May 24, 2006 07:07 PM
6613 Views
(Updated May 24, 2006 07:12 PM)
Hi. I have a Zenith computer too a PIII, the one I'm using now... and a word of caution to all planning to purchase zenith computers...
The build quality is ok, in the sense not good and not bad, i.e as good as an assembled one...
The bad points.... their boards do contain some proprietary form of components, like a network or modem connection which might plug in to the motherboard using non standard connectors which might not be replaceable by all and sundry thus putting you at the mercy of Zenith and forcing you to pay whatever they demand. In many cases they might be standard components but masked by some complicated looking thing like a black box full of potting compound so you cannot make out the chip number.
Phillips used to do this on their radios and cheap electronics manufacturers used to do something similar by using sand paper to rub off the IC number to ensure that you have to run to them for repairs.
Another interesting thing to note is that Zenith does not put up drivers for download on their site! Intel does, IBM does and most if not all of the big companies do. I had to wait for windows xp sp2 (which autodetected the hardware) for me to use my onboard network card and modem. Till then I had to diable them in BIOS and use standard PCI ones... I bought it second hand so I didnt receive any cd.. so I dont know whether they provide it on CD.
If you plan to use Linux, better avoid it like the plague, although I've still managed to run Debian on it.
