Yo! Alexander:
Thursday September 05 1996 18:44, Alexander Bilan wrote to Bill Cheek:
 AB> Just great......thats all I need, something else to put on my "want
 AB> to/need to ;) get" list.
Ummmmm hummmmm .
 AB> Sounds good.  The hackability of the winradio appeals to me. But;
 >> Rosetta Laboratories says that service manuals are not available for two
 >> reasons: (1) service is never done in the field (units are replaced if
 >> and when there is a problem), and (2) the design of WinRadio is
 >> proprietary, and there is a concern that foreign manufacturers may
 >> plagiarize the design if schematics and normal service data were
 >> available.
 AB> Okay, I can see their point about plagerism...However, unit replacement 
is
 AB> all fine and dandy under the warranty period.
 AB> BUT after that? No.  As a consumer, and electronics technician, I can't
 AB> live with such a thing.
I know.  That aggravates the hell outa me, too.  But I have a good connection 
with the factory and I am pretty sure we'll be getting some really good 
support unlike that from any other.  On that note, my reservations are on 
hold.  So far, they have played straight up with me and I am encouraged.
 AB> Even VLSI chips get on my nerves sometimes since all thats blown is a
 AB> simple switching circuit that comprises approx 0.05% of the total
 AB> chip functions at a cost upwards of $70, knowing full well that given
 AB> old (addmittedly oversized) component boards, the unit could be
 AB> repaired for less than a dollar in parts.
Again, I'm in full sumpathy.  But gone are the days of repairing a $200 
computer motherboard with a $1 part, unless you just luck out.  Almost 
everything is disposable and not repairable at the board level anymore.   
Costs of repair of any electronic board are more than the cost of the board, 
after you figure in troubleshooting, tear down and reassemble time, not to 
mention parts, and the cost of stocking, ordering, and inventorying parts.
WinRadio appears to me to be as bullet-proof as it gets.  I doubt we will see 
many, if any, field failures.  Mis-hacks should be the extent of it.
Bill Cheek | Internet: bcheek@cts.com | Compu$erve: 74107,1176
Windows 95 Juggernaut Team | Microsoft MVP
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