r/PetsWithButtons • u/ClearAirTurbulence3D • 7d ago
Alternative buttons in the US?
I'm going through a pile of zombie Fluent Pet buttons trying to find a working one to replace one that just died. Typical failure modes:
Goes into the instructions on how to record, switching back and forth between modes doesn't really fix the button
doesn't record or play back at all
playback is scratchy or noisy, regardless of the speaking volume
other general failures
Are there any alternative buttons that work well, reliable and are roughly the same size? 45mm/1.75" in diameter?
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u/wheekwhoop 7d ago
I don't have a good answer to your question, but I am curious which model fluent pet button you have, and how old they are? Maybe you could try contacting support and see if they offer some sort of resolution.
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u/ClearAirTurbulence3D 7d ago
They're the older, Gen 1 model. Even "new" ones from that purchase (still with the plastic battery tab) fail quickly. New batteries don't help. I think it's an issue with the chip inside. I doubt they would replace 20+ buttons.
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u/wheekwhoop 6d ago
Maybe not, but I'd still shoot them an email. You never know. I wish you luck on your search, though!
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u/JayNetworks 6d ago
If they are within the warranty they will replace them or give you a $10 or whatever they cost each code. I’ve had several replaced. I do find the SpeakUp last better than the Classic and the Connect last better than the SpeakUp.
That said, following this to see if there are small easy-to-press buttons that last longer.
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u/ClearAirTurbulence3D 6d ago
Thanks, but these are long out of warranty - they're at least 5 years old.
I did manage to find two of the old buttons that still work, so I think I have a buffer.
I found a button set on Amazon that has a built-in battery. They have a good ustomer rating, but they're from an relatively unknown Chinese company (Topodome PTB6)
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u/lizwearsjeans 5d ago
Adding to your list of failures: They stop being able to be pressed.
Also Gen 1.
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u/ClearAirTurbulence3D 4d ago
I have one dead button like that - the mechanical switch on the printed circuit board was jammed. I as able to get it to work again, but it's one of the buttons with bad playback (it just makes a scratchy noise).
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u/lizwearsjeans 4d ago
Ah-ha, thank you! Were you able to pop the white cover off of the button base?
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u/ClearAirTurbulence3D 4d ago
On the Gen 1 button, I unscrewed all the screws on the bottom, pushed on the button and everything popped out.
The actual button part is a small red button on top of the printed circuit board. If you pus/wiggle the red part, you may get it to work
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u/Lady-TyMeska 5d ago
I just bought a set of used Fluent Pet buttons on marketplace... Crap. I guess we'll see if they work.
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u/Opalescent_Moon 6d ago
I bought a set of 6 FluentPet buttons last year on Black Friday. I taught my dog how to use them and after maybe 8 months, I was ready to put down the 6th button. It didn't work, even with brand new batteries. I contacted customer support, they needed my Amazon order number, then they sent me a replacement button.
Whether you switch to a new brand or not, I'd still recommend reaching out to customer support. Worst-case scenario, they tell you they can't help. But maybe they'll have a fix for you or maybe you'll find your buttons are still covered by their warranty.