Micron monitors
Mar 19 '00
These comments are not about Micron PCs, per se. But rather the experiences I have had with their monitors. I have owned a Micron Powerstation for four years and have had no great problems with it. But I have had many problems with Micron branded monitors that are packaged with their PCs.
Unlike most other components of a computer system, a monitor should have a long life. CPUs, motherboards, modems, etc. all technologically advance at high rates and when they fail it makes sense to upgrade and replace the part. However the only prevailing reasons to upgrade a monitor should be to increase screen size or resolution. With the exception of a failed cathode ray tube (CRT), it should be more economical to replace monitor components then replacing the entire monitor. Cost is not the only factor, environmental concerns would also indicate that repair is preferable to replacement.
I learned first hand how difficult it is to obtain service information and parts for computer monitors. I purchased a Micron computer with monitor in 1995. Since then I have had several problems with Micron monitors. My first Micron monitor (which I believe was manufactured by ADI) failed in 1997. Since the video system was under a three year warranty they replaced that monitor for me with a "refurbished monitor". That second monitor was shipped with a defect that caused the screen to go white (a brightness control problem). That problem showed up during the very first minute of operation. It was replaced by a third monitor (also "refurbished") which operated at first but failed one year later. That was replaced by a fourth monitor that same year (1998). This "refurbished" monitor operated at first (although it flickered quite a bit from the start) but failed in early 1999. None of these monitors were abused. All but the first had been protected from power fluctuations by an APC uninterruptible power supply. To their credit, Micron paid most of the shipping costs.
By the time my fourth Micron monitor failed, the warranty had expired and I had realized that Micron was not really capable (in my opinion) of properly repairing their monitors. Being an electrical engineer I realized I could make better repairs if I could obtain the proper service information (including schematics). I contacted Micron on how I could purchase the service documentation. One of their customer service representatives told me I could send the monitor back and have it repaired for a service fee of about $70+ per labor hour. However based on their previous service performance, I did not believe they could reliably repair it. During these inquiries I learned that the monitor was actually manufactured by an OEM manufacturer, Capetronic.
I wrote an e-mail to Joel J. Kocher, president of Micron Computer, (this is who the customer service representative referred me to) expressing my difficulty in obtaining a service manual and schematic and also complaining that Micron had no mechanism by which a customer could obtain this documentation (in contrast to a company like Sony which sells this documentation for about $12.50). My letter was answered by a person in Customer Relations (apparently a higher department than Customer Service) who told me that Micron did not repair monitors in their facilities and they did not have access to schematics. I followed up that e-mail with another asking if they could provide me contact information for Capetronic. Despite the fact that they had purchased OEM equipment from Capetronic, they had no information about them (including which state they operated from). My own internet research had seemed to indicate that Capetronic's US operations were defunct.
When I bought my Micron monitor, I thought I was buying a product supported by a major manufacturer. However that was not the case and I have learned that buying a monitor based on a perception of quality for a major brand is not reliable. I know that the average consumer is not qualified to do their own repairs, however even a qualified technician cannot reliably repair such sophisticated devices without service information. This is evident by how poorly my three monitors were "refurbished". Widely available service information helps to ensure that repairs made by a skilled technician will be reliable and should help keep repair costs down by decreasing the amount of time required to troubleshoot. This provides value to the end consumer. The cost for companies providing this information is minimal. Even if the company prefers not to be directly involved in publishing service manuals, they can commission Howard W. Sams company (which sells a large number of Photofact service manuals on equipment made by a wide variety of manufacturers) to do so.
Based on my experience with four Micron branded monitors, I would say that Micron's monitors are not truly "refurbished", as I would think that term would be defined. I would place little value on their video component warranty given that they seem to just be shuffling around defective equipment to different customers. Do they mean to do this? I'm sure they don't. But based on my experience, I honestly believe that is what happens.
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