Thinkpads Forum

I'm in a bona fide conundrum and I'd like to tap the collective wisdom of this great forum. After discovering one blatantly dead pixel (it's a bright green and stands out like a sore thumb), I quickly downloaded UDPixel and closely scrutinzed my screen under various colors (mainly black, blue, red and white). What I found was very disheartening: numerous clumps of stuck sub-pixels scattered throughout the screen. I counted 18.

I read more here at the forum, ran UDPixel overnight on 10 of the stuck pixels, and opened up a case with IBM the next day. They agreed to take a look and overnighted me the RMA box. But before I could bring myself to send my brand new T60p off, I wanted to verify the technicians would see the stuck pixels like I did. I finally got an answer as to how they diagnose claims of stuck pixels on a screen: visually. If I exercise my warranty option and send my new notebook off for 5 to 7 business days, I'm betting the technicians will see what I saw and that is something I'd rather not bet on.

From a normal viewing point, you can't see or tell there are stuck pixels. One has to really get close and really look for them, but they are there. The simple fact they are there (and NOT on my 4 year old TiBook, or the low end Dell I now use as a paperweight) on a $2700 top of the line notebook seriously disheartens me.

The Conundrum:
- If I send it back, there's a great chance the technicians will scoff at the one blatantly dead pixel, not see the numerous stuck sub-pixels, and send my T60p back to me the way they got it, five to seven business days later
- If I return it under the 30-days no questions asked policy, I lose the excellent discount on the 2623DDU I got when I first purchased (online price is currently $2750, I purchased mine with addtional warranty and advanced dock for $2700 out the door)

1) Do I live with the one blatant dead pixel and supress the knowledge of numerous stuck sub-pixels scattered across the screen?
2) Do I go ahead with the RMA process and hope for the best, perhaps including a little note (doubt that would help)?
3) Do I return the notebook citing the specific reasons I'm unhappy with it, and hope the salesperson cuts me a deal (return it, reorder at the price you originally purchased, and we hope you're happy with it)?

Have you tried the methods discussed in various threads to eliminate it? Does your diagnostic tool have a mapping utility to turn it off?

I would send it in for warranty with little stickies on the display pointing to the stuck sub-pixels. And write a note that indicates number of different color stuck subpixels. Usually if you can make it clear they are pretty good.

I called on a Tues for my T60p with black spot on LCD size of 2-3 dead pixels. I had the box Wed morning, packed it up and had DHL pick it up that same day. It was back in my hands on Friday morning with a new LCD (new LCD has no bad pixels, but it had lots of fingerprints I had to clean off).

Make sure you still have enough time to return under 30 day return policy just in case they don't replace it for you.

If you do decide to send it back to have them check it out, send them clear instructions on how to reproduce what you saw. If that means cycling different colours in the background, send them, say, a CD with those single-coloured backgrounds and show them the offending regions.

Just hoping they hit upon the right (if evil) combination of factors might not work.

While they (Lenovo) refused to acknowledge my screen issue, I had a similar problem with a camera (Canon) sensor a while ago. They didn't see my problem either, until I sent them a CD full of offending pictures (these off-colour pixels only showed up on very select colours and their gradients, as you describe) and they quickly rectified the problem.

I think there is a possibility that you can cut a deal with the Lenovo people to get the same price you originally paid. Will depend on the alignment of the planets, but I think there is a chance. You just need to express your heartfelt disappointment.

The other way is as Teresa suggested. I was thinking of going one step further and actually attempting to identify the X and Y co-ordinates of each stuck pixel. Usually if you go to a lot of trouble and are very specific, people will err on the side of believing you... Because who in their right mind would be trying to figure out the co-ordinates of dead pixels on a 1600x1200 screen? Here's hoping there's a tool out there that might help.

Scratch wrote:Have you tried the methods discussed in various threads to eliminate it? Does your diagnostic tool have a mapping utility to turn it off?

Yes, as I stated in my post I ran UDPixel overnight over 10 of the affected pixels to no avail. Which diagnostic tool would you be referring to - my corneas?

how about making a 1600x1200 wallpaper with arrows pointing at the stuck pixels?

Roisin wrote:how about making a 1600x1200 wallpaper with arrows pointing at the stuck pixels?

Thass brilyent!

Roisin wrote:how about making a 1600x1200 wallpaper with arrows pointing at the stuck pixels?

I really wish I had thought of this...thanks

Won't tech support ask you to keep the battery, HDD and optical drive when you send it in for repair?

If so, create a modified bootscreen image with your arrows.

-darren

darrenf wrote:Won't tech support ask you to keep the battery, HDD and optical drive when you send it in for repair?

If so, create a modified bootscreen image with your arrows.

-darren

They requested nothing of the sort; all they asked were for passwords, or to have them cleared before shipping.

aarong wrote:They requested nothing of the sort; all they asked were for passwords, or to have them cleared before shipping.

Item #5 in the FAQ.

[quote="aarong"][quote="Roisin"]how about making a 1600x1200 wallpaper with arrows pointing at the stuck pixels? :)[/quote]

I really wish I had thought of this...thanks :D[/quote]

I tried this, thinking that it would force the issue. I also used an organic, natural grease source (my finger) to draw crosshairs on the screen so that you just _couldn't_ miss that Red pixel of mine. You could also try a China pen.

Failures, all. Still stuck as it was before it traveled off to EasyServ (with the 7-day turnaround I've growled about in other forums...)

I'll stick with my "return it" recommendation.

astro wrote:Usually if you go to a lot of trouble and are very specific, people will err on the side of believing you...

I agree, this is time well spent that should result in a positive outcome.

astro wrote:Because who in their right mind would be trying to figure out the co-ordinates of dead pixels on a 1600x1200 screen?

Uhhh......duh.....that would be me

Never said I was of right mind...