Circuit Specialists Opinion?

[jesse_flachsbart]

I am interested in buying the CSI3003X-5 DC power supply from Circuit Specialists, but wanted to get some other readers' opinions on it, or other comparable benchtop DC power supplies that you may recommend. Also, any info regarding the company as a whole might be interesting. Thanks!!

[philba]

I can't say anything about the PS but I've bought several things from them and have had reasonable service. I wouldn't hesitate to use them again.<p>In general, when you are asking about an online company, it would be a good idea to include a url.<p>[ October 22, 2005: Message edited by: philba ]</p>

[Robert Reed]

Jesse<p>I don't know much about their service, but their prices look good. They have a Protek Scope that continually pops up in their ads for $499. These scopes normally go for close to $1000. These are made in Korea under ISO standards. I have used a similar one many times and find them to be very accurate and loaded with features. I think if I see this ad a few more times, I will buy one just because its a "steal". If the rest of their products are priced that well, it should be a good place to shop.

[Edd]

After my initial viewing of a sole knob for its voltage adjustment level, a perusal of the unit and looking further into its features, revealed a 10 turn unit and would fill in for the usual additional vernier adjustments that lab units have.
The use of a digital pot for the current adjustments seems to imply 30 ma steps of adjustment at the lower end.
The unit has a small 7w x 5h x 12 in deep footprint, and the use of a line transformer for the initial raw DC in the unit.<p>
Here are two levels of specifications on the unit:
http://store.yahoo.com/webtronics/030v03amdigr.html
http://www.circuitspecialists.com/produ ... 03x5-5.pdf <p>
<p>[ October 22, 2005: Message edited by: Edd Whatley ]</p>

[Mike]

I wouldn't purchase from them EVER.<p>They refused to ship an item I was going to order to a different family member (same last name even, just different address), and the rep on the phone was the rudest person I have ever spoke to at a comapny trying to get business. <p>So I never ordered what I was going to, and instead just hung up. I'm not going to deal with pointless policies and rude salespeople.

[philba]

Rudeness is a good reason to not buy from a company but I doubt that's company policy. Out of curriosity, were you using a credit card to purchase? If so, that is a reasonable anti-fraud measure though many companies allow it.

[Mike]

Yes, but when it's being sent to a family member with the same name?<p>And not even if that didn't happen the salesman was very unpleasant and made it seem as if he didn't want my business. And so he didn't get it.

[philba]

Actually, the name is meaningless. It's the mailing address vs billing address that's the problem. Anyone can use any name. Personally, I'd want it to be hard for some one to use my card and send stuff to some other address.

[Yerry]

From past experience (when someone tried to order $$$ of shoes and have it delivered elsewhere), I noticed your experience (as reported by you) matches my REAL experience 100%.<p>Person using my card # claimed it was for family.<p>Person begged, pleasded and argued when the company said no, and accused them of everything under the book.<p>Person even refused to shop with them again!<p>Unfortunately, there really is NO WAY a vendor can tell if a "send elsewhere" order is legit or not. I've had orders of mine turned down too (buying something for my niece to help her with college), so I've seen it from both sides. I suppose that once I get a store job I'll see the third side.<p>Simply put, nowadays, you don't use a credit card to order anything you wish to send elsewhere, it's such a common scam.

[Newz2000]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Mike:
Yes, but when it's being sent to a family member with the same name?.<hr></blockquote><p>I've written shopping cart software and I've dealt with several large e-commerce companies. The fact is, vendor's pay proportional to their risk. CC companies consider places where a person has to physically present and swipe their card as low risk. So if a shop does a signficant amount of their business where there is a "swipe" of the physical card then they get a low rate (depending on volume, something like $0.30/transation + 1%). Neither I nor my company deal with those in the adult entertainment business, but they are considered the highest risk category and pay signficantly higher rates (something like $0.75/transation + 4%).<p>Some businesses who operate on a low profit margin (discount sellers who make money by dealing in volume) need to save 1% if they can and therefore make deals with the CC company to only handle sales in a way that lowers their risk.<p>That is why you've had mixed experiences. My guess is that Circuit Specialists have been defrauded in the past and lost money and/or have had the threat of loosing a good rate. Therefore they enforce the rules that the delivery address must match the address on the credit account.<p>If the person was rude to you it could have been because he "sniffed" a fraud. While delivering pizza in college I'd lost money because of a bounced check. When that happens you tend to get a little synical and aprehensive when things even smell a little fishy.<p>It could be too because the guy was a jerk, but I wasn't there so I can't say. I will say that I've met several technical geniuses who had very abrasive personalities, and while that doesn't excuse them, I will tolerate it in some circumstances. Just my $0.02 worth.

[jollyrgr]

Not to be rude Mike but I believe you are somewhat young. (I believe it was you that I suggested using a "Gift" card credit card for eBay purchases since you mentioned you were too young to get a credit card of your own.)

In any case I can understand why they didn't want to send to the address that was different than the billing address. This is a BIG fraud method. Someone gets a credit card number and expiration date. They place a phone/Internet order and give a different shipping address than what is the CONFIRMED address with the card. RED LIGHTS, SIRENS, HORNS!!!! No, not really but it does set off an alert.

I was trying to purchase something online and tried to use my own credit card but ship it to my parents house. Someone is there most of the day and since it was an expensive item I wanted to be sure it didn't just sit on my porch all day. Even though I was sending it to my name at my parents, they could not ship it until I contacted my credit card company and added my parents address as a confirmed shipping location. At my credit card's assistance line I had to give my account number, my "password", my SSN, my current address, my parents' address, and so on. After a while they noted that my parents' address was one time MY address. Then I was able to call back and order the item.

[Mike]

Yes, I am young. High School age to be exact. It was my mom that ordered this product they wanted to get my as a present, and have it shipped to my grandparents house so I didn't see it arrive.

But that problem aside, the salesperson was very, very rude to her. My mom is not the person who hangs up on people, not even pesky Satellite Dish, AOL, home repair, etc. telemarketer calls, she never hangs up on them. But this was an exceptioin for her - and she was the one calling.

She told me she didnt get the item later because the man on the phone was very rude and insulting to her, so she just hung up on them and refused to let me order it later because she didnt want to give the company our business.

[paulrevelcet]

I have used them many times in the past and have had good service, they do have great prices and have always been fair, but on occasion have been a little lofty in there attitudes, I would'nt have a second thought about using them.