General > General Technical Chat
Metex
alm:
Opening a new thread since this was off-topic in the other thread.
--- Quote from: Kiriakos-GR on July 18, 2010, 11:52:45 pm ---
--- Quote from: alm on July 18, 2010, 02:33:41 pm ---Metex offers one year, and sells some pretty crappy products, so I wouldn't buy anything they make unseen.
--- End quote ---
Well , You are the only one so far who called Metex as crap brand.
Thats an serious accusation ..
If you have any proofs , just share them with all .
If not swallow your pride , and stay silent .
And I am saying all this , because METEX are the major top seller in Greece .
And the choice of the true Professionals .
http://www.imetex.com/
Simple as that .
--- End quote ---
As expected, you ignored the main issue about warranty and made a lot of fuss about a minor issue that was unrelated to this to distract attention from the main point. But I don't mind supporting my statement that Metex made some crap products (I didn't claim that it was a crap brand, don't put words into my mouth). My personal experience is with the Voltcraft/Metex MS-9160. Mine was sold by Voltcraft, but the schematics are labeled Metex, and the same product is sold by Metex.
I previously wrote this about it:
--- Quote from: alm on June 17, 2010, 10:13:38 pm ---Another example is a 4-in-1 function generator/frequency counter/power supply/DMM unit that I got cheap used. The function generator is usable, although the pots feel lousy compared to Tek and HP/Agilent stuff. The specified range is 10MHz, but you won't get anything resembling a square or triangular wave anywhere near that frequency. The amplitude varies a lot with frequency. The frequency counter seems fine, but I'm not big on RF, so I rarely need accurate frequency measurement. The power supply is a standard LM723 design, which drifts a lot, and the multi-turn pot skips certain values (I believe I have a hard time setting anything between 1.0V and 1.7V). The cooling is badly thought out: the power supply is cooled by a heat sink on the back of the unit. There's also a loud fan, but that's only to cool the power supply for the frequency counter/function generator. Those can be switched separately, but the fan is always on full power, even when they're switched off. The DMM takes multiple seconds to decide on a value, the continuity test takes like three seconds to decide that I shorted the probes. It has several features like relative measurements, min/max/average and data hold, but the interface is so bad, that I rarely bother to use them. Plus it runs from a 9V battery, even though it's a huge 30lbs unit that's definitely for bench use. This means that I sometimes have to change the battery (on the back behind my other equipment). It should have been line powered like the rest.
--- End quote ---
My main issue is with the multimeter (which is ironically the closest to the original topic). Some issues:
* The voltage function in shared between AC and DC, with a button to switch between them. The display does show AC, but will not show anything if it's in DC mode, so I have to switch to AC to verify that it was in DC.
* REL mode requires to manually input the offset value digit by digit, no way to use the current value according to the manual.
* 'Special' features like min/max, relative or hold are selected by pressing the function button repeatedly until the correct icon appears, and then pressing set. You have to pay attention to the display to do this, as opposed to most other meters where I can just hit hold or min/max without looking. There is no indication that these functions are actually engaged. If it displays max, it may either be showing you the max value, or waiting for you to press set and show you the current value. For example, to disable auto-ranging, you have to press function seven times, then press set, then press up/down to select the range. As opposed to hitting range once to disable auto-ranging (which is usually what I want), and pressing it again to cycle through the ranges. And don't try to combine this with other features like min or max at the same time.
* Min and max are separate functions, not like the combined min/max/avg on most other meters. This mean you would need two meters to determine both at the same time.
* The 'auto-hold' will show some intermediate values when the voltage changes, even though these were never stable (eg. when removing the probes from a voltage source).
* It will overshoot a lot when it changes range. When connecting it to a 5V source, it will momentarily show about 19V until settling down to the correct value. Enabling min or max will also record this value.
* Everything is really slow. Continuity takes a few seconds to start beeping after I short it, no chance that it would detect anything in Dave's continuity test. Getting a stable resistance value with the inputs shorted is about three seconds, same for a stable DCV reading. Even if it doesn't have to change range, it still takes two seconds, and it's impossible to read a value until this time, it shows half digits like one of the meters in the $50 shoot-out if I recall correctly.
* Capacitance/inductance test works with special terminals, the contacts are embedded fairly deep behind the front (probably for safety reasons), so the components need long leads to fit. Only works for brand new, unused components, why would I want to measure those?
* The stupid decision to use a 9V battery to cut costs, even though it's a heavy bench unit. The battery has to be replaced fairly regularly (even though it hardly sees any use), and the battery compartment is at the back, pretty hard to reach without removing it from my bench. Same for the DMM current fuses.
I believe this retailed for something like €400 new (I fortunately paid a lot less), so it wasn't exactly the cheapest Metex product.
All these issues prevent me from ever using the DMM module for anything important, it has only seen occasional use for unimportant tasks like an IR thermometer, and it's currently not even connected, sitting on a shelf. It has tons of features, but most are impractical to use. This is definitely a crappy product in my opinion, and I would want to inspect any Metex product before buying it, since you can clearly not depend on the brand name only selling good products. The comments I've heard from other people about Metex range from cheap crap to not bad, at that price. Some of their products might be similar to the meters in Dave's $50 and $100 shoot-out, but probably not in the same league as Gossen-Metrawatt or Fluke.
saturation:
Has anyone opened a Metex anything and checked the PCB, who actually is the manufacturer [this is a brand I dont' oft see in the US]? Its a Korean company and they do make good electronics, hopefully its not a second source for some of their DMMs.
Kiriakos-GR:
--- Quote from: alm on July 19, 2010, 09:34:18 am --- But I don't mind supporting my statement that Metex made some crap products (I didn't claim that it was a crap brand, don't put words into my mouth). My personal experience is with the Voltcraft/Metex MS-9160. Mine was sold by Voltcraft, but the schematics are labeled Metex, and the same product is sold by Metex.
--- End quote ---
I hate the very loooooong stories , that why I will be quick, and crystal clear.
Anything marketed by the manufacturer Brand , deserves to be judged as Brand name ...
Second , the class of your multimeter , does not represent the Brand ..
Get an Fluke 15 , and start to believe , that all Fluke meters are equally made with this tin box.
Third , the METEX brand are from France , and I do not think , that you speak the language ,
so to register your self , in local forums , so to get an first hand opinion .
Fourth , If you manage to register in the Greek forum " as I did in this one "
you will see the attachments of what the Greeks favor as DMM 's ..
In order to assist you , with the language , they do comments , like that they got their meters at their college time = University in Greece ... so to have something truly worthy at hand ..
and even after 10 years or more , they work great .
Be my Guest !!
http://www.hlektronika.gr/forum/showthread.php?t=51378
And last , I do not care about any brand , but such accusations , based on thin air ,
does not do any good, to any one.
alm:
--- Quote from: saturation on July 19, 2010, 11:21:05 am ---Has anyone opened a Metex anything and checked the PCB, who actually is the manufacturer [this is a brand I dont' oft see in the US]? Its a Korean company and they do make good electronics, hopefully its not a second source for some of their DMMs.
--- End quote ---
I believe Metex at least did the design, since the schematics carry a Metex stamp. Will try to take some pictures tomorrow.
--- Quote from: Kiriakos-GR on July 19, 2010, 01:38:01 pm ---Anything marketed by the manufacturer Brand , deserves to be judged as Brand name ...
--- End quote ---
If you can find documentation that the Metex version does not have these issues, I will retract these statements as far as Metex is concerned. But since the schematic appears to be identical, I expect them to be identical.
--- Quote from: Kiriakos-GR on July 19, 2010, 01:38:01 pm ---Second , the class of your multimeter , does not represent the Brand ..
Get an Fluke 15 , and start to believe , that all Fluke meters are equally made with this tin box.
--- End quote ---
Here you go with the brand again, I said that they sell some bad products under the brand, so I wouldn't buy the product just on brand name. There may be some good products under the Metex brand. It was a €400+ product (retail), if I'd pay that much for a product, I expect something solid. I don't think anyone really thought the Fluke 15B was bad for the price, but if that was my only experience and it died a day after the warranty expired, I might also state that Fluke makes some not-so-reliable products. Plus there's a large body of evidence that Fluke makes some excellent products, for a long time (they basically invented the DMM), so that gives them some extra credibility, I would be more likely to attribute the issue to a fluke (pun intended) as opposed to standard operating procedure.
Note that to claim that they made some crappy products, I only have to show that one product from Metex is crappy, which I did (I realize that this is a subjective issue). To disprove this statement, you either have to prove that every single product from Metex is good, or that the product that I mentioned does not have these issues (which is a pretty long list).
--- Quote from: Kiriakos-GR on July 19, 2010, 01:38:01 pm ---Third , the METEX brand are from France , and I do not think , that you speak the language ,
so to register your self , in local forums , so to get an first hand opinion .
--- End quote ---
I did study French in high school, but I admit it's a bit rusty. But the address: 1005-3 DOCKSAN1-DONG, GEUMCHUN-GU, Seoul, Korea doesn't look French to me, and some notes on the schematics were also in something like Chinese or Korean. Maybe you're confusing Metex with Metrix? I believe Metrix is a lot better and more expensive, but I've never used their products.
--- Quote from: Kiriakos-GR on July 19, 2010, 01:38:01 pm ---Fourth , If you manage to register in the Greek forum " as I did in this one "
you will see the attachments of what the Greeks favor as DMM 's ..
--- End quote ---
I didn't claim that it's impossible that they make some good products, it's quite possible that they do. I've just haven't found anyone that stated that they were similar in quality to Fluke. Plus the frame of reference matters: do you compare it to $5 meters from home improvement stores, or do you compare it to something generally regarded as high quality like Fluke or Gossen? From what I learn from Google translate (I did study classical Greek at some point, but not the stuff you guys wrote the last ~2k years or so ;) ), these people don't appear to have any other brand-name meters. I did find some comments about people having them for a long time, as I said, the comments I've heard range from cheap crap to not bad for the price, those meters might be in the latter group. With light hobby use and without abuse, I would expect any halfway-decent meter to live a fairly long time. Main failure mode (without overvoltage or being dropped) I think would be the range switch and the mechanical stuff (eg. self-tapping screws).
--- Quote from: Kiriakos-GR on July 19, 2010, 01:38:01 pm ---And last , I do not care about any brand , but such accusations , based on thin air ,
does not do any good, to any one.
--- End quote ---
First you ignore 95% of my post where I describe in detail why I dislike the product, than you claim that it's based on thin air???
saturation:
Thanks Alm. The insides always say more than the outside, appreciate the photos when you are able.
--- Quote from: alm on July 19, 2010, 07:16:07 pm ---
--- Quote from: saturation on July 19, 2010, 11:21:05 am ---Has anyone opened a Metex anything and checked the PCB, who actually is the manufacturer [this is a brand I dont' oft see in the US]? Its a Korean company and they do make good electronics, hopefully its not a second source for some of their DMMs.
--- End quote ---
I believe Metex at least did the design, since the schematics carry a Metex stamp. Will try to take some pictures tomorrow.
--- End quote ---
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
Go to full version