So 2020 has started.

[Hornet3d]

Well I started 2020 in much the same way that ended 2019, with a good dose of the flu, or something similar, despite having the flu jab. I stayed in the warm for a few days and then decided it would be good to have a walk, that was Saturday with the result I spent most of Sunday in bed. I did mange to play with Poser on the odd occasion I got out of bed but now even that is denied me as the computer I spent a small fortune on 14 months ago will not power up. Tired all the obvious but to no avail and now I guess I find out if the extra I paid for on site warranty is worth the money I spent. I do have my old computer but I have yet to do the 11.2 upgrade so Poser play is severely limited until I have the computer fixed or this one upgraded. Then again this computer has limitations and I do not really want to start the New Year creating scenes that the machine can cope with rather then ones I want to create. Oh well I guess I was lucky to have 14 months and I am sure it will be sorted in the end just not a good start that is all.

 

[Miss B]

Sorry to hear about the flu. Feel better soon.

As far as the computer problems, that's got to be extremely frustrating. I hope you get that sorted out sooner, rather than later.

 

[Alisa]

 

[Stezza]

bugger!

sounds like a power supply issue..

we haven't noticed 2020 yet it's sorta got lost somewhere

 

[Hornet3d]

Yep my guess is that it is a Power Supply issue my annoyance is that it is part of a custom build where I did not skimp on any of the costs although my choices were limited as you selected the base unit and then had a selection of modifications you could make. I chose a Corsair RM1000X which set me back £170 and as it was listed by the company was 'approved' by the company. That was 14 months ago and sort of expected more from a PSU.

Good news is I paid extra for on site warranty for three years, bad news it I now find out it is actually insurance cover so I have had to go back to the builders for a reverence number, then make a claim with the insurers and then they select a repair company. As of this morning I have made a claim which has been approved and I am waiting for the repair company to contact me. The problem I have is if they need to the unit away for the PSU replacement as I am loathed to release a £4000 + system to a third party if I can fix the unit for around £200. I know this will void the warranty but it is beginning to look as though it is not worth much anyway.

 

[Hornet3d]

Well I ended 2019 spending a lot on Poser content over at Rendo thanks to the flurry of sales, more accurately I overspent with the idea I would recoup the money by not spending so much on the hobby in 2020. It is not turning out that way as, not having heard from the repair company I have just ordered a new PSU for delivery tomorrow (testing the old one show no output whatsoever and that is with all the leads but the main 25 pin disconnected). It did not end there however as this is the second PSU I have purchased in a little over three months as the one on the machine I am using died also. From my PC repair experience PSU failure is quite rare especially if it is anything other than a bargain basement unit. My neighbors are also complaining of dropouts were the lights/TV goes off and straight back on which is the other reason for the concern. End result is have also ordered UPS in the hope I can guard against a possible mains supply problem.

On another note I now have Poser 11.2 running on this backup computer along with the basic runtimes and scripts. It already has a working version of Poser 2014 so at least I can do some Poser work while I try and sort out the main PC problems.

 

[Hornet3d]

I still have not heard from the repair company so the first lesson I have learnt in 2020 is not to pay for any warranty. Good news is that I am up and running again having changed the PSU and so far that seems to have been the extent of the damage. Reluctantly I purchased the same make and model PSU as the failed one. There were two reasons for that, one I could not get a PSU with the same lead configuration and secondly it was just a case of swapping out the units as all the existing leads could be used.

I am going to leave it until next week to see when/if I do get a call from the repair company and then I think a quick email to the build company explaining how impressed I am with their warranty might be in order.

Plan now is to lock my credit card away for a few months and start to use the content I purchased at the end of 2019. I purchased a lot which I would not have done if there had been any suggestion of how 2020 would start but then is it easy to be wise after the fact.

 

[AnimaGemini]

Sorry to hear about your Computer issues.
Annoying right at the beginning of the new year.
Wish you better luck for the rest of the new year

 

[Hornet3d]

Sorry to hear about your Computer issues.
Annoying right at the beginning of the new year.
Wish you better luck for the rest of the new year

Thank you, fingers crossed it is sorted for the time being but it is always a bit of a worry when bad things happen so ear;y in the year, still it could have been worse and anyway, what will be will be.

 

[Miss B]

Glad to hear you're back up and running Hornet. Let's hope it's not the brand of PSU that's the problem, but just one problematic unit.

 

[Hornet3d]

Glad to hear you're back up and running Hornet. Let's hope it's not the brand of PSU that's the problem, but just one problematic unit.

Thanks, that is my hope too. I did read some reviews before I selected it due to the luxury of having time to look while I was waiting on the money. The reviews were generally positive with one tech site giving it an honourable mention and the other a must buy rating. Also it comes with a 10 year warranty, the problem of the original is that it was just one component in complete build so I went down the system warranty route which turned out to be no warranty at all. I still need to sort that with the build company but with a working system it is easier and I can take a little time to focus my complaint. At least I think I am due a replacement PSU which can be a spare.

As it turned out it actually probably pushed me to improved my set up, albeit only after a great deal of work. I purchased a UPS and while I was waiting for it to arrive I decided to revamp the room with the aim of reducing the cable runs and eliminate a few of the extension leads. MY main machine and backup are now close enough to have a direct feeds from the UPS and I can run all the peripherals from an output that is slave of the master meaning the peripherals will power off when the computer is powered off. That is the theory at least, so far all the major furniture moving is complete but then I decided to just get a system running so at present the main machine is connected to the UPS as is both monitors just to get me connected again. Need to change the feed for the Router to the UPS as well as well as sorting all the clever bits.

 

[Miss B]

Sounds like you have things well in hand.

 

[AnimaGemini]

Thank you, fingers crossed it is sorted for the time being but it is always a bit of a worry when bad things happen so ear;y in the year, still it could have been worse and anyway, what will be will be.

You know, when live gives you lemon's, slice them and mix you a drink ,smile and ask "What else did you have"?

Good luck

 

[Hornet3d]

You know, when live gives you lemon's, slice them and mix you a drink ,smile and ask "What else did you have"?

Good luck

Thank you for that.

 

[pommerlis]

I purchased a UPS and while I was waiting for it to arrive I decided to revamp the room with the aim of reducing the cable runs and eliminate a few of the extension leads.

Hmmm, revamping the room,......I could do that! Good idea!
Glad to hear I'm not the only one spending more on those xmas sales as planned.
I do hope everything will be smooth sailing for you from now on.

 

[Hornet3d]

Hmmm, revamping the room,......I could do that! Good idea!
Glad to hear I'm not the only one spending more on those xmas sales as planned.
I do hope everything will be smooth sailing for you from now on.

Thank you for that, while I am usually very lucky in life, eventually, but I don't think my guardian angel understands the term smooth sailing, I do so hope you are right.

I am really glad I did the revamp, with the move of furniture and the fact the UPS concentrates a number of outlets on the rear I have managed to negate the need for six power extension leads. The is one extension on order with a C13 plug so that I can connect some equipment, such as the router, that comes with a UK 3 pin transformer / power plug. So in total I will have lost five power extensions.

I still have a little more to do and there are other leads on order such as a longer Ethernet cable so I can take the computers Ethernet link through the UPS. As with all projects like this it is the little details that take all the time and even with the best laid plans you always find you are short of some lead or device.

All in all I am happy I put the work in though as, having moved all the computer related furniture to one long wall, the room seems bigger and I have a working space on the opposite wall for doing non-computer jobs like model building and wrapping presents.

 

[Hornet3d]

I received a call this morning from a tech company saying they had been instructed to repair my computer. They suspected that it was the PSU that was at fault so they had decided to order a new one. The one they needed was not in stock but should be back in stock in a couple of days and once they had the PSU they would ring again to arrange a visit. So as far as the warranty was concerned I had been without a machine for a week but there may only be another few days to go.

My response is not printable but having got all the frustration off my chest I apologised to the technician as it was not his fault. I guess I now know just what I purchased for over £200, thin air and promises.

Reminds me of the company a few years ago where I paid extra for next day delivery expecting my item to arrive next day, when it did not arrive I contacted them to find out why. Apparently their idea of next day delivery was the next day after they shipped it and they refused my request for a refund, well until I posted a few reviews on Trustpilot and the like, magically they then changed thier minds. They then and the nerve to ask me to remove the reviews which I promised to do the next day. I wonder how they felt the next day when I implemented my own interpretation of next day.

 

[DanaTA]

Next day after you got the refund?

Dana

 

[Hornet3d]

Well 2020 does not seem to be improving.

Managed to lose my wallet in the High Street today, so the money's gone and then I had to cancel my credit cards. Cancelled the cards without too much trouble and all seemed fine. A couple of hours later I checked my account to see thousands of pounds were missing. Rang the same number I did to cancel the cards and the person on the other end transferred me to the fraud department where I waited for 30 minutes listening to some awful music I did not recognise, this was interrupted every few minutes saying my call was important. After another minute or so the called dropped out so once more called my original number. The girl that answered was very pleasant and explained there was nothing to worry about as the transaction was just a transfer from my old (blocked card) to my new card. Now that makes sense but why did they not tell me that when I blocked the card, or even when I called the first time to query the charge. I guess that is what they keep referring to joined up thinking, if it is it seems to be a very rare commodity.

 

[Hornet3d]

Well 2020 is so far a real roller coaster.

Had a chat with a couple of guys from our local church the other week I don't attend the church for Sunday mass, when I do go it is to another church (different religion/faith). Despite not being my church I usually chat to them and complete their surveys as they are both very nice. One of them was back on the doorstep tonight, this time to return my wallet. He had posting circulars in the area this morning and noticed my wallet on the driveway, he knocked but were were out (in town losing my wallet or so I thought) so he made another journey tonight. I offered him a nice reward which he flatly refused to take. So I have the money back and the reward will find its way to the church one way or another.

What a day.