Dell Venue 8 Pro bad choice of USB Micro-A socket with USB Micro-B plug. Already broken!

I think it means they swap the tablet out with a refurbished one. That's great news that they are covering you but still a bummer that it happened.

Latest news on my Dell Venue 8 Pro, is that they are now refusing to fix it under the warranty stating that it is a physical error (caused by me)and they will let me know the cost of replacing the motherboard.

Quite frankly I am livid, I have bought at least 4 Dell laptops over the last 10 years and I don't feel this is all my fault because the micro USB input has always been so temperamental since day 1. I have lots of devices with micro USB slots with never any issues or problems but there has always been something suss about this one. 

Has anybody ever had one replaced under warranty. Mine is still under warranty.

I had my son's replaced under warranty, but it was one of the worst examples of customer service I have ever experienced. I'll spare most of the details, but it involved 4 or 5 phone calls, tearing the house apart to find the original packaging to remedy a failure of labeling on the machine itself, lost data, correcting a failure of the registration app to change ownership from the retailer, and a myriad of other issues. There was a point during my saga when I was unable to prove that a physical device I held in my hand existed, and we were refused help because someone had forgotten to put the express code on the device. I truly pity the help desk people. They've been given an impossible job justifying Dell policies on faulty merchandise to irate customers.

So yes, it is possible. No it is not always pretty.

Dell's "set matters up so we can help you" system does seem rather problematic.  Hearing people trying to get warranty service on non-serial no. items (the active stylus, for example), especially where bought from authorized retailers other than Dell, is troublesome. 

And I don't understand Dell's need for a consumer to formally "transfer ownership" of a device such as the DV8P where the device was purchased from an authorized retailer.  I got through the process, but it was harder/confusing to find where to do this online; the form itself then was a bit nonsensical (for example, needing to provide the earlier owner's specific info., including address if I recall correctly, where it was a major retailer); and nothing happened immediately upon submission, one had to wait weeks for a "confirmation"-- all just to register one's purchase?

Be careful about using a metal needle nose pliers to do this as it could short the pins and cause further damage.

Instead, use some non-metallic object (such as a toothpick) to bend the male piece inside the tablet. Note that if the pins have been bent once, they are now weakened and so you might be wise to permanently attach a dongle cable adapter to reduce further wear on the connection.

This is a well-documented design flaw with the DV8 pro, yet it seems that Dell is very inconsistent with covering the issue on warranty. Sometimes they will, other times they will not. Not at all fair.

Read through this thread thoroughly as there is a lot of good info about the issue here. Good luck!!

Look closely at the image of the AB receptacle here. If it looks like it is bent downward, then you might be able to ben it back up to correct the issue. [View:en.community.dell.com/.../USB1.jpg:550:0]

My new rule of thumb when it comes to buying any PC/Tablet...........Buy it from the Microsoft Store.  I bought my Venue Pro 8 from Walmart on launch, and have had to send it to dell 3 times for repair of the USB port.  I am now coming on my 1year warranty, so I have to be really careful from this point forward.  If I bought it from MS store, I would have probably gotten my money back and exchanged it for something else after the first time (which happened like a month after I bought it), but didn't fall within Walmart's return window.

All that being said, Ive noticed that the supplied Dell USB wire is really the culprit in all of this.  It doesn't fit as snug as the cable on my Wife's Asus T100.  I use the Asus charger, I always am sure to plug it in when I can see what im doing, and I do it very carefully so as to not damage it any further. 

My Father in law has the same tablet, and he recently had the issue, and was able to take tiny needle nose pliars, and bend the male piece inside the tablet, and it fixed his issue, and his tablet will now accept a charge

Yes, the saga goes on and on...

a few weeks ago someone posted about a repair shop that would replace the port with a "correct" one... I looked it up and it was $40 plus one-way ship to them in Bend Oregon. Now I cannot find either the mention in this thread, or by a search.

Anyway, there is it seems a $45 solution that should work well, and it may be worth that much to just stop struggling with Dell support.

Yes, the saga goes on and on... a few weeks ago someone posted about a repair shop that would replace the port with a "correct" one... I looked it up and it was $40 plus one-way ship to them in Bend Oregon. Now I cannot find either the mention in this thread, or by a search. Anyway, there is it seems a $45 solution that should work well, and it may be worth that much to just stop struggling with Dell support.

One of them, from MYdeviceRepair (which also will replace the micro-A socket with a micro-B socket, at no additional charge):  http://www.ebay.com/itm/DELL-Venue-Pro-8-Tablet-REPAIR-for-Micro-USB-Charging-Charge-Port-Connector-/221542976518?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3394fd8c06 

I followed this link and the bought the product(repair). I mailed my tablet Dec31st and received it back on Jan 7th. 

I followed this link and the bought the product(repair). I mailed my tablet Dec31st and received it back on Jan 7th.  Fast shipping being excellent product pristine condition highly recommend.  All for $40 plus cost of shipping it to them

Thanks for the report back--good to hear!   :)

Thanks for that report. !

My DV8P is still limping along, andow I know how to fix the problem.

I am thinking about getting that newer plugable docking station,

but actually haven't seen if it is shipping.

I just received another Dell Venue 8 Pro replacement and it too still has the Micro AB connector -- AFTER I WAS ASSURED THAT IT WOULD NOT.

So the cycle starts again.

On top of that, I can use it anyway because the Windows Registration on the replacement has been blocked.

So far, I've been on the phone (mostly on hold) for the past ONE HOUR, SIXTEEN MINUES.

I have literally (not figuratively) spent over 100 hours on the phone with Dell since my fist replacement of my Venue 8 Pro over a year ago.  The unit I just received back is my 8th unit. 

I have spent nearly 30 hours between emails and Twitter tweets to "DellCares" and I'm not spending any more money in fixing a DELL'S DEFECT.

It means that they will keep replacing your Dell Venue 8 Pro until you give up or until your warranty lapses.

Take it from me, if you can afford to throw it away, do so -- the frustration and the constant returns is not worth it.

I just got my 7th replacement (8th DV8P) and it too has the same flawed connector as all the others.   The only reason I could replace this one is because I keep returning the unit within the replacement units warranty.

I just spent over 3 hours on the phone with Dell, much of the time I was on hold, but otherwise spent the rest of the time not being heard -- to the point of me yelling !

Why I am so angry and maddened by this baffles me but I just want Dell to "make it right."  I don't feel that Dell is standing by their product.  I paid too much for this piece of garbage.  The same issue we are having with the Dell Venue Windows tablet is also affecting the Android versions as well.

Dell should step up and fix the problem.