Last sunday, the lamp of my IBM iL2220 video projector (no link as it is neither available nor would I recommend it any more) exploded. This was especially stupid as I just bought Wario World and Metroid Prime (which I had to have after finishing Metroid Fusion on my GBA and getting to know this wonderful series) and I really wanted to play them.
On Monday, I called IBM’s support line and asked for the part number of the replacement lamp to be able to buy it at the IBM distributor our company has an account at. The supporter told me that he would need the serial- and partnumber of my projector which I did not know.
Today I finally wrote down those numbers before I went to the office and gave IBM another call.
This time the supporter told me (without needing the neither partnumber nor serial number this time) to call another number, which I did thereafter.
This time I was in one hell of a callcenter menu requiring me to press buttons, giving my name and finally my phonenumber for an automated callback. When I finally had a human on the other end of the line (of course I had to make the phonecall with my cellphone – our PBX does not support DTFM sequences), he laughed at me and told me he was from software support and whether he should “flash” my defunct lamp. Funny, but not after having to wait 30 minutes for it ;-)
Anyway: I got another number where I called later on.
This time the supporter knew what I was speaking about (after having explain to her for about three times that I knew the warranty has expired and that I just want the part number to place an order for another lamp). She told me that she was not allowed to give out any part numbers but that she would try to help me anyway.
20 minutes stupid music
“hmmh… please hold the line. This is complicated”
another 10 minutes
Finally she told me that she will connect me to someone else that knows what to do.
2 Minutes
Now I had another supporter at the phone. I told my story again and she finally gave me this stupid part number (33L3426) which the previous supporter was not allowed to give me.
In the webshop of our IBM retailer, I learned that the lamp would cost ~CHF 700.- and that I would have to wait at least 20 days for the new lamp to arrive. Not good as I really want to play Metroid Prime.
Using google I learned that the IBM iL2220 is nothing more than an inFocus LP350 with an IBM label on top of it. Something worth to give a try with.
The supporter at inFocus gave me the number of a retailer of theirs, I called them and learned that they have a lamp on stock and that it would cost at most CHF 485.- more than CHF 200 less than the IBM lamp. Needless to say that I’ve placed my order. The lamp will arrive on friday – about 10 times sooner than the IBM lamp would have arrived.
So much to the great IBM support. So much for buying an IBM product to have a good supply in replacements.
gnegg 