MATROX RT.X10 Video Editing Bundle ( Windows PC )

Rating:
Summary: LOVE THE PRODUCT, FEAR THE COMPANY
Review: I have been utilizing Matrox video cards exclusively over the past few years: G450's, 550's and most recently, a Parahelia dual-DVI 256MB. I have always liked their products, but seeking help from Matrox technical/service, however, is analogous to dealing with cell phone companies: Life is wonderful until there's a problem and you have to call them for help. Matrox is just as difficult and frustrating. Let me cite two examples, occurring fourteen months apart.

Last year, I had a Matrox G550 fail; luckily, it was still under warranty. After being transferred from Tech Support to Matrox Customer Service for an RMA, I was informed a replacement would be shipped only AFTER Matrox had received the defective card. When I asked the CS person what I was supposed to do with a PC with no video for two weeks, she didn't seem to care.

Almost all electronic industry manufacturers have a identical return/replacement model: You give them your credit card number, they send the replacement unit, and if you don't return the defective unit in a prescribed period of time, they charge your CC.

When I prompted this to the CS person, she replied they did have such a program. However, Matrox charges the replacement to your CC BEFORE shipment, then credits the charge upon return of the product. I was so bewildered by this, I forgot to ask why she neglected to mention the replacement scheme to begin with. After I got off the phone, it dawned on me: It generates more paperwork; she has to charge off the CC, perform the refund, etc. Lazy, perhaps? You be the judge.

Then, more annoyances: When the replacement card arrived, it had a "refurbished" tag on the circuit board. I can't ever remember any electronics company sending me a refurb'd device for replacement of a retail-value warranty item. I remember thinking, "geez, how cheap can you get?" Then I noticed on the enclosed paperwork that Matrox had charged my CC the full $125 list price of a new G550 card for the replacement, refurbished device! As we like to say here in the U.S., you have to have large, brass ones for that kind of chutzpah...

Fast forward to last week: I just finished building a new PC, utilizing the same G550 card. After working perfectly for days, I powered the unit on; no video. After much back-tracking (and cursing), it finally occurred to me to test the PC on two separate, identical IBM P260 monitors; the analog video port of the G550 would not function on either monitor. The only conclusion I could fathom was that either the card had failed again, or the driver just stopped functioning (and yes, I had diligently downloaded & installed the most current G550 XP driver posted on the Matrox site when I did the SW build). Deleting and re-installing the driver did not correct the problem.

At 10:15amPST Friday, I called Matrox Tech Support. Matrox's TS automated phone attendant requires a unique client ID number before it transfers to a live TS person. I punched mine in, and was informed that no one was in queue and my call would be answered immediately. The attendant paused, then stated there was a problem with my client ID and that it was transferring me. It paused again, then informed me that TS was closed! All the while, I'm staring at my confirmed client ID number (and the model/serial numbers of all the products I had purchased from them over the years) on the Matrox web site on my other, Parahelia-equipped PC, and it's the middle of the business day in Canada. ARGH.

I called back repeatedly, each time re-performing the client ID procedure, but the attendant kept booting me out. DOUBLE ARGHH.

In total frustration, I called Matrox's main line. I dug thru the menu and finally got a receptionist, who informed that, indeed, TS was open and transferred me... right into somebody's voicemail. TRIPLE ARGHHH, I'm thinking: "I want to fix this before Matrox goes home, I don't want to be dead for the whole weekend." So I "zero'd" back to the operator and begged for a live person, but she refused to help me. I ended up leaving a frustrated voicemail message.

That was three business days ago, and I have never received the courtesy of a return call. All those fruitless phone calls from Los Angeles to Quebec, Canada, BTW, were on my nickel: Matrox provides no 800- support telephone numbers.

What happened to the problem? Just for the heck of it, I removed the G550 driver and installed the latest Parhelia driver, then lit up the PC with the G550 installed. IT WORKED. The G550 is a analog/DVI unit, and my Parhelia is a dual-DVI device, so go figure.

To be honest, I had forgotten the G550 return incident last year, but this situation brought it back into sharp recall. I decided to post this because I believe users should have their expectations set appropriately when considering purchasing a Matrox product. This new PC I built is a high-end RAID A/V workstation that I wanted dedicated to Adobe PS/video editing. I had it in mind that the Matrox RT.X100 Xtreme HW/SW bundle was my product of choice to crown this new unit, but now, I going to take a second look at the market. Why would I want to spend this kind of money on a product from a company who treated me this way twice?

To summarize: Matrox builds great stuff, but if you ever have a problem, be aware of what you're likely to face: Matrox is seriously flawed, almost arrogant and uncaring (possibly the "French" in "French-Canadian"???), in their support operations. And long-time loyal customers, like myself, especially don't deserve such treatment.