Repair strategy (was Re: eBay strikes again...)

From: Allison J Parent <allisonp_at_world.std.com>
Date: Sun Nov 1 20:35:07 1998

 
< But whatever. It still doesn't explain why VCRs are always repaired to
< component level (and I've worked on VCRs with PQFP chips, multilayer
< boards, etc in them) and computers almost never are. Sure it may make
< sense _sometimes_ to change the module. But not always.

Here being the USA a VCR is $79 to $499, at 499 you repair, at 79
unless the problem is trivial it's a junker. NOTE: I'd used the term
cost of repair exceeds value of unit before. The average motherboard
for 386 and later machines it's unlikely to find 1488/9s on it or the
such. Then again fixing a damaged connector or fried HCT244 may make
sense. but if it's more than that, pull all the socketed stuff and
trash it as I can get used or new before I'll find a replacement for
the 84pin PQFP.

I've been through the exercize with a 386/486 clone board that the
external cache failed on. All I could do with it was disable the
external cache, pull the cache rams (they were all good) as it as it
was apparently one of the 84pin whatevers that developed a singular
failure. At the time of the failure the cost for a new 486 board
sans cpu was 69$ with twice the cache ram I had installed. I was able to
keep it going at reduced performance but repair was not possible unless
I found a similar clone and did a chip swap. IE: Cost of repair...

Eventually the board was torched to remove all the usable components
like the SIP resistors, clock cans, connectors and the like.

Allison
Received on Sun Nov 01 1998 - 20:35:07 GMT