Ativa
Reviews and Complaints

Okay well Ive owned a lot of media players FOR THE PRICE of the Ativa (I took advantage of a rebate), this thing is 100% Worth it, its one of my best buys. I am very satisfied. Its hard at first to learn how to use it, but this is my personal player, so I don't care if other ppl cant figure it out. This player isn't for a kid, unless the kid is really smart. The voice recorder, and Fm tuner, WORK EXCELLENT. im listening to Love line on 107.7 right now! Its funny cause i always wanted a voice recorder, and i didnt even know this little device could do that when i found out, i tested it, and it worked perfectly!

My experience with my AT-MP200 is almost exactly like daivadisc's. I bought the mp3 player on a whim, because my ipod had lost all battery life and was no more useful than a 2-GB external hard drive with a screen; and because it was a 2-GB mp3 player with a normal USB connection for $15 at Office Depot. It did take some getting used to the controls, which are a bit of an inconvenience. However, its small size, multitude of applications, and the fact that I am listening to it right now and it sounds great, battery still operational, makes me wish I could buy another. Having just one button plus a clickable joystick seems odd at first, but it really is an efficient piece of electronics. More devices should be made to these standards and sold at its price tag. I can't speak for more recent Ativa products, this being my only one, but I can say that I love my AT-MP200.

Office Depot has had these on sale for $14.99 for awhile -- and at that price I decided to try one out. It works like a charm, with enough power to run a respectable set of headphones, and pretty good FM reception. The operations of it take a bit of getting used to -- you really DO need to read the instructions. It's not impossible that the unit written about was defective ... but it's also possible that user error, and impatience, were the culprits

Damn places are always trying to hussle us out of all our money. You should file a complaint to management about the piece of ###.

I got a defective Ativa digital picture frame with remote from Office Depot for Christmas. I tried numerous times to exchange it at Office Depot, but they never had any. I called Ativa's customer service number since their website doesn't even list picture frames, and was told by Cynthia there that there is no warranty on this product. She said either exchange it or get a refund from Office Depot. They can't do anything about it! No customer service there or standing behind their products!

My Ativa LD100 will not stop running. After paper/sheet feed is empty the motor continues to run. Have to slide master switch to 'off' position.

Ativa shredder LD100 is a garbage. Dont buy this product and is practicly not supported. The excuse they will provide you that is your fault because you didn't lubricate the equipment. I was supprice about the office depot garbage businness. I used this equipment for personal use betwwen 15 to 20 invoices per week and only worked 6 month.

Have an Ativa DQ120D. It's crap and I only use it for residential shredding of personal information that I don't want in the trash. It gathers paper in the top of the shredder and I have to dig it out constantly. The two shredding lines in the middle of the machine were damaged due to this problem and now they only mash the paper, don't shred it. It's horrible. I oiled it and cleaned it and followed all of the directions for maintenance and I NEVER put more than about 5 sheets of paper in it. DON'T BUY THEIR PRODUCTS! HORRIBLE!

I have the same problem with my Ativa SX180Du shredder. The plastic gear has several teeth striped out. It seems that there is no replacement. It would seem reasonable for Office Depot/Ativa to offer a replacement at the very least to electronics repairs shops so as to be able to repair the machines. Considering the price I paid and the fact that the product was not ussed all that much I am to say the least most unsatisfied. I will be taking my business to Staples or Office Max.

I purchase a ativa 16 gb storage device from office depot it did not work at all from the start. i can only exchange and the second time it work once this poduct need to be recalled. and ativa need to be check

I have the exact same thing on my shredder. The Plastic gear (the main one) is stripped. Jaime

One year old Ativa DX180d shredder from Office Depot, a heavy duty model, failed after relatively light use. The motor could be heard running but the gears would not engage. Turned out one out of 5 gears was plastic and was stripped, the rest were made of out of hard metal. Looks like something that was designed to fail. Called the company and was told that no replacement parts were available for any of their shredders. Looked online where a lot of people are having similar issues. Interesting. Looks like a scam.

I followed the recommended procedure for oiling the blades but the machine quit working after just 6 months of home use. I bought the machine at Office Depot.

Don't buy Ativa products!

I bought an Ativa 20 sheet shredder almost a year ago at Office Depot. It has stopped working and I finally reached a customer service person today. I was told that because I used lubricant sheets that were not purchased at Office Depot, I had voided the warranty! There was a lawsuit several years ago, the result of which was that printer warranties are not voided by using non-proprietary ink cartridges, so why should I have to buy Office Depot oil or shredder sheets? As to the comment I saw about being smart and buying the extended warranty, why on earth should I do that just to make more money for the store? A product should work to begin with and the store should back up that product, especially if it's within the warranty period. I will never buy from Office Depot again.

I had mine for two years and only used it 6 times. A part broke inside but they don't give replacement part. This is the first company that don't give or sale replacement parts.

I agree with Matt. The red plastic switch in my DQ121 has deformed so that the automatic forward no longer stays on. This is a 5 cent part that can't be replaced so I'll end up replacing the shredder because of it. I've jimmied it using pieces of a toothpick but I doubt that will hold very long. I have been able to keep the unit working by occasionally taking it apart and cleaning out all the shredding paper that gets caught in the housing. if you elect to do that, be careful as there are sharp parts inside.

I've got the ativa 270 HS, High Security Level-6, commercial paper shredder, I had to replace the original caster wheels with heavier duty ones, then remove & clean the optical sensors in the paper feed top housing, clean off tha greasy film in the blade assembly, Now it works Fine
It eats 7 to 8 sheets at 27fpm (fast), spits the micro cut granual sized grains into a bag below.
It's fun shredding paper in this thing, my only problem is I can't find enough stuff to shred hahaha

Bought a Ativa Pro 1400 at Office Depot. To say Hate It would be an understatement. Lasted less than 6 months. Jammed constantly for the time we had it; now nothing. Zero. Dead. Nada. No help from Office Depot or Ativa. Do not buy this piece of junk. It is ridiculous.

I bought the Ativa LD 100. It worked good for a few months then began to act up. When the switch was in the auto mode it would start up when just sitting there with out paper. Or when I shredded some paper it would not shut off. Paper was constantly getting clogged up. The results of the clogging caused the first plastic drive gear to be stripped of it's gears by the steel gear on the drive motor shaft. Vary poor design. My guess is that the cheap first plastic gear goes bad often. It is about a 15 min job to change out that gear. However that gear is not availabel in the United States. So you have this $90.00 shredder that you have to throw away because you can't get a $3.00 plastic gear. That is USA manufacturing cost, since it is from china my guess is $3.00 per 100 count. The other thing I thought was non productive was the small label they put over one of the screws to prevent you from taking the cover off. If you took the label off your warranty was nullified. If you didn't take the label off you couldn't unclog the cutters. It didn't say that clogging was covered under the warranty. So you are stuck between a clog and a warranty. I'm in agreement with everyone that says I won't buy another Ativa shredder unless made in the United States of America.

I'm very disappointed with my Ativa Shredder. It work well for the first few years, but now only spins in reverse. It occurs to me that my blender, my mixer, and even my "salad shooter, " were less expensive to purchase, work just as hard as the shredder, and are still working after 20 years. Why didn't the shredder last that long? Probably because I was oiling t regularly...haven't done any maintenance on those other appliances and they still work after years of heavy-duty use!

Absolutly correct. Bad product, bad service and bad attitudes. Nothing after 1 year. You are stuck. Buy something else.

I'm seeing a lot of posts saying that Ativa IS Office Depot, which it is not. Ativa is a brand that is sold exclusively through Office Depot, like Foray office supplies, but is not manufactured by them.

Also in regards to the "extended warranty" that can be purchased through Office Depot is not an extension, it starts the day you purchase it. The difference being that through the manufacturer warranty, they will only cover the blades, and the "Protection Plan", covers the whole machine (motor, body, circuit board, ect.).

Plugged in charger charged my kindle . Later that night heard a sound looked down and it was on fire got it unplugged and put out God only knows what could of happened if I hadn't been right there dont buy

I have a very similar story to the original poster's. I bought the drive at Office Depot a year ago and it just died. My only consolation is that I paid only $50 for the drive and proceeded to burn over 600 movies, er, I mean blank dvd-r's in the span of a year. I suppose it goes to prove that you get what you pay for. I just shelled out a bit more and got a Pioneer burner. We'll see if money buys longevity! Cheers.

Truth of the matter is that the drive you purchased is made by Philips. It is a Lite-On Drive, the same OEM parts found in MANY off shelf computers you purchase.