[diyguy]

Originally Posted by naveenroy

Recently purchased a 220 to 110 v converter on eBay for a small LED clock that was brought from the US.

Originally Posted by mvadg

Better check if your clock will work correctly on our supply which is nominally 230V 50Hz vs USA which is 110V 60Hz.

Actually very good point by mvadg. Sorry didn't notice that it was for a clock. In my experience it will not work. I have now three LED clock radios from US bought over various trips that do not keep proper time in India. On a recent trip to Finland I purchased one there and as they use 50hz it works fine.
One alternate is to convert 12v DC to 110v AC 60hz using a step up purchased in the U.S. If you are very particular.

[civic-sense]

Originally Posted by mvadg

If you have not yet realized it: Here on most electronic items (manufactured by small scale industries in Delhi etc) have an astronomical MRP printed on them.

I do, and that is enough testament that MRP is not a solution to avoid overcharging. What is needed is awareness - f the worth of the item one is looking to buy. If he does not have it, MRP is enough to get him cheated. I have seen people brag that they have got 80-90% discounts without realizing that MRP is just a number any manufacturer can print on the item. MRP is fixed by the manufacturer not any government agency.

Originally Posted by civic-sense

I think this MRP thing is a bit overrated. What we need is proper customer awareness - to know the worth of the stuff they are buying, not MRP.

[ashwin.terminat]

Funny incident at home today:

Flipkart guy reached home for delivery of an Mi Band I ordered yesterday.

During delivery he asks why we buy from Flipkart when Amazon is cheaper!

Talk about bad publicity!

[SunnyBoi]

Originally Posted by ashwin.terminat

Funny incident at home today:

Flipkart guy reached home for delivery of an Mi Band I ordered yesterday.

During delivery he asks why we buy from Flipkart when Amazon is cheaper!

Talk about bad publicity!

I clicked this picture at VV Puram a month ago. Flipkart covers (no idea what was ordered or whats in the covers) lying next to a dustbin and cow poop

[naveenroy]

Originally Posted by diyguy

Try http://www.mdrelectronics.com/
All my step down converters or DC adapters are from this brand.

Originally Posted by mvadg

Better check if your clock will work correctly on our supply which is nominally 230V 50Hz vs USA which is 110V 60Hz. These clocks tend to use the mains frequency in their logic, so even if the clock works it will show the wrong time. (Stepping down the voltage wont change the frequency).

Originally Posted by diyguy

Actually very good point by mvadg. Sorry didn't notice that it was for a clock. In my experience it will not work. I have now three LED clock radios from US bought over various trips that do not keep proper time in India. On a recent trip to Finland I purchased one there and as they use 50hz it works fine.
One alternate is to convert 12v DC to 110v AC 60hz using a step up purchased in the U.S. If you are very particular.

Ah good catch there - and I tried with an adapter a friend had - clock kept running slow. Knew something was wrong with adapter - and like you explained, it should be the frequency. Damn, so no way this can be made to work in India for cheap eh? Ok, trash the clock then.

[mvadg]

Originally Posted by naveenroy

Ah good catch there - and I tried with an adapter a friend had - clock kept running slow. Knew something was wrong with adapter - and like you explained, it should be the frequency. Damn, so no way this can be made to work in India for cheap eh? Ok, trash the clock then.

Worse, I have one that is 230V 50Hz, but it still wont show the correct time because the frequency of the mains supply in India is not very accurate (understatement).

Maybe a good offline UPS with a stable output will work. Better buy one that does not rely on the mains frequency. [unfortunately, all the cheapo ones that we pick up abroad rely on the mains frequency]

[Thad E Ginathom]

I am waiting for a shipment of herb/supplements from iherb.com in USA. This company and DHL used to work together very well to get parcels to the door in India in just a few days.

I did the DHL KYC stuff, and got a mail back from them saying that it was all fine.

The delivery status has got stuck with customs processing in Banglaore, and there is a note that further documentation is required from the importer, and, if DHL do not contact us, we should contact them. My wife has telephoned three times over the past two days. They complain of having a slow system (the public web interface works fine!), are unable to find any information, and cannot give us a number for the Bangalore processing office.

On being further pressed, today, the guy told my wife that they are having trouble with customs clearance in Bangalore. Previously, 1,000 packs a day were being cleared by routine, and now just 150 are going through, leaving a backlog of 850. They say that they have now managed to reduce a 48-hour delay to 12 hours. Still they could not say what has happened to our package, and what, if any, additional paperwork is required.

We are to ring back later, but confidently expect the same start-from-square-one call centre experience :(

[SunnyBoi]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

The delivery status has got stuck with customs processing in Banglaore, and there is a note that further documentation is required from the importer, and, if DHL do not contact us, we should contact them. My wife has telephoned three times over the past two days. They complain of having a slow system (the public web interface works fine!), are unable to find any information, and cannot give us a number for the Bangalore processing office.

On being further pressed, today, the guy told my wife that they are having trouble with customs clearance in Bangalore. Previously, 1,000 packs a day were being cleared by routine, and now just 150 are going through, leaving a backlog of 850. They say that they have now managed to reduce a 48-hour delay to 12 hours. Still they could not say what has happened to our package, and what, if any, additional paperwork is required.

The Foreign Post Office at Bangalore has recently shifted their offices and the new one @ General Post Office, Bangalore was still being set up.

They had messed up with my watch too; however I could sort out with them once I went there in person.

All contact information available on the internet/govt sites is no longer valid for Bangalore FPO

[nareshov]

Oh, now that explains why my general biotics for this month aren't here yet.

[ajaypjayaraj]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I am waiting for a shipment of herb/supplements from iherb.com in USA. This company and DHL used to work together very well to get parcels to the door in India in just a few days.

I did the DHL KYC stuff, and got a mail back from them saying that it was all fine.

The delivery status has got stuck with customs processing in Banglaore, and there is a note that further documentation is required from the importer, and, if DHL do not contact us, we should contact them. My wife has telephoned three times over the past two days. They complain of having a slow system (the public web interface works fine!), are unable to find any information, and cannot give us a number for the Bangalore processing office.

On being further pressed, today, the guy told my wife that they are having trouble with customs clearance in Bangalore. Previously, 1,000 packs a day were being cleared by routine, and now just 150 are going through, leaving a backlog of 850. They say that they have now managed to reduce a 48-hour delay to 12 hours. Still they could not say what has happened to our package, and what, if any, additional paperwork is required.

We are to ring back later, but confidently expect the same start-from-square-one call centre experience :(

Bangalore Customs is in a total mess right now. I have shipments lying there since May. Still no sign of when those will get cleared. Lot of backlog since months and on top of it they have other issues too I hear.

Why would they clear it any faster when all those packages earn them revenue in the name of warehouse charges. End consumer is always the loser.

[SunnyBoi]

Originally Posted by nareshov

Oh, now that explains why my general biotics for this month aren't here yet.

Originally Posted by ajaypjayaraj

Bangalore Customs is in a total mess right now. I have shipments lying there since May. Still no sign of when those will get cleared. Lot of backlog since months and on top of it they have other issues too I hear.

If you parcels are stuck at Bangalore FPO, do this :

1. Go to the GPO, Bangaore. There i a building between the main building and the Speedpost building. Exact coordinates here, have a look with Google maps and satellite https://www.google.co.in/maps/place/...!3m1!1s0x0:0x0

2. As soon as you enter the gate, there is a slant pathway going to the basement. Follow the same. There will be a guy with a computer, give him your Tracking ID (EMS/Chinapost, etc) and ask for the Internal ID (Very important). This will be a 5/6 digit number and note it down.

3. Head to the 1st floor, the FPO office is at a very tricky location, ask anyone where the customs folks are sitting.

4. Once in the room, give them the EMS/Chinapost Tracking ID as well as the Internal ID. They will bring up some documents from their storage.

5. Present invoices/any clarifications to the Customs officer as requested.

Note :

Chech tracking at http://www.17track.net/en/. In my case, my watch was held up at customs and showed up on the status :



Visitation hours are between 3PM and 5PM. In my case I went there at 12PM, I reasoned with them that I did not know the location change plus have to came from far, so they entertained my request then and there.

At 2.37PM on the same day, status was updated that the package has returned from customs. Next day the postman delivered the package and I gave him the customs duty in cash.

Hope that helps, atleast B'lore folks should make a trip in case they want their goods immediately.

[mercedised]

Coverit.in : It is a website selling car covers. I got reference from a post from another bhpian somewhere on this forum. Ordered the item and received it after 10 days via Indiapost in Indore (MP). They did'nt cared to update the tracking details on their website. After 2-3 emails, I finally called them up on 6th day after order and they said that the order was shipped on the very next day of ordering.

Quality of Cover : I bought one cover for my TCIC Safari. The quality is very good. Costed 2800 Rs approx.

[poloman]

Originally Posted by naveenroy

Ah good catch there - and I tried with an adapter a friend had - clock kept running slow. Knew something was wrong with adapter - and like you explained, it should be the frequency. Damn, so no way this can be made to work in India for cheap eh? Ok, trash the clock then.

Are you guys sure on this? I don't think any clock designer will use power frequency to sync time. It will be too inaccurate to keep time even by US power standards.
I think the reason for clocks bought in US running slow in India is different. these clocks are mainly radio clocks which are synchronized with time code sent periodically by radio transmitters. These transmitters use highly precise atomic clocks as their reference. These are very common in US. In India I think this system is missing. With out constant sync with time codes these clocks tend to become slow by few milliseconds per day due to not so great in built oscillators. This happens even with battery powered radio clocks bought in USA.

[binand]

Originally Posted by poloman

these clocks are mainly radio clocks which are synchronized with time code sent periodically by radio transmitters. [...] In India I think this system is missing.

Are you sure of this? One of my childhood memories is of my father talking of this radio-based accurate time signal from Akashvani - I think it existed once upon a time, and could be still available.

[archat68]

Originally Posted by binand

Are you sure of this? One of my childhood memories is of my father talking of this radio-based accurate time signal from Akashvani - I think it existed once upon a time, and could be still available.

Akashvani used to announce time periodically (or a beep sound at hourly interval specially before the news) and we used to adjust our watches accordingly. There was no time signal.