Frankenpad QXGA from scratch!

[shanghailoz]

My current T60 er T61p++ er T62 (ok, i'm going with that) is starting to give up the ghost.
Current issues are the dreaded NVIDIA GFX issue, and I've already fixed it a few times, and its pretty much borked

That build was here - http://www.computersolutions.cn/blog/20 ... y-used-to/

While its been fun times, I do need to have something to tide me over till I can finally get hold of a Retina MBP w/16G ram.
Yes, yes, sacrilege I know...

I have a couple of QXGA screens lying around as I bought a bunch a while ago. They're mostly brand new old stock, and still boxed, as I couldn't find controllers for them as easily as I'd hoped, or for prices that weren't silly money.

So... long story cut short.

I have a few IPS QXGA panels that I want to make into Frankenpads.

My previous precious was a T60 -> T61p motherboard + QXGA screen, and I'd like to go that route again.

I can get the T60 chassis pretty easily here in Shanghai - its a < 100rmb for a brand new D shell (the bottom) + a new A+B (the screen part).

A new keyboard is about 100rmb, top C shell another 100 including mouse bits, so I'm looking at about 300rmb for a no-motherboard shell case with kb+mouse that I can stuff my existing screens into.

All good so far, and I have no trouble putting that kind of thing together.

Its been a while since I did this though, so can someone refresh me on what the current planar du jour is for these?

I seem to remember its basically just the non-widescreen ones, and my 2 second research shows it should be something like:

42W7872 GM965
42W7873 ===> FRU 44C3924
42W7874 ===> FRU 44C3926

They do seem to be a little bit like hen's teeth - i.e. bloody hard to find, but looks like i can find some for about 800-1400 odd.
$$ I know

I still need CPU (T9300 or T9500 (+-300-400rmb) as X9000 is not within sane budget @1000rmb odd!), RAM (ddr2 667 4G x 2 - 200 a piece? +-), and a DVD/rom (+- 100rmb), but thats fairly straightforward to get.

I will need a Battery +-200
Wifi card (have in the office), antenna (also have lots).
Laptop PSU. (80rmb)
Inverter (+-20rmb)
hinges 30rmb
lcd cable to screen from motherboard 30rmb.
screws - 5rmb for the whole set of random dinky ones for a laptop, or I look in my large box of screws for suitable ones...

Yes, China is cheap for stuff like that

Anything else I'm forgetting?
and... does that sound correct motherboard wise?

Yes, its like I'm building from scratch haha.



...and wish me luck

[Tasurinchi]

I wish you luck!

I'm really green with envy that you have a stock of QXGA screens! They're very very rare around here... Please post some pictures when it's done.

[TuuS]

The Penryn boards you mentioned are all correct, and very rare. Most of the refurb boards use fake GPU chips that are pulled from old board, cleaned up and have new dates etched on them. There were none of these made in 08/08 like the widescreen has, so your options are extremely limited. You can get a lenovo refurbished board, they cost almost $700 here and sometimes have genuine new GPU chips installed, sometimes have original chips, its just a matter of luck.

I do have some 42w7873 boards. I spend an afternoon in a warehouse full of corporate laptops taking them apart looking for penryn boards and managed to score quite a few, but they are almost all gone. I can't promise they will never fail, but I can tell you that I've run them 24/7 for a full 7 days while monitoring temps, including several hours of gpu stress tests and anyone that developed any signs of being unstable or excess heat went back. This is not a perfect solution, but in my mind I wouldn't want to build the ultimate frankNpad and settle for netbook class graphics by putting an integrated board in one. I do have one that uses a 42w7872 integrated board. I spent over a year looking for this board with no luck then suddenly found two of them... but before you ask, the second one was listed and sold in less then two hours. If you want integrated graphics the best option is to get a Merom board and run the middleton bios. This won't give you full penryn support, but at least you'll be able to run the penryn chip, just perhaps without all the thermal advantages they offer.

I also have access to some T9300 chips that are pulled from complete working 08/08 T61p units. They cost me a little more then you can buy them on ebay for, but most of the low-ball sales on ebay come from part stripping factories and I've seen the type of laptops that get shipped to them. Basically I usually get the first pick of these units from the corporations, then the bulk of the units sell to brokers and end up being sold in stores and websites nationwide, then the ones that are dead, smashed, or even in electrical fires are basically shoveled into bags, palleted and shipped to these factories where the chips are pulled and sold on websites like ebay and alibaba, as well as others.

Note to all... remember this the next time you feel good about saving 10% or less on a cheap cpu chip. If you must save money, get a shiny keyboard, which makes absolutely no difference at all, or a screen with a couple bad pixels, but don't get cheap on something like a CPU. If you can find one you know wasn't abused, then buy it.

By the way, I might be interested in swapping some parts if you have a spare NOS Qxga screen that can be used in a T60. I've never used one before because they are so hard to find, but I'd love to put one on my frankNpad that's running a NOS 42w7874 replacement board, X9000 cpu, 8gb ram, 128gb SSD and NOS UXGA boe hydis screen. I've got an insane amount of money in this machine.

Anyway, I'd be glad to help anyway I can, even if all you want is advise, which is something I always give freely.

Good luck and enjoy your frankNpadding

[shanghailoz]

I'm in the IT biz here, so I'll give you a rundown of how it works here in China (for Shanghai at least).

Typically here, the older boards - whether its the ones that I mentioned, or pretty much any board with a broken nvidia / ati get BGA replacements. Its a known issue / replacement, and most repair places will be fairly familiar with it.

We do have new stock of "good" G86 NVIDIA's, I have suppliers that have.
There are also lots of pulled old stock too.

Here they're pretty honest about it, and will tell you what the source is / was, and warranty repairs etc.
Usually its a hundred rmb more for a new "good" with 3 month warranty, than an ok old stock.
Repair pricing for BGA reball / replacement used to be $$$, but now its almost commodity level as everyone and their dog bought the equipment.

Its not a 100% process though, as you can damage the board if you're not careful.

Mostly its done by machine pick n place. The equipment for that is extremely affordable here - I could buy a good unit for about 1000USD or so, but its not really worth it for me. We usually send that kind of stuff out to professionals.

I can find the appropriate boards here, its just that they're a bit $$. Still, I think its worth it just to get the screens in use!

Yes, my ideal frankenpad would also be the X9000, 8G ram, 256SSD (as thats affordable now!), QXGA.
Its more likely to be a T9300 or T9500 though, as again, the X9000's are really silly money here!

I guess I should take photos one of these days of the BGA reballing process, and stock levels of NVIDIA chips at one of our suppliers. May be of interest to you guys.

[TuuS]

I've seen videos of the process and we have a forum member that does it, but there are many of these chips that have had the dates re-etched, so I don't see any way of knowing if a chip is good or bad... but I'd love to be able to get good chips put on boards. At the moment the only way I know of to be sure is to get a unit built in 08/08 or newer. Even the lenovo refurb boards don't always have new chips on them.

[shanghailoz]

With regards to the Nvidia gpu stuff -

Mostly here I go by price and supplier warranty.

We send laptops in for for repair on a weekly basis, so generally get something approximating the truth from suppliers.
If it doesn't work I send it back, and I get a warranty on repairs from them..

There are rebadged ones on the market here, but again, its pretty straightforward to know what / where stuff is from, as the suppliers are quite honest with regards to things, and price is also an important indicator - if its too cheap to be true; its too cheap to be true...

Doesn't mean that everything is perfect, but you get what you buy here if you know what you are doing, or have had a longer relationship than 5 minutes with your supplier/vendors, and are repeat business.

[TuuS]

Doesn't mean that everything is perfect, but you get what you buy here if you know what you are doing, or have had a longer relationship than 5 minutes with your supplier/vendors, and are repeat business.

I'll definitely agree with that, as long as your supplier wasn't sold fake chips thinking they were real. I wish I did have such a relationship with someone whom I could trust to rechip boards, most of the reballing services I've talked to here either don't realize that the gpu needs to be replaced and want to try reflowing, which the heat will often revive the chip, but only for days/weeks, seldom longer, or they have been burned before and don't trust the available supply of chips.

[bretahrnek]

I have a couple of QXGA screens lying around as I bought a bunch a while ago. They're mostly brand new old stock, and still boxed, as I couldn't find controllers for them as easily as I'd hoped, or for prices that weren't silly money.

HI,

do You have any idea where to buy these panels from?
Or any other parts for FrankNpad build?
I only have T60 and T61 machines, one each I can use for build.

[shanghailoz]

I bought my panels in 2010 locally here in China on the local equivalent to eBay. I bought one, then bought another couple just in case.

Just took another look, guess no more stock! Only one or two vendors, and for triple what I paid.
Guess thats good news for me

I can typically get all the parts I want for Thinkpad's locally here in China either by driving over to one of the local parts markets in Shanghai, or online within 2-3 days. Shenzhen is way better for that kind of thing though.

I'm not really interested in buying or selling any parts to other people at the moment, so you'll need to ask someone else for assistance, sorry!

[bretahrnek]

Shenzhen is way better for that kind of thing though.

Who or what is Shenzhen?

I'm not really interested in buying or selling any parts to other people at the moment, so you'll need to ask someone else for assistance, sorry!

found some on http://taobao.com/ but I have no idea how to deal with it lol.

thanks anyway

[Tasurinchi]

Who or what is Shenzhen?

See here: http://maps.google.com/maps/place?q=She ... 0db79280c9

[ScottyBoy]

Who or what is Shenzhen?

It's city in China, which has been designated as a 'Special Economic Zone' - basically it has a very large number of computer companies there, which recycle computer hardware in bulk but also sell computer hardware and software as well...think of it as an Aladdin's Cave for computer geeks as you can get a LOT of stuff there, be it legal or fake.

[shanghailoz]

The SEZ terminology is more or less obsolete now afaik.

I think of Shenzhen as the electronics parts equivalent of a Candy store.
Anything is available electronics partwise. _Anything_

For recycled parts, you're better off a bit further North in Guangdong. Guiyu is pretty infamous for recycling all the west's trashed parts, most of that is available in the various markets in Shenzhen or surrounds though.

Most of the good stuff isn't so easily accessible to non-chinese speaking people, but the city is still an awesome place to shop for parts

I usually end up getting a whole bunch of cards for places and factories of interest, then order stuff when I'm back in Shanghai. Shenzhen mostly ends up in debauchery, drinking, and food, rather than anything productive, although thats not necessarily a bad thing.

Been a while since I was last down there though.

Back onto topic - today, ordered a few of the various bits I need. I expect to have most of it on wednesday or thursday - or possibly tomorrow if the kuadi (delivery) companies are on the ball like usual.

Will take photos as / when I get stuff, then have fun mounting things and going, doh! I forgot to get X...

[shanghailoz]

A surprising amount of parts were at the office this morning, despite only being ordered yesterday afternoon.
This was waiting on my desk this morning:


Untitled by sheedl, on Flickr


Packaging was awesomely good - very nice packaging, and shipped in less than 24 hrs from Guangzhou -> Shanghai!


Untitled by sheedl, on Flickr


All is brand new, and quality feels like its actual IBM product vs from a similar factory, cough cough fake?, no!, i swear its real(tm).

Things I received - in no particular order:

Top case (A壳)

Untitled by sheedl, on Flickr

Top case (B壳)

Untitled by sheedl, on Flickr


Bottom case (C壳)

Untitled by sheedl, on Flickr

Untitled by sheedl, on Flickr

(The U piece I had to order elsewhere, so should arrive tomorrow)

Bottom case (D壳)

Untitled by sheedl, on Flickr

Untitled by sheedl, on Flickr

Hinges

Untitled by sheedl, on Flickr

LCD Screen Mount

Untitled by sheedl, on Flickr

Stickers

Untitled by sheedl, on Flickr



Still waiting on the keyboard, the PSU, and the motherboard, plus u piece, but should arrive tomorrow I guess.
Staff already did some diligent work in making tickets for me in our project manglement system listing where missing stuff is (gongbao airport from the looks of it).

To be updated when I get more bits.

[TuuS]

Looks like you're going to have a brand new 5yo computer soon I know if I was to build one from new parts (genuine or knock-offs), it would cost a small fortune

[ScottyBoy]

Looks like you're going to have a brand new 5yo computer soon I know if I was to build one from new parts (genuine or knock-offs), it would cost a small fortune

+1 - Trying to buy all of the required components in the UK would cost me an arm & a leg...plus probably what's left of my credit card balance!

[nycmaster]

I object!

This project cannot be called Frankenpad
All the parts are new!
Maybe I should move to China

I think I know where the OP keeps his spare QXGA.
In that safe in the 7th pic

What's the combination?

[shanghailoz]

I reckon will probably be about 2500-3000rmb total once done, with SSD, CPU and RAM.
Its not going to be cheap, but the closest comparison is pretty much the retina macbook, so i think worth it.
Thats about 250-300GBP or about 3 million dollars US given the way the dollar keeps dropping vs the rmb hahah.

Money spent so far - 475rmb

Haven't received everything ordered yet though

[shanghailoz]

I think I know where the OP keeps his spare QXGA.
In that safe in the 7th pic

Actually, its where I store my ram.
Not even locked.

The screens are upstairs in my pile of spares that I really need to whittle down.
One I get rid of the arcade machines I built cluttering up the office I'll be in a position to do that

[bretahrnek]

+1 - Trying to buy all of the required components in the UK would cost me an arm & a leg...plus probably what's left of my credit card balance!

I agree.
all you can do in UK is just buy a second hand parts for build Your dream frankenpad if you dont want to have a morgage...

[bretahrnek]

I reckon will probably be about 2500-3000rmb total once done, with SSD, CPU and RAM.
Its not going to be cheap, but the closest comparison is pretty much the retina macbook, so i think worth it.
Thats about 250-300GBP or about 3 million dollars US given the way the dollar keeps dropping vs the rmb hahah.

Money spent so far - 475rmb

Haven't received everything ordered yet though

can you please share your secret and tell us where do you shoping?
there has to be a option for us - non china living thinkpaders to order some good cheap parts.
I don't mind to wait a bit longer if I can have brand new not expensive parts.

whats name of shop? is it taobao.com or something else?

[TuuS]

I believe he buys them from an outdoors marketplace, like a "flea market" that are common in the usa. We don't have any that sell thinkpad parts, but then again the thinkpad parts aren't made here, they're made in china. Most of the vendors there probably don't have websites, they buy the parts by the case and sell them one at a time with a small markup... unless you don't speak mandarin, then the profit goes way up lol

If you want the best prices you'll have to fly there and find someone to work as your agent to negotiate the sales, but you're going to pay when it comes time to get them back into your country.


ps. I could be completely wrong about all this.

[laowai]

I believe he buys them from an outdoors marketplace, like a "flea market" that are common in the usa. We don't have any that sell thinkpad parts, but then again the thinkpad parts aren't made here, they're made in china. Most of the vendors there probably don't have websites, they buy the parts by the case and sell them one at a time with a small markup... unless you don't speak mandarin, then the profit goes way up lol

If you want the best prices you'll have to fly there and find someone to work as your agent to negotiate the sales, but you're going to pay when it comes time to get them back into your country.


ps. I could be completely wrong about all this.

Haha, yea, you're wrong. It's all from Taobao. Taobao is awesome.

[TuuS]

Haha, yea, you're wrong. It's all from Taobao. Taobao is awesome.

I thought I recalled that he traveled to these marketplaces to gather the contact information, then ordered them.

[shanghailoz]

Actually its from a variety of sources, but Taobao is the main one.
Taobao is the equivalent of ebay, although mostly shops and factories rather than end users.
Its more b2c than c2c, unlike in the west.

I believe he buys them from an outdoors marketplace, like a "flea market" that are common in the usa. We don't have any that sell thinkpad parts, but then again the thinkpad parts aren't made here, they're made in china.

China doesn't really have "flea markets per se", unless you go up North to the 4th tier cities in rural area's.
Remember most stuff is made here, so secondhand isn't that big here. There are one or two attempts at s/hand here - eg ganji, or baixing, but pricing is silly, as I can mostly get things cheaper new, so why bother s/hand... (some exceptions, eg laptop markets, electronic parts and phone markets).

Generally here there will be markets that do one thing. Eg electronics parts.
Think of them as a mall, except that in this mall, all the shops sell pretty much the same type of products.
Its a bit too vertically integrated here sometimes, as that makes shopping a pain.

eg, in the west you could go find a variety of things. Here you need to visit the electronics market for stuff.
Then you need to go visit the lighting market. Then the battery market, then another market etc etc.
So something that would take 30 min in the west may take 1-2 days here to do.
Conversely stuff that would be nigh on impossible to source in the west is relatively easy to find here.

I can read / write / speak enough Chinese to do what I need, but I usually delegate some of that kind of thing to the staff, as they have more time for it. I am overstretched as it is with my multiple projects du jour, so again, I really don't have too much time for special requests from people asking me to order for them.
If you really really really really really have something you absolutely must get, suggest send an email, and I'll see what I can do, and if its something I can delegate.


So far, some has been off Taobao, some from existing suppliers locally, and some sourcing from my factory magazine material. I get some of the factory trade magazines for factory supplies, those are really really useful for me sometimes. Saves a lot of running around like I used to do visiting GZ or SZ, as you can get samples and order stuff from the comfort of your own desk rather than having to go visit places.

What I do is quite random though, so how i go about sourcing or doing stuff is because its applicable to other things.

Back to the laptop side of this - this weekend, I'll be going to check out Qiu Jiang lu for motherboards, as my suppliers and taobao want 'mucho dineros'. Qiu Jiang lu has a bunch of laptop resellers, and repair places, as well as a few glass frame places (yes, random, I know!). I have some requests for prescription glasses to take home with me next month (China is *really* cheap for glasses), so i'm going to go to ground and hunt for what I need, and kill 2 birds with one stone

I did get more bits in today, but the GFW is not playing nicely today, and Instagram and Flickr aren't talking for some reason, otherwise I'd post more pix.

Todays batch was of stuff was the keyboard, the u top piece, bluetooth, power, and other assorting mini bits and pieces, plus a 99% new docking bay.

You don't want to know the price I paid for the docking bay, as you would all be severely jealous.

I guess its about time I started putting the screen in, and getting the chassis together.

[TuuS]

I may have competition for you on the cheapest docking station. I put an opening bid of 99cents on one with free shipping, then decided not to follow up on it because I got one elsewhere. A few days later I got an email that I won the auction. The seller spend $10 to ship it to me and I doubt the $0.99 that I paid even covered the listing/paypal fees. I felt bad for the guy, but I'm sure he made up for it elsewhere.

As for our flea markets, most of them do sell new stuff. All the ones in my area have an indoor part that is more like a warehouse with booths where vendors setup their goods for sale. Most stuff is new, but usually cheap "knock-off" versions of sneakers (shoes), watches, tools, things like that. It's rare to have two booths selling the same stuff, then outdoors there are tables where less expensive goods are traded, sometimes used, then there are open fields where mostly used stuff is traded. You can buy any kind of household goods at one of these places. Everything, food, toys, electronics, clothing, jewery, precious metals, even farm animals, but we have nothing that sells only computers. We do have "computer shows", which is a travelling market that sets up for a weekend and you have to pay a fee to be admitted. They were hugely popular in the 90s, but ebay and other websites have done away with a lot of that.

Thanks for sharing your experiences, it's interesting to learn about different cultures, and how goods are traded.

By the way, did you know it's actually cheaper to buy a new thinkpad in usa then in china? It surprised me, but I do some work for a chinese software company and they wanted to replace all their thinkpads in 2008, so they asked me to order them, have them shipped to me in usa, then remove them fromt he boxes and repackage them and ship them back to china. This saved them a lot of money. It makes no sense at all, but my guess is that china has economic stimulus that encourages exports, so they can sell cheaper to other countries. That would explain why something like a harddrive cover I can buy from china and have it shipped to me for a total of $3, and if I wanted to ship it across town it would cost me $3 just for the shipping... shipping back to china would be several times what it cost. I'm assuming that china post loses money on these package, but it's necessary to fuel the economy.

[shanghailoz]

We still have trade shows here, which are great for sourcing.

I'm actually going to one today - an Arcade & entertainment related one, as I've been making arcade machines for export and local sale, plus redoing embedded software on existing jamma hardware. I prefer to go to trade shows and expo's on the private days (eg the vendor -> vendor days), as the public open days can be a "bit too crowded". ...oh boy, the understatement there about volume of people is something someone who hasn't been to China won't appreciate.

Thats a whole other topic though.

Prices have come down a bit since 2008 (ok, a lot!), used to be cheaper to fly to HK, buy a laptop, and fly back in, even with the airline ticket, and other ancillary costs counted in.

The "grey" import market here is still huge, even though prices are not as rape the consumer in the [censored] expensive as before.

Mostly these days its due to availability and release date. eg Retina Macbook hasn't been released here, so to buy locally in the stores, you buy from someone bringing in from HK. (Which is more or less on parity pricing with US).
The HK$ is cheaper than the RMB, so pricing generally matches HK price in RMB eg 1:1, and they make a hefty profit.

Apple finally got the point on that one with the iPad3, as they released it in HK at the same time as the USA, so the grey importers that ship in from the states didn't have an opportunity, as everyone shipped in from HK instead.

Shipping is mostly economies of scale. There are a huge number of containers going to the states daily, so shipping is cheap. The containers also need to come back, so return shipping is also cheap.
I would never use China Post for any shipping myself, I've had bad experiences. EMS is a bazillion times better for intercountry.

For faster stuff (eg 3-5 day delivery), we usually use DHL or TNT. Never Fedex though.
Fedex can go f. themselves. (We had something urgent, airfreighted it, took 5 weeks). I was the one who had to chase it up repeatedly, spending hours on the phone and email with them. Was _not_ happy.
I could have sent it sea freight for a 5th of the cost, and it would have arrived faster.

Shipping in country is fast and efficient here. There are hundreds of companies in each city that vie for your business, so things like shipping intercity are only 10-15rmb, even for overnight delivery. I think shipping was 12rmb for the thinkpad stuff, and it was ordered 4pm in GZ, arrived 9am in our offices!
Doesn't mean your goods will arrive in one piece though. We have regular bad shipping experiences with a company called ShenTong that we tell people NOT to use, as items often arrive mangled or broken. Its gotten to the point where their delivery guy hates our guts because we will not sign for things, and complain to his office about his attitude, the broken packages etc, so he just tosses it into our office, and walks out. We've complained numerous times, but the company just has the 1 delivery person for our area, and he just doesn't care.
We don't use them ourselves, so its harder to complain without more leverage.

[TuuS]

I generally use usps for everything. They are great, until something goes wrong, then it's typical goverment "red tape", with complicated procedures to do simple things. I'll try to briefly describe two horror stories without boring you to death.

1. Shipped a motherboard to Austria (europe) using Express mail (3-5 days) from usa. This is one of the fastest services available anywhere and usually is amazing, and fair priced. The buyer needed the board asap and paid extra for it. Two days later it arrived in Australia (NOT AUSTRIA)... unbelievable, especially since the label was printed by usps and was scanned dozens of times to confirm it's destination. I figured I call them, they call australia and redirect it, but no... they tell me an official inquiry has to be launched to investigate the package and they won't have an answer for 5 days... wtf??? it takes 3-5 days to ship a package, but takes 5 days just to ask them if they will forward it??? From there I was lucky, they forwarded it and it arrived, although it took two weeks, and you'd think I'd be due at least a partial refund having paid for fast service and gotten slow... but no, refund is only if package cannot be found for 30 days.

2. This one is much worse. Shipped a package to Croatia (europe) via priority mail (7-10 days). After 3 weeks I got an email that it never arrived. Called usps, they told me an inquiry would take two weeks for priority mail. A week later I got an email from buyer saying their customs found the package submerged in water... and he opened it and I had the board sealed in plastic, but there was some water in it too so I told him to refuse it and I'd get him a new one. USPS requested it be returned and an insurance claim was started, then instead of bring it back and inspecting it, processing claim and cutting the check (30day process), they simply left it at my doorstep. I had to tqke it back to them to inspect and start the claim, but Crotia never updated the tracking after they logged it as located. 30days later I get a letter telling me the package was located in crotia and is waiting to be delivered and my case and claim is closed... I called, reopened the claim, was told it will be another 30days... then another letter saying the package was found and was waiting to be picked up in croatia... (besides the comical errors, why does it take 30days to look at a package tracking and type a letter?). Case reopened, lots of screaming at postmaster... 30days later... you guessed it, case closed again....

I filed a formal complaint, got the consumer affairs dept involved and finally they processed it. This process took over 6 months.

I can't really blame usps for the problem, all the errors were from croatia, but usps could have easily figured out that the tracking was wrong if they weren't so dam lazy.

I've had problems with fedex too. UPS is great, but they can't give me the service usps does, and they are more expensive, especially for small items.

As for china post, I get a lot of things shipped form them. I don't know how much they charge but it must be very cheap and they usually arrive. I expect at least 3 weeks, so don't order something I'm in a hurry for.

[RealBlackStuff]

I have had several bad experiences with Fedex.
Sometimes deliveries to me required signing for it.
The effer of a Fedex driver was too lazy to walk to the door, ring the bell and wait.
Instead, he signed for them himself in my name, just left the package(s) outside my door and drove off.
The first time this happened was convenient for me, as I was not at home, because I had not been notified.
The second time, I got a phonecall from Fedex, announcing that someone needed to be home the next day, because there would be a shipment that required a signature.
Next day, the same effer dropped the package off, signed for it himself, and drove off.
I was at home with my daughter, and I watched him do so.
Well, forgery is a felony in PA, punishable with up to 10 years prison and $25,000 fine.
I contacted both Fedex and the suppliers that sent me those packages and told them the story.
Result:
1) at my request, my suppliers are no longer using Fedex for shipments to me, and use UPS instead.
2) The legal department of Fedex has opened an inquiry, result to come out in the next week or so.
Fedex have contacted me several times by phone about this.
I wouldn't be surprised if that driver will join the queues on the dole, he deserves it.

[TuuS]

I think fedex drivers are rated by how long their wheels stop rolling on each delivery... I'm both serious and literal. They always run to my door and run to the truck, and I've told them all many times that it can take me a minute or two to get to the door, but they never wait, they just slap a label on the door. I've told the office and the drivers to call me five minutes before they get there and I'll be at the door waiting, and if they can't do that, knock and wait.

Besides their rush, I watched the driver once, he came to the door, got my signature then ran back to the truck, pulled forward about 20yards and stopped, then was taking his time to do paperwork. Obviously the gps sensors and onboard motion sensors would assume he was sitting at a traffic light, not on a delivery. The only logical conclusion is they are rewarded, or punished depending on the average time spent on each stop. This theory is also supported by the popular youtube video of a driver throwing a largescreen TV over a security gate instead of waiting for someone to open it and let him in. All caught on security camera. Fedex keeps getting this video pulled everytime it's uploaded, but if you look hard you can find it. There is also another where UPS slides a box all the way up a driveway, like it was a bowling ball.

Usps can be almost as bad sometimes. In fact the NOS boe hydis screen I got from you (RBS) had gaping holes in the package, but the inner box was untouched. I now regularly double or triple box all my priority mail shipments.