DOCUMENTATION AND OTHER VENDOR REQUIREMENTS FOR VCR-DVD PLAYER COMBO 240V

ELECTRICAL SAFETY REPORT COVERING:

AS/NZS 62368.1:2022
Audio/video, information and communication technology equipment - Part 1: Safety requirements (replaces earlier AS/NZS60065 and 60950 standards).

CORD
Current Australian Approvals Certificates are required for: 
• The mains cord
• The mains plug 
• The appliance connector (if a detachable cord is used). 
Note that this is IN ADDITION  to the Approval Certificate for the appliance itself, if applicable.

• The components of the cord must be marked in accordance with the requirements of their approval certificates.
• The length of cords supplied in production product must match the length of the evaluated sample.

DEC-LABELLING
This item is either a declared article itself, or it contains declared articles (240V lead components, AC adaptor etc).
All declared articles must be labelled  in accordance with  the requirements of their approval certificates.
Currently (2023) items with approvals issued by the NSW Dept of Fair Trading must be marked with their "NSWXXXXX" approval number. With approvals issued by all other authorized bodies (SAA approvals, UL etc), provided the approval is registered on the ERAC database, the item can be marked with just an RCM. 
However there is nothing to stop you putting both the approval number AND the RCM on the label. With the current state of confusion about ERAC, that is the recommended procedure .

BUTTON CELL
Requirements for products that contain button (coin) cells 32mm and under (in particular, remote controls).

GENERAL: 
• All consumer products that incorporate button batteries must have measures incorporated to prevent young children from accessing the batteries as per section 4.8 of AS/NZS 62368.1:2018: "Products containing lithium coin/button cell batteries" 
• Coin/button batteries bundled with products or offered for sale as standalone items must be supplied in child-resistant packaging. Typically this will mean the batteries are individually sealed in tough plastic envelopes, and that assembly(ies) then sealed in another, separate, layer of tough plastic (which will typically be the retail presentation pack). Both layers of plastic must require the use of cutting tools to open. 
Simple "dime store" blister packs where all the batteries can fall out at once are now illegal.
• All such products must also carry appropriate warnings.

EXEMPTIONS:
• Soldered-in batteries 
• Removeable batteries that require substantial disassembly of the product (eg computer backup) 
• Equipment designed for locations where it is unlikely that children will be present
• Professional equipment not normally available for retail sale. Note: Anything sold in a retail environment (Jaycar, Harvey Norman etc), regardless of purpose, is automatically excluded from this category.

REQUIREMENTS FOR PRODUCTS WITH USER-ACCESSIBLE BATTERY COMPARTMENTS (IN PARTICULAR REMOTE CONTROLS THAT USE COIN CELLS):
The battery compartment must be so designed as to make it unlikely that young children would be able to remove the cover. 
Acceptable methods are:
• A cover using a captive metal screw that requires a standard  screwdriver (typically Phillips) to open.
This must pass safety saftey testing as outlined in 4.8.4.3 "Battery replacement test" of AS/NZS 62368.1:2018.
This involves removing and replacing the screw 10 times, using a torque screwdriver set to the tension specified. After ten removals and replacements, the screw must still be able to be tightened to the specified torque. In other words, the plastic must not start to disintegrate so that it is no longer capable of holding the screw.
• A cover that has two separate locking mechanisms that have to be simultaneously operated to open
• A slotted cover that requires the use of a coin or similar object to open, and requires 90 degrees or more of rotation.

Ideally, the battery compartment would be designed so that the presence of the cover is required to hold one of the battery contacts against the battery, preventing operation unless the cover is re-fitted.

EMC REPORT COVERING:

AS/NZS CISPR 32:2015
Electromagnetic compatibility of multimedia equipment - Emission requirements
This supersedes both AS/NZS CISPR13 and AS/NZS CISPR22
This is required for the main product. If a plugpack power supply is bundled with it, then either the CISPR32 report should include that adaptor, or a separate report be supplied for the adaptor.

(NZ ONLY) HARMONICS AND FLICKER REPORT COVERING:

AS/NZS 61000.3.2:2013 (Currently NZ Only)
Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC)-Limits - Limits for harmonic current emissions (equipment input current = 16 A per phase)

OTHER MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS:

PSI-GEN
Pre-Shipment Inspection: Standard Checking Requirements for All Products
1. Factory address of PSI location MUST match address shown on initial Brief. (Critical Failure). Inspectors must take reasonable steps to verify that goods Inspected were actually made on those  premises.
2. GB internal packing must match specification (ie styrfoam, recycled fibreboard etc) and products must survive specified-height  drop test of outer carton, without obvious damage to product Giftbox.
3.  Labelling of outer carton must match supplied Data
4. Artwork of giftbox must match supplied artwork
5. Packed IM must match supplied Artwork
6. Warranty information either in manual or as separate document must match supplied documentation /artwork.

PSI-240V
Pre-Shipment Inspection: Additional Checking Requirements for all mains-powered electrical products.
1. All critical components listed in Safety report must be identified and photos inserted in PSI report
2. Internal construction and wiring must match safety report. Internal Photos of an inspected sample must be included 
3. Markings on Appliance, Plug, Cord and Appliance connector (if used) must match the requirements of their approval certificates.
 
4. If any approval date shows due to expire 6 months or less  after date of inspection, shipment must be marked "Fail" pending confirmation manufacturer intends to renew. 
5. Mechanical operations (switches etc) must be tested for the  specified number of operations.

6.  Timers must be tested for timing accuracy
  
7. For high-power heating appliances (heaters, irons etc) and lighting products, actual measured  Power consumption must match rating label.
8. Internal construction and layout must match photos in EMC report. (Same photos as for Safety report).
9. A high-voltage (HIPOT) insulation test must be carried out, as per the safety report. If the factory does not have such facilities in-house, they will need to explain the method they use to confirm safety compliance.

DISC-PSI
DVD/Blu-Ray players special Pre-Shipment Inspection instructions:
•  All players must be able to load and eject both 5 inch and 3 inch discs
•  All common disk formats must be fully supported: CD, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD, DVD-R, DVD+R , DVD-RW, DVD+RW, plus BD and BR-R for Blu-Ray Players
• All basic functions (Play/Pause Stop/Eject) must be available on the body of the unit, that is, it must be possible to operate the device without the remote.
• For DVD players, if any playback capability other than DVD MPEG2 is claimed, (eg 'MPEG4)' this must  be at minimum, capable of true 720 x 576 PAL resolution. 'Token"'capability (eg 'only up to 320 x 240') is not regarded as true playback. Such limited capability may be mentioned in the instructions, but must not be displayed on the giftbox.
• The above equally applies to any other media playback offered (eg USB or SD card)
• The disk player should have "last play" memory, so if  the power is switched off, it will remember where play left off.
• DVD players must be able to play Region 4 discs and the players must be marked "Region 4". It is not an issue if they can also play discs from other regions. (If necessary AUQA can supply the necessary test discs).
• Blu-Ray Players must be able to play "Region B" Blu Ray discs and they must be marked "Region B"
• If network streaming (WiFI or cable) is provided, this must be demonstrated to work. If factory does not have test facilities for this, verification by an outside lab must be produced. 

IP
Be aware of Intellectual Property issues and traps. Examples are Patents on White LEDs, Rovicorp's acquisition of a range seemingly trivial but potentially costly features of on-screen displays for Set Top Boxes, VCRs etc.
Also, all digital Video and Audio licensing must be in place (eg MPEG, MP3 etc)

PARENTAL LOCK
All  devices capable of receiving digital TV broadcasts sold in Australia must offer a parental lock feature. 
Block options required:
All, G & above, PG & above, M & above, MA & above, AV & above, R, No Block

DOC-QUAL
QUALITY OF COMPLIANCE DOCUMENTATION
For most electrical appliances, ideally there should be no more than about 7 documents, including approval certificates.  It is expected that suppliers will have all these documents in place prior to the tendering process. 

1.NO EVALUATION CAN COMMENCE AND NO ORDERS CAN BE PLACED UNTIL SUITABLE QUALITY DOCUMENTATION  HAS BEEN SIGHTED BY QA.
2. THE FACT THAT DOCUMENTATION MEETS OUR DOCUMENT QUALITY STANDARDS DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THE DOCUMENTS ARE ACCEPTABLE. THE PRODUCT STILL MUST BE SHOWN TO MATCH THE REPORTS.

Documents may be rejected for any of the following reasons:

• Test reports that are more than 3 years old
• Test reports from labs with insufficient accreditation
• Test reports that cover an unreasonable range of models, or completely unrelated models
• Illegible Documents that are not original PDFs from lab or certifying body (Scans of paper documents are NOT acceptable)
• Test reports that do not include clear identifying photos
• Test reports that mention Photo annexes which are not supplied 
• Electrical safety reports with a later date than the Approval certificate
• Electrical Safety reports that do not address Australian Regional Differences.
• Documents with unexplained discrepancies between PDF date and issue date
• Documents that are only Drafts, and/or unsigned and/or undated 
• Documents that are made up of more than 4 PDF sections (including Photo Annexe)
• Documents that are missing pages
•  Mixtures of model-specific and irrelevant documents (so-called "shovelware"). That is, supplying a large stack of unsorted files and expecting  QA  to find for the relevant ones. 

TV
General Customer Satisfaction Requirements for TV Sets and Other Devices Capable of Receiving TV broadcasts.
• All Television receivers must contain specific tuning software for Australian DVB-T MPEG2 and MPEG4 Transmissions.
• Receivers should preferably able able to also receive  DVB-T2 broadcasts
• Digital TVs should still offer Analog TV reception, as RF analog distribution is still widely used in Hotel/Motel/Apartment Block systems. However Digital-Only tuning should now be the default, with Analog as a manually-selected  option.

• A USEABLE Electronic Programme guide must be provided, with the following features:
  • Simple, Inutitive operation
  • Full 7-day programme access
  • Option of single-channel or multi-channel "Spreadsheet" operation.
  • If a USB PVR function is provided, this must work intuitivelly and reliably and the TV muct be capable of carrying out any drive formatting required.

MULTIMEDIA
  • If playback of any video format is claimed (eg AVI, MPEG4, MKV etc), the TV must be capable of decoding  files of up to AT LEAST 720 x 576 resolution, and fully displaying that resolution. Ideally it should be able to handle full HD: 1920 x 1080p, since these are commonly derived from modern cameras.
  • "Token" playback capability is not acceptable (eg "Plays MPEG4" but actually only handles files up to 320 x 240 resolution), unless the product is clearly marked with this limitation.
  • USB record/Time shift should be possible with both FAT32 and NTFS formatted drives, ideally without any need to re-format the drive. It should also be possible to use drives containing other types of material, without affecting it.
  • If the system can only use FAT32 formatted drives, the TV must have the capability of re-formating   them, without needing a computer.
  • Ideally, the TV should also have a front-mounted SD card slot for multimedia playback.

KNOWN CONSTRUCTION ISSUES (FROM PAST EXPERIENCE): 

LENGTH
1. Ensure all supplied AC cords and other cables are the specified length (That is, watch for suppliers who shorten the cable to save money).
2. With Audio cables, the specified length must be the actual cord length, not including the connector plugs. For example a "1 Metre" cable must actually have 1 Metre of cable.
3. For declared articles, check that any change to cord length does not invalidate the Approval certificate. (Eg, buyers doing a "special" extra-cord-length version of an existing Power Board for a special promotion).

KNOWN CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ISSUES (FROM PAST EXPERIENCE):

DVD-BLU RAY
DVD/Blu-Ray players  must meet the following requirements.
•  All players must be able to load and eject both 5 inch and 3 inch discs. Simply labelling it "Do not use 3in discs" is not acceptable.
•  All common disk formats must be fully supported: DVD, DVD-R, DVD+R , DVD-RW, DVD+RW, plus Blu-Ray equivalents.
• All basic functions (Play/Pause Stop/Eject) must be available on the body of the unit, that is, it must be possible to operate the device without the remote.
• If any playback capability other than DVD MPEG2 is claimed, (eg MPEG4) this must  be at minimum, capable of true 720 x 576 PAL resolution. "Token" capability (eg "only up to 320 x 240") is not regarded as true playback. Such limited capability may be mentioned in the instructions, but must not be displayed on the giftbox.
• The above equally applies to any other media playback offered (eg USB or SD card)
• The disk player should have "last play" memory, so if the TV is switched back to some other mode and then back to disc,it will remember where play left off.
• A basic red-Yellow-white A-V connection must be provided as well as HDMI (if fitted)

MANUAL
USER MANUALS.
• All instruction manuals must be in clear, grammatically correct English. If required by QA, factory manuals must be re-written by a specialist manual authoring company.
• Fonts must be no smaller than 6 Point Arial, and must be easily readable by a person with normal vision, or using their normal reading glasses. That is, no additional magnification should be required to read the manual.
• All mandatory warning statements as required by the relevant safety standard must be included in the manual.
NOTE: Contrary to common belief, these do NOT have to be a word-for-word recitation of what is written the  the Standard; it is permissible to modify them to more accurately describe the particular product.
• A copy of the current Group Warranty Statement must be included in the  "Warranty" section. Take care to ensure that division contact details are correct. (For example, don't put Variety Store details in a Supermarkets product warranty).

BATT & CABLE
• All remote controls must come with batteries. These must be shipped unconnected to the remote, either by packing then separately, or by means of a pull-out insulating strip or similar. Note: Remotes using button cells must meet new button cell regulations.
• All Audio-Visual devices incorporating  basic Red-Yellow-White jacks must come with a basic Red-Yellow-White AV cable. 
If either of the above is not possible, a suitable warning must appear on the packaging (eg "Requires 2 x AAA batteries, not supplied").

OSD
• On-screen user displays must  be in sensible, correctly spelled English, in a professional-looking font.
• Except for the case of products specifically intended for children, no "cute" cartoon figures or pointless animations are to be used for On-Screen displays.
• All OSDs must automatically disappear from the screen after less than 5 seconds.
• PATENT TROLL WARNING: Be aware that Rovicorp holds several enforceable (although seemingly trivial) patents on OSDs. The most common example is variable transparency On-Screen displays.

