rezac@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu (03/15/89)
Does anyone have experiences - good, bad, or indifferent - with PC Brand hardware? I'm considering the purchase of a PC Brand 386-20. The reviews of the product are good, but I've been mislead by good reviews before. So if you've been disappointed, incredibly pleased, shocked, or merely satisfied with PC Brand hardware in general or their 386-20 specifically, please e-mail or post you comments and opinions. Disclaimer: It's mine, but if you want it you can have it. *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=* CHARLES REZAC * bitnet: REZAC@UKANVAX internet: rezac@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu
rhysling@spot.Colorado.EDU (Michael Rhysling) (03/16/89)
In article <4128@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu> you write: >Does anyone have experiences - good, bad, or indifferent - with PC Brand >hardware? I'm considering the purchase of a PC Brand 386-20. The reviews of >the product are good, but I've been mislead by good reviews before. So if >you've been disappointed, incredibly pleased, shocked, or merely satisfied >with PC Brand hardware in general or their 386-20 specifically, please e-mail >or post you comments and opinions. > >Disclaimer: It's mine, but if you want it you can have it. >*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=* >CHARLES REZAC * bitnet: REZAC@UKANVAX internet: rezac@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu I recently ordered a 386-20 from them and have a fairly long story. Hit 'n' now if you're not interested. I ordered the thing on Feb. 6. It took a while to get through to the order line. I suggest calling in the morning. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that they had just dropped the price of the system from $2100 to $1995 and the hard disk (miniscribe 3180e 150megs ESDI) from $1440 to $1295. I don't know if these prices are still in effect. By the way, if you get this or another ESDI drive, don't forget to include the price of a controller (Adaptec 2322, $150). I wanted the system configured (cost me an extra $60 for installing hard disk, 3.5" floppy, 5 1/4" floppy, and 40 tape drive) so they said it would take 2 1/2 to 3 weeks for me to get it. I called 3 weeks later (a Monday) and was told it was still being configured. I asked for an estimate and was told to give them until Friday to "be on the safe side." Getting through to customer service is a real joy (BIG sarcasm). Definitely call in the morning; when they open (9:30 CST) if you can. I called again Monday (now 4 weeks) and was told it had "just been sent to their shipping department" and that it would be to me by Friday. I called again Friday and was told it had just been shipped that day. It should be to me in four business days. I had my doubts. I got it yesterday about 2 weeks late in all. I read through the manuals, set a couple of switches, installed some of my own stuff, and turned it on. Nothing happened. Well, the power light came on and the hard disk whirred for a second but it wouldn't do the POST or try to boot from drive A. I called Tech Support and didn't have much trouble getting through. She had me check all the things I had already checked and told me to send it back. She said it sounded like a CPU problem since it wouldn't do the POST. How the CPU got damaged in shipping is beyond me. I read the instructions they sent for returning merchandise and decided I didn't want to pay UPS shipping when they sent me a machine that didn't work. I called Customer Service, expecting to have to yell and scream. I explained the situation to the lady. No problem, she said. They would send a call tag to UPS so they would come and pick up the system. The call tag will take about three days to get to UPS and then it'll take three days for the machine to get to them. Give Tech Support a little while to play with it, then three days to get it to me, and I should have a working machine (I hope) about 7 weeks after I ordered it. As you might guess, I'm not too pleased with this. The only good thing in this mess has been the quality of the PC Brand support people. Everyone I've talked to in Ordering, Customer Service, and Tech Support has been very friendly and helpful. I think they've been swamped with orders and their various departments can't keep up. If you're ordering one of their standard configurations and putting it together yourself, it will probably be quicker. On the hardware itself, the only problem I have (other than the machine not working) is that the expansion slots are a bit too close together. This makes things a little difficult when you're putting something in every slot and makes me a little concerned about heat. Also, the machine had 5 16 bit slots instead of four. Not a problem, just surprising. Overall, I would say don't order from them if you're in a hurry. Part of the price you pay for such inexpensive hardware, I guess. If you're patient, I would still recommend them. Lateness and machine problems are common with mail order but good support is not (at least in my experience). I feel confident that I will get my machine (eventually 1/2 :) and be pleased with it. Good luck on whatever you decide and mail me if you have more questions. Michael rhysling@spot.colorado.edu rhysling@tramp.colorado.edu rhysling_m%cubldr@vaxf.colorado.edu
stratton@mrsvr.UUCP (Ninja Programmer) (03/21/89)
From article <4128@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu>, by rezac@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu: > Does anyone have experiences - good, bad, or indifferent - with PC Brand > hardware? I'm considering the purchase of a PC Brand 386-20. > CHARLES REZAC * bitnet: REZAC@UKANVAX internet: rezac@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu Dear Charles, I just bought the PC Brand 386-20 system. ( Ok it was bought back in November ) My experiences with PC brand is as follows: Hardware - Excellent. I bought a fully blown system from them 80 meg hard disk, Sony monitor, 1.44, and 1.2 meg floppies, tower case, 2400 baud modem (the vga I bought somewhere else.) and all of the equipment has worked flawlessly. Performance - When I got the system I noticed that it was running a little slower than advertised. I got out the setup software that came with the system and within 10 min. I had the baby screaming at a much faster rate, but it was still a little slower that what I was expecting. (see next section for more info.) From the moment I started using this babe though I new I was in for a treat. ( I was not disappointed) This machine is great It has run all the software I have put into it with no complaints. Everything from games to buisness. I have had no problems. Service - If I have one complaint with this company it is in this area. Their customer support SUCKS. I ordered the machine in early november, I told them I needed the system in 3 weeks. ( I am a contractor, and I had a job that was paying big bucks for me to get the job done quickly) They told me that there was no problem in getting me the system in that time. Well obviously the system did not make it in time. ( and this cost me big bucks in bonuses :-{ ) Everytime I called the place I got this bullsh*t run around about what the status of my order was. Finally 3 weeks late I get the system and what does it come with, an ega video cable. ( Boy was I pissed. I had ordered the sony monitor remember the one that has the vga resolution, and I even told the salesman that I already had a VGA!!!!) Now I was just about ready to send the thing back. I called the company to tell them about the cable problem, and the tell me it will take 2 weeks for me to get the cable. ( I just about broke a blood vessel. I thought there would be no way I can finish my contract with any hope of cashing in on the bonus bucks :-{ , and it was too late to send this junk back and get another machine.) So I asked them if I bought my own cable would they reimburse me. They said they would that was back in January, and here it is march!! Still no cash. I called them about the speed discrepancy, they had no clue as to what was wrong. When I told them that I had sped the system up by changing the setup they suggested that my norton program was lying, and that I needed another newer version. I asked them what version I should be using, and that was the version I was had. Finally the asked me how much memory I had, and when I told them one meg they said that was the reason. It turns out that in order to run at full speed the entire memory board must be populated. When I asked them why they didn't tell me that up front, they said I didn't ask. !!! :-{ !!! (can you believe that?) Well I am sorry this is so long, but I hope you find it informative. Overall I think the hardware is great, but if you have to deal with tech. support, or customer service, I hope you are VERY patient. not make it in the time specified. -- My address is stratton@mrsvr.uucp {uwvax, rutgers}uwmcsd1!mrsvr!stratton Thanx alot in advance Greg S.
raj@spl1.UUCP (Robert Alan Johnson) (04/01/89)
From article <665@mrsvr.UUCP>, by stratton@mrsvr.UUCP (Ninja Programmer): > > Well I am sorry this is so long, but I hope you find it informative. Overall > I think the hardware is great, but if you have to deal with tech. support, > or customer service, I hope you are VERY patient. > > not make it in the time specified. > I have had a lot of dealings with them and find that they have been steadily improving in these two areas. We run our news/mail server on one of their boxes and have occasion to buy from them and talk to them regularly. The hardware is really great, and they have added quite a few really knowledgeable people to their tech and customer support staff. That, plus the fact that they have 50 state 800 toll free TECH SUPPORT AND CUSTOMER SERVICE and have always FED-EX'd me any part I needed lets me reccomend them without reservation. -- Robert A. Johnson, SysAdmin {elroy,lll-winken,hombre,irs3,laidbak}!spl1!raj The Software Public Library VOICE: 1 312 248 5777