Re: Roomba 570 problems

["Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx>]

"Dan Lanciani" <ddl@danlan.*com> wrote in message
news:1348095@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> In article <BqydnQ5kUJO13L3VnZ2dnUVZ_q-jnZ2d@xxxxxxx>,
ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx (Robert Green) writes:
>
> | Do you think the individual units are tested during or after assembly or
QC
> | is by random pulls?
>
> I'm not sure it would make any difference.  Remember, both units ran fine
> for about an hour.
>
> | You've not even experienced the joy of the small bristle brush and how
much
> | rug fringe it can eat.  (-:  They're obviously learning.  Can you return
it
> | and get a few 4300's?  I recently saw them for $89 at Outpost (ptooey!).
I
> | am convinced people should get the very latest and greatest from Roomba
> | because of all the "slipstream" changes to firmware and hardware.
>
> I thought the 500 series *was* the latest and greatest.  Does the 4300
> have the pseudo-ZigBee radio so it can talk to the lighthouses?

No, but none of them failed within an hour either.  One of the reason I've
had trouble figuring out which model was the latest and greatest is the
sheer number of them, including different models that share the same number.
Based on this list cribbed from Wikipedia your unit was introduced after my
4300 was made, so it's probably a good assumption that you're right and it
is a later design:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roomba

First Generation (1G)
Roomba (2002, improved in 2003, discontinued)
Roomba Pro (2003, discontinued)
Roomba Pro Elite, model # 3100, (2003, discontinued)
The first-generation Roombas have three buttons for room size.


Roomba DiscoverySecond Generation (2G) (All 2G Roombas can be updated to
2.1G Roombas)
Dirt Dog, model # 1100 (Budget model, sweeper only no internal vacuum)
(September 2006)[1]
Roomba, model # 4000, now model # 400 (2006)[2]
Roomba Red, model # 4100, now model # 410 (2004, improved to 2.1G in 2005)
[3]
Roomba Sage, model # 4105, now model # 416 (2004, improved to 2.1G in 2005)
[4]
Roomba Sage, model # 4110, now model # 416 (identical to # 4105, but
includes charging base)
Roomba Clean Blue, model # 4130, (HSN exclusive model, earliest release of
2.1G Roomba at a special preview price, identical to the 2.1G Sage except
for color.(2004, discontinued)
Roomba Clean Blue, model # 4130, (HSN exclusive model, earliest release of
2.1G Roomba at a special preview price, identical to the 2.1G Discovery
except for color) (2004, discontinued)(Although confusing it should be noted
both HSN models share the same model number (4130) despite being two very
different models.) [5]
Roomba Silver, model # 4150, (Amazon.com & Target exclusive model, identical
to # 4105, except for a special silver finish)
Roomba Sage for Pets, model # 4170 (2006) [6]
Roomba Pink Ribbon Edition, model # 4188, (Identical to # 4105 except for
color with 20% of the sale price was donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast
Cancer Foundation) (2005, discontinued)
Roomba Discovery, model # 4210, (2004, improved to 2.1G in 2005)[7]
Roomba Discovery SE, model # 4220, (2004, identical to Discovery 4210 but
with different paint and self-charging wall mount; improved to 2.1G in 2005,
discontinued)
Roomba Scheduler, model # 4225, (same as 4230, but sold at Costco)
Roomba Scheduler, model # 4230, (2005) [8]
Roomba Scheduler, model # 4260, with Intelli-Bin (auto detection of a full
refuse bin) (Sold at Hammacher-Schlemmer)
Roomba Discovery for Pets (2006)[9]
Roomba Scheduler with Intelli-Bin (July 2006)[10]
The second-generation Roombas (dubbed "Discovery") replaced their
predecessors in July of 2004, adding a larger dust bin, better software that
calculates room sizes, fast charging in the home base (or wall hanger in the
Discovery SE), and dirt detection. All second-generation Roombas are
functionally identical, though some have more or fewer buttons, accessories,
or casings, and all featured updated programming after mid 2005. The low-end
models continue to be available as of 2007 with new model names.

Third Generation
Roomba 510, 530, 535 (HSN Version),
550 (Costco Version)[11],
560, 570, and 580 (August 2007)[1]
The third-generation 5xx Roomba was introduced in 2007 and features an
infrared sensor to detect obstacles, a dock button, and improved mechanical
components. Some second-generation models remain on sale, however, as the
4xx series.

The list is obviously not complete since it doesn't list my Red 4300 Roomba
with a manufacture date of July 07 (the date's embedded in the barcode
starting at position 9).  This is the unit that has the improved algorithm
that doesn't get hung up on dog mat and communicates via IR.  The biggest
change in SW seems to be something they've labelled 2.1G and the above
article seems to imply that the Dirtdog has it as well, but that doesn't
explain why four DirtDogs get hung up in the same place but the 4300
doesn't.  Does your unit have "Intellibin" to warn you that the dust bin is
full?

My guess would be that they're in the "reduce production cost" mode and may
have cut back on component quality or changed to a new Chinese supplier for
motors or boards that's using melamine, lead and contaminated Heparin in the
manufacturing process.

--
Bobby G.