slycat | Scary stuff regarding that Radeon card I bought...

Find below the email I just sent to the Radeon card seller. Have a look at the link and you will see that the effect of these cards can be fairly scary. I doubt he will budge on the refund front but at least I'll be able to warn other potential buyers about these cards.

Miles

Please have a look at the following link: http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/54/24869.html

As you can imagine, I'm pretty scared. If your card causes damage to my PC, I will hold you personally responsible. Also, due to this article and the publicity that will follow it, I will have no hope in selling this card.

I seriously recommend that you reconsider your decision not to refund me. I will post this link as the comment for our sale otherwise.

Regards,

From: "K179(M.L.M.YIU)" <m.l.m.yiu@eee-fs4.bham.ac.uk>
Subject: RE: ATI RADEON 8500 64MB DDR w/TVout & DVI *BRAND NEW*No
Date: Mon, 15 Apr 2002 03:42:55 +0100

Hi,

Please read the following auction description:

http://page.auctions.shopping.yahoo.com/uk/auction/62447248?aucview=0x30

Where did I mention ATI retail boxed? Nowhere! I said "retail boxed" which
means its not OEM which it isnt. I did not say ATI. MY description was fine
and therefore cannot authorise your refund request. Sorry for the
inconvenience. My advice is that you can resell it on an auction, as I
cannot give refunds.

Miles

-----Original Message-----
To: M.L.M.YIU@bham-eee-fs4.bham.ac.uk
Sent: 14/04/02 13:32
Subject: RE: ATI RADEON 8500 64MB DDR w/TVout & DVI *BRAND NEW*No

Thank you for the driver link.

However, I return to my previous argument that I paid for a "Retail
boxed"
Radeon 8500. Retail Radeon 8500s come with an internal DAC clock speed
of
400mhz. 350mhz is the equivalent of a RadeonLE or OEM card. This is
proof
that the card is not a "Retail" card according to ATI's definition, this

also accounts for the reduced performance of the card.

Please can we arrange a refund. Also, in the future, I suggest that put
in
future auctions that the card is not an ATI retail card.

Regards,

>From: "K179(M.L.M.YIU)" <m.l.m.yiu@eee-fs4.bham.ac.uk>
>Subject: RE: ATI RADEON 8500 64MB DDR w/TVout & DVI *BRAND NEW*No
>Date: Sun, 14 Apr 2002 02:10:37 +0100
>
> http://www.atitech.com/support/drivers/powered.html
>
>drivers are here
>
>-----Original Message-----
>To: M.L.M.YIU@bham-eee-fs4.bham.ac.uk
>Sent: 14/04/02 00:22
>Subject: RE: ATI RADEON 8500 64MB DDR w/TVout & DVI *BRAND NEW*No
>
>Dear Miles
>
>Please can you tell me the name of the manufacturer as there is no
>mention
>of it on the box or on the card and ATI's official drivers are
>incompatible
>with the card. I believe the card is a cheap clone of the real thing.
>I
>thought I was buying the real card.
>
>Also, the card does not perform up to a Retail Radeon 8500. Retail ATI
>Radeons with my PC's spec get marks around 6000+. With your card I got
>8500. While that is an improvement on my previous card, it is nowhere
>near
>the performance of the retail card. It performs worse than the "LELE"
>edition which is the cheap OEM edition.
>
>Also, have you checked that link you sent me? It gave me a 404 error.
>I
>suspect you've given the same answer to many buyers and that was just a
>copied and pasted text seeing as the address doesn't work anymore.
>
>If you give me my money back, you can have the card back and you can
>sell it
>on as new again to some other unsuspecting punter and we're both happy.
>
>I look forward to receiving your reply.
>
>Regards,
>
>
>
> >From: "K179(M.L.M.YIU)" <m.l.m.yiu@eee-fs4.bham.ac.uk>
> >Subject: RE: ATI RADEON 8500 64MB DDR w/TVout & DVI *BRAND NEW*No
> >Date: Sat, 13 Apr 2002 22:14:56 +0100
> >
> >Hi,
> >
> >I am sorry to ehar you are disappointed with the card. I can fairly
say
>
> >that
> >the card isnt a counterfeit, but a partner of ATI's. If you look at
>ati's
> >website (www.atitech.com) it states that there are two types of card,
>one
> >made by ATI themselves and one using the ATI chip (powered by ATI).
>These
> >use the "powered by ATI drivers". Im sorry Mike to point out that I
did
>not
> >specifically mention a manufacturer of the card on the auction. an
"ATI
> >RADEON 8500" can be either a third party board or an ATI board, as
ATI
> >radeon is the chipset, which i defined correctly. It definately
>performs
> >exectly like one as I have made comparisons using 3dmark2001SE.
> >
> >I am not the only person. Respectable electronics company does it
too.
>Look
> >here:
> >http://www.aria.co.uk/ProductsList.aspSubmit=Search&Category=15
> >This site is Aria's graphics card page. Half way down you can see
some
>"ATI
> >radeon 7500/8500" but if you look at them you will see "generic". So
it
>is
> >not falsely advertised, as "ATI radeon" refers to the chipset.
> >
> >I hope this clears matters up,
> >
> >Thanks
> >
> >Miles Yiu
> >-----Original Message-----
> >To: M.L.M.YIU@bham-eee-fs4.bham.ac.uk
> >Cc: milez@your-house.com
> >Sent: 12/04/02 22:15
> >Subject: RE: ATI RADEON 8500 64MB DDR w/TVout & DVI *BRAND NEW*No
> >
> >Dear Miles
> >
> >I received the package today and can confirm that it works. However,
> >the
> >card itself is a counterfeit. There are no ATI labels on the card,
> >there is
> >no identification of which model of card it is. There is no
copyright
> >ATI
> >Technologies. The memory chips are a different make. Infact the
only
> >component that matches ATI's official card is the ATI Rage Theatre.
>For
> >
> >more proof, the drivers on ATI's web site are not compatible with the
> >card
> >even though they are compatible with all versions of the card.
> >
> >Therefore I would like to request a refund on the card as I paid for
a
> >"Retail Radeon 8500" and this is most certainly not what I paid for.
> >Please
> >contact me so I can arrange sending the card back and you sending my
> >money
> >back.
> >
> >Regards,
> >
> >
> >
> > >From: "K179(M.L.M.YIU)" <m.l.m.yiu@eee-fs4.bham.ac.uk>
> > >Subject: RE: ATI RADEON 8500 64MB DDR w/TVout & DVI *BRAND NEW*No
> > >Date: Tue, 9 Apr 2002 20:04:21 +0100
> > >
> > >Hi,
> > >
> > >its good to hear that its arrived (kind of). Please mail me if it
>works
> >or
> > >doesn't work. I've left feedback for you already.
> > >Thanks! :)
> > >
> > >Miles