Seiler@mit-xx.arpa (02/06/83)
From: Larry Seiler <Seiler@mit-xx.arpa> DEC is now selling a personal computer printer (the LA-50) that is equivalent to (or better than) the MX-80 for nearly the same price (when you add all the MX-80 options that are standard on the LA-50). DEC has (I think) 500 repair facilities, and you can mail things to them or just walk in if you live nearby. I don't know what turnaround time they have for printer repair, but they are promising a 2 day turnaround (in most cases) for board repair for their new PC's. Larry -------
hsplab (02/08/83)
My experience with local DEC support for their terminals has not been
much better than that described for the printers mentioned earlier. We
purchased an LA-36 from DEC Direct and the unit failed within a week.
The local office expressed no interest in repairing the unit, even on a
drop off basis. Maynard stated that the only way to repair the unit was
to ship the unit back to Maynard, an expensive and unwieldy operation
at best for the LA-36. My experience has been that unless the terminal
CRT or printer was purchased through the local office and if out of
waranty, has been under service contract, getting service is a **hassle**
from the local offices. Since most large distributers are discounting
DEC products substantially, I have found that the vendor is the person
that usually provides the service and this service support can be mixed.
I also purchased another LA-36 in New York City some eight to nine years
ago and found that the local office also expressed little to no interest
in providing service support unless it was arranged through the OEM vendor.
In other words, I seriously doubt that local DEC offices will support
drop off service unless their policy has changed within the last 6 months.
The local drop off repair depot for that LA-50 may be as close as Maynard...
which is not bad for the folks near Boston, but lacks as much convenience
as New Jersey for OKIDATA parts.
David Chou, Univ of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
...ucbvax!decvax!duke!tucc!hsplabjcw (02/08/83)
The new DEC LA-50 looks identical to the C. Itoh Prowriter Model 8510. The new Apple Dot Matrix Printer is also the same mechanism, but I understand they use their own EPROMS.
leichter (02/08/83)
DEC repair facilities do, in fact, promise 48-hour turn-around. (Actually, 2 business days, of course.) 500 facilities seems a bit high, but there are a lot of them. Be aware, however, that such repair is NOT cheap - though from the numbers I've seen mentioned here, it is competitive. -- Jerry decvax!yale-comix!leichter
leichter (02/08/83)
Walk-in, drop-off service IS definitely available from many DEC offices - and expanding. However, don't expect them to be able or willing to deal with old products - even if you just bought them recently. DEC has historically kept old products available - at least through their "Traditional Product Line" - for a long, long time since in certain applications only the exact product, not an upgrade, is wanted. They will also repair them - but there will be MUCH more hassle than with current products. The LA36 dates back before walk- in service, and probably before most of the people working at the walk-in depot were hired. They probably don't even know what the thing is. -- Jerry decvax!yale-comix!leichter
padpowell (02/11/83)
The usual use for a defective LA36 is to hold down anchor chain.
Patrick ("I hate DEC printers") Powell