21 days and still no answer on RMA

[blackt1ger]

I sent an email requesting an RMA number for a bad board on 8/8.  I got a reply from Van requesting my email id and then ...... nothing.  

The details are that I have two boards, one works with the LCD screen and one doesn't.  I've tried re-seating connectors, and used the same SD card.

Why is response so slow....... ? 

How can I get a board that works?

[MarkHaysHarris777]

I sent an email requesting an RMA number for a bad board on 8/8.  I got a reply from Van requesting my email id and then ...... nothing.  

The details are that I have two boards, one works with the LCD screen and one doesn't.  I've tried re-seating connectors, and used the same SD card.

Why is response so slow....... ? 

How can I get a board that works?

hi, you are actually discussing two separate issues here; my recommendation is to think of them , and act on them , separately.

1) negotiate the RMA and get the bad board returned.

2) purchase a new board and start having fun.

Continue to patiently work with the Pine Inc team on the RMA, and realize that they are coming off of a shipping fiasco which has taken a toll both physically and mentally, and that during this difficult time the communications have also been impaired; add to that the fact that tllim travels a lot also adds to the comm delays. 

As far as how you can get a new board, that is easy; order one from the Pine store ! 

---------

There is a third option, and that is to figure out why the one board does not work with the LCD.  I had a similar problem.  (believe it or not)  The culprit was a solder ball (tiny microscopic could not be seen without a scope) wedged in the DSI connector. ( I had one wedged in the CSI connector too).  Sometimes in the manufacturing process solder 'splashes' and is not caught in the QL. If you have a solder ball caught in the connector(s) the LCD will not work. Fortunately those are mostly input lines and the short(s) are benign often.  Just use a hand scope (if you can) and inspect the connectors for solder balls; you may not need to do anything other than that for issues 1) and 2) above.

Please let me know what you find.  (hoping this helps)

[Carini]

I sent an email requesting an RMA number for a bad board on 8/8.  I got a reply from Van requesting my email id and then ...... nothing.  

The details are that I have two boards, one works with the LCD screen and one doesn't.  I've tried re-seating connectors, and used the same SD card.

Why is response so slow....... ? 

How can I get a board that works?

hi, you are actually discussing two separate issues here; my recommendation is to think of them , and act on them , separately.

1) negotiate the RMA and get the bad board returned.

2) purchase a new board and start having fun.

Continue to patiently work with the Pine Inc team on the RMA, and realize that they are coming off of a shipping fiasco which has taken a toll both physically and mentally, and that during this difficult time the communications have also been impaired; add to that the fact that tllim travels a lot also adds to the comm delays. 

As far as how you can get a new board, that is easy; order one from the Pine store ! 

---------

There is a third option, and that is to figure out why the one board does not work with the LCD.  I had a similar problem.  (believe it or not)  The culprit was a solder ball (tiny microscopic could not be seen without a scope) wedged in the DSI connector. ( I had one wedged in the CSI connector too).  Sometimes in the manufacturing process solder 'splashes' and is not caught in the QL. If you have a solder ball caught in the connector(s) the LCD will not work. Fortunately those are mostly input lines and the short(s) are benign often.  Just use a hand scope (if you can) and inspect the connectors for solder balls; you may not need to do anything other than that for issues 1) and 2) above.

Please let me know what you find.  (hoping this helps)

Any suggestions for a low cost usb microscope?

[MarkHaysHarris777]

I sent an email requesting an RMA number for a bad board on 8/8.  I got a reply from Van requesting my email id and then ...... nothing.  

The details are that I have two boards, one works with the LCD screen and one doesn't.  I've tried re-seating connectors, and used the same SD card.

Why is response so slow....... ? 

How can I get a board that works?

... 

There is a third option, and that is to figure out why the one board does not work with the LCD.  I had a similar problem.  (believe it or not)  The culprit was a solder ball (tiny microscopic could not be seen without a scope) wedged in the DSI connector. ( I had one wedged in the CSI connector too).  Sometimes in the manufacturing process solder 'splashes' and is not caught in the QL. If you have a solder ball caught in the connector(s) the LCD will not work. Fortunately those are mostly input lines and the short(s) are benign often.  Just use a hand scope (if you can) and inspect the connectors for solder balls; you may not need to do anything other than that for issues 1) and 2) above.

Please let me know what you find.  (hoping this helps)

Any suggestions for a low cost usb microscope?

I was thinking actually of something less sophisticated.  Just a simple hand held (small) micro-scope... its a 8x telescope looking through one end, and a 30x microscope looking through the other end... nothing fancy.

This is the one I have, its inexpensive, and it works.

[Carini]

That's doable

[blackt1ger]

Yeah, "shipping fiasco ????" No..... Yeah, been there. I waited and waited and waited. Still don't have everything, STILL. Yet I'm going to throw in more money? I don't think so.

I personally believe everybody that spent over $200 on pine64 stuff in kickstarter and got treated like I did (and I'm sure there is a bunch) should just get a free board.