MidNight Mapper - 8/22/2006 17:58

Yes, be prepared - I am Ok with this. But don't assume your local vendor knows much more than you - check around. Yeld monitors are not new and likely the local coffee shop can sort out very sufficiently who stands by their sales and "getting" you successful with these instruments.

No excuse for faulty software nor hardware IMHO. Likewise for faulty but authorized installations of the same. User error is just that, user error. Not downloading your data "is not user error IMHO. Data be it on the device, on a card, on spinning media, or otherwise should remain stable and accessible. And when in doubt, the rule should remain "the customer is always right". If not, go elsewhere with your business.

My personal bet is the equipment is likely in fact being used as its original intention: as a "scale" that allows in-the-cab growers to know how much is going into the wagon and onto their bins or to the elevator. You may find supporting documentation in that pocket notebook! All current yield monitors are in fact and by design, first, a scaling device that is quite accurate in the aggregate; they remain poor instantaneous instruments of mass flow. This reality is somehow conveniently lost to the market place these days.

My attitude would be this: if data were corrupted by hardware, software, or installation flaw when recorded and that recording indicates a "within" warranty or within "support" timing, the company and or the lines of support are stuck with repairing the result or an offer of refund. Forcing the data card in up-side-down does qualify as "user error" but on reflection that too would seem a design error?

FWIW,
MidNight Mapper
aka neil