Dell complaints

bwagenberg · conscientious beginner Joined: 23 Jul 2007 Posts: 1

Dell 2200MP DLP Projector

Its only a year old, and its too old to repair just out of its warranty.
CDW is still selling it.

Parts and schematics are nowhere on the web.
Dell had me call their repair contractor, TSP 800-942-2929 for repair. TSP no longer supports this model.

Who is the real OEM manufacturer?
Has anyone been successful in getting parts, schematics and a SERVICE MANUAL?

Just amazing!

(ID data deleted)

Rocke_T_Sinetist · Posted: Mon Jul 23, 2007 3:18 pm Post subject:

I took your case and code numbers off. We do that for confidentiality. Though you have nothing to hide, those numbers do identify you within Dell and we're just not sure to what nefarious use they might be put.

I've worked in Dell and in video, but 5 and 10 years ago respectively, so my data is dated. If you had a Dell flatpanel TV, the answer would be a definitive 'no'. No parts or manuals, no support whatsoever. But typically those come from a different supply chain than projectors. There won't be any manuals or parts for your projector with the Dell name on them, I can assure you that. If it just happens to be made by one of the major vendors like Sharp or InFocus it may be close enough to one of their models to use their parts and documentation. If it was made by a Dell lowest-bidder, you're SOL unless there were enough of them made to warrant aftermarket support or some specialty video tech can fix it with an off-the-shelf part. Any idea what's wrong? What does it do? The electronic ballast (lamp supply) is what fails most often.

There once was a provision in the US trade statutes requiring 10 years' support--availability of parts and manuals--for manufactured products. Exactly how that law applied, or if it's even still in force, I can't say. Until someone legally challenges them, Dell is in the position of supporting products through warranty only and after than you're on your own. Their trick is, the price gets your attention as lower than the 'real' brands, and nobody ever thinks to ask "are there parts and manuals?" Not paying for support is how they knock the price down. BUT if you buy one and it becomes useless 366 days later the price ends up being less attractive than you were led to believe. High in fact, for the proverbial doorstop.
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Rocke T Sinetist
as in, 'it doesn't take a...'