SGRAM part numbers

[mkaresh]

This is part of my continuing quest to identify the RAM on my G400, which has the following part number printed on white stickers:

KM413261120-5

I went to Samsung's site:
http://www.usa.samsungsemi.com/buy/d...grafmemory.htm

My part numbers appear to be bogus. They don't match either the new or old codes exactly. As if someone did a poor job of faking Samsung memory. Could it be that a Chinese plant manager made a buck for himself by using non-Samsung RAM without informing Matrox?

Please look at your RAM and report the part numbers on it. Also, I'm really looking to hear from anyone with stickers on their RAM. Am I truly alone?

[Thundrchez]

I think that you are misreading.
KM4132G112Q-6 is what is printed on my ram. Notice the "G", not "6", and "Q", not "0".

This is the url that you are looking for: http://www.usa.samsungsemi.com/produ...KM4132G112.htm

As I said before, it is very strange that it is stickers instead of printed on the chip. Something is fishey.

[mkaresh]

I'm NOT misreading. That's the whole point. That's why I'm pretty much convinced the SGRAM on my board is bogus. I know that some of the numbers should be letters. Here's my current scenario:

I've got a board made in China, like many are. Some Chinese plant manager gets hold of some 6ns or even 6.5ns RAM cheap, probably made in China or SE Asia by a no-name company. He gets some stickers printed up to make it look like 5ns RAM, but not knowing English well substitutes some numbers for letters. He then uses this RAM while including the usual price for the genuine Samsung stuff in the books. The difference goes into his pocket.

Needless to say I'm going to keep following up this issue. I expect to get a replacement board out of it, hopefully with true 5ns SGRAM on it.

[Kruzin]

Regardless of that the sticker says, the vanilla models are speced for 6.5ns ram. The MAXs, 5.5ns.

You are not going to get a replacement card because it doesn't overclock as much as you want it to. If it has 6.5ns ram, it meets the published specs. Those who have gotten 5ns on non-Max cards have simply been lucky.

[mkaresh]

Forget not overclocking as much as I'd hoped. I've got a board with unidentifiable RAM on it. It's simply not Samsung RAM. It's a major quality lapse that makes me wonder what other corners were cut in making the board, with or without the knowledge of Matrox (I suspect the latter). The plant appears out of control.

Frankly, this board produces some fine numbers. But how would you feel if you ordered an IBM hard drive, and received a hard drive with a label on it that said IBM, but then you noticed that the label had a lot of errors in it, and then it came off, and there was an unidentifiable drive clearly not IBM under it? Would you trust that drive with your data? I think not.

[Kruzin]

You ordered an OEM G400.
You got an OEM G400.
It's that simple.

You are the one who "cut corners" by not shelling out for a Canadian or Irish retail model.

[mkaresh]

It's that simple? Am I missing something here? I feel like I'm getting flamed.

I ordered a system from a guy, a complete new system. I don't need a fancy box or the games that come with the retail version, so I didn't specify it. I knew nothing about country of origin. Matrox doesn't exactly publicize it. I didn't know where the board came from until I received it.

By buying OEM, that doesn't mean I should accept parts that are labeled as something they are not. That is unacceptable and probably illegal in any product. This product carries the Matrox name just like any retail product, and I'm sure they intended this product to include Samsung memory. I believe they are a quality company, and will set things right.

I have enjoyed and learned from reading Kruzin's posts elsewhere on this forum. I can't quite figure out what his issue is with my posts.

[Kruzin]

My issue is that you have been ranting in thread after thread about the stickers on your memory. You have responded to your own threads more than all other posters combined It's just getting kinda tired, that's all.

Matrox is not going to replace your card. You ordered your system from "a guy". Why are you not hassling him for cutting corners when he bought the cheaper OEM parts? Retail does not just mean a fancy box. Bulk/OEM products from all manufacturers are assembled with lesser quality parts than full retail versions. And those components will vary from batch to batch, depending on what is available and/or cost effective. ALL manufacturers do this.

You claim the card is not what it is supposed to be. It is supposed to be a Matrox G400, It is a Matrox G400. It runs within it's intended specs. You have no basis for a complaint.

[mkaresh]

Sorry, I wasn't aware that I was ranting. I've merely been trying to figure out what I have.

At times I've replied when people who replied to my posts requested more information. Some of these people seem as curious as I am about what RAM is actually on my board. What I haven't received, from you or anyone else, is any real explanation for the labels on my RAM. My RAM is labeled SEC, which I'm fairly certain it is not.

Saying "it's OEM" doesn't cut it. Buying OEM is not a license to mislabel components. It was not that much less expensive, $170 plus shipping. My system builder simply prefers to buy all of his components from mwave, a reputable distributor which only sells the OEM version.

If there is a place where Matrox states that OEM buyers can expect lower quality components, I'd be very interested in reading it. I'm sure other people in this forum would like to as well.

I've read this forum quite a bit, yet this "if you buy OEM you deserve whatever you get" is news to me. If it's really junk, then Matrox shouldn't put their name on it.

[Kruzin]

There is nothing to figure out. For the run of cards your came from, they used a different RAM chip than they used in the past, or may use in the future. This is nothing new. Components change all the time, depending on the market.

As to OEM being lesser quality...By definintion, OEM is Original Equipment Manufacturers. Also known as system integrators. The intention of OEM products is to provide a lower cost sollution to these integrators. Mostly, this is targeted at large OEM deal, Like HP or Dell, who might buy 10s of thousands of units. Matrox does not directly sell OEM products to retail customers. What they advertise on their website is what they sell. Retail products. Individuals who buy OEM, do so at their own risk. In addition to risking lower quality parts, you give up warranty and support, which your "guy" is now resposible for if your card craps out. It will be up to him to return it to his vendor, and for them to return it to Matrox if it need to be RMAd.

Put simply: OEM SUX

It is, and has always been an accepted industry practice to do what I described above, and use lower cost parts in OEM products. That's part of what makes them lower cost. This is not just a Matrox thing. Every manufacurer does it. I have built litterally thousands of PCs, and have seen it in everything from sound cards to video cards to hard drives. If it was really not that much more for the full retail card, maybe next time you will think twice and splurge the extra dough...

[Rags]

Well, if the card is working as designed, how can it be labled junk??? If the card was having problems, that would be a bit different, but it is not. If there was a rash of problems with OEM cards (which Matrox DOES NOT want), then there would be reason for concern. Matrox makes no claims on what RAM, what speed of RAM, or clock speeds in general for that matter, is on their cards. They make a card that is supposed to work in compatible systems, and that is it. OEM parts are usually of lesser quality than retail parts simply because OEM's expect lower costs for their parts, so there has to be a way to meet their needs. When you get an OEM video card, that is supposed be coming only with an entire built system. If you have problems with your OEM parts, you contact your OEM that sold you the system, and then they will have a beef with Matrox, not you. Sorry, but that is the way ALL hardware mfrs are (including Intel) who supply OEM's with parts.

Rags

[mkaresh]

It's way past my bedtime, so this is the last I'll say in this exchange. I really do hope someone can clear this up for me. My system builder is also working on it, but he thought asking the knowledgeable people here at MURC might be a good thing to do. He did sell me a complete system, so it was legit to use an OEM part.

As for the RAM, it is labelled SEC, but it most likely is not. I doubt SEC would make typos on their own RAM. Others have helpfully suggested that SEC wouldn't use labels in the first place.

I'm not saying I expected Samsung, and didn't get it. I'm saying that someone somewhere along the line is trying to make me think I got one thing while giving me who knows what. That's known in legal circles as fraud. I personally don't like it when this happens to me.

I'm also saying that Matrox may have a problem on its hands, and would probably like to know about it. I know I would if I were them.

As for different components being used all the time, I've never heard of a G400 SGRAM card that did not use Samsung (SEC) SGRAM. Anyone know differently?

[Hugh G Recshun]

Sheeesh, you sure are a whiner. Maybe you should have had mommy buy you a retail card for your system if you wanted all the high quality stuff Maybe you can ask her real quick before she tells you it's past your bedtime again.

Whoever told you that SEC doesn't sticker their RAM is full of shit. I have seen many times SEC has done this on their cheaper stuff. The ram you got is from their 5ns reject pile that passes at 6ns. That is why it is labled with a sticker and not a marking, the marking is not put on until the pass phase, and all the rejects get stickered. Now, if you wanna argue that, bring it on, I can handle it.

And what benefit would the Matrox factory in China have to purposely mislable an OEM part??? It makes absolutely no sense. OEM's don't give a rat's ass what ****ing ram is stuck on the cards just as long as they get a G400 like they ordered and it works and it's at the price they agreed upon. Many vid. card mfrs use different types/models RAM on the same version of a card, they use whatever they can get their hands on that will suffice the job. Time to look for something else to worry about. If your card is working like it is supposed to, then why come here trying to stir shit up, that makes no sense?

Hugh G.

PS make sure you brush your teeth and say your prayer before you go to bed.

[Kruzin]

From one of you other threads on this same topic:

Model #: G4+MDH4A32G

On PCB:
906-04 Rev. B
Rev. 402 MT00790

Manufacturers are constantly changing the specs of their products quietly. Recently, Matrox made a revision to the G400 cards. This can be seen in the part number, with the 4A in the middle.

This is the latest revision of the card. The original G400 where 2x/4x (2x transfers, 4x slot/voltage compatible). Your card is a full 4x card (does this at least make you feel a little better?). They slipped this change in there, and almost nobody noticed it.

Why can't you accept, by this same token it is possible that they simply switched chips for whatever reason in that batch?

RAM makers are also always changing specs. And they are not always on top of publishing every detail and part number right away.

There is no X-file here, Mulder.

[mkaresh]

Gosh, looks like I got someone really excited : ) Usually I've only have that effect on members of the opposite sex.

All joking aside, we may be getting some real facts here. Let's assume these are Samsung rejects at 5ns that passed at 6ns. That would be fine with me. But here's why I doubt that:

Code on my RAM:
KM413261120-5

Code that Samsung would have put on my RAM:
KM4132G112Q-5 (or -6)

As another poster helply noted, I have a 6 and 0 instead of a G and Q. Rejects or not, I find it hard to believe that Samsung would mislabel their own RAM. And if it failed the 5ns tests, why label it afterwards as 5ns? That makes no sense.

Also, if stickers are so common, why has no one else said they have them? It's clear to me that there are many other no-good, low-life, second-class citizens on this forum who also have OEM cards. (These are probably the people whose mommies do not buy their toys for them.) Somehow I have the only one with this stickered RAM?

Finally, I'm not saying that the Matrox plant would get anything out of it. For certain individuals at the plant, though, it might be a different story. Let's just say that people involved in procurement are not always above the board. There's a lot of money to be made by substituting cheaper parts while putting the regular prices in the books.