Soft Hut Typhoon cards

[Firedawg]

It appears that this project from Software Hut/GVP was an ambitious task to meet the needs of the classic Amiga community.  My hat is off to them, but I feel that good communication always trumps speculation, especially if money is involved.  Patience is needed, but updates on the progress is also required.  

The Dawg

[Firedawg]

Did anyone here back from Joe on Thursday or friday confirming shipment? Or did another Week pass and no boards? I did e-mail him requesting a full refund on Saturday (yesterday)  if they were not shipped.but so far no news back.

Just an update on the Typhoon accelerators. Joe emailed me this morning letting me know that he had confirmed the Typhoon cards will be in tomorrow (Friday 6/18). Now, that was all he said and I hope that also implies that all orders outstanding will be processed and shipped tomorrow as well.

I did not receive a whole lot of feedback from my last post concerning payment, but Joe's emailed answered the payment part for me and I guess all the folks irritated over paying and not receiving their cards answered the other one.

I have patience, but with this kind of special production where everybody (manufacture/seller) is protecting against risk (loss of $$$) my patience can be truly tested when someone has my money and I have no product. I trust Joe and considering the special production run of these cards I will be a little more patient. Keeping fingers crossed.

The Dawg        

Above is the post from another thread informing of my communication with Joe.

The Dawg

[Firedawg]

I meant since then.... Joe has sent those same e-mails (with different dates) at least 4 times now. It seems always the same, Wednesday or Thursday he will get them in, and nothing. No follow up untill a few weeks later, when you e-mail him again.

Sorry about that quarkx.  To those that did receive cards, was there any shipping confirmation when their cards shipped from Joe?  

The Dawg

[Firedawg]

I just got an E-mail Again from Joe. He sent me a full refund. They are still delayed and none have been shipped out.

Not good news for the rest of us. I payed based on his confirmation the cards were being delivered on 6/19. Not sure what to do at this point given we have folks who have waited up to two months. :angry:
 
The Dawg

[Firedawg]

Received an update from Joe today.

Joe Muoio, Software Hut Inc, wrote:

The boards are do in anyday, yesterday actually then Mike found 1  issue he had to correct. So if all goes well should get them today  and shipped out

So they are completed and not in development or anything like that

This looks to be good news and hopefully the card will get shipped today or tomorrow.

The Dawg

[Firedawg]

Received yet another update from our friend Joe today.

Joe Muoio, Software Hut Inc, wrote:

I just heard from Mike 10 minutes ago and I should have non scsi  boards today and the scsi models by Thursday

Seeing that I ordered a SCSI model I guess mine will not be available for shipment until Thursday.  I do appreciate Joe keeping the communication flowing on the status of this very cool production run.  It is important to us all who have ordered.

I have been involved with past retro production where the the folks leading it did not have the capital to front the production, but had the experience to get it done.  Sometimes it takes an above average amount of time to do these runs and perform quality control measures to assure what is produced is top notched.  I believe most of us are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

The Dawg

[Firedawg]

About an order to SOFTWARE HUT:  GVP Card + SCSI + Ram : 04/29/2009

________________________________________
From : Joe Muoio, Software Hut Inc, [mailto:sales@softhut.com]
Send: jeudi 25 juin 2009 15:56
To : Vingt Trois Seize
Object : RE: GVP New Product

Hi,

Sorry for the delay, we finally got in some A1200 boards yesterday without scsi and shipped them and the scsi models should be going out by Monday. I will send the tracking # later on Monday

Good news!  I cannot wait to set my A1200 up with this card and scsi module.  

The Dawg

[Firedawg]

I dont see where you would add the scsi module?

I believe there are two versions of this card one with the scsi connection and the other without.  I suspect that you ordered the not-scsi model.

The Dawg

[Firedawg]

I think that's going to make a lot of people unhappy. Joe had the SCSI bit listed as an add-on, and I bet a lot of people were thinking they could add SCSI later. He should have sold them as "Typhoon" and "Typhoon with SCSI" with the price reflecting the difference in configuration.

I agree that this was not specific enough about the SCSI add-on and should have been listed as two separate cards (SCSI card - Non-SCSI card).  

Most who are not aware that the SCSI option is basically the 50 pin connector and the SCSI controller chip that is soldered on the board.  

This should be its own thread, but I will ask it any way.  To the technically inclined, could this be added later?  Is there any firmware chips that would have to be updated for the SCSI controller to be recognized on the card?

The Dawg

[Firedawg]

Ok, who has been given shipping notification or has received there Typhoon card with SCSI?  The curious would like to know.

The Dawg

[Firedawg]

Not a squeek for me yet, I'm a no-SCSI purchaser.

Those non-SCSI units were received by Joe last week, and should have been shipped.  The questions are simply:

1) How many of these boards are being received by Joe per week?

2) How many folks are in line to receive them?  

It would be nice to know exactly where we are in line and what the estimated receipt time.  Fore example, if Joe is only receiving 3 boards a week and there is 30 folks in line and your number 30, then you can expect that it will take at least 10 weeks for your board to become available.  Not rocket science, but just estimating delivery time.

The Dawg

[Firedawg]

I received an email from Joe this afternoon:

"I have now been able to fill all the non scsi orders. GVP has the boards finished and is just waiting on a delivery of the scsi chip which should be here Tuesday. My goal is to ship the remaining scsi 1200 accel backorders on this coming Wednesday."

Yeap, that was what he told me today as well.  Joe offered to ship me the non-scsi Typhoon today, and to have it upgraded later, but I'll just wait for them to be completed.  I think we are getting closer to the finish line.

The Dawg

[Firedawg]

Joe still hasn't replied to my request for a refund, and no refund has been issued. In fact, he hasn't responded to any of the messages I've sent over the last few weeks. I don't want to sour my relationship with one of the last remaining Amiga dealers by initiating a chargeback, but I also don't like that Joe has been sitting on my $250 for the last two months. If he doesn't have product to ship, that money should be sitting in my interest bearing accounts, not his. :-/

@Trev

Not sure you still need or want the card, but here is what Joe sent me yesterday.  I'm sure he is going to fill your order next week given that the scsi chips are secured and the boards completed.

Joe Muoio, Software Hut Inc, wrote:

We just received in a delivery today so I now have plenty of stock  without scsi, but the scsi chip needed will be delayed until  Wednesday of next week. Do you want to wait for this or go without  scsi? Because of the design it needs to be soldered to the board so  it will not be easy to add at a later date (probably need to send in  your board for the upgrade)

I believe Joe is working hard with GVP to deliver this very unique production run.  I have been associated in other retro production runs and believe me it can take a while given most of the work was done by hand.  We will get our boards soon.

The Dawg

[Firedawg]

Joe still hasn't responded, so I have no idea what's going on with my order. If he ships me the card, and I don't use it, I'll probably turn it around for what I paid for it.

Trev

Any noise from Joe on shipping the Typhoon SCSI cards???

The Dawg wants to know. :hammer: