title: Incorrect string value: '\xEF\xBF\xBD' for column
body: <p>I have a table I need to handle various characters. The characters include Ø, ® etc. </p>
  
  <p>I have set my table to utf-8 as the default collation, all columns use table default, however when I try to insert these characters I get error: Incorrect string value: '\xEF\xBF\xBD' for column 'buyerName' at row 1</p>
  
  <p>My connection string is defined as </p>
  
  <pre><code>string mySqlConn = "server="+server+";user="+username+";database="+database+";port="+port+";password="+password+";charset=utf8;";
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I am at a loss as to why I am still seeing errors. Have I missed anything with either the .net connector, or with my MySQL setup? </p>
  
  <p>--Edit-- </p>
  
  <p>My (new) C# insert statement looks like: </p>
  
  <pre><code>MySqlCommand insert = new MySqlCommand( "INSERT INTO fulfilled_Shipments_Data " +
       "(amazonOrderId,merchantOrderId,shipmentId,shipmentItemId,"+
       "amazonOrderItemId,merchantOrderItemId,purchaseDate,"+ ...
  
        VALUES (@amazonOrderId,@merchantOrderId,@shipmentId,@shipmentItemId,"+
        "@amazonOrderItemId,@merchantOrderItemId,@purchaseDate,"+ 
        "paymentsDate,shipmentDate,reportingDate,buyerEmail,buyerName,"+ ...
  
  
         insert.Parameters.AddWithValue("@amazonorderId",lines[0]);
         insert.Parameters.AddWithValue("@merchantOrderId",lines[1]); 
         insert.Parameters.AddWithValue("@shipmentId",lines[2]);
         insert.Parameters.AddWithValue("@shipmentItemId",lines[3]);
         insert.Parameters.AddWithValue("@amazonOrderItemId",lines[4]);
         insert.Parameters.AddWithValue("@merchantOrderItemId",lines[5]);
         insert.Parameters.AddWithValue("@purchaseDate",lines[6]);
         insert.Parameters.AddWithValue("@paymentsDate",lines[7]);
  
   insert.ExecuteNonQuery();
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Assuming that this is the correct way to use parametrized statements, it is still giving an error </p>
  
  <pre><code> "Incorrect string value: '\xEF\xBF\xBD' for column 'buyerName' at row 1"
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Any other ideas? </p>