WARNING: Stay Away from SAFER SEAS/VIDEO SUPPLY DEPOT!!!

As Barry indicated, Safer Seas had the look of a brick and mortar vendor - I'm among those who, at one time, felt they were in-the-black and on-the-level.

I have also seen testimonials up through 18 months ago saying they were safe to use. In more recent months, things obviously haven't been so good!

It is a shame that people like Placefilms get duped every so often. Yes, research certainly pays and buyer beware is the cardinal rule for consumers anywhere. I'll also give you that B&H, EVS and others recommended here are gold-standard vendors by which others should be benchmarked, but they're not exclusive to good pricing, service and support.

Placefilms has done just as he should have by posting here, because we're now all more savvy for his loss! Thanks for the heads-up!

e
 
I was just singing the praises of everything Pete Anway a couple of days ago. That place is spendy, but it's hard to beat Birns & Sawyer for the drool factor.

e
 
Birns and Sawyer definitely has the best showroom in Hollywood, and one of the best rental departments in the country. They have a shop that can custom fabricate parts and make repairs to almost any type of support equipment. What really sets them apart from almost all other dealers is that they support film cinemetographers as well as digital videographers. They will be leaders in the P2 revolution. I'm not sure if people also know that they are the oldest continuously operating dealer in Hollywood as well.
 
Sirius_Doggy said:
Does anyone live near thier office:
Safer Seas
902 Lincoln Avenue
San Rafael, CA 94901
Click to expand...

I live here in NorCal and actual commute right past their building. You would never know what is (or was) going on there since the building is nondescript, the windows covered, and the sign only says something like "video supply depot". I never noticed it until I ran across their web site one day and found their address. I scratched my head wondering where the heck it was since I knew the area. When I rode up I had to laugh since I had passed it so many times.

Then trying to find it open was another thing. I finally was able to drop in when it was open. They had some equipment there. The owner was there and was the type of person that came across as too busy to be bothered. Not that anything was going on the place. I expressed interest in a production monitor and perked up a little and then tried to sell me a one for about $200 more than I could get from B&H. When I mentioned this he threw together a story about how they guarantee the monitor and that monitors have a tendency to get knocked out of alignment or broken when shipped. Buying from them meant I wouldn't have that problem. Yeah, like B&H is going to ship a monitor poorly and not do a replacement in the rare case there is a problem.

I left with a bad feeling about the place and never bothered again.

I guess my "spidey" sense was correct about that place.
 
Maybe if it's not too much trouble you could post a photo of the exterior for us to see like the webpage that has all the Brooklyn hack jobs.....
 
I rode over and this is what I found. Sorry everyone but it looks like they have flown the coop:

SaferSeasSank.jpg


:shocked:
​
 
Selling pro AV gear is a very tough business especially with B & H as big as they are. They are definitely the "WAL-MART" of the industry, forcing prices down and putting smaller companies out of business. I give anyone credit who can make it especially in the Northern Cal/ Pacific NW area. Does anyone remember Camera World of Oregon? They were a big player for years and then bit the dust. It would be nice if more of the scam companies would go under. They seem to disappear and then reappear under new names all the time.
 
Safer Seas seems to be back under a different name check out www.1080av.com if you had ever seen the SaferSeas site, it's the same basic design and also incomplete (i.e. not all links are finished). They are selling Chromakey kits on ebay under the name of dv_deva.
 
Well, I'll get the address of this place when my chromakey screen arrives, Im willing to bet its mostly the same people who ran SS its even out of the same city.
 
I ordered a $600 lighting kit on ebay from 1080AV (seller name dv_deva), and I got super quick service, with everything arriving in good condition. Just one example, I know, but they seemed reliable.
 
Got my package today, if anyone had gotten something from safer seas in the past you'd recognize the tootsie pop suckers they put in the box, same with this company.

Here's their address:
1080AV
32 Twain Harte Lane
San Rafael, CA 94901

SS was at

Safer Seas
902 Lincoln Avenue
San Rafael, CA 94901
 
I asked them (dv_diva) direct if they were associated with safer seas and they said no. They asked me why I asked and I said said safer seas ripped off a buddy of mine and there adds look the same. Never heard from them again.
 
Videoguy,

I definitely remember Camera World of Oregon. Bought my Sony VX1000 from them. Very friendly, great service. I wondered what happened to them...

Keith
 
Camera World of Oregon used to be the west coast B&H equivalent for still photography, but they were bought out by Ritz Camera. Once Ritz Camera bought CWO, they sucked out the souls of the employees for later use, stripped the flesh off the husks of the bodies to feed their corporate officers at a secret banquet, and distributed the remaining bones to Ritz middle management so they could suck out the marrow. Some of the femur bones are still brought out at corporate functions and used to strike a ceremonial drum covered with the skin of the former CWO manager.
 
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