Impossible to get replacement cables!?

[Nobarrie]

After a tragic incident involving a cat, my oculus rift cable has been thoroughly destroyed.

I contacted Oculus support, which seems to be telling me that acquiring a replacement is currently impossible (I am more than willing to pay). At some unspecified time in the future I will be able to buy a new cable for my 600$ brick. Did i encounter a rogue support-employee? Or is this the official stance?

I know that replacement cables are available in box form, as my first cable was defective, and i was eventually able to get a new one as a replacement. I find it very hard to believe that Oculus can't take my money and give me a new cable. Does this mean there are people out there who have been waiting on replacement cable since release? This is kind of frightening for what I imagine to be a grown-up company run by real adults.

[Robertba]

@cybereality: if you cannot sell the cables, can you at leas repair the headset with a damaged cable if it is sent to you?

[OllyFox80]

To the bloke that damaged his cable and isn't getting it repaired under warranty. Found a post where someone managed to fix their's (rabbit ate it). Maybe some electronic expert can do it for money -http://imgur.com/a/uGmMu

[falken76]

cybereality said:

Cables can be replaced for defect or failure, for example if you opened the box and they were non-functional. If the hardware becomes damaged through accident, for example dropping it, eaten by an animal, etc. that wouldn't be covered under warranty. Sorry.

That is absolute nonsense that you can't opt to PAY for a replacement.  This is a device that encourages essentially blind movement with a leash teathered to your head.  you are given games to do jump shots like the VR Sports game with the baskeball and crap like that.  I myself have pulled on the cord and decided to stop playing the game because I know if I cause some sort of damage to the cable I'm pretty much screwed.  The damn cable is propriatary on top of that so there is absolutely no option to get a jerry rigged setup. 

Does this seriously mean that the OP now has a VR headset that is fully functional but for the cable that was damaged due to neglect but his only option now is to repurchase the entire headset?  Is this really the stance Oculus has on this issue?  Are these cables ever going to be released for resale?  Is there a chinese manufacture we can get a bootleg version from since we can't officially buy a legitimate one?  I find this kind of support to be severly lacking for a product with such a high price tag.

This is where a brand can start to get problems.  Someone in the OPs position might as well send the cable to china for reverse engineering to have a duplicate made, but then the chinese might just start selling that cable and if it is inferior to the original that will reflect badly on Oculus.  The whole thing could be avoided by providing some assistance to an existing customer.

[cybereality]

I'm really sorry but I may have misspoke there. While accidental damage is not typically covered under warranty, we do evaluate each customer inquiry on a case-by-case basis. If you do end up with any kind of hardware failure, please feel free to contact Oculus Support and we'll do everything we can to help. Thanks.

[tommet]

The possibility of bricking $800 worth of Rift and Touch for months because a $20 (or whatever) cable can't be found, is something that horrifies me.

Cables go bad.  Especially when they are yanked, stepped on, rolled over with chairs and - well - used like these are.

I REALLY hope you manage to get them available for sale soon.

[HoIIywood]

As has been stated in the other thread(s) on this matter, they are unable to sell them at the moment though plan to as soon as possible.

In the meantime, support will look at all queries and my impression is that some replacements will be paid others will be free. 

While not in writing, take up their verbal offer and press them for support via the proper ticket system.

[Nobarrie]

OllyFox80 said:

To the bloke that damaged his cable and isn't getting it repaired under warranty. Found a post where someone managed to fix their's (rabbit ate it). Maybe some electronic expert can do it for money -http://imgur.com/a/uGmMu

My soldering skills leave a lot to be desired, but it definitely sounds like cable surgery is worth a try.

cybereality said:

I'm really sorry but I may have misspoke there. While accidental damage is not typically covered under warranty, we do evaluate each customer inquiry on a case-by-case basis. If you do end up with any kind of hardware failure, please feel free to contact Oculus Support and we'll do everything we can to help. Thanks.

This seems like a strange thing to say - Is there some sort of accident hierarchy that determines who gets a fix? Is cat chewing deemed less important than smacking your head into a desk while in roomscale? 

Anyway... We all know that there have been supply chain issues from the start. Lets assume for some reason that getting cables into the storefront is a difficult problem that is being worked on. I think it is reasonable for those  of us stuck in cable-purgatory to ask for Oculus to at least get a consistent message together. Is there any estimate of when these cables will be available? Would Oculus be willing to notify us when they are?

[CharlieHobbes]

Nobarrie said:

cybereality said:

I'm really sorry but I may have misspoke there. While accidental damage is not typically covered under warranty, we do evaluate each customer inquiry on a case-by-case basis. If you do end up with any kind of hardware failure, please feel free to contact Oculus Support and we'll do everything we can to help. Thanks.

This seems like a strange thing to say - Is there some sort of accident hierarchy that determines who gets a fix? Is cat chewing deemed less important than smacking your head into a desk while in roomscale? 

Anyway... We all know that there have been supply chain issues from the start. Lets assume for some reason that getting cables into the storefront is a difficult problem that is being worked on. I think it is reasonable for those  of us stuck in cable-purgatory to ask for Oculus to at least get a consistent message together. Is there any estimate of when these cables will be available? Would Oculus be willing to notify us when they are?

It's not a strange response at all. 

It is worded in such a way that allows support to supply replacement cables were needed but prevents abuse of the offer by those who just want a spare cable. 

Until such a time where the cables can be bought separately Oculus will likely be careful in their wording. 

If they had 10.000 spare cables sitting in a box I'm sure they would be up for sale already.

The OP should probably work with Support and my guess is provided the communication is respectful and some patience is had, it will get sorted.

it's not ideal (yet) but I haven't seen anything yet that makes me believe Oculus doesn't want to get this all set up properly.

[Fiege]

Selling Rift & Touch without selling replacement cables is like selling cars without selling tires 😐

[avlad]

I have exactly the same situation with my Oculus. About a month ago in accident we broke the cable. I have contacted Oculus support, sent them pictures of the broken cable and got response, that replacement cable can not be purchased separately and can not be replaced under warranty, so my only option is to buy new Oculus, if I still want this product.

So I have Oculus brick now. May be someone can buy it without cable ?

One of my friends recently got the same situation. He also have Oculus brick and broken cable now and no chance for repair.

I think, that it was our biggest error - to buy product from this amateur company. As we can not do anything with our Oculus CV1 now, we now moving to Vive, at least they have spare cables freely available now and wireless connection in the near month or so.