to get to the engineers. We have the code so they can troubleshoot it. This shouldn't be difficult.

 

[Todd Erwin]

They haven't replied since the other day. I wish we had a simple way to get to the engineers. We have the code so they can troubleshoot it. This shouldn't be difficult.

They haven't replied to a case I filed back in November dealing with issues from the Vudu/FandangoNow library merger (which was nearly THREE YEARS AGO), which I had to recreate twice before because they keep closing it.

 

[Tino]

Any further response?

I asked for an update today, and was told that I first needed to provide a ton of rather unnecessary info, or my request would be cancelled.

Speed test results:

The type of device you are using:

The make and model of your modem:

The make and model of your router:

Whether your device is connected via a wired or wireless connection:

The distance from your device to your modem and router:

Your Internet Service Provider:

Your city and state:

Movie title and definition (SD, HDX, or UHD) you are attempting to play:

Your Public IP Address:

Frikkin’ absurd!

 

[Todd Erwin]

FAH Customer Care actually believes that doing the same thing over and over again (escalating and re-escalating a support case to the next tier) will eventually yield a different result (next tier will actually respond). Einstein's definition of insanity.

 

[Todd Erwin]

And now FAH is saying these issues are Movies Anywhere's problem....

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

I just got this email from Vudu. They think I'm having a problem with the "Aliens (Special Edition)."

Hi Neil,

Thank you for your interest in the new Fandango at Home, a Fandango company.

Thank you for providing the information requested. Which of the four featurettes for Aliens (Special Edition) are you experiencing this issue with?

We hope this information helps, have a great day!


Thank you,
Fandango at Home Customer Service

 

[Todd Erwin]

I just got this email from Vudu. They think I'm having a problem with the "Aliens (Special Edition)."

Hi Neil,

Thank you for your interest in the new Fandango at Home, a Fandango company.

Thank you for providing the information requested. Which of the four featurettes for Aliens (Special Edition) are you experiencing this issue with?

We hope this information helps, have a great day!


Thank you,
Fandango at Home Customer Service

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

I sent them a detailed reply with links and photos. This was the response:

Hi Neil,

Thank you for your interest in the new Fandango at Home, a Fandango company.

I see, thank you for providing that information. I have our tech team looking into this issue to get you access to your Fandango at Home content as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience.

We hope this information helps, have a great day!


Thank you,
Fandango at Home Customer Service

 

[TonyD]

Cool Progress!

not real progress

 

[Todd Erwin]

This is straight from a contact I have with FAH upper management (that I really don't like to use unless necessary):

For the Aliens Special Edition, there is an on going issue with the encode for Apple TV and we are aware of this and working with our engineering team so that the encode we use can play properly on that platform.

 

[Todd Erwin]

And now it is fixed on FAH!

Just wanted to drop a note and let you know that Aliens Special Edition has been fixed for Apple TV.

 

[Robert Crawford]

And now it is fixed on FAH!

Just wanted to drop a note and let you know that Aliens Special Edition has been fixed for Apple TV.

I just checked Aliens Special Edition is still only in HD on iTunes/Apple TV+.

 

[Tino]

I just checked Aliens Special Edition is still only in HD on iTunes/Apple TV+.

Yup still HD only.

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

I can confirm that on Vudu (FAH) the Aliens SE is playing in DV and DA on my Apple TV.

 

[Todd Erwin]

I just checked Aliens Special Edition is still only in HD on iTunes/Apple TV+.

I purchased Aliens: SE for $5 on Prime Video yesterday - 4K HDR and DD+ 5.1.

Movies Anywhere and FAH are 4K DV and Atmos.

On Apple TV, it’s 4K DV and Atmos on an Apple TV device, but HD and Atmos on Roku devices. Weird.

 

[TonyD]

I can confirm that on Vudu (FAH) the Aliens SE is playing in DV and DA on my Apple TV.

Me too also as well.