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Asus tech support blues with g53jw over HDMI port.

Retired
Not applicable
Hi all,

I am here requesting for some help and assistance. I don't know whether this is an unusual situation or not, but let me share my story here.

I purchased a g53jw from amazon.com in November 2010. Got my notebook a few weeks later, and was happy as a clam. At least, until I found out I have issues with getting the HDMI port to work.

I've tried the hdmi port with different cables and different LCD make and models, and so far I cannot get it to work. I decided to call tech support, and they gave me an RMA on December 28, 2010.

Asus received the notebook on the California repair center on January 07, 2011. On Jan 09, 2011, the status updates to Waiting-[WF9] Wait for Customer Confirmation-NTF code, which means they cannot reproduce the error.

Calling Tech support on Jan 10, 2011:

-No problems found, technician will call/e-mail you to confirm this is the case, and ship back the computer.


No e-mail/phone call until 3 days later.

Called Tech support on Jan 13, 2011:
-confirmed correct e-mail address, phone number, wait 24 hours to call and check for status.

Called Tech support on Jan 14, 2011:
-Same deal, escalating the situation to find out what's going on.

Called tech support on Jan 15, 2011:
-Same deal, escalating the situation to find out what's going on. Wait 24 hours for status update.

Today is Jan 25, 2011. I have given them so far 12 calls and I get the same response, and I've been escalated 10 times out of that. If I were a private in the US Army, I think I've ranked up to at least a Major or a LT. Colonel at this point, given all the promotions in the last 2 weeks.

Up to today, status is still the same: Waiting-[WF9] Wait for Customer Confirmation-NTF. Nothing has changed up to this minute.

I've decided to call Bizcom, the tech company who I sent the laptop to. I found a nice lady who is willing to help me out, but she cannot do anything but forward my troubles to the tech department and have them call me. At this point, I have little faith on someone actually calling me to confirm that my laptop is ready to ship to my direction.

I received my RMA number on December 28, 2010. Today is January 25, 2011, and my laptop is sitting in Milpitas, CA not doing anything productive. I live in the bay area, and it is an hour away to drive to the repair center.


I have followed the instruction of the Asus tech support, and have been very patient about it. Even the tech support noted my patience, and the fact that I should be far more upset than the way I sound on the phone.

I love Asus products, and I do enjoy the g53jw for all its worth. I just want mine back home. If you guys know who I should go to for help and/or assistance, I would appreciate it very much.

Thank you.

Note: This post is originally posted on notebookreview.com, and at the suggestion of Chastity, I reposted the exact same post here.
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12 REPLIES 12

Chastity
Level 10
heh, I forgot there's a G53 subforum. I'll have to suggest to Brian about combining the 2 since the G73 and G53 overlap so much.

Anyhoo, can you PM me your RMA# so I can have Brian and Mason do a heads-up on it.
[SIGPIC]Kicking Ass Since Today[/SIGPIC]

Retired
Not applicable
PM'ed the rma. I hope things get sorted out soon.

Mason
Level 10
Hi LoneEagle013,
I'm sorry for you having to deal with this negative experience and for having to go such a long time without your laptop. I've just contacted Bizcom and asked that they update me on the status of your RMA ASAP as well as notify me of their resolution regarding this matter. I expect to hear something back from them very soon and I will let you know via PM as soon as I have an update.

I guess he just spoke with you and found out that you're using an HDMI TV. In your post you said you tried multiple hdmi cables and multiple LCDs. Of the multiple LCDs, were they all TVs? I'm glad that we're working on your case and we're in contact with you so now hopefully we can figure out why the HDMI wasn't working for you but it's working for them.

Retired
Not applicable
Hi Mason,

Thanks for the call yesterday.

Yes, I sent in along with my laptop a page of what I have done and what I have observed.

I am copying the text I sent along down here:

----------------------Start of Document-----------------------

1. HDMI port is not functioning with LCD TV. Attempted solution include:
a. Clean install of the OS.
b. Installed latest video drivers (NVIDIA GTX 460M mobile drivers 260.99), and Realtek HD Audio drivers.
c. Tested on several different LCD TVs, and several different HDMI cables.

2. Observed symptoms:
a. No video/audio output on the LCD TV screen.
b. Laptop recognizes HDMI port being used:
i. Laptop screen changes resolution to fit the native TV resolution;
ii. Audio device switches to the external HDMI audio ( i.e. laptop switches audio from its speakers to the TV speakers, but no sound coming out from TV);
iii. NVIDIA control panel recognizes LCD TV from the HDMI port.
iv. Still no visible/audible output from the LCD TV after waiting 5 minutes (sometimes HDMI ports take a while to refresh/recognize the device).

3. Called Asus Service on 12/28/2010:
a. Described the problem above to tech support;
b. Tech Support diagnoses the problem as a possible defective HDMI port.

4. Current settings:
a. Windows 7 64-Bit Ultimate edition (user-owned copy);
b. User removed password from account for service purposes.


---------------End of Document------------------------------


In my case, I have tried several different brand and models of TV, and several different type of HDMI cables. I've doubled checked with the output to make sure I do not make silly mistakes such as having the wrong input/output, tested several different generation of HDMI cables (1.2 standard and 1.3 standard), different make of HDMI cables (monster, generic, and amazon.com cables), and different models of LCD TV (Sharp, Sony, Magnavox).

The problem seems to be consistent across all the TV makes and models. I did not test LCD monitor HDMI because I do not have any LCD monitor that has HDMI output. But I am glad that at least the HDMI port is functional for the monitor part.

I decided to call tech support after posting several messages at the notebookreview forum, and people are saying that their HDMI work seamlessly.

At this point, I am glad that communication has finally been restored after 3 weeks of being stuck in WF-9/NTF. I am hoping that this problem can be worked out soon, because since the day I received the laptop, the laptop has spent more time sitting in the bizcom repair center than in my actual possession.

Thank you again for taking the time to help me out; I really appreciate the attention and the assistance I am getting now.

Keep me posted.

Mason
Level 10
So I confirmed that the technicians at Bizcom aren't able to find any issues with the HDMI port on your G53. It's possible that there's something different in your setup or something different in your process of testing the HDMI that Bizcom is not performing when they test your HDMI. I'm going to have an ASUS rep. give you a call

Mason
Level 10
Hi LoneEagle,

I have confirmed that the service center is going to replace the motherboard for you. That should fix the issue and they will retest HDMI functionality after replacing the MB. Bizcom has already ordered the MB so hopefully they will receive it very soon and can get your laptop repaired and sent back you ASAP.

Retired
Not applicable
Mason,

Thanks for the update.

I'm glad they finally found the problem, and on their way to fix it.

I look forward to get my notebook back ASAP and make a final post to this topic that has a good ending to it.

Nonetheless, I'm still curious on what happened at the tech support side to have such a serious communications breakdown for nearly three weeks. The experience was not unlike groundhog day, where for every instance I called the tech support number, I have to listen and respond to the same set of questions and answers over and over again, without any way of advancing the status of the repair.

It was not until I posted my story here that I began to have the excellent tech support attention that I've been hearing about ASUS. I guess I know where to go for asus assistance from now on. I just wish there's a customer appreciation department that can send me a fruit basket or something complimentary for all the trouble I had to go through from the tech support. Or at the very least, the fruit basket should really go to you guys for coming through and saved their reputation from the line.

I do apologize for the communication breakdown. The technicians at Bizcom (one of our 3rd party repair facilities) were not able to duplicate the problem with the HDMI port so that is one of the reasons for the amount of time the RMA took to be completed. I don't know that they ever duplicated the problem: we did give them more details about the cable you were using, etc. so they would be able to duplicate the problem, however, we also escalated your RMA and basically instructed Bizcom to replace the MB regardless. I'm not sure why they did not contact you and notify you that no trouble was found. It's possible that they only notify us when there is no trouble found, and maybe it was our due diligence to contact you. I'll look into that. We do have a service center here on-site in Fremont, CA but I'm not sure what the rules are that determine whether a laptop needing repaired/replaced is sent here or sent to one of our off site service centers. I'm much more familiar with our RMA process at our ASUS Fremont facility and I know that we notify customers ASAP of the testing results whether we duplicate the issue or not. All in all, I'm glad we were able to help get this issue resolved for you and I look forward to your follow up post once you receive your laptop back.