Smartboard Membrain Damage

[ashthedash]

I discovered to my dismay couple of damaged Smartboards where students have poked a pen or a sharp object through it. This has damaged the membrain of the board and is causing a major issue as the cursor just jumps to the damaged part and is unusable. As this is a user damage, it is not covered under warranty. Spoke to Stelgis the authorised Smart Reseller and they tell me the only way to get it repaired is to send it to them who have to ship it to Canada to Smart and back. Stelgis do not repair board in UK. By the time we have paid shipping to Canada and got it repaired it is almost the cost of buying a new one. Does anyone know of any company which can repair smartboards in UK ? In particular replace the membrain of the board. or any other solution which helps us reuse the board as I would hate to write off such a expensive kit.

[Domino]

unfortunatly, theres not much hope.

If its just a membrame pushed onto the fronting we've had some success with gaffa tape on the front, and pulling sharply off - pulling the membrame from the board.

However, if it's pierced all the way through, the only thing to do is chuck it :-(

[AngryTechnician]

if it's pierced all the way through, the only thing to do is chuck it :-(

Preferably from the top of a building, onto the person who damaged it.

Sorry to hear about this, you must be gutted. Makes me wonder why we bother sometimes.

[ashthedash]

Yes, wish I could do that to the students who did the damage . It is very annoying especially when the funding is getting very tight and the first thing to be cut is the IT budget. There is a nice market for someone in UK if they can find a way of repairing/replacing the membrain

[webman]

This is one area where Promethean have the upper edge - it is a lot more difficult to damage the surface on an ACTIVboard.

[bossman]

Don't wish to add to your dilema but this may be the time, if you are to purchase another board, to look at a Promethean board as they don't damage as easily.
This was the governing factor when I bought ours.

[ashthedash]

We have got one Promethean board on a trolley but nobody wants to use as tutors like the smart software which comes with the smartboard. I agree the Promethean boards are more robust as during a demo of it the sales guy threw a chair at it and it survived ... We have invested a lot in the Smartboards around the college so it will be difficult to change them now as staff have got used to using the Smart boards.

[ChrisH]

Dam you keen new mods beating me by a second to the dupe! lol

[teejay]

I think you would be best buying a new board. If it is known who the pupil was who damaged the board, then possibly get the police involved as its criminal damage or send a bill home!

Don't chuch the board though, even though the membrane is damaged there are still usable parts like the controller which can possibly get broken which you might want to keep as spares (maybe dismantle and keep the good bit).

[bossman]

I agree the Promethean boards are more robust as during a demo of it the sales guy threw a chair at it and it survived ...

Don't chuch the board though, even though the membrane is damaged there are still usable parts like the controller which can possibly get broken which you might want to keep as spares (maybe dismantle and keep the good bit).

I would say don't chuck the chair hehe!!

[Dafty]

We use Hitachi Cambridge StarBoards which may solve the issue of damage!
The surface is touch sensitive but wont be affected if someone decides to put a hole in it!!

Found them to be great against teacher rage!!