IT CAME! IT CAME!

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Plinkerton · #61 Post by **Plinkerton** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 5:55 pm

Thanks TanMann.

From what I have heard, it's been a bit complicated to get the Thai keyboard in Canada. It seems the US company is the only one who acknowledges the fact that there is one, and is extremely willing to ship it out. While the guy on the phone was searching for the FRU number, I just told him I had it, and I wanted that one. He said okay, it's here. I didn't know what to expect, but it DEFINITELY feels nicer than the China one. Now if I just had a computer...

Overall, the problems I was having weren't so bad. The pixels were popping up, but they seemed to calm down completely. I was extremely happy with the computer, up until it decided to stop working.

As far as I know, my computer did not have bluetooth either, so don't feel too left out.

I actually didn't mind the China keyboard too much, but I was just too curious about the grass being greener over there in Thailand. It's all true. This keyboard feels stiffer, and the buttons don't squeak or make any strange noises like my other one did.

It would be funny if my new computer came with a Thai keyboard...

I'd help you out with getting one over there in Canada, but I already called and got one. I would imagine they would think it was a little strange for me to call and order another one. They'd probably think I was selling them or something.

Good luck with trying to get yours. I'm so sick of this ridiculous desktop I'm working on... I WANT MY T42 BACK!

Later,
Plink

jjackson02 · #62 Post by **jjackson02** » Thu Sep 30, 2004 8:10 pm

Congrats on the TP!

Plinkerton · #63 Post by **Plinkerton** » Sat Oct 16, 2004 7:26 pm

Well, a little less than 3 weeks later, my new T42 is finally on it's way, and should be here on Moday. What a huge pain in the [censored] this whole stupid issue was. It definitely left that bad IBM taste in my mouth, and I can only hope I never have to deal with any of this again.

I'll let you all know if there are dead pixels, and all the other usual nonsense.

I'm so sick of being without my computer, that I don't even care anymore... It feels like it's been so long, I'm not even that excited to get it back...

Wait... Yes I am...

krymson · #64 Post by **krymson** » Sun Oct 17, 2004 3:32 am

I noticed that phantom "Dead pixel" thing too when I first got my thinkpad. I'm not sure if I became apathetic, or it disappeared, but I don't recall seeing it for a while.

But anyways. I'm sorry to hear that your laptop actually broke down, and so soon. I can't say that I've experienced any problem with mine for the year I've had it, that I can attribute to IBM. That turnaround time is strange though, I got mine back in 2 days from the day I sent the laptop back in the box they sent me to ship it in.

Mortalbard · #65 Post by **Mortalbard** » Sun Oct 17, 2004 5:07 am

Plinkerton's experience is quite a cautionary tale for those of us mulling a Thinkpad purchase. If I buy a new TP from a dealer, not directly from IBM, what would be my recourse in the event of a stuck pixel or other problem? Would I sent the machine back to IBM for warranty repair or replacement?

#66 Post by **JaneL** » Sun Oct 17, 2004 7:50 am

>Plinkerton's experience is quite a cautionary tale for those of us mulling a Thinkpad purchase. If I buy a new TP from a dealer, not directly from IBM, what would be my recourse in the event of a stuck pixel or other problem? Would I sent the machine back to IBM for warranty repair or replacement?
>

Pay Bill a small fee to cherry-pick one for you.

Plinkerton · #67 Post by **Plinkerton** » Sun Oct 17, 2004 2:03 pm

I could have received a new one much faster if I could afford to have bought one while waiting for the refund of the other one. I don't have 2 grand to throw around, so that wasn't possible. The thing that took the longest was waiting for the refund to go through, in my bank account.

Mortalbard, I think if you don't buy it through IBM, you don't get the "return within 30 days" thing. The warranty will still be the same, but the problem with that, is that IBM won't repair or replace one pixel, under repair. With the "30 days" they will take it back for anything.

I'm okay with the pixels, as it just seems like a stupid fact of life that they can't make a good LCD. As long as it's not right in the center of the screen, then it's okay with me.

I really hope this new one doesn't have that. I don't know what I'll do...

#68 Post by **BillMorrow** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 1:41 am

i DO take returns for replacement but my "fuse" is shorter..
i want to know within a week..
that way i can order a replacement and my customer can use the "defective" machine while waiting for the replacement..

i have other policies which are not cast in stone..

except i want my customers to be pleased at the end of the day..

jordi32 · #69 Post by **jordi32** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 2:53 am

When I think of it, I was better off with my third exchange than with this fourth one (at least the stuck pixel was not right in the center of the screen as in this last one!) I am really frustrated!

Jordi

Plinkerton · #70 Post by **Plinkerton** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 5:37 pm

Well, if finally came. I couldn't wait for the delivery tomorrow, so I drove 40 minutes each way to go pick it up from UPS.

First things first: It does turn on and, and seems to function, which is a plus.

The battery seems to fit much tighter than my other one, which is nice. Everything else seems okay too.

The keyboard feels stiffer than my other one, which is strange, because this one seems to be Chinese, as the other one was. It seems to have gray bumpers, and not blue.

I'm still going to change it out to the Thai board I have sitting in a box.

I put my Crucial ram back in, which went in without a hitch. Everything else seems to be up to par, and working great. Wireless started up without a hitch also.

Now on to the dead pixels...

There is one stuck red pixel a bit above center on the screen. I was slightly hopeful when I first turned it on, but I should have known better.

I don't care though. As long as this thing works, and works for a long time.

Thanks everyone for paying attention to my misfortune. I feel so loved! :p

I'll keep you updated.

jordi32 · #71 Post by **jordi32** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 5:44 pm

Plinkerton,

Congratulations on your new IBM. I called IBM and I will return my fourth Thinkpad for a refund. I will probably order from Bill this time so that I don't get any dead/stuck pixels. What model number is yours?

Best regards,

Jordi

JHEM · #72 Post by **JHEM** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 6:24 pm

Congrats Plink!

I hope the two of you are happy for a long, long time.

Regards,

James

Plinkerton · #73 Post by **Plinkerton** » Mon Oct 18, 2004 6:41 pm

Thanks guys. It's a 2378-FVU. So far so good. I've been sitting here re-installing all my stuff again.

Now I have to remember all the settings I painstakingly configured before...

Such a drag. It's been so long without it, I forgot all the little tricks and whatnot.

The pixel is in a worse place than my first T42, but at least this one works... For now...

I don't think I can deal with sending this one back. I finally got an external HD, so at least I'll be safe with my files.

I really missed the speed and resolution of this computer. I'm glad to have it back.

DavidNZ · #74 Post by **DavidNZ** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 3:08 am

Hey P

Glad you're up and running again, but another stuck pixel? wow. I'm speechless. I've spent the past few weeks literally wondering what would happen when you opened the box. Even told my wife about it. She's sitting here saying "Send it back - send a message", but I'm kind of with your way of thinking on this: there's nothing saying you'll get a flawless one next time.

Is there a fund to which we can donate which is devoted to flawless screens?

Anyway, good to have you back on board, Plink.

Plinkerton · #75 Post by **Plinkerton** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 11:48 am

Thanks David. I pretty much expected another stuck pixel. It seems to be the way of life with ThinkPads. It's a shame that they can't nail the nice screens, but oh well.

If it was a week turnaround or less, I may have considered sending this one back, but I don't want to be without this again. it's such a drag.

So, for now, it's no big deal. I can't really see the pixel, unless there is a black background, and it's tiny, as they usually are. Everything else seems to be working great for now, so I don't want to get to greedy....

I mean, why should i expect perfection, when I spend 2 grand? Haha....

I was hopeful when I first turned it on. I started it up, and immediately looked for pixels, and didn't see any. But, then it appeared, and has been there ever since. Everything else is working much better though. I don't have the flickers that I had before, the battery is significantly tighter than the other one.

I'll keep it for now.

It's nice to have a computer again. I'm acutally sitting in my university library, which has WiFi all throughout. It's quite an experience. I've never done this before.

I got all my stuff installed, and transferred all my music (12 gigs so far) to my new external HD. I'm all set.

Thanks for caring,

-Plink-

k3vb0t · #76 Post by **k3vb0t** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 12:25 pm

Plinkerton wrote:Thanks David. I pretty much expected another stuck pixel. It seems to be the way of life with ThinkPads. It's a shame that they can't nail the nice screens, but oh well.

If it was a week turnaround or less, I may have considered sending this one back, but I don't want to be without this again. it's such a drag.

So, for now, it's no big deal. I can't really see the pixel, unless there is a black background, and it's tiny, as they usually are. Everything else seems to be working great for now, so I don't want to get to greedy....

I mean, why should i expect perfection, when I spend 2 grand? Haha....

I was hopeful when I first turned it on. I started it up, and immediately looked for pixels, and didn't see any. But, then it appeared, and has been there ever since. Everything else is working much better though. I don't have the flickers that I had before, the battery is significantly tighter than the other one.

I'll keep it for now.

It's nice to have a computer again. I'm acutally sitting in my university library, which has WiFi all throughout. It's quite an experience. I've never done this before.

I got all my stuff installed, and transferred all my music (12 gigs so far) to my new external HD. I'm all set.

Thanks for caring,
-Plink-

You may have posted it at the beginning of the thread, but could you again post the specs of your TPad? Screen size, etc. Thanks.

Plinkerton · #77 Post by **Plinkerton** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 11:42 pm

Sure thing. I feel so important to have such a long ongoing thread. :p

2378-FVU
14.1 Inch screen
SXGA (whatever it's called)
40gig 5400 HD
256 ram (I added another 512 to that)
1.7 processor.
CD burner, DVD rom drive
6 cell battery

I think that's it.

It's the 2378-FVU in the ThinkPad Express program thingie.
It's a rockin' computer overall. i really like it. the wireless is awesome, as is everything else.

besides the funky pixel, this thing would be perfect.
Oh well. Nobody's perfect anyway right?

Have fun everyone.
-Plink-

lfeagan · #78 Post by **lfeagan** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 12:16 am

I couldn't agree more with your overall sentiments Plinkerton. I got my 2378FVU today and have one pixel that is stuck blue at times. I am certainly not going to return my notebook over one pixel that I really don't even notice except on an almost black background.

I don't really understand why people feel somehow entitled to a perfect screen. It is really one of the more ridiculous arguments I have heard when you are only spending about $2500 to somehow think you have some god given right to have a perfect notebook. Sure, if this was an RDI/Tadpole notebook, I would have someone's head on a platter if they even thought about shipping a non-perfect screen, but those notebooks are in a rather different price category. The only thing that happens by people returning notebooks over and over again is the prices keep on going up and up. It's not like they get 100% perfect yield (obviously)! For them to only ship perfect screens would raise the price another couple hundred dollars I would estimate. Personally, one semi-stuck blue sub-pixel out of 1400x1050x3 = 4,410,000 total subpixels isn't too bad as far as I am concerned.

Btw, our screen is SXGA+, not just SXGA.

jordi32 · #79 Post by **jordi32** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 1:07 am

I think it all depends on where the dead/stuck pixels are located. In my case, one of them is right in the center of the screen and it is seen mainly when the background is white or light color. I think what I have this time is two dead pixels, not stuck ones. In retrospect, I think I should have kept one of my previously returned computers. At least the stuck pixels were not in the screen center.

Jordi

Plinkerton · #80 Post by **Plinkerton** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 1:44 am

One thing I just noticed, that I had previously overlooked. I noticed that on this new T42, the battery was much tighter, and the keyboard is noticeable stiffer. I couldn't tell if the bumpers were blue or not, so I assumed it to be Chinese.

A couple minutes ago, I sat down to swap out this apparently Chinese keyboard with a Thai one, and I figured I should check the bumpers to make sure, before I go taking my notebook apart (though i was kind of excited to see the inside).

Anyhow, this keyboard is Thai also, much to my surprise. i've been using it all along.

I guess I do like it better. It feels more like a real keyboard, though it is taking some getting used to, over what I was used to before.

From a new user of a Thai keyboard, I would reccomend trying to get one. it is definitely an improvement. The ultranav touchpoint buttons are definitely improved upon. Much smoother and quieter.

-Plink-

Oh, by the way, thanks lfeagan, I thought I had forgotten something. That "+" makes all the difference in the world you know...

k3vb0t · #81 Post by **k3vb0t** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 7:47 am

Plinkerton wrote:One thing I just noticed, that I had previously overlooked. I noticed that on this new T42, the battery was much tighter, and the keyboard is noticeable stiffer. I couldn't tell if the bumpers were blue or not, so I assumed it to be Chinese.

A couple minutes ago, I sat down to swap out this apparently Chinese keyboard with a Thai one, and I figured I should check the bumpers to make sure, before I go taking my notebook apart (though i was kind of excited to see the inside).

Anyhow, this keyboard is Thai also, much to my surprise. i've been using it all along.

I guess I do like it better. It feels more like a real keyboard, though it is taking some getting used to, over what I was used to before.

From a new user of a Thai keyboard, I would reccomend trying to get one. it is definitely an improvement. The ultranav touchpoint buttons are definitely improved upon. Much smoother and quieter.

-Plink-

Oh, by the way, thanks lfeagan, I thought I had forgotten something. That "+" makes all the difference in the world you know...

So now you have an extra Thai keyboard? Perhaps you'd like to send it to the poor chap up in Canada who can't get one? I think there was a thread about this...

Mortalbard · #82 Post by **Mortalbard** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 8:26 am

So if I buy a Thinkpad from an eBay vendor and it has a dead pixel, I'm screwed? IBM won't repair it?

What if I pay to have the problem repaired at an authorized service center? What would that cost me?

lfeagan · #83 Post by **lfeagan** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 10:04 am

Mortalbard wrote:So if I buy a Thinkpad from an eBay vendor and it has a dead pixel, I'm screwed? IBM won't repair it?

What if I pay to have the problem repaired at an authorized service center? What would that cost me?

Yes, generally speaking paying would cost you....

I would doubt that IBM would repair it at all from an eBay "vendor" <cough, cough, cough...>

Mortalbard · #84 Post by **Mortalbard** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 11:00 am

So how much do dead pixel repairs typically cost?

Leon · #85 Post by **Leon** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 11:20 am

no such thing, they have to replace the screen..if IBM does it about $1,000 parts and labor AND no guarantee the new screen won't have any....

Plinkerton · #86 Post by **Plinkerton** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 10:36 pm

k3vb0t, it may be a little bad timing, but I'll let you know for sure in the next few days. I was at my friends office today, he works as a computer drafter, and I was talking to his boss about my new ThinkPad. He replied, unbeknownst to me, that he had somewhat recently purchased a very similar T42 to mine (though, with a few more bells and whistles, as he can afford it...)

Anyhow, we started talking ThinkPads, and I asked him if he knew about the keyboard differences, and which one he had. He wasn't quite sure. When I asked him if the keys were pretty stiff, or lighter, he said that they weren't that stiff, and that his trackpoint buttons weren't that smooth either.

Long story short, I told him he probably had a Chinese keyboard, and that i just realized last night, that I have two Thai keyboards. He is going to try my keyboard, to see if he likes it a lot better, and if he does, I told him I'd give it to him.

I'll let you know for sure.

On the other side of things, since this T42 is a replacement, maybe it won't show up in the computer that I already asked for a replacement keyboard, since it was for the other computer. I don't think it would be too morally wrong for me to call up and ask for another one, since it will be going to you, who cannot get one right now, which sucks.

I'll try to get around to calling IBM soon, and see if they still have it on record that I already got a replacement keyboard. If not, I can probably help you out.

yellow_lenghan · #87 Post by **yellow_lenghan** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 3:29 pm

Writing from Canada here...

If I buy a T42 from Bill and end-up with a chinese keyboard, do you think I would be able to get a Thai keyboard (for free or for a small cost) from either Ibm USA, Ibm canada or Bill?

Plinkerton · #88 Post by **Plinkerton** » Sun Oct 24, 2004 4:57 pm

I don't think so, but you might get lucky. IBM usa is happy to send them out, but I don't know if they would send one to Canada. it seems IBM canada is not as willing to send them out, so your luck is probably limited their. Bill might be able to get you one.

They usually go for 30 bucks, so if youre willing to spend the cash, you will probably be able to get one much easier.

k3vb0t, I'm sorry to tell you, but as I expected, he like the Thai keyboard significantly better. Sorry!

Plinkerton · #89 Post by **Plinkerton** » Mon Oct 25, 2004 1:47 am

Just wanted to let everyone know, that I wrote an email to someone at IBM, regarding my first T42 that died, and now my replacement that has a dead pixel. Less than 12 hours later, I received a call from someone decently high up the ladder at IBM. She offered to do a "hot swap" with me. I will take them up on the offer, at least to see what the new T42 is like. I am quite impressed with IBM's offer to do this, as it doesn't seem like a normal practice for them. If all works out in the end, I will forget about the problems with the first one, and be back to recommending them wholeheartedly to people, with confidence that if you bother them enough, they will make everything right. I'm glad that IBM is taking this stance, even if it does take a little arm twisting.

This almost feels like a double edged sword though, because instead of getting over the pixel on this machine, and enjoying the rest of it, it's starting to put into my head that I can have a better one!

This current T42 I have has the Thai keyboard, and a very tight batter, and everything else seems to be of exceptional build quality. Unfortunately, it is not perfect, because of that one stuck pixel.

If the replacement they send me has a perfect screen, but is lacking in some other places, I may just end up keeping this one, dead pixel and all.

Hopefully it will be perfect. That would be a nice ending to this whole debacle.

So, I will let you all know about the third T42, and will at least be able to see how bad the "IBM Pixel Problem" really is.

I'll keep you all updated.

rocketman · #90 Post by **rocketman** » Mon Oct 25, 2004 7:37 am

Wow Pinkerton thats great service! Were you given the name of the person to e-mail or were you told to e-mail a certain level of support? I'd love to know in the event I have any problems with the the T42 I'm waiting for.

IT CAME! IT CAME!

Warranty Question

Re: Warranty Question

FINALLY!

The Price of a Dead Pixel

Re: The Price of a Dead Pixel

Dead Pixel Repair

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