got my replacement device but...

[Guest pob]

Just received a replacement on Wed 22nd Nov after getting SA issues and something with the keyboard.

I cant remember for the life of me if the start and end call buttons are meant to glow or not, i know the d-pad and surround keys dont glow, but i'm sure just one shouldnt glow with a back light. the one that does glow is the end call button. Can anyone tell me if they are meant to be back lit?

Also, I got my replacement on Wed 22nd Nov, and have at most done 5min worth of calls in total, and recieve about 15min worth. But in the call duration it says i've made just over 3 hours of calls, and recieve nearly 50min of calls. Does this mean this is not a new handset? is it a mix up of handsets? is it testings? What does it mean?! :)

[Guest randomelements]

Yup, both start and end call buttons should be backlit (at least they are on my Vario II).

[Guest pob]

thanks! So i have a faulty replacement, great!

Wonder why i have such high call durations tho!

actually, could i have been sent someones faulty handset by accident? or are htc not that silly?

Edited November 26, 2006 by pob

[Guest Dr Who]

thanks! So i have a faulty replacement, great!

Wonder why i have such high call durations tho!

actually, could i have been sent someones faulty handset by accident? or are htc not that silly?

I believe most replacements are refurbs. So you do have someone elses faulty handset but it should have been completely repaired and QC'd - what is the serial number (HT6xx?).

[Guest pob]

HT626 again. I had this previously, and got screen alignment issues. It went back to repairs, got a similar s/n but diff imei. I've hear that HT626's are troublesome.

I didnt know that they were refurbs, thought they were new.

About the call duration - surely it would have been wiped, as the texts messages and call list etc was?

Should i send my send my handset back again?

[Guest cjgarside]

Hello,

AFAIK, the call duration cannot be wiped. Its coded in so that its a complete permanent list of all incoming/outgoing calls regardless of hard rests & activity etc. It's a good way to determine whether you do have a new handset or not.

It does sound like you have received a handset that had been returned / repaired and shipped out again.

As for returning the one you have, I suspect you will only effectively get a reconditioned / repaired one again. As mentioned in a previous post I also think that when you return a handset for repair you will get a repaired one in return and not a brand new one. So I guess it depends on whether there is an issue with the current handset as to whether you return it again.

I can't help with the reference to the HT626 versions having issues or not.

Regards,

Chris

Edited November 27, 2006 by cjgarside

[Guest pob]

Ah, thanks for that about the call duration thing!

I dont think its very good that i have had a reconditioned one, with a fault on! Makes it seem like they thought it didnt need testing once the software or hardware had been reconditioned.

I read on xda-developers that HT626 is a troublesome handset for screen alignment, amoung a couple of others, and that later ones, eg HT632, were fine and dandy. Theres a whole thread on SA problems! So i hope that, just coz it has the same s/n, the SA problems dont reoccur!

Edited November 27, 2006 by pob

[Guest cjgarside]

Hi,

I agree that its not good that they have sent you a faulty replacement that is in itself a re-conditioned handset. However as previously discussed I don't believe there is any comeback on this, this is how repairs are done and I'm sure it will be in the small print of the repairs procedure.

I'm presuming you're using HTC own repair centre for this? How come you have not gone back to the retailer that sold you the phone? It is the seller that has the legal responsibility to deal with this.

I was lucky in that I never suffered from the screen alignment issues as I started with a HT632 handset. Although this had to be replaced and I got another HT632, however this was also faulty and I got a complete handset change (the entire box and all accessories rather than just the handset) with a HT642 version.

All these exchanges were done through T-Mobile, I had to fight for the second replacement. They wanted to send it off for repair which I rejected.

How long have you had the latest faulty handset? If its under 2-4 days you could argue that as you have only had it for 2-4 days then acceptance has not yet occurred and that you are not accepting it. There is only a short timeframe for acceptance.

You could also argue that under the Sales of goods act you have received an item that is not of satisfactory quality and is not fit for the purpose. Therefore you are not willing to accept a repair but only a replacement for a new handset.

If you use the above then it needs to be in writing making sure you use something like Royal Mail Recorded Delivery to prove it was received and give them 7-10 days to respond but also phone them to see what they say and back it up with the highlighted letter.

All of the above may not be valid or of use but thought I would mention it.

If you have phone insurance, you could 'loose' the handset and get a new one but you will probably have to pay an excess in doing that but it would guarantee a new phone.

If you just send the phone off for repairs via your insurance company by telling them its damaged then you will be back where you started in that they will just send out a reconditioned model.

I have a MDA Vario II and the keys are backlit, however the endcall button is substantially duller than the accept call button but not enough to be a problem for me.

Regards,

Chris

Edited November 29, 2006 by cjgarside

[Guest jonhitch]

I've had a replacement unit (after SA issues) and I'm not suprised to hear they are 'refurbs'. Mine has worked well so far, however I did notice that the backlighting on the phone buttons is poor. It looks as though the silver paint hasn't been thoroughly painted on so I get the red and green backlight on the buttons as well as coming through the actual phone signs. Does that make any sense?

Quick question - how do you check which Herm version you have. I'm interested to know whether I'll have SA issues in a few weeks time!

[Guest cjgarside]

Hello,

Its not so much a version but when the phone was manufactured. There are however 3 versions of the hermes:

+ Herm100 (HTC's flagship handset) sold as the HTC TyTN (amongst others),

+ Herm200 sold as the Vodafone v1605 (amongst others),

+ Herm300 (sold exclusively as the T-mobile MDA Vario II).

AFAIK there is no difference in terms of specification for the different versions, its only cosmetics - button layouts, inclusion/exclusion of a hardware video call button and 'styling' etc.

If you pull of the back cover and battery and look at the label inside. Look for the serial number. The first 5 digits are what's of interest as this indicates the year and week number of production of the handset.

My MDA Vario II (Herm300) is HT642 therefore meaning it was produced in week 42 of 2006.

Regards,

Chris

Edit:

Changed due to incorrectly labelling an M3100 as a Herm200 when its a Herm100!

Edited November 29, 2006 by cjgarside

[Guest jonhitch]

Thanks for the information.

I think you may have the models slightly wrong though. I have a SPV M3100 which is a Herm100. My replacement unit is an HT630 - therefore I assume an older model. It's working really well so far so I hope I'm not doomed to start having problems!

[Guest pob]

I have a v1605, which is herm200.

I did give it back to Voda, but they didnt know how to fix it, so sent it off to HTC.

Anyways, i've had this new handset a week, and guess what, its got SA issues again!

When i take it back, i'm going to ask for a more recent phone... a current s/n, like HT63x rather than HT62x, as my two HT626's have had SA problems!

[Guest pob]

Well i took a copy of a few of the many mnay pages of the SA issue thread from XDA-developers, and took my 2nd v1605 in, and what they've done is they've ordered a new one, to see if the s/n is HT636 or there abouts, if so i'd get that, or see what they can do with HTC about getting a new one, not a refurbished one. So i'm happy with that!

However my 3rd one will, unfourtunately, be my last one IF anything were to go wrong. because, as good as the device is, theres only so much you can take. Well, if you are allowed to change handsets. But lets hope my 3rd one doesnt come to this! I still like wm5 and htc, so i havent fallen out with them yet!

[Guest cjgarside]

Hello,

@Jonhitch - My bad, I thought the M3100 was a Herm200 - apologies for the inaccuracy.

@pob:

Good luck with that. I hope you get a later build handset that resolves these issues. I would imagine so as they are still very popular, demand is high and later build handsets should be filtering through by now.

I had to have a 2nd replacement of my Vario II for which I dropped lucky in that a new batch had very recently come in so I got a HT642 build. :)

Regards,

Chris

[Guest pob]

thanks

HT642?! thought the lastest was HT636! Gosh!

Edited November 29, 2006 by pob

[Guest Monkhouse]

thanks

HT642?! thought the lastest was HT636! Gosh!

HT 644 here! And all working perfectly so far :)

[Guest Earthworm]

HT 644 here! And all working perfectly so far :)

I've also just had a HT644 on Orange (SPV M3100).

I'm not happy with the speaker quality though on medium to high volume. The sound is distorting. Has anyone else had this problem or am I expecting to much? Also, seems to be a glitch in playing back video MMS's. The counter is showing the video is playing but I'm just seeing a blank white screen with no sound :-( Anyone else getting this on Orange?

[Guest pob]

meant to be getting a call on tue from voda about my 3rd replacment.

i hope i get a new handset as asked, not a refurb.

[Guest pob]

Got a call back last tue, basically they knew nothing.

Nearly a week later, and still not called back.

I have been without my tytn for nearly another 1.5 weeks. Nearly a month of no handset in total, and £5 insurance for this month wasted. Not happen being left in the dark, although Voda probably dont have a new handset yet.

And its not exactly easy chasing after Voda, when i'm working office hours myself.

getting fed up! :)

[Guest pob]

argggggh still no word from voda, even when we tried to ring them today. arrrrggh!

Edited December 15, 2006 by pob

[Guest Christopher Woods]

I had an HT634 which had SA issue just as I had it replaced (for unrelated issue), I now have a brand new HT643, out of the box brand new from the T-Mobile store I got my original Hermes from. I checked the call durations, it's a new unit.

So maybe if you got your first Hermes from a shop, you'll have more luck getting a new unit! I was told by the guy in the store that they were getting a big load in on Monday to deal with impending Christmas demand, maybe they always deliver on Mondays...

[Guest pob]

Yeah, by a shop do you mean like CWP?

Coz i got mine from the Voda store. The reason why its taking so long is probably coz i asked for a brand new handset (no later than HT634 or what it HT636), and they probably cant get hold of one. But still, they should ring saying they're having trouble, but they're keeping at it. Coz i just feel like they've forgotten me, and i'm getting fed up. Might change handsets next time.

[Guest pob]

Well the lady in the store looked at who signed for the delivery, and had no idea who it was, so she looked of the database, and recognised that name, but they had no idea where it was! So they've given me a new one HT64... so its brand new, so i hope i dont receive the same problems as the past couple of devices. i now have several back covers!

[Guest Pondrew]

Hello,

Its not so much a version but when the phone was manufactured. There are however 3 versions of the hermes:

+ Herm100 (HTC's flagship handset) sold as the HTC TyTN (amongst others),

+ Herm200 sold as the Vodafone v1605 (amongst others),

+ Herm300 (sold exclusively as the T-mobile MDA Vario II).

AFAIK there is no difference in terms of specification for the different versions, its only cosmetics - button layouts, inclusion/exclusion of a hardware video call button and 'styling' etc.

If you pull of the back cover and battery and look at the label inside. Look for the serial number. The first 5 digits are what's of interest as this indicates the year and week number of production of the handset.

My MDA Vario II (Herm300) is HT642 therefore meaning it was produced in week 42 of 2006.

Regards,

Chris

Edit:

Changed due to incorrectly labelling an M3100 as a Herm200 when its a Herm100!

Still got the versions slightly askew I'm afraid. The Orange SPV M3100 is a HERM100 but it's definately NOT the same model ID as the HTC TyTN. Both the TyTN and Vodafone version are HERM200 model.

[Guest pob]

Bit of a recap and update...

I’m on my 3rd TyTn (v1605), lol.

1st one, as i said, had Screen Allignment issues.

2nd one, as i said, was a refurb and had SA issues again, and a broken backlight.

3rd one is new (HT64..), no SA issues (yet?) but is having a case of black outs after changing screen positions from portrait to landscape.

Anyone else having this problem? Am i just nit picking?

This is all a shame, as its such as ace peice of kit! But theres only so many times you can be let down by bugs.

HTC, pull your socks up and do more testing before releasing. And put better quality cameras on. And stop releasing device that are very similar, just small changes, eg tytn and p4350. And try to do slimmer handsets. Then they will be back on form like they were at the begining of 2006.

This tytn is the last one i’m going to have, as i’m losing my confidence with them, which will be a shame if the black outs cause a problem. And due to not seeing any exciting devices due for release from HTC in 2007, i may run back to Nokia and get an E50 or E70!

tut! :) :D

Edited January 1, 2007 by pob