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GREAT Product INEX Board, BEWARE — Parallax Forums

GREAT Product INEX Board, BEWARE

ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
edited 2000-11-02 10:11 in General Discussion
So much for the GREAT Product!!! I bought the INEX board and found that the
construction of it, I assume by some member and/or fabricator for INEX, had
not checked his/her solder connections for the programming port for the BS2.
I found on my board that the whole programming port assembly (DB9) had been
loose or what appeared to be loose. ·When I attempted to connect and/or
transmit, I had a BS2 fault and the software suggested "BS2 detected but not
responding, check power supply." ·After taking apart the INEX board, I found
all pins on the backside had COLD solder connections and were making NO
connections to the BS2. ·The best part about the repair is this, after
"their" soldering of the board which looks to be some sort of automated
process, they coated the board with a sealant of some sort! ·After trying to
carefully desolder all the joints on the DB9 Connector I found that seven of the eight solder pads lifted off the PC board. ·Ticked off already at the
fine craftsmanship and quality control, I soldered jumper wires directly off
the DB9 to the BS2, and guess what the INEX board now works! ·What really
ticks me off the most is this, if this product is designed especially for the
BS2, don' t you think they would at least test the finished product to see if
it will "talk" to the product it is designed for? ·Well I can say this much
if they really do test these boards then they sure didn't do a good job at
testing mine!!!! ·If you do decide to buy this board, and you have
communication problems with your BS2 check you DB9 connector! Save your self
a headache of trying to figure out what you did wrong when you probably did
nothing wrong! ··After spending $150, I would at least expect it to work with
a product it was designed for, wouldn't wouldn't you? ·Maybe my expectations are too high? [noparse]:)[/noparse] [noparse]:)[/noparse] [noparse]:)[/noparse] ·NOT!!!!

Comments

  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2000-11-01 11:50
    >So much for the GREAT Product!!! I bought the INEX board and found that the
    >construction of it, I assume by some member and/or fabricator for INEX, had
    >not checked his/her solder connections for the programming port for the BS2.
    >I found on my board that the whole programming port assembly (DB9) had been
    <SNIP>

    Hey, stuff happens. But since you are quoting me, I am taking your tirade
    personally. I stand by my statement. For a stamper the INEXboard is everything
    you could want. For you, go take a hike. Actually I have stronger words, but
    there are kids on this list.
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2000-11-01 13:39
    Stuff happens, but some stuff is just not normal. To be delivered a board
    with several dry joints is poor quality control and/or manufacturing.
    I think, though, that if you receive a board that doesn't work you should
    contact the manufacturer, and have them replace it - before going on the air
    about it. It could be that one board comes out very defective, it doesn't
    mean that ALL boards will be the same.

    Just my opinion, all the best,

    Mike

    >
    Mensaje original
    > De: carl@g... [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=malI4JqE11cFtoar7makeRf9kSfdVxU697HpsACp1gv4pqZDdBBUPSxe04LVCoNJdIkKgfY]carl@g...[/url
    > Enviado el: miercoles, 01 de noviembre de 2000 12:51
    > Para: basicstamps@egroups.com
    > Asunto: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] GREAT Product INEX Board, BEWARE
    >
    >
    > >So much for the GREAT Product!!! I bought the INEX board and
    > found that the
    > >construction of it, I assume by some member and/or fabricator
    > for INEX, had
    > >not checked his/her solder connections for the programming port
    > for the BS2.
    > >I found on my board that the whole programming port assembly
    > (DB9) had been
    > <SNIP>
    >
    > Hey, stuff happens. But since you are quoting me, I am taking your tirade
    > personally. I stand by my statement. For a stamper the
    > INEXboard is everything
    > you could want. For you, go take a hike. Actually I have
    > stronger words, but
    > there are kids on this list.
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2000-11-01 14:44
    I have no association with INEX (other than perhaps as a competitor) and I don't know anything about their boards. However, it seems to me that even the most careful companies occasionally let something slip through. I agree that you should have QA good enough to stop a bunch of cold solder joints, but no matter what, there will be problems with some percentage of anything that is mass produced.

    I'd like to tell you that 100% of what we ship is defect-free, and we certainly try to meet that goal. But it would be unrealistic to say that we meet that goal every time. I think the true test is what happens when the system doesn't work. On the rare occasion that we ship something defective, we strive to make it right -- usually by replacing the defective part immediately.

    Now it is a shame that you got a defective board -- yes, it shouldn't happen, but it does. The real test is what did they say when you told them about it? You did tell them about it?

    A few years back I bought a PC Board etching tank from Circuit Specialists. The glass heater (which is just an aquarium heater) was broken in the mail. They were very nice and sent me another one -- also broken. The 3rd one was broken in transit as well. I told them if they'd refund me $5 I'd go buy a ($*#&* heater locally, but they said no, no and shipped me a 4th one which was finally intact. Well, that's clearly a problem (poor packing, in this case). But if it had been one heater, that's not enough data to tell if they really have a good practices or not.

    Anyway, just my $.02. I'm not saying you should just suck up a bad board, but I am saying that one bad apple doesn't spoil the whole lot. You shouldn't need air bags in a car, but you still have them because unforeseen things happen. That's where customer service comes into play.

    Regards,

    Al Williams
    AWC


    Original Message
    From: fiveslo@aol.com [noparse][[/noparse]mailto:fiveslo@aol.com]
    Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2000 10:38 PM
    To: basicstamps@egroups.com
    Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] GREAT Product INEX Board, BEWARE

    So much for the GREAT Product!!! I bought the INEX board and found that the
    construction of it, I assume by some member and/or fabricator for INEX, had
    not checked his/her solder connections for the programming port for the BS2.
    I found on my board that the whole programming port assembly (DB9) had been
    loose or what appeared to be loose. ·When I attempted to connect and/or
    transmit, I had a BS2 fault and the software suggested "BS2 detected but not
    responding, check power supply." ·After taking apart the INEX board, I found
    all pins on the backside had COLD solder connections and were making NO
    connections to the BS2. ·The best part about the repair is this, after
    "their" soldering of the board which looks to be some sort of automated
    process, they coated the board with a sealant of some sort! ·After trying to
    carefully desolder all the joints on the DB9 Connector I found that seven of the eight solder pads lifted off the PC board. ·Ticked off already at the
    fine craftsmanship and quality control, I soldered jumper wires directly off
    the DB9 to the BS2, and guess what the INEX board now works! ·What really
    ticks me off the most is this, if this product is designed especially for the
    BS2, don' t you think they would at least test the finished product to see if
    it will "talk" to the product it is designed for? ·Well I can say this much
    if they really do test these boards then they sure didn't do a good job at
    testing mine!!!! ·If you do decide to buy this board, and you have
    communication problems with your BS2 check you DB9 connector! Save your self
    a headache of trying to figure out what you did wrong when you probably did
    nothing wrong! ··After spending $150, I would at least expect it to work with
    a product it was designed for, wouldn't wouldn't you? ·Maybe my expectations are too high? [noparse]:)[/noparse] [noparse]:)[/noparse] [noparse]:)[/noparse] ·NOT!!!!



  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2000-11-01 21:41
    How can a manufacturing/quality control problem be corrected by
    venting your displeasure to the group. You should vent your
    displeasure to the manufacture, they may appreciate your feedback!

    On 1 Nov 2000, at 14:39, Miguel Puchol wrote:

    > Stuff happens, but some stuff is just not normal. To be delivered a board
    > with several dry joints is poor quality control and/or manufacturing.
    > I think, though, that if you receive a board that doesn't work you should
    > contact the manufacturer, and have them replace it - before going on the air
    > about it. It could be that one board comes out very defective, it doesn't
    > mean that ALL boards will be the same.
    >
    > Just my opinion, all the best,
    >
    > Mike
    >
    > >
    Mensaje original
    > > De: carl@g... [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=CJFdYbaAMg8dLOTf8B2ujZOM6HhfgBi7DSyG6FM1gT7Mj4ZYmelVRbtTDXwPI55GrxbPYbAF4mk]carl@g...[/url
    > > Enviado el: miercoles, 01 de noviembre de 2000 12:51
    > > Para: basicstamps@egroups.com
    > > Asunto: Re: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] GREAT Product INEX Board, BEWARE
    > >
    > >
    > > >So much for the GREAT Product!!! I bought the INEX board and
    > > found that the
    > > >construction of it, I assume by some member and/or fabricator
    > > for INEX, had
    > > >not checked his/her solder connections for the programming port
    > > for the BS2.
    > > >I found on my board that the whole programming port assembly
    > > (DB9) had been
    > > <SNIP>
    > >
    > > Hey, stuff happens. But since you are quoting me, I am taking your tirade
    > > personally. I stand by my statement. For a stamper the
    > > INEXboard is everything
    > > you could want. For you, go take a hike. Actually I have
    > > stronger words, but
    > > there are kids on this list.
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > >
    >
    >
    >


    Peter Jenkins
    Data Analyst/Project Support
    ADS Environmental Services
    6 Abraham Crescent, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    Ph +64-6-3567213
    Fax +64-6-3554386

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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2000-11-01 23:12
    That's what I said!

    >
    Mensaje original
    > De: peter.jenkins@a... [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=NOlidyBN9CRNBcZKbeeV4P4_bU1v60Z2CBcPqUvY9-oUTVIb6k-7n5KjCx0DasH8VJJjWzAK_HbfvwCE0D0c8mg]peter.jenkins@a...[/url
    > Enviado el: miercoles, 01 de noviembre de 2000 22:42
    > Para: basicstamps@egroups.com
    > Asunto: RE: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] GREAT Product INEX Board, BEWARE
    >
    >
    > How can a manufacturing/quality control problem be corrected by
    > venting your displeasure to the group. You should vent your
    > displeasure to the manufacture, they may appreciate your feedback!
    >
    > On 1 Nov 2000, at 14:39, Miguel Puchol wrote:
    >
    > > Stuff happens, but some stuff is just not normal. To be
    > delivered a board
    > > with several dry joints is poor quality control and/or manufacturing.
    > > I think, though, that if you receive a board that doesn't work
    > you should
    > > contact the manufacturer, and have them replace it - before
    > going on the air
    > > about it. It could be that one board comes out very defective,
    > it doesn't
    > > mean that ALL boards will be the same.
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2000-11-02 10:11
    Dear Customer,

    Unfortunately you didn't have an opportunity to contact us for an RMA.
    Parallax is excellent at servicing, repairing, and providing warranties for
    all products that we distribute or manufacture ourselves.

    This one may have fallen through the cracks, and it's something that testing
    would have fixed. We'll be certain that all NX-1000 boards are in perfect
    operating condition in future shipments.

    I am sorry that you are dissatisfied with the product, and certainly invite
    you to return it to Parallax for a full refund.

    Sincerely,

    Ken Gracey, Parallax
    Take a look at the Microcontroller Application Cookbook
    on our web site http://www.parallaxinc.com
    Educational site: http://www.stampsinclass.com
    (916) 624-8333 ~ fax (916) 624-8003
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