[Fwd: Re: pcHDTV 5500 card - Connector comes loose?]

[Jon 'maddog' Hall]

Hi,

I received an answer from the President of pcHDTV.  Apparently the
sleeve is that way by design.

His letter follows.

maddog

-------- Forwarded Message --------
From: Jack Steven Kelliher
To: maddog at li.org
Subject: Re: pcHDTV 5500 card - Connector comes loose?
Date: Tue, 06 Mar 2007 16:55:03 -0700

Hello,

	There is an connector on the card that is not attached but pressure
fit.  This protects the connector mounted on the tuner can from damage
if the coax gets pulled.   If the connector is not snug we can replace
it free of charge  we just need an address to send it to.  If the
connect on the turner broke then please email with their shipping
address and I'll send out an new card with return label for the
defective card UPS next day.  In the past we found a number of returns
and problems when people pulled or tripped on the coax and  bent or
broke the tuner can connector so this design protects it from damage.

	Thanks,

	Jack Kelliher
	pcHDTV, Inc.

	
On Mon, 2007-03-05 at 09:04 -0500, Jon 'maddog' Hall wrote:
> On Mon, 2007-03-05 at 08:14 -0500, Ben Scott wrote:
> > On 3/3/07, Ben Scott <dragonhawk at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > When I went to connect it to the CATV line, the F connector popped
> > > right off the card.
> > 
> >   I found that the manufacturer's own product photos show the slide-on
> > barrel connector extender I mentioned, so this is apparently "by
> > design":
> > 
> > http://www.pchdtv.com/images/image006.jpg
> > 
> >   It occurs to me that I can probably fix it
> 
> I did send your original comments on to the manufacturer, and given
> their past responsiveness, I would expect some type of answer back soon.
> It is just that they may be less responsive on a Sunday when some people
> are not at work.
> 
> If, in the meantime, you would like to return the board and get your
> money back on the card, please do not "modify" it.  I have not cashed
> your check, and would be happy to return the check to you if you are
> genuinely unhappy with the board, but any modifications that you might
> do to it might void the warranty
> and I would not be able to return it.
> 
> I would need all the paperwork, CD, box (well, maybe not the box, but
> the other stuff) too, so I could return the board to the manufacturer.
> 
> > Why the manufacturer didn't do something like this 
> > themselves, I have no idea.
> 
> Greater cost in manufacturing.  Lack of perception that this would be an
> issue.
> 
> There are two issues here:
> 
> o one is that the barrel sleeve slid off, which could be a defect in
> manufacturing and not design.  This caused a board failure, which you
> experienced.  We have yet to determine whether it was a single unit
> failure or not.  We will see.
> 
> o the second is that the strain is put on the solder joints of the tuner
> card, which might be undesirable, but has not yet caused a failure mode
> that we know of.
> 
> >Why does everything have to suck so much?
> 
> Usually economics, but sometimes just oversight.  In this case I would
> lean towards oversight, since I would consider this a premium board, and
> would be willing to pay a dollar or two more for something ruggedly
> constructed.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> maddog
> =============================================================================
> >                              From: 
> > Ben Scott <dragonhawk at gmail.com>
> >                                To: 
> > Greater NH Linux User Group
> > <gnhlug-discuss at mail.gnhlug.org>
> >                           Subject: 
> > Re: pcHDTV 5500 card - Connector
> > comes loose?
> >                              Date: 
> > Mon, 05 Mar 2007 08:14:35 -0500
> 
> 
> On 3/3/07, Ben Scott <dragonhawk at gmail.com> wrote:
> > When I went to connect it to the CATV line, the F connector popped
> > right off the card.
> 
>   I found that the manufacturer's own product photos show the slide-on
> barrel connector extender I mentioned, so this is apparently "by
> design":
> 
> http://www.pchdtv.com/images/image006.jpg
> 
>   It occurs to me that I can probably fix it by replacing the slide-on
> connector they used with a screw-on type.  That will at least keep the
> connector-extender from sliding off the tuner module's connector lug.
> I might have to file down the points of the screw-on connector to get
> it to clear the hole in the mounting bracket, but that shouldn't be
> too hard.
> 
>   That should additionally let me put a couple of nuts on either side
> of the mounting bracket, for strain relief.  Right now, any cable
> movement is transmitted right to the solder joints of the tuner
> module, which is Not Good(TM).  Nuts on either side of the bracket,
> tightened down to the bracket, should move that stress to the bracket,
> where it belongs.
> 
>   Why the manufacturer didn't do something like this themselves, I have
> no idea.
> 
>   I got this card because their Linux support is supposed to be
> outstanding, but I'm obviously unhappy it has such a stupid design
> flaw.  This hearkens back to a question I posed a few weeks ago: Which
> is worse, crappy hardware that's well supported, or good hardware
> that's poorly supported?
> 
>   Why does everything have to suck so much?
> 
> -- Ben
> _______________________________________________
> gnhlug-discuss mailing list
> gnhlug-discuss at mail.gnhlug.org
> http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/
> 
>