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rea 4 nor rea 8 nor rea 12 nor ************ Topic 4 Tue Jan 24, 1995 C.HANNA (Forwarded) Sub: vidio digitizer manual HEY! have you got a vidio digitizer? Is your manual in english? Is your manual in german? What is the copy wright on the manual? Where did you get the digitizer and manual and when? HELP! 1 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 2, Topic 4 Message 1 Tue Jan 24, 1995 C.HANNA (Forwarded) I want to get a vivi...vidio digitizer from cmp...cmd and they have a progblem with the manual...it's in german! If you have a vidio digitizer please leave a messavvge...message and what type of manual and so forth that you got. Better yet if you have a manual c in english call CMD and t tell them craig sent you. the 800 # is 1-800-638-3263, since this is the or order line I am sure that ol only serious replys , ie someone with a n engli english manual should call. thanks craig hanna ------------ 2 | ************ Topic 8 Sun Mar 13, 1994 MRABOY (Forwarded) Sub: THE GRAPEVINE GROUP How to deal with mail order companies. 26 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 1 Sun Mar 13, 1994 MRABOY (Forwarded) Well, I sent them my 128D before Christmas and they still have it. When I call they are very friendly and they say that they will send it out and nothing happens. Am I ever going to see it again? Does anybody have a clue as to what I should do. Mike Raboy :) ----------- Category 2, Topic 8 Message 2 Sun Mar 13, 1994 D.WOOD4 (Forwarded) I had trouble with there slow shipping a repair kit for my computer. It took from 11/17/93 to 2/28/94 to receive the product. I thought about giving them another chance with another order, but am skeptical about it, after reading ofyour problem. Thanks for posing your question.*s ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 3 Mon Mar 21, 1994 K.SCHENK [Karl] (Forwarded) I have been waiting for a 128 motherboard from the Grapevine Group for over four months, but when I have called them I am told my order will be processed in another two weeks... I have called them on a monthly basis and have received this same answer each time. I was told that the company has purchased a huge quantity of Commodore close-out merchandise, and is not able to operate as a mail-order company and sort out the new stuff at the same time! I suspect that the Grapevine Group is a rather small company, and is presently overwhelmed by the workload! I think that with patience, my order will eventually be filled, but in the meantime, I am not making any new orders! Why give them even more work to do? In the past, I have had no trouble with this company. They probably have enough trouble answering the phone, since it generally takes several days trying to get through to them through the busy signals on all three lines!!! It's almost funny, a company supporting the Commodore 8-bit machines which is suffering from TOO MUCH business!? ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 4 Mon Mar 21, 1994 C.EFTHIMIOU [brat] (Forwarded) I hate to say it also I ordered a 1581 2 months before Christmas and was told it would be shiped in a few weeks. I waited till feb when i bought a 1581 at a flea market. I called grapvine and canceled it only to recive it about 1 week ago. I called and complained. Now it will cost me 5$ to ship it back to them. I can't believe the stories I am reading. ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 5 Tue Mar 22, 1994 MRABOY (Forwarded) They actually called me and said they will send my computer back. Seeing is believing. They claim that they are overwhelmed with work. ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 6 Mon Mar 28, 1994 B.EVANS3 [Iceman] (Forwarded) I orderd a 512 REU for my 128D from them and had to send it back (after it took 3 months to get it) because it was defective, I had to pay the shipping to SEND IT BACK. I finally got a good one, BUT it was not new as advertised It was either used or refurbished(probly used). ANYWAY I thought I would give them another shot, a friend of mine needed a 1200 baud modem. Dumb*** me thought "they cant screw this up", WRONG, 2 months after ordering it I finally got it. First, it was an old, 3 dip switch model, second, the YOU GUESSED IT, IT DIDNT WORK. Now, it was not worth paying shipping to send back and take a chance on them sending me another piece of JUNK! This could have gone on forever! And end up costing me $100.00 in shipping! (Yeah, right!) Well, as you probably have guessed by now, NO MORE GRAPEVINE GROUP FOR ME! There are to many other places and the service is much better. So, my recomendation, DONT WASTE YOUR TIME WITH THE GRAPEVINE GROUP! The ICEMAN has spoken! ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 7 Mon Mar 28, 1994 MRABOY (Forwarded) They finally sent my computer back (after 3 months) charged me $105 and lo and behold the disc drive doesn't work. They ripped me off. How can I even consider sending it back?. The question is how do we get my money back. DON'T DEAL WITH THIS COMPANY. THEY ARE DISHONEST! M RABOY :( ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 8 Tue Mar 29, 1994 C128.JBEE (Forwarded) re:drive not working Open your C-128D and check to make sure the power cords for the C-1571 disk drive are plugged into the motherboard. ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 9 Tue Mar 29, 1994 MRABOY (Forwarded) Some disks load and some don't. it appears that it is out of alignment 2) I won't send it back to them. Who do you suggest that I send it to. . Is this something I can do. Is there a program or kit that I can buy Thanks for your help. Mike :) ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 10 Wed Mar 30, 1994 C128.JBEE (Forwarded) re:drive alignment Leave e-mail to E.HARVEY, I have been using him since .... 1987? Be warned though, the CR1571 has a lot of problems and most likely the problem is not alignment but that the spring for the head is warped, especially if you shipped it without the protector. Sometimes if you push the disk all the way in the drive and while holding the disk, lower the lever, you can read "unreadable" disks. ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 11 Wed Apr 06, 1994 E.BOURDON1 [C128-Eddie] (Forwarded) Just on a postitve note: I have ordered 2 items from Grapevine, 1 was a computer repair kit and the other was a 64 power supply, and I recieved them in less then 1 week. I have never gotten bad service from them, the only bad thing I can say is that their 'GEnie online represenative' C.Leazott1 knew *NOTHING* about their products..some represenative! I suggest that you E-mail him with your complaints and see what he says. ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 12 Thu Apr 07, 1994 I.MCKINNEY [TheBigMac] (Forwarded) Well, I finally got back 2 new 1581/41-II power supplies that I had returned to them a month ago after 2 phone complaints. Both of these PS seem to be working OK and they look brand new. I guess they fired the guy that was in the shipping dept. Only problem I got now is that they charged me $19.95 apiece for them while sending me a flyer listing the price as $12.95. I'm calling them tomorrow to get a price adjustment. Hopefully. ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 13 Thu Apr 07, 1994 C128.JBEE (Forwarded) C.Leazott1 (Chuck) is no longer employeed by Grapevine. I got this information straight from their purchasing agent. ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 14 Thu Apr 07, 1994 THE.OUTLAW (Forwarded) I didn't know we had a rep. Will there be a replacement rep? ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 15 Fri Apr 08, 1994 C128.JBEE (Forwarded) There was never an "official" Grapevine rep. online so there will not be a replacement. ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 16 Fri Apr 08, 1994 THE.OUTLAW (Forwarded) Ok thanks :> I was curious :> ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 17 Fri Apr 08, 1994 C.EFTHIMIOU [brat] (Forwarded) Hello just another note about the grapvine group. I ordered a 1581 something like 2 months before christmas and never recieved it. I called back somtime in feb and cancled the order because i got a 1581 from a friend of mine. Also along with the order I had was a serial cable and a 1571 upgrade chip. WELL about 2 weeks ago I got a package from them. It was the serial cable and the chip. Now it will cost me 5$ to send it back. When I called I was told that the canclations are done by hand. Just another story about the grapvine group sorry to say. ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 18 Sat Apr 09, 1994 F.OGLE [Color BBS] (Forwarded) My experience is that everytime I call them to see if something is in stock, the prices have all "gone up" :< Ex: They advertised the C64DX (C65) for $30 less than the price I was quoted by their rep. ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 19 Sat Apr 09, 1994 I.MCKINNEY [TheBigMac] (Forwarded) I haven't really had any problems with them at all other than the time they sent me 2 broken 1581 power supplies. I just got the replacements this week and noticed the price dropped on them considerably. I called and asked for a price adjustment and they said no problem. We shall see. ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 20 Fri Aug 05, 1994 K.SCHENK [Karl] (Forwarded) Well, I got the 128 motherboard... Haven't tested it yet because it does not fit the case! The new board is about 1/2" smaller in both directions. This should be interesting! I don't see why I can't modify the case to fit the new board, but I'll have to leave off the RFI shield since the chips don't line up with the heat-sink flaps on the shield. This looks like a classic case of a small business in 'way over it's head! Maybe they'll get their ducks in a row before they shoot themselves in the foot, or maybe I'm just barking up the wrong tree... The moral of the story? There isn't one, it would be too cliche'... I HATE cliche'! If you're interested, the new board is marked "C- 128CR No.3 ENG. Sample. and dated 1986... Does this mean that this is a test or prototype unit? HMmmmmmmm..! ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 21 Sun Aug 07, 1994 MRABOY (Forwarded) I sent them a comp to repair Last Nov. and they still have'T sent it back to me. I am going for a year. I gave up and bought another. Great company.*s ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 22 Fri Aug 19, 1994 P.KELLER5 [Knight Rider] (Forwarded) Hey MRABOY, you've been waiting that long for a repair? Have you been calling them like crazy? I'd already be sending notices of legal action if it's not repaired and returned PRONTO!! :) ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 23 Sun Nov 13, 1994 ADAM.RT [ADAM/Geoff] at 15:04 EST You know what I think? I think the Grapevine Group is a very crooked company. Here's my own experience: I ordered a replacement motherboard for my Amiga 500 ($129.99), and a VIC-II chip, and a PLA chip, and a 6502 chip. Well, in Febuary I cancelled the order for the A500 Motherboard. The chips were sent to me, the 6502 and PLA worked fine. The VIC-II chip did not. I sent it back, and they sent a replacement. The replacement was A SECOND HAND chip that someone had desoldered off of another motherboard! This replacement had a good picture, but would not produce a chroma signal. I discovered in March/April that they had not credited my credit card for the purchase of the A500 motherboard (which I never recieved, funny how they waited past the 2 month grace period to do anything about it...which they did not), called them up and they said they would credit the card...that never happened. I also sent back the VIC- II chip AGAIN, and recieved, yet another faulty VIC chip (I know it's not the computer, I had spare VICs that worked fine on the machine in question). I protested to their online Email address here on GEnie...never recieved a response. Called them up again in May...their number was disconnected. No further information was available on the number...I even called information. If I ever find out where those people are, I'd like to tell them what they are and where they can go...if you catch my drift. <grrrr!> Just goes to show you that you can't trust a company just because they have two page ads. *Geoff!* ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 24 Mon Nov 14, 1994 H.HERMAN1 at 03:21 EST Geoff, If your credit card company is like mine, all you need to do is to tell them about this problem, and you will be credited. Howie ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 25 Mon Nov 14, 1994 F.OGLE [Color BBS] at 08:56 EST Sounds like they knew they were going under. Form your own opinion from that point. :/ ------------ Category 2, Topic 8 Message 26 Wed Nov 16, 1994 H.STEVENS5 [HaroldOH] at 22:45 EST Guys, there is a solution to the problem with the Grapevine Group, contact both the U.S. Postal Service and the Attorney General's office in the state that they are located in. Once you make contact, file a complaint with either or both agencies, particularly since it sounds like this company is acting in a fraudulant manner. You could also send a letter to them sent registered with a return receipt warning them that you will not tolerate the company's inaction. This was how I got my money back when GeoWorld folded and I was owed several issues. I merely informed the publisher of that magazine that if he did not refund my money I would be filing a mail fraud charge against him with the postal inspector and I got a refund check within three weeks. --Harold ------------ 2 | ************ Topic 12 Sat Jan 21, 1995 J.BARBER9 [Dan Barber] (Forwarded) Sub: Is Rio Computers dead? I was wondering if anyone knows anything aboutRiocomputers? The telaphone that Commodore World published does not work. Does anyone know of a newer number or what is going on? Thanks in advance. :) 6 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 2, Topic 12 Message 1 Sun Jan 22, 1995 CMD-DOUG (Forwarded) Dead and gone from what we can tell. Mentioned this in the new Commodore World. CMD is attempting to handle most of the imported stuff that RIO was carrying prior to this. ------------ Category 2, Topic 12 Message 2 Sun Jan 22, 1995 D.TUOMI [Doctor] (Forwarded) Is CMD going to handle the Genlock device that Rio was selling? I was interested in purchasing one, but never got any hard information about the device, other than a poorly produced video tape. Doc. ------------ Category 2, Topic 12 Message 3 Sun Jan 22, 1995 CMD-DOUG (Forwarded) I'm not real sure about the genlock. There are a couple of genlock devices available from the German source that RIO purchased the Handyscanner from, but I'm not 100% certain if either of these are the same as the one RIO carried. We'll be looking into it more, but right now there's a holdup in carrying many of the products due to a lack of English language manuals for some of them. The only English translations available right now are for the Handyscanner, Pagefox, and Videofox. So even the video digitizer itself is out for now until the manual gets translated. ------------ Category 2, Topic 12 Message 4 Sun Jan 22, 1995 C128.JBEE (Forwarded) The genlock from Germany is entirely different from the one RIO was selling. ------------ Category 2, Topic 12 Message 5 Mon Jan 23, 1995 D.TUOMI [Doctor] (Forwarded) I would think so as they use an entirely different television standard. Doc. ------------ Category 2, Topic 12 Message 6 Mon Jan 23, 1995 CMD-DOUG (Forwarded) Yes, they do use a different standard, PAL where we use NTSC. I had very much suspected that the RIO genlock was not either of the ones from Germany, but we've been told that Scanntronik is intersted in doing a US version. We'll check into it further, but given the expense of these products and the limited market, I almost suspect that it won't be worth their time to redesign the product for over here. ------------ 2 |rea 13 nor ************ Topic 13 Sat May 07, 1994 H.STEVENS5 [HaroldOH] (Forwarded) Sub: Newsletter for C-64/128 users Discussion on starting a newsletter for Commodore 64/128 users. I would like to have your input. 15 message(s) total. ************ ------------ Category 2, Topic 13 Message 1 Sat May 07, 1994 H.STEVENS5 [HaroldOH] (Forwarded) I am in the process of creating a 12-16 page newsletter for Commodore 64/128 users. This monthly newsletter will be 12-16 pages long as I said, will contain no advertisement and will rely solely upon subscription. I plan to charge $15 a year to cover production and postage costs. This newsletter will be professionally done on a C-64 and will be printed on an Apple LaserWriter NXT-II in PostScript format using geoPublish. The articles, beside my editorial, will include items of general interest about the C-64/128 computer information on GEOS, old software review and other general news about the industry of Commodore computers. I have done a similar newsletter for the Central Ohio Commodore Users Group for three and one-half years (the COCUGazette), but wanted to do one for profit instead of for free. Some of you Commodore users out there have seen copies of the old COCUGazette when I did (if you are some of the holdovers from Q-Link and are a frequent user of the Commodore conference on Punter PCPN Network. So, would you folks be willing to fork over money to see another qualityprofessionally done publication concerning our beloved Commodore or would you rather not? I would be interested in your answer as your response is part of the marketing research I'm doing before deciding to commit myself to this venture. --Harold ------------ Category 2, Topic 13 Message 2 Sun May 08, 1994 I.MCKINNEY [TheBigMac] (Forwarded) Count me in. I figure there are over 50 different magazines for those balloon- headed, empty-walleted-to-be-trendy, IBM users so 1 more for the Commodore couldn't hurt. Other than UG newsletters, we havent been above 10 in a long time. I could be wrong. I wasn't really following Commodore in its prime(I was too busy chasing girls). ------------ Category 2, Topic 13 Message 3 Sun May 08, 1994 C128.JBEE (Forwarded) Transactor Ahoy TC-128 Commodore World INFO Midnight Gazette RUN Compute Couldn't remember if Amazing Computing had any 8 bit stuff. Do PC magazines that had Commodore columns count, such as Computer Shopper and Computer Monthly? ------------ Category 2, Topic 13 Message 4 Sun May 08, 1994 CMD-DOUG (Forwarded) Should COMMODORE, POWER PLAY, and dieHard be on that list? How about GEOWORLD, and geoVision International? Heh, what is this list, anyway? :) If it's an overall list of mags made for Commodore 64/128 users, then there are lots more from overseas... 64'er, Commodore Network, etc. ------------ Category 2, Topic 13 Message 5 Sun May 08, 1994 C128.JBEE (Forwarded) I would not include GVI ... I was thinking more along the lines of newstand magazines, those that reached 10k or more, or stayed in business for a while. Don't forget ICPUG from the UK :) Actually, I was just looking at my shelves and wanted to get the easy ones in first ;> ------------ Category 2, Topic 13 Message 6 Sun May 08, 1994 M.RANDALL2 [Maurice] (Forwarded) Don't forget 'Micro', a magazine from the early eighties. It carried some interesting articles on the early Commodores and the articles still make for some good reading today. ------------ Category 2, Topic 13 Message 7 Sun May 08, 1994 CMD-DOUG (Forwarded) Heck, even BYTE magazine carried articles on the 64 at one point in time... :) ------------ Category 2, Topic 13 Message 8 Mon May 09, 1994 C128.JBEE (Forwarded) Yep, Byte even ran a C-128 head to head against one of the original 4 Mhz XTs. Was a draw except for disk access, no surprise there ;) ------------ Category 2, Topic 13 Message 9 Mon May 09, 1994 L.SCHONDER [C128.LOU] (Forwarded) When I do a text transfer between my 4.77MHz XT and my C128, the C128 moves much quicker. Cursor movement is quicker. Of course, these things are program dependant. Disk access? Like JBEE said, "no surprise". ------------ Category 2, Topic 13 Message 10 Tue May 10, 1994 CMD-DOUG (Forwarded) I recall a test done somewhere along the line between BASIC on the 64 and on an XT, with the 64 pretty much running circles around the XT. ------------ Category 2, Topic 13 Message 11 Tue May 10, 1994 L.SCHONDER [C128.LOU] (Forwarded) Our User Group ran a benchmark comparason between the 64 & a 486 running at 33MHz. The result? The 486 was 16 times faster. Remember, that's 33MHz over 1 MHz!!! ... and a "superior" operating system. ;) ------------ Category 2, Topic 13 Message 12 Sun May 15, 1994 CBM-DENNIS (Forwarded) Will there be any programming sections to the MAG.? ------------ Category 2, Topic 13 Message 13 Thu May 26, 1994 H.STEVENS5 [HaroldOH] (Forwarded) Once I get the ball rolling and get the newsletter going, I'm planning to include a programming section. I have to wait until I get enough income so that I can pay someone to write the program (and you guys can type it in like in the old days <bg>). --Harold ------------ Category 2, Topic 13 Message 14 Tue Sep 06, 1994 D.TUOMI [Doctor] at 04:52 EDT Are you taking article submissions? Doc. ------------ Category 2, Topic 13 Message 15 Thu Sep 08, 1994 H.STEVENS5 [HaroldOH] at 21:03 EDT doc, at this point of time I have temporarily suspended the start up of the newsletter until the heavy work load at the paper lets up and I can find a cheap printer to print the newsletters for me. What I am planning to do is print up about 300-500 copies of complimentary issues for user groups and take it from there. About 3/4 of the complimentary issue is laid out (electronically) and is undergoing the editing process. However, I will be looking for submissions of articles on how you use your Commodore 64/128. Please remember that I can't pay for articles and most of the articles that will appear in the first couple of issues will come from old newsletters that I have edited before and from others that I have received over the years. Drop me a line via E-Mail and tell me what you would like to submit. --Harold ------------ 2 |