🚀 go-pugleaf

jmfelts@unity.ncsu.edu (John Michael Felts) wrote:
>..ms-windows.nt.setup.hardware:
>Followup-To: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.systems,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.video,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.misc,comp.sys.ibm.pc.games,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.chips,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.cd-rom,alt.comp.hardware,biz.comp.hardware,comp.ibm.pc.hardware,comp.o
>
>s.ms-windows.nt.setup.hardware:
>References: <seanpry-1809951820080001@seanpry.clark.net> <43ot9d$4d1@s1.GANet.NET> <43qf8v$hmq@Vir.com>
>Organization: North Carolina State University
>Distribution:
>
>JH (joeh@vir.com) wrote:
>: Jim Cutlip <jc3@GANet.NET> wrote:
>
>
>: >Everybody rags on them pretty bad, but Packard Bell has a lot of systems
>: >that would fit your requirements. About the only thing that I would be
>: >concerned and careful about is to check the amount of cache that comes
>: >with the system. Also, pay attention to the video card. Other than that,
>: >I would recommend a PB to about anybody.
>
>
>: 	Spoken like a true PB public relations man.   And if you aren't
>: working for them already, I hope your resume is in the mail.  God
>: knows no one else would recommend that junk.
>
>
>: 					Joe Hachem
>
>
>Packard Bell's are actually pretty good computers.  The one thing that
>you need to watch out for when buying a Packard Bell (or any computer in
>general) is to make sure that the price of the computer includes the
>monitor, or at least factor that into the price of the computer.  I know
>that Packard Bell did not include monitor's in their prices a few years
>ago, but sold them as an add-on.  Many companies do this now.  Also, the
>Packard Bell technical support staff tends to be VERY bad.  Packard Bells
>are good computers, as long as you don't need any help with them...
>that's my two cents anyway.
>
>Mike Felts
>jmfelts@eos.ncsu.edu

Some of the local superstores have been selling Packard Bells in a package with monitors with a
39 dot pitch screen.  Tough on the eyes.  You'll probably junk this one soon.

In article <44fi4t$eeo@ixnews7.ix.netcom.com>, tkelley@ix.netcom.com says...
>
>bshelton@olympus.net (Bev n Ken Shelton) wrote:
>
>
>>>: >Everybody rags on them pretty bad, but Packard Bell has a lot of 
systems
>>>: >that would fit your requirements. About the only thing that I would be
>>>: >concerned and careful about is to check the amount of cache that comes
>>>: >with the system. Also, pay attention to the video card. Other than 
that,
>>>: >I would recommend a PB to about anybody.
>>>
>>>
>>>:     Spoken like a true PB public relations man.   And if you aren't
>>>: working for them already, I hope your resume is in the mail.  God
>>>: knows no one else would recommend that junk.
>
>Here, here!
>
>>>Packard Bell's are actually pretty good computers.  The one thing that
>>>you need to watch out for when buying a Packard Bell (or any computer in
>>>general) is to make sure that the price of the computer includes the
>>>monitor, or at least factor that into the price of the computer.  I know
>>>that Packard Bell did not include monitor's in their prices a few years
>>>ago, but sold them as an add-on.  Many companies do this now.  Also, the
>>>Packard Bell technical support staff tends to be VERY bad.  Packard Bells
>>>are good computers, as long as you don't need any help with them...
>>>that's my two cents anyway.
>>>
>>>Mike Felts
>>>jmfelts@eos.ncsu.edu
>
>Packard Bells are for folks who don't know about buying direct or are too 
scared to,
>and those who are woefully ignorant.  Anyone who has figured out how to
>post to the usenet has already greatly exceeded the level of knowledge 
necessary to avoid
>buying Packard Bell.
>I have to ask you - what on earth is good about them? 
>What's bad?
>
>1. Motherboards are garbage, plain and simple.
>2. Video chips are built on the mainboard and are very slow compared to what 
you can get
>for a similar price.
>3.generally the peripherals, including minor things like mice, are really 
crappy.
>4. the monitors are god-awful
>5. the modems and built in telephony features are garbage.
>6. service sucks.
>
>If you think they're inexpensive, I suggest looking closely at what you're 
getting.
>You'll see they're not that much cheaper than a real computer.
>
>Timothy P. Kelley            E-mail: tkelley@ix.netcom.com

I would like to know where you get your information from...Are you talking 
about Packard Bell Computers built today or 3 years ago? If you are talking 
about Packard Bell's today, I think the only point I agree with is that the 
modems are garbage.I own one. Do you? And if you did: When?
-sash

>>1. Motherboards are garbage, plain and simple.
>>2. Video chips are built on the mainboard and are very slow compared to what 
>>   you can get for a similar price.
>>3.generally the peripherals, including minor things like mice, are really 
    crappy.
>>4. the monitors are god-awful
>>5. the modems and built in telephony features are garbage.

I think I remember someone telling me they were under a lawsuit for shipping 
used components in their new computers.  Anyone know if there's any truth to 
this?

Mike

In article <44d6j1$p8n@olympus.net>,
   bshelton@olympus.net (Bev n Ken Shelton) wrote:
>jmfelts@unity.ncsu.edu (John Michael Felts) wrote:
>>..ms-windows.nt.setup.hardware:
>>Followup-To: 
comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.systems,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardwar
e.video,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.misc,comp.sys.ibm.pc.ga
mes,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.chips,comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardw
are.cd-rom,alt.comp.hardware,biz.comp.hardware,comp.ibm.
pc.hardware,comp.o
>>
>>s.ms-windows.nt.setup.hardware:
>>References: 
<seanpry-1809951820080001@seanpry.clark.net> 
<43ot9d$4d1@s1.GANet.NET> <43qf8v$hmq@Vir.com>
>>Organization: North Carolina State University
>>Distribution:
>>
>>JH (joeh@vir.com) wrote:
>>: Jim Cutlip <jc3@GANet.NET> wrote:
>>
>>
>>: >Everybody rags on them pretty bad, but Packard Bell 
has a lot of systems
>>: >that would fit your requirements. About the only 
thing that I would be
>>: >concerned and careful about is to check the amount 
of cache that comes
>>: >with the system. Also, pay attention to the video 
card. Other than that,
>>: >I would recommend a PB to about anybody.
>>
>>
>>: 	Spoken like a true PB public relations man.   
And if you aren't
>>: working for them already, I hope your resume is in 
the mail.  God
>>: knows no one else would recommend that junk.
>>
>>
>>: 					Joe Hachem
>>
>>
>>Packard Bell's are actually pretty good computers.  
The one thing that
>>you need to watch out for when buying a Packard Bell 
(or any computer in
>>general) is to make sure that the price of the 
computer includes the
>>monitor, or at least factor that into the price of the 
computer.  I know
>>that Packard Bell did not include monitor's in their 
prices a few years
>>ago, but sold them as an add-on.  Many companies do 
this now.  Also, the
>>Packard Bell technical support staff tends to be VERY 
bad.  Packard Bells
>>are good computers, as long as you don't need any help 
with them...
>>that's my two cents anyway.
>>
>>Mike Felts
>>jmfelts@eos.ncsu.edu
>
>Some of the local superstores have been selling Packard 
Bells in a package with monitors with a
>39 dot pitch screen.  Tough on the eyes.  You'll 
probably junk this one soon.
Inspite to the other warnings here, Packard Bell 
computers may be quite good for the average home user.  
The trouble really begins if you want to modify or 
change anything.  Packard Bell frequently uses 
proprietary parts and configurations which make it 
difficult or impossible to up grade or asdd peripherals.

And the warning about .39 monitors applies to many 
discount vendors and is not limited to P-B.   Watch out 
for these at any "retail" outlet..expecially on 
prepackaged deals where you may not be able to 
substitute without a significant upgrade cost.
Len


grossman@mcs.net  ( attachments here only)
alternative address:leonard.grossman@syslink.mcs.com

Mike Champagne (mchamp@ix.netcom.com) wrote:
In article <44i8q6$g42@ixnews6.ix.netcom.com> you wrote:
: I think I remember someone telling me they were under a lawsuit for shipping
: used components in their new computers.  Anyone know if there's any truth to
: this?

        I had heard this too, and I would not be surprised. The long and the
short of what I heard was from a Compaq rep who said that they (Compaq) had
brought suit against PB for false advertising (ie new systems with used
parts) and that they didn't do it for a settlement but for the pr.
        I worked at a computer superstore for 3 years and I can tell you
for a fact that the PBs are JUNK! I hated selling them (~%25 come back with
some kind of problem right out of the box) the techs hated working on them
(most after market cards are incompatable with them) and their service
stinks! Among the problems I have seen with them: bundled software
incompatable with the PB sound card, BIOS conflicts out of the box, cables
not properly connected, bad (INSERT COMPONENT HERE) out of the box. Yes,
you can see all these problems with other computers but not with the
frequency of the PB line.
        My advice if you want to get a pre-built is the NEC line. Good price
(usually US$100 less than a comparable Compaq) good waranty (3yrs, 1 yr on
site) and good tech support as well as good hardware.
        Alex

>I would like to know where you get your information from...Are you talking 
>about Packard Bell Computers built today or 3 years ago?

PMFJI, but I returned one after 30 days to the dealer. Sound broke at
day 29.

Tony

I, too, have seen some real problems with PB computers. MANY of 
my clients have either bought theirs at places like Price CLub, 
Circuit City, etc or direct through some promotional offers 
(usually with, believe it or not, gas credit card statement 
offers!!). Well, they are bad, bad, bad. I would not even 
recommend one for a beginning computer user! In one case, when 
we did something as simple as upgrading from Windows 3.0 to 
Windows 3.1, the driver for the sound card no longer worked and 
 their support people simply told me that they no longer 
supported that model and to basically live with the problem! 

As mentioned  also in this thread, watch out for the super 
sounding pricing...it almost always includes a .39 pitch 
monitor!! I thought those were not even being made these days!