View Full Version : Where/how to purchase spare classmate
I tried searching but couldn't find what I needed.
After having a Classmate magically "Stop Booting" 1 min prior to our first Elimination match this weekend, the topic of a "Spare Classmate" came up.
Althought any laptop would seem to do, the rules seem to imply that we must use the classmate as shipped.
Anyone know where we can purchase a spare Classmate with the little FIRST logo on it?
ps: We did try the "event spare", but it didn't want to talk to the Cypress, so I assume it may not have had the software configured...."
Phil.
The Lucas
29-03-2010, 11:22
http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=13805
The GDC answer to replacement Classmate question.
Direct link to Classmate PC Sales page
http://www.ctlcorp.com/v4/p-872-ctl-2go-classmate-pc-e10is-101-netbook-laptop.aspx
Mark McLeod
29-03-2010, 11:24
The replacement Classmate is: http://www.ctlcorp.com/v4/p-872-ctl-2go-classmate-pc-e10is-101-netbook-laptop.aspx
per FIRST Q&A:
http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=13805
Thanks Guys...
I see they still have a "backorderd" notice up there...
I'll call, but anyone have any good/bad experiences ordering there.
(Not much good unless we can get in time for Nationals :)
Joe Ross
29-03-2010, 11:50
Be carefull when you get the new one. See one team's experience here: http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=14576&highlight=classmate+restore
I've narrowed my problem down to a battery issue.
My classmate doesn't think it has one ?????
If I go to the Control Panel power scheme setup for the classmate it indicates that there is no battery (so the Black battery indicator on the driver station makes sense)
Assuming it is the battery (may not be) anyone purchased a spare battery for one of these?
Phil.
OK, when I can get Tech support on the phone they want my Serial number or Asset number.....
Apparently on the back of the classmate, BUT my number has been lifted off by Velcro.
Anyone want to give me their serial number so I can at least get an answer from Tech support.
It's under the flexible cover on the back of the classmate.
Thanks.
mtfawcett2907
31-03-2010, 17:05
Do you know if this part has a warrantee? If so, how do we send back our failed unit? At the Seattle Regional, our first two matches were no starts because the wireless part of our CLassmate died. Another unit was used and we were able to compete for the rest of our matches. The admin people at the match said our unit had a hardware failure but they did not have any spare units. I hope those that get to go to Nationals will have spares available...
Do you know if this part has a warrantee? If so, how do we send back our failed unit? ...
I have to say, this whole Broken Classmate issue is starting to make my stomach churn a bit.
Let's face it, this is a mandetory component with a dubious supply chain.
I thought that going with a commercial off-the-shelf product would have given us some stability and support, but in reality it seems that we really are worse off then the old Blue-Boxes.
I mean... there are no direct replacements available from the suppliers. The alternative seems close, but not fully compatible with the supplied imaging/restore tools and drivers.
Since many teams have removed the flexible cover from the clamshells and applied Velcro, they are unlikely to be covered by any sane warantee so I think we're going to be left out in the cold again.
Seriously.... Two weeks to nationals and I have a Classmate that can't run on batteries, and no-one to call for tech support (the live online support is a joke! and the phone number just goes to a machine that never calls me back.)
What are my options?
Guess I better go and see if it's legal to power the classmate from an external battery and inverter. Short of that we're done for championships.
Phil. Pretty dissapointed with the whole deal.
At the Seattle Regional, our first two matches were no starts because the wireless part of our CLassmate died....
Seems like some confusion here.: you don't need the wireless on the Classbook. It's hard wired to the FMS.
Vikesrock
31-03-2010, 17:42
Guess I better go and see if it's legal to power the classmate from an external battery and inverter. Short of that we're done for championships.
It is.
http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=15017
It is.
http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=15017
Outstanding !
Kills two birds with one stone.
The Lucas
01-04-2010, 01:15
We bought the iGo battery (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3918373) from Radio Shack. Seemed to work fine when we used it during Philly elims.
We bought the iGo battery (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3918373) from Radio Shack. Seemed to work fine when we used it during Philly elims.
Funny... I thought you were pointing to a battery....
So you used the Igo charger powered from a 12V battery (like a car charger).
Gets rid of clunky inverter.
Cool.
thefro526
01-04-2010, 09:50
We bought the iGo battery (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3918373) from Radio Shack. Seemed to work fine when we used it during Philly elims.
Brian, to make this work you did what, just cut off the cigarette lighter end and replace it with an Anderson battery connector? I just realized that we need to figure out some system to keep our Classmate Charged for the Championship, since up to now we relied on the pits being 30 seconds away from the field... I believe we have a spare battery in route, but I'd be more comfortable with another source...
(I'm really starting to miss the blue box from last year.)
Mark McLeod
01-04-2010, 09:55
(I'm really starting to miss the blue box from last year.)
I have one you could borrow :rolleyes:
I have one you could borrow :rolleyes:
Joking right? They're not legal are they (I have several) ???
I wish they were :)
I believe we have a spare battery in route, but I'd be more comfortable with another source...
Any way you could find out exactly what you ordered, and where from?
Mark McLeod
01-04-2010, 10:02
Joking right? They're not legal are they (I have several) ???
I wish they were :)
Just joking...
There's no power for them at the Driver Stations this year either, so they'd be deader than a Classmate with a weak battery...
about the same as your Classmate...
thefro526
01-04-2010, 10:28
I have one you could borrow :rolleyes:
Hmmm... if only we could use them... *Sigh*
Any way you could find out exactly what you ordered, and where from?
I'm having a hard time getting a definitive answer as to what we bought, because apparently we may have ordered the wrong battery...
But, here is a page that lists three different battery models, you may have to call them to get a correct answer:
http://www.ctlcorp.com/v4/c-70-2go-pc-netbook-parts.aspx
We bought the iGo battery (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3918373) from Radio Shack. Seemed to work fine when we used it during Philly elims.
I see these on sale online at igo.com
If I try to locate a charging tip that works with the 2GO netbook is says it can't find one. Does the tip you use have a number on it? ANy other way to ID it?
Does the Radio-Shack one come with a compatible tip?
Thanks.
I'm having a hard time getting a definitive answer as to what we bought, because apparently we may have ordered the wrong battery...
http://www.ctlcorp.com/v4/c-70-2go-pc-netbook-parts.aspx
That's what I wanted to avoid.... Not having a lot of luck with Tech support.....
The Lucas
01-04-2010, 10:58
Funny... I thought you were pointing to a battery....
So you used the Igo charger powered from a 12V battery (like a car charger).
Gets rid of clunky inverter.
Cool.
Sorry, I meant DC-DC converter. People keep referring to it as the "battery" :rolleyes: now they have got me doing it. I'm pretty sure we use it with an Anderson connector as instead of cigarette adapter. I really didnt work on it or even see the finished product (just a cable attached to the cart), I just suggested it based on a Eugene Brooks post. (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showpost.php?p=938359&postcount=11)
I see these on sale online at igo.com
If I try to locate a charging tip that works with the 2GO netbook is says it can't find one. Does the tip you use have a number on it? ANy other way to ID it?
Does the Radio-Shack one come with a compatible tip?
Thanks.
I think we just bought it from Radio Shack. It was purchased and built quickly as we were motivated by loss of comms due to low Classmate battery in Chesapeake SF1-4 that lead to our elimination. You probably could compare power adapter tips in the store.
Brian, to make this work you did what, just cut off the cigarette lighter end and replace it with an Anderson battery connector? I just realized that we need to figure out some system to keep our Classmate Charged for the Championship, since up to now we relied on the pits being 30 seconds away from the field... I believe we have a spare battery in route, but I'd be more comfortable with another source...
(I'm really starting to miss the blue box from last year.)
Someone tried to bring them back the blue box DS at Philly this year. It worked in the shop atleast. Luckily, we got them a Classmate and updated code.
Mark McLeod
01-04-2010, 11:21
Someone tried to bring them back the blue box DS at Philly this year. It worked in the shop atleast. Luckily, we got them a Classmate and updated code.
Same thing happened with one team at SBPLI, luckily they brought their (never opened) Classmate box with them.
thefro526
01-04-2010, 11:31
I think we just bought it from Radio Shack. It was purchased and built quickly as we were motivated by loss of comms due to low Classmate battery in Chesapeake SF1-4 that lead to our elimination. You probably could compare power adapter tips in the store.
I'm going to look into the model of inverter you guys purchased. Luckily, the only time our classmate died on us was in a practice match.
Someone tried to bring them back the blue box DS at Philly this year. It worked in the shop atleast. Luckily, we got them a Classmate and updated code.
I can't wait for a team to show up at an event with a full IFI system... Lol.
I just got the (only) iGO travel charger at my local (45 miles away) Radio Shack.
So... in case anyone wants to buy the cheaper unit online from www.iGO.com ... the card that comes with the unit indicates that the "206" tip is the one for the CTL 2GO Netbook. I'll know later if it really is the right one :)
As a fallback plan, I've also purchased a replacement battery.... hopefully the problem is in the old battery, not the Classmate itself.
This is what I was told to order:
Replacement/Spare 6 Cell Battery for 2go Classmate PC Atom and Celeron (EO9)
SKU: NBB2GO96CELL
http://www.ctlcorp.com/v4/p-811-replacementspare-6-cell-battery-for-2go-classmate-pc-atom-and-celeron-eo9.aspx
Can't help feeling slightly ripped off paying $120 for the battery of a $440 PC.
The Lucas
01-04-2010, 17:23
I just got the (only) iGO travel charger at my local (45 miles away) Radio Shack.
So... in case anyone wants to buy the cheaper unit online from www.iGO.com ... the card that comes with the unit indicates that the "206" tip is the one for the CTL 2GO Netbook. I'll know later if it really is the right one :)
I'm glad you got one. I forgot about your locale, 45 mi to Radio Shack is crazy :ahh:. I drive past at least 3 Radio Shacks on the 10 mi drive to our shop.
TeraViks
11-05-2010, 10:44
If anyone has a "dead" classmate, I'd like to buy it from you for the screen. Ours decided to take a dive off the table and the screen is now only half viewable (other half blank). The PC works OK, and I hate to spend $500 to replace it. Oh, and the power charger was so disgusted with the PC diving, it ran away and cannot be located (need it too).
Thanks!
Brian
Team 3145, TeraViks
Jon Jack
11-05-2010, 13:35
We thought we had a dead Classmate. The computer quit recognizing the battery. Anytime we'd boot the classmate, it would try to boot Windows and then shut down (thinking its battery was dead) or it wouldn't boot at all. When we swapped the battery into a different classmate everything worked just fine. No problems with the battery...
Before we went down the road of getting a replacement (which did not look like a trivial process) we called GoToPC's tech support.
Apparently they are aware of this issue and they have a fix. I was not the one that called, so I cannot say what the fix is. The person that did call said it was a hardware reset and the Classmate has been working just fine since. Give them a call... It might not be as bad as it seems...
sjewell1
26-01-2011, 00:12
I found this instruction for reset on their website - haven't verified it works, though:
http://ctl.helpserve.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=11&nav=0,8
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