Whats In the Box Now

Denniscasey

Well-known member
This may be of interest to people, like me, getting ready to order HMC40. Having read earlier posts about The HMC Book coming in box with HMC40 and finding B&H now selling HMC40 at $1590 without Neo software I was curious what I should expect in the box. In case others are also interested, I just called Panasonic (getting the HMC Book in the box would be a real bonus).

Panasonic said recent shipments from Panasonic do not include either of these "promotional" items: neither the software nor The HMC Book.

Regarding Neo software in the box or not, I think others have mentioned if software is included p/n on box ends in PJU, local dealer here said if software is NOT included p/n ends in just PJ. However, he said distributors they use still only have the PJU version in inventory.

Regarding the real, in my mind, "promotional" benefit of having Barry Green's book included the Pana person said there was no way of know if box included book or not (these promotions come and go at Pana) and he did not have time to look up more details (ie. when promotion started and when it ended).

So basically I am just saying if you don't get the Barry Green book in the box as others have mentioned it could just be you got a newer shipment. If you really want the Neo software you can at least try to get a box with the PJU designation.
 
I believe the EDIUS Neo promotion has ended, but the book should most definitely be in the box if you're buying an official USA model. If there's no book in the box, it's gray-market.
 
I believe the EDIUS Neo promotion has ended, but the book should most definitely be in the box if you're buying an official USA model. If there's no book in the box, it's gray-market.

Barry, very decent of you to mention that. One way or another I want to get your book, but is there a timeframe you could mention when Panasonic had agreed to include your book in USA shipments?

Sorry for bothering you with this, but I am trying to decide whether to buy an "older" shipment PJU version from local dealer at a price $189 higher (mostly due to local taxes) than B&H PJ version (does not include Neo and B&H person thought it did not include your book either). Frankly if local version has your book and B&H does not the price premium is narrowed. I am not yet knowledgeable about HMC40 and only reason to buy locally is I will ask them to verify HMC40 is working correctly. I have had instances where electronics did not work completely and then I don't know if problem is me or defective unit. And yes, I am scrimping pennies here.
 
Barry, very decent of you to mention that. One way or another I want to get your book, but is there a timeframe you could mention when Panasonic had agreed to include your book in USA shipments?
There is no end date. I can tell you that I just sent a whole lot of them out to the factory yesterday, so they've got tons in stock.

Sorry for bothering you with this, but I am trying to decide whether to buy an "older" shipment PJU version from local dealer at a price $189 higher (mostly due to local taxes) than B&H PJ version (does not include Neo and B&H person thought it did not include your book either). Frankly if local version has your book and B&H does not the price premium is narrowed.
I am not familiar with what a PJ is versus a PJU, but if I were to guess, I'd say that PJU is the USA version, and PJ might be an imported version (likely destined for Canada). But I don't know for certain. What I do know, is that all the units that are made for and destined for sale in the USA, by Panasonic USA, definitely include the book in the box. Period. If it doesn't have the book in the box, it is not an authorized USA unit.
 
Thank you Barry, I hope Panasonic realizes the extra incentive your book provides and compensates you accordingly. My local Pana reseller did say Panasonic told him the PJ designation means Neo software is not included so as inventory of the HMC 40 PJU (with Neo software) is drawn down the "newer" shipments would just have PJ on the box. On the other hand I could not get clear answers from the Panasonic person I talked to so it is possible your conjecture about what the "U" means could be right.
 
I wanted to pop in and say that I just received the HMC40 yesterday and in the box with the camera was both the Edius software and Barry's book. I knew of the Edius softeare adn didn't know if they were still doing it bit to open it and have THE HMC book was a bonus I had not even thought of!!

I bought the cam through B&H Photo and it was a package I bought si I can't saw if the book was inserted by B&H or was there from the factory.

Jeff
 
I hope Panasonic realizes the extra incentive your book provides and compensates you accordingly
Panasonic buys the books from my company. We are the publisher. They are one of our customers, and we also sell it through a network of dealers and distributors throughout North America and Europe, and also through Amazon and some university bookstores and other sales channels.

So, no, they don't pay me to write books, we do it on our own, at our own risk, and we fund all the printing and everything. But yes, I do believe the reason they have chosen to buy it and include it is because they value the incentive it provides, and they also appreciate that their customers are more able to get better results from their products, which makes for happier and more-productive customers. :)

As far as I know, every HMC camera sold by the USA division gets "The HMC Book" in the box, and yes, that's $89.95 that the end user doesn't have to spend, so it's a good incentive.
 
I wanted to pop in and say that I just received the HMC40 yesterday and in the box with the camera was both the Edius software and Barry's book. I knew of the Edius softeare adn didn't know if they were still doing it bit to open it and have THE HMC book was a bonus I had not even thought of!!

I bought the cam through B&H Photo and it was a package I bought si I can't saw if the book was inserted by B&H or was there from the factory.
Hi Jeff,

Glad you got a nice surprise! B&H is an authorized seller and therefore every unit they carry SHOULD have the book in the box, because it's put there by the factory in Japan. Like I said, I don't know what a PJ is vs. a PUJ, and I do believe the EDIUS promotion has ended, but the book promotion is ongoing.
 
Panasonic buys the books from my company. We are the publisher. They are one of our customers, and we also sell it through a network of dealers and distributors throughout North America and Europe, and also through Amazon and some university bookstores and other sales channels.

So, no, they don't pay me to write books, we do it on our own, at our own risk, and we fund all the printing and everything. But yes, I do believe the reason they have chosen to buy it and include it is because they value the incentive it provides, and they also appreciate that their customers are more able to get better results from their products, which makes for happier and more-productive customers. :)

As far as I know, every HMC camera sold by the USA division gets "The HMC Book" in the box, and yes, that's $89.95 that the end user doesn't have to spend, so it's a good incentive.

Barry, I just meant I hope Panasonic gives you a fair price for every book they get from you given the value it is to them--I did not mean to imply they paid you to write the book or influenced in any way your forthright discussion about the cameras. Thanks again for your good work and contribution to this forum.
 
I wanted to pop in and say that I just received the HMC40 yesterday and in the box with the camera was both the Edius software and Barry's book. I knew of the Edius softeare adn didn't know if they were still doing it bit to open it and have THE HMC book was a bonus I had not even thought of!!

I bought the cam through B&H Photo and it was a package I bought si I can't saw if the book was inserted by B&H or was there from the factory.

Jeff


Thanks for info Jeff--if not too much trouble could you tell us what it said on the Pana box---did it end in PJU? Encouraging that a shipment you just got yesterday that Barry's book was in there, but strange the Neo software was still included. I am so curious now that I called Panasonic again and person this time said he would call me back with some definitive answers --he did say that PJU meant USA version as Barry thought, but actually told nothing else about what was in the box regarding Neo software so that contradicted earlier info I had from local dealer (i.e. PJU meant Neo in the box, PJ meant no Neo in the box).
 
Barry, I just meant I hope Panasonic gives you a fair price for every book they get from you given the value it is to them--I did not mean to imply they paid you to write the book or influenced in any way your forthright discussion about the cameras. Thanks again for your good work and contribution to this forum.
Hey, no worries -- just clarifying it for the record. It's all good! :thumbsup:
 
Oddly enough, I purchased an HMC40 in Feb 2010, from B&H (PJU Model), received Edius, but did not receive the HMC Book. How is this? :Drogar-Thinking(DBG
 
If you bought one of the very first units, before the book was ready, then obviously the promotion wouldn't have been running at that time...
 
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