What computer to AVOID

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chesspcmac
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What computer to AVOID

Post by chesspcmac »

We are always talking about what computers to buy. BUT now the question is: which ones to avoid?
In my opinion I would avoid the ones with the "h8 bug"
Well Anything Frans Morsch would be too radical but Saitek Cosmos, Mephisto Explorer Pro
Mehisto Chess Academy has the Fun level bug
Maybe other ones break to quick like the Novag 2 Robot
Or some Conchess





Mike

PS: where can you get an Impos Royale chess board?
"Sir, the slowness of genius is hard to bear, but the slowness of mediocrity is insufferable"

Henry Thomas Buckle
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Tibono2
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Post by Tibono2 »

Hi, I would add:
- the Fidelity Travel Master, because its weakness with its folding sensory board.
- the Novag Chess Champion MKI - only for collection purpose, really a pain in the neck to play with
- the Mephisto solar ones (Solar King & Solar Star) as the solar(eco) mode is much too slow & weak
Cheers,
Eric
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paulwise3
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Post by paulwise3 »

I would add the Excalibur Chess Station.
It is an interesting design, but all three of mine have problems with their display.
And besides, the control button panel is not really easy to understand.
Regards, Paul
2024 Special thread: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12741
2024 Special results and standings: https://schaakcomputers.nl/paul_w/Tourn ... 25_06.html
If I am mistaken, it must be caused by a horizon effect...
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paulwise3
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Re: What computer to AVOID

Post by paulwise3 »

chesspcmac wrote:We are always talking about what computers to buy. BUT now the question is: which ones to avoid?
In my opinion I would avoid the ones with the "h8 bug"
Well Anything Frans Morsch would be too radical but Saitek Cosmos, Mephisto Explorer Pro
Mehisto Chess Academy has the Fun level bug
Hi Mike,
I think it is too harsh to eliminate comps with H8-bug and/or Fun level bug.
The fun level bug problem is easy to get around by pressing ACL.
The H8-bug appears very rare, and comps like Centurion, Mephisto Chess Challenger, Cougar and Explorer Pro may be cheaper to get then for instance the original GK 2100 and Travel Champion 2100, that do not have the H8-bug

Regards, Paul
2024 Special thread: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12741
2024 Special results and standings: https://schaakcomputers.nl/paul_w/Tourn ... 25_06.html
If I am mistaken, it must be caused by a horizon effect...
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Steve B
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Post by Steve B »

I would avoid the Robot (self-moving) computers

Excalibur Phantom Force and Mirage
Novag 2 Robot and Adversary
The Phantom was also sold under the Sharper Image Brand

these computers WILL eventually breakdown..its only a matter of time and not a long time at that..you will be lucky to get 25-30 Hrs of playing in before they go belly up

Avoid Like The Plague(Virus) Regards
Steve
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Fernando
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Post by Fernando »

I would avoitd and in fact avoid any computer stronger than me and so prone to give me bad temper. So I avoid anyone stromnger than CC7

Just avoiding myseklf regards
Fern
Festina Lente
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paulwise3
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Post by paulwise3 »

Fernando wrote:I would avoitd and in fact avoid any computer stronger than me and so prone to give me bad temper. So I avoid anyone stromnger than CC7

Just avoiding myseklf regards
Fern
You are totally right.
I should get rid of all my comps, except the elusive SciSys Chess Partner 3000.

800 elo regards,
Paul
2024 Special thread: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12741
2024 Special results and standings: https://schaakcomputers.nl/paul_w/Tourn ... 25_06.html
If I am mistaken, it must be caused by a horizon effect...
JeffB
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Post by JeffB »

Novag Solo.

On the highest setting it almost plays a reasonable game, but as soon as it falls behind in material it resets to a new game.

I do like the design, so I gutted one and replaced the circuit board and display with those from a Radica 1101, which has more levels and probably 400 more Elo points, plus it doesn't reset itself.
Cheers,

Jeff B.
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Post by Tibono2 »

JeffB wrote:Novag Solo.... as soon as it falls behind in material it resets to a new game
Hi,
sounds bad... is this a bug (unexpected reset) or a feature (resign and no way to continue the current game)?
Eric
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Post by SirDave »

I would avoid the Radio Shack 2250xl. I sold mine years ago. It had an interesting game and the author and programming has been the topic of many discussions, but I found it to be a big, heavy albatross. Worse was the difficulty in registering moves. You could do it by pushing hard with the edge of the piece or stabbing it with your finger, but that got old fast.
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Steve B
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Post by Steve B »

JeffB wrote:Novag Solo.

On the highest setting it almost plays a reasonable game, but as soon as it falls behind in material it resets to a new game.

I do like the design, so I gutted one and replaced the circuit board and display with those from a Radica 1101, which has more levels and probably 400 more Elo points, plus it doesn't reset itself.
Hmmm
never heard of this bug
have you seen this happen with more then one Solo?
i have a couple of Solo's
when time permits ill try a 40/2 game

Bugged About This Bug Regards
Steve
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Steve B
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Post by Steve B »

Time permitted so i played 2 games with two different Solo's vs the Fidelity EAG 2100
first game was at level 5(about 30 sec per move)
second game was at level 7(about 1 minute per move)

In both games the Solo ...even though way behind in material ...played on until mated and displayed LOSE in its screen

FIRST GAME

[Date "2021.5.1"]
[White "Novag Solo"]
[Black "EAG 2100"]
[TimeControl-level 5]
[Result "0-1"]

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.d3 d5 4.exd5 Bb4 5.Qf3 Bg4 6.Qg3 O-O 7.Qxe5 Re8
8.Qxe8+ Qxe8+ 9.Be3 Nxd5 10.d4 Nxc3 11.a3 Ba5 12.b4 Bb6 13.Be2 Nxe2
14.Nxe2 Bxe2 15.Kxe2 Bxd4 16.Rad1 Bf6 17.Rhf1 Qa4 18.Rd2 Qxa3 19.Bf4
Qxb4 20.Kf3 a5 21.Rfd1 g5 22.Bg3 Qc4 23.Re2 g4+ 24.Ke3 Na6 25.h3 Re8+
26.Be5 Rxe5+ 27.Kd2 Rxe2+ 28.Kc1 Qxc2# 0-1

FINAL POSITION
[fen]6k1/1pp2p1p/n4b2/p7/6p1/7P/2q1rPP1/2KR4 w - - 0 29[/fen]


SECOND GAME


[Date "2021.5.1"]
[White "Novag Solo"]
[Black "EAG 2100"]
[TimeControl [level 7]
[Result "0-1"]

1.d4 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.Bb5+ Nc6 4.Bxc6+ bxc6 5.Ne2 Bf5 6.Ng3 Bc8 7.O-O Ba6
8.Re1 e6 9.Nc3 Bd6 10.e4 Bxg3 11.fxg3 O-O 12.e5 Nd7 13.Be3 Qe7 14.Rc1
Rab8 15.Rb1 f6 16.Qh5 fxe5 17.dxe5 Rf5 18.Qh3 Rxe5 19.Qh4 Qxh4 20.gxh4
Rxe3 21.Rxe3 d4 22.Rxe6 dxc3 23.Rxc6 Rxb2 24.Rxb2 cxb2 25.Rxa6 b1=Q+
26.Kf2 Qxc2+ 27.Ke3 Qc3+ 28.Kf2 Qd2+ 29.Kf3 Qd3+ 30.Kf4 Qxa6 31.h5 Qc4+
32.Kg5 Nb6 33.h6 gxh6+ 34.Kf5 Qxa2 35.g4 Qd5+ 36.Kf4 Qd2+ 37.Ke4 c5
38.h4 c4 39.h5 c3 40.Kf3 c2 41.Ke4 a5 42.Kf5 Qd5+ 43.Kf6 Kf8 44.g5 Nd7#
0-1

FINAL POSITION

[fen]5k2/3n3p/5K1p/p2q2PP/8/8/2p5/8 w - - 0 45[/fen]

No "Reset"Bug Found Regards
Steve
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fourthirty
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Post by fourthirty »

I would add the later 200,000 series serial number Novag Obsidians to the list, with the limited opening repertoire.

Unfortunately, I own two of these computers, and still searching for a 100,000 series serial number replacement.

"2000 zero zero party over oops out of time, So tonight I'm gonna party like it's 100,000" Regards,

Greg
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Post by JeffB »

Steve B wrote:
JeffB wrote:Novag Solo.

On the highest setting it almost plays a reasonable game, but as soon as it falls behind in material it resets to a new game.

I do like the design, so I gutted one and replaced the circuit board and display with those from a Radica 1101, which has more levels and probably 400 more Elo points, plus it doesn't reset itself.
Hmmm
never heard of this bug
have you seen this happen with more then one Solo?
i have a couple of Solo's
when time permits ill try a 40/2 game

Bugged About This Bug Regards
Steve
Could there be Solos with different firmware revs?
Cheers,

Jeff B.
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bikemartyn
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Re: What computer to AVOID

Post by bikemartyn »

chesspcmac wrote:We are always talking about what computers to buy. BUT now the question is: which ones to avoid?
In my opinion I would avoid the ones with the "h8 bug"
Well Anything Frans Morsch would be too radical but Saitek Cosmos, Mephisto Explorer Pro
Mehisto Chess Academy has the Fun level bug
Maybe other ones break to quick like the Novag 2 Robot
Or some Conchess





Mike



PS: where can you get an Impos Royale chess board?

A bit late on the thread here but I have had the Saitek Explorer Pro since 2018 and never had an issue with the 'H8 bug' - there is a little issue after selecting fun mode (which you can sometimes do accidentally when not being careful selecting level - with it not resetting back after) so you have to depress the factory reset button. Other than that it is great, as is the 'Expert Travel', which I also have.

I have only recently stopped using these as I bought the Millennium King Performance - which means I may never use the others again.

The ones I would avoid, personally, are the Mephisto 'Travel Plus' and also Excalibur 'Einstein E=MC2 Master' as they are exceptionally weak and I beat them easily on the hardest mode.

Martyn
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