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Harry777

2 Posts

1451698

November 21st, 2013 12:00

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

Got the Dell Venue 8 Pro tablet and it seems to be a great Windows tablet. But I already broke one of the pins in the Micro USB power connector. Funny thing is the socket in the tablet is a rectangular Micro-A and the power cable plug is Micro-B (un-even shape which makes you plug in the right way if the socket is also Micro B). One can easily put the Micro-B plug in the Micro-A socket in the wrong way and if you force it, it will break the pins inside. Just like I did today! I don't know who in the world made this choice! I have been using Android phones which correctly use a Micro-B socket and Micro-B plug!

For my issue, I will try to call Dell service and see whether they will replace the connector. :-(

Darryl_Gittins

49 Posts

February 24th, 2014 16:00

Unless it's a Monty Python record in which case there may be two grooves on one side! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multisided_record

Jeff Leites

480 Posts

February 24th, 2014 16:00

@ davidsmi

You could be right.

Off topic, but since you are over 35, do you know how may grooves there are on one side of a phonograph record?

Answer:  1 :emotion-2:

Jeff Leites

480 Posts

February 24th, 2014 18:00

Unless it's a Monty Python record in which case there may be two grooves on one side! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multisided_record

I did not know that.  I'll have to say "Typical" record from now on.

stevenjbv8p

1 Message

February 28th, 2014 00:00

The microB USB plug that comes with the Dell Venue 8 Pro is marked on the side that faces up (screen side) with the "USB Pronged logo" (narrow side on the connector) - easy to feel when plugging in.

Darryl_Gittins

49 Posts

February 28th, 2014 09:00

Thanks but no. Steven. It shouldn't have to come down to the user remembering some specific point about whether some logo goes up (or was it down?) People have enough garbage to have to remember. Look at the back of your computer. Every single connector is unique, and it's clearly impossible to plug anything in wrong because every connector goes in only one way. There is very good reason why the manufacturers do this. Dell ignored this seemingly obvious, simple and basic convention and went with a port that can easily be destroyed by a user making a simple mistake. No other tablet EVER has had this problem. No other manufacturer has EVER had droves of devices returned for this reason. It is completely unacceptable to blame the user in any way in this situation, and yet Dell is doing just that by charging people to fix the broken ports. If you do have one, paint one side of the connector so that it is glaringly obvious which way it goes in.

nagendra mishr

4 Posts

February 28th, 2014 11:00

This thread is unanswered because Dell is silent on this.  

Dell needs to do something about this as they continue to sell these.... at lease send us an adapter, Free of charge works, but would pay for this.   Otherwise the device is nice.

wekam

4 Posts

February 28th, 2014 16:00

Agreed, c'mon Dell, step up, and make things right! I quit on you guys years ago, I thought things might have changed, and bought the tablet. Apparently you're still shirking your responsibilities.

Jeff Leites

480 Posts

February 28th, 2014 17:00

I don't know what Dell can do to fix the current production run, other then recalling all the tablets and replacing the port.  I think that would cost them a fortune.  Maybe extend the warranty on broken ports for 5 years (?).

Darryl_Gittins

49 Posts

February 28th, 2014 18:00

Earlier, Nagendra suggested an adapter which could be a solution. I'm thinking some kind of tiny faceplate that would attach to the port and mask the shape of the port so that it was trapezoidal like the connector. IT would not need to be big. Just enough there to change the shape of the entry point of the port so that it was impossible to plug a standard trapezoidal shaped usb connector upside down. If I'm not being clear, then imagine this (not suggesting anyone do this - I'm just trying to illustrate a point): You could to take a tiny plastic rod (or a nail) that was about 1/16" diameter, and then cut off two pieces about 3/16" each, and then glue them into the two corners of the rectangular port so that it changed the shape of the port to trapezoid. The glued pins would not get in the way of the trapezoid connector UNLESS you tied to plug it in upside down. Does that make sense? If not, I'll draw something up and post it.

Darryl_Gittins

49 Posts

February 28th, 2014 19:00

Very crude illustration here: https://onedrive.live.com/redir?resid=73CE5A5BE44A59A3!5553&authkey=!AFXvN6bnNCoQ-Ss&v=3&ithint=photo%2c.jpg

Darryl_Gittins

49 Posts

March 1st, 2014 10:00

It could be a very thin, stainless steel clip that clips onto the device to mask the shape of the receptacle. Send one to everyone.

wekam

4 Posts

March 1st, 2014 10:00

That'll work......

joevans3

3 Posts

March 1st, 2014 13:00

Or just a plastic template that sticks on like a tape?

KNARCH

4 Posts

March 13th, 2014 14:00

So far, I've had this happen to me 2 times, have sent it back to Dell, and they have replaced the motherboard and sent it back to me. K have to preinstall all windows updates and dell drivers each time, in addition to any desktop applications I had installed. I'm just waiting for it to happy for a 3rd time. I tried for them to just give me a credit on their website, but they weren't biting. Either way, this is a serious design flaw, and I'm assuming they wont honor the fix after the 1 year warranty is up. I should have just kept my surface, I got greedy and thought I needed x86 on a tablet, when in reality I do not.

davidsmi

14 Posts

March 13th, 2014 17:00

I'm trying to calculate how much money both Dell and I have wasted on this tablet.

- David $300 + Tax

- Dell - $ 500 - Talk on phone to David 10 hours * $50 / hour

- David - $500 - Talk on phone to David 10 hours * $50 / hour

- Dell - $200 - Replace motherboard (USB Broke)

- Dell - $100 - Do something after firmware update bricked it

- Dell - $900 - I've convince at least 3 people not to buy one 3 * 300

Very unhappy customer Total $2500

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