Some New Logitech Revue Boxes Afflicted with Corrupted Firmware

by on December 27th, 2011

A number of consumers who received a Logitech Revue for the holidays have reported that they are unable to complete the set up process in order to use the box. Users report that the setup is failing on step seven, which occurs when the box attempts to contact the EULA server. This fault is apparently caused by corrupted firmware, instead of overloaded servers like many consumers originally thought. The official forums have been exploding with cases of people unable to use their new Revue, so Senior Product Manager Peter McColgan finally responded with this to say:

There appears to be corrupted firmware on some of the recently manufactured Revues which is causing the Authentication error. There is nothing that you can do to fix this and nothing we can do except to replace your Revue via the RMA process. You always have the option of returning to the retailer and exchanging for another Revue or getting a refund. We believe that only a relatively small % of recently manufactured Revues are affected.

Obviously this news will frustrate consumers and may lead to lower adoption rates among the less tech-savvy. Logitech just can’t seem to catch a break with these boxes, despite them being a great way to experience Google TV. So what about you guys? Did you get a new Revue that experienced any of these problems?

[via The Verge]

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  • Anonymous

    Hi All-
    I can assure you this issue is real as I have experienced this first hand and there are dozens if not hundreds in the same situation (http://forums.logitech.com/t5/…. I’ve had one of these ‘corrupt firmware’ boxes confirmed by the Product Management team at Logitech.
    I purchased my ‘New’ Revue from Amazon on and got it on December 19th. As other posters have stated I too was stuck on accepting the EULA (setup step 7 of 11) . Since I was one of the first customers to detect this problem, Logitech reached out to me since they were not able to reproduce the issue on their side. I spent a hours via phone, Skype, and email troubleshooting this issue with them running scripts, extracting logs from my Revue box pointed to a non-production instance on their end so they could enable debugging to reproduce the behavior. I think I exceeded my end as the customer. The conclusion as stated in this article was ‘corrupt firmware’ that did not impact all Revue boxes, but a subset that the customer support team can decipher if you contact them. OK, no problem, bad box, now let’s get this cleared up and move forward.
    So on to the support route we go. The customer service reps on the forums point you to live chat support (which you cannot get since you didn’t accept the EULA) and a phone number to call so you may start the RMA process. Unfortunately, they are not properly staffed (understandable around the holidays I guess). This results into long wait times, but that’s not all, there is more. Once you call you are put on hold for exactly 47 minutes and 37 seconds and then the automated CRM system hangs up on you, so if you are not lucky enough to get through you are hung up on and put to the back of the queue. I tried this 6 times before I got someone and I can tell you getting hung up 5 times after waiting 47 min 37 seconds each is frustrating (and admittedly stupid). They run through 1st level support troubleshooting and then escalate.
    You are then contacted a few days later to gather your device information and told to follow the RMA process. They said it will take two weeks, so I’m going to be without my Revue for a total of 24+ days (already been eight days, plus two more days till I get he shipping label, then fourteen more days till I get the ‘refurbished’ replacement Revue…sold $20 cheaper online in exchange for my new device sold at $99). I politely asked if I could get one sooner for my trouble and they refused and quoted me their RMA policy several times. Very poor customer service Logitech, very poor.
    I think most of us have patience for mistakes, but when those mistakes are compounded when a company refuses to own up to it (when they have knowledge of a problem) and deviate from ‘standard policy’ (that continues to put the customer out) to make up for the mistake is very poor customer service.
    This brings me to the point of sharing my story. Big companies need to be held accountable when they make mistakes like you and I. My only recourse in this was to share my story with you in the hopes that that if you consider buying Logitech products in the future it might give you pause as you might keep this story in mind. The only way some big companies listen is if you vote with your wallet.
    On a brighter note, I hear many are happy with their Sony Gtv Blue-Ray players.
    Thanks for reading my first post.

  • Kelly

    Was setting up my sister’s new one on Christmas day and it got to the installing updates part, and now we are stuck with the dreaded white triangle screen . . . bricked right out of the box!  Had trouble contacting support yesterday too.

  • Anonymous

    Easy workaround to get past the EULA screen. Disconnect any hardwired ethernet connection after your Revue completes the firware update. Twice on 2 different Revues with this problem (a new one from Tiger Direct and a refurbed replacement from TD in the last week) I was able to make this work. I couldn’t get any connection to work, but having the hardwired connection hooked up was not allowing the Revue to connect to any wifi options. I used my rooted Droid Incredible and the Wifi Tether application to connect my Revue to my hotspot. Just leave access control disabled and make sure the name of your network is a single word without spaces or other crap. Once you get past the EULA and boot to the main screen, reconnect your ethernet cable or regular wifi connection. It should be fairly straight forward after that. I haven’t tested this with legit hotspots on unrooted phones or devices but it’s worth a shot if you or a friend have one.