The EU has spoiled my speakers...

So I bought a pair of speakers from Creative, see picture

The quality was good and I was initially happy with with my purchase, but then I noticed that the speakers would turn off all the time. The light on the speakers showing power on wouldn't stay on.

The speakers would only turn on if you played a sound and they took several seconds to turn on, with the result that you would miss out completely on sounds that were not long enough. This is a problem for speakers used in a computer because you miss out on sounds from applications, small sound files, games without music, short alarms, etc.

So I thought surely this must be a hardware failure and I contacted Creative in the US to get my money back. Their response? Thanks to an EU regulation, the speakers need to turn off all the time as a power saving feature. Before exporting to Europe, they had to modify the speakers to conform and that is why they turn off all the time.

I now use a wireless headset as my main. I want the EU out of our lives.

http://support.creative.com/kb/ShowArticle.aspx?sid=12873
http://eco3e.eu/regulations/erp-directive/

(edited 7 years ago)

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Reply 1

Zadkiel

Ahahah well....

We all agree It's better to waste energy!

Damn EUROPE! I Can't wait to see UK leaving EU!

- I WANT to pay for a VISA to have some lovely vacations in Sunny Portugal, Spain or Italy.

- I can't have spontaneous trips outside of UK as I will have to wait for the VISA to come!

- If I have a store in UK I have to pay to send products abroad? Damn Do I have to pay to import something from other country? :redface:

- l want to have a year abroad in Erasmus?

Wait a second... Damn!

And if you are saying that with BREXIT these regulations will not exist in UK... I believe you are wrong.

Reply 2

plstudent

Original post by JCampos

- l want to have a year abroad in Erasmus?

Wait a second... Damn!

And if you are saying that with BREXIT these regulations will not exist in UK... I believe you are wrong.

Nobody in the leave campaign is saying that Europeans should have to get visas to visit the UK. Personally it wouldn't affect me as I don't enjoy traveling anyway.
Erasmus includes countries outside of the EU.
There is a free trade area with or without the EU.

And if you are saying that with BREXIT these regulations will not exist in UK... I believe you are wrong.

I can give you an example of a country where the speakers work as they are intended to... the USA.

Energy saving is fine but not to the extent where it severely cripples the usability of a product.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 3

username878267

Let us out the EU so we have the freedom to buy and use inefficient products which use far more energy than necessary!!!

Reply 4

1420787

Which model number are they?

Reply 5

plstudent

Original post by Bornblue

Let us out the EU so we have the freedom to buy and use inefficient products which use far more energy than necessary!!!

In this case, it uses less energy than necessary.

Reply 6

plstudent

Original post by offhegoes

Which model number are they?

Gigaworks T20

Reply 7

Asuna Yuuki

Ya see, the funny thing is if we want free trade we have to comply with EU regulations.

Reply 8

Betelgeuse-

Original post by plstudent

So I bought a pair of speakers from Creative, see picture

The quality was good and I was initially happy with with my purchase, but then I noticed that the speakers would turn off all the time. The light on the speakers showing power on wouldn't stay on.

The speakers would only turn on if you played a sound and they took several seconds to turn on, with the result that you would miss out completely on sounds that were not long enough. This is a problem for speakers used in a computer because you miss out on sounds form applications, games without music, short alarms, etc.

So I thought surely this must be a hardware failure and I contacted Creative in the US to get my money back. Their response? Thanks to an EU regulation, the speakers need to turn off all the time as a power saving feature. Before exporting to Europe, they had to modify the speakers to conform and that is why they turn off all the time.

I now use a wireless headset as my main. I want the EU out of our lives.

http://support.creative.com/kb/ShowArticle.aspx?sid=12873
http://eco3e.eu/regulations/erp-directive/

There is no item in your life that has not got dozens of rules and regulations imposed on it to the EU. They have a limit to how loud things like speakers and ear phones can be (Sticking with the speakers theme)

Why i need some fat overpaid dictators to rule on every tiny facet of my life like I am some small incapable ignorant child that needs hand feeding i have no idea. It makes me sick

Reply 9

plstudent

Original post by Asuna Yuuki

Ya see, the funny thing is if we want free trade we have to comply with EU regulations.

Only for products that are exported to the EU.

Reply 10

Asuna Yuuki

Original post by plstudent

Only for products that are exported to the EU.

SO you think companies will go to the effort to make two versions of products to ship to this side of the Atlantic? I doubt it...

Reply 11

username878267

Original post by Betelgeuse-

But you're happy with the Snooper Charter we have?
Can you link to me the EU directives on speakers and earphones please?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 12

plstudent

Original post by Asuna Yuuki

SO you think companies will go to the effort to make two versions of products to ship to this side of the Atlantic? I doubt it...

I think so, yes. Specially if the European version is more difficult to manufacture.

Reply 13

Betelgeuse-

Original post by JCampos

- l want to have a year abroad in Erasmus?

Wait a second... Damn!

And if you are saying that with BREXIT these regulations will not exist in UK... I believe you are wrong.

OHH MY GAWWD A VISA!! YOU WOULD NEED A VISAA!

You poor poor thing! ... How do the millions of people worldwide outside the EU ever summon the strength and fortitude to travel to other countries with a Visa!? I heard a Visa is worse than child birth! Those brave brave non EU globetrotters

Reply 14

lolatmaths

Original post by plstudent

I think so, yes. Specially if the European version is more difficult to manufacture.

It isnt more difficult to manufacture. Running two lines of production would be more difficult and costly.

Reply 15

Betelgeuse-

Original post by Bornblue

But you're happy with the Snooper Charter we have?
Can you link to me the EU directives on speakers and earphones please?

Posted from TSR Mobile

Nope and Nope, about to get a bbq on the go (Hopefully the directives on my bbq allow me to summon a flame) :redface:

. Not trawling google for it, feel free to do so yourself

HERE YOU GO :

In particular, as set out in the Decision, the following aspects are to be dealt with in asatisfactory manner with respect to all relevant types of personal music players, includingthe performance of earphones and headphones that are intended to be used with personalmusic players :

(1) Exposure to sound levels shall be limited to avoid hearing damage. At 80dB(A) exposure shall be limited to 40 hours/week, whereas at 89 dB(A)exposure shall be limited to 5 hours/week. For other exposure levels a linearintra- and extrapolation applies. Account shall be taken of the dynamic rangeof sound and the reasonably foreseeable use of these devices; and

(2) Adequate warnings on the risks involved in using the device and to the waysof avoiding them and information to users in cases exposure poses a risk ofhearing damage. Information should also be provided when the original set ofearphones is replaced with another type and this causes higher unsafe soundlevels.

http://www.etsi.org/images/files/ECMandates/m452%20EN.pdf

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 16

lolatmaths

This is how desperate the brexit campaign has come to. They cant even share with us a vision of what brexit would look like so they give these petty arguments. Only a simpleton would succumb to a brexiter.

Reply 17

Anno007

Original post by JCampos

- If I have a store in UK I have to pay to send products abroad? Damn Do I have to pay to import something from other country? :redface:

And if you are saying that with BREXIT these regulations will not exist in UK... I believe you are wrong.

Someone doesn't understand tariffs and trading blocs. Go and do econ 101 before you vote, please.

Reply 18

plstudent

Original post by lolatmaths

It isnt more difficult to manufacture. Running two lines of production would be more difficult and costly.

How do you know? You don't even know what product we are talking about. Many products won't even target a European market which is why EU regulations would be far more unnecessary.

Reply 19

1420787

Original post by plstudent

Gigaworks T20

My speakers don't do this. That tells me that either:

1) Gigaworks are applying the directive incorrectly

2) Gigaworks simply didn't make their speakers energy-efficient enough to enable them to be always-on

3) Gigaworks haven't managed a low-power solution to the time it takes for the speakers to turn on