Dell U3011 coming soon.

Since receiving the monitor a while back, I've only been using Standard mode and have only adjusted Brightness (87).

Should I be using any of the other preset modes (adobe RGB, sRGB...)? I wouldn't want to do any adjustments or calibration.

This is what I get under Custom Color. Psychedelic:
photold.jpg
 
Good pics Ultra Wide, they illustrate the bug in CC. The blue is more heavily pronounced on mine I think.

Like you, its highly unlikely I'd have ever used CC until reading about the issue here. Its a great display otherwise. I don't know if I want to go through the hassle a replacement involves, especially if the replacement has the same issue which seems likely. At this point this bug isn't a deal breaker for me.
 
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Since receiving the monitor a while back, I've only been using Standard mode and have only adjusted Brightness (87).

Should I be using any of the other preset modes (adobe RGB, sRGB...)? I wouldn't want to do any adjustments or calibration.

aRGB and sRGB are calibrated to standard colors by Dell. Since custom color mode is fubar, I use sRGB with 0 brightness, 55 contrast, and 50 sharpness. While I like the brighter red in these modes, Standard and Warm are much too saturated for my taste. I am coming from a 24" TN acer with glossy screen, so the U3011 took some getting used to. If you don't print anything or do any web or media publishing, matching your monitor's color to an industry standard becomes less important.

Again, I recommend that everybody with the custom color mode problem post on the Dell thread above. At this point I have seen no evidence that Dell has identified or solved this problem. All we can do is be courteous and request a replacement, post on the Dell forums, or notify tech support via phone.

If someone receives an A02 revision, please let us know.
 
I agree with WetMacula. Even if the issue doesn't really affect you and you don't plan in RMA'ing, it clearly is an issue that needs to be addressed (even if not acknowledged) by Dell. You guys really should just drop Dell a line in that thread to let them know you are experiencing the same issue.

I don't have one of these, but I am in the market for either a high resolution 27" or 30". I just sold my Eizo SX2461W, and I'm using my old Dell 2005FPW in the interim. The U3011 looks like an attractive option with fairly frequent deals, but this has me hesitant.
 
They are sending me a new monitor overnight due to the dead sub-pixel on the center of the screen which is always red.
I will test to see if the new one is any different.
 
From reading there it looks like Dell Engineering has been made aware of the problem but has thus far not been able to replicate it.

I don't believe this for a second.

How come almost all of us lay people are able to replicate this problem very easliy, but the experts, the engineers who designed the damned thing can't figure it out?

I think they are trying to quiet this one down so they don't tarnish the reputation of their professional level monitors.

It's amazing how quickly my post on the Dell forums with the words "DESIGN FLAW" was deleted. I also got a nasty little note in my email saying that if I reposted their notification of my post being deleted on any other forums, they'd delete my account...

Classic cover up.

My guess is they are trying to either

1.) not have to deal with the issue at all; or

2.) (More likely) Fix it quietly in the background with a new rev and only replace monitors for those who complain. This way they don't have to address the problem for those that never use custom mode.


Either way, I am disappointed in Dell. This is more like Apple than Dell...
 
Dell sounds like they are looking into it. They've stated that they are looking into it but have so far not been able to duplicate the issue.

Personally, I would not recommend everyone to keep RMA'ing until Dell resolves it. That's extreme, especially when you already know the chances of the RMA unit not having the issue is very small. Now, once Dell does fix it, it the fix cannot be applied by me, I 'may' consider an RMA, but really, I never use CC anyway and doubt I'll ever have a need to, so I probably still wouldn't RMA.
 
Yeah, I too think they should be able to at least be able to replicate it on one of their monitors. Pretty much everybody who has looked for this problem seems to be able to find it. If nothing else they should pull one from the field from a willing customer who has notified them about the issue.

I would think this little bug could be fixed with a simple firmware tweak.

Either way like Slammin I'm not even considering an RMA at this point. Why go through the bother just to get another monitor with the same bug?
 
Either way like Slammin I'm not even considering an RMA at this point. Why go through the bother just to get another monitor with the same bug?

Same here. RMA is a huge PITA. I will do it once the fix is applied and no new monitors report having issues - however.
 
Zarathustra[H];1036896009 said:
Same here. RMA is a huge PITA. I will do it once the fix is applied and no new monitors report having issues - however.

Won't Dell give you a refurb if you RMA after 30 days?
 
My customer service experience with Dell and cross-shipping two monitors so far has been excellent. I received a new monitor within two days of requesting one. All you have to do is test it, box the old one up, attach a prepaid label on it, and drive the thing to a nearby FedEx, or have a driver arrange to pick it up, all expenses paid. It cannot get any easier than this. Consult their return policy for your purchased items. Not positive, but I believe it is 20 days from date of purchase to replace a defective unit with a new one and 3 years to replace a defective unit with a refurb.

Shooting flaming arrows at Dell on an internet forum is not productive. All we can do to help current owners and future buyers is report the facts in the forum and report any problems directly to Dell.

The Dell service tech has passed my case on to engineering. They are certainly aware of the problem. We know it was posted on their forum mid January. If you are not 100% happy with your purchase, request a refund or replacement, or get your name put on a list of people to contact if or when Dell comes up with a new revision or fix for the A01.

Sucks the U3011 has this problem, but there aren't too many 30-in contenders, and I have some confidence a fix or revision will appear. It will take time. Dell is a huge company with millions of customers. They must take their time and make calculated decisions, because a bad one could have significant consequences, to their reputation and coffers.
 
Question is everyone with the custom color bug using DVI? Anyone try using the display port input instead and seeing if using a different source still causes the bug. I just switched from DVI to Display Port and It maybe me..but the picture looks crisper and sharper.... haven't had time to mess with cc mode yet though...
 
Considering that both ports are digital, better picture on one over other may be placebo effect. On the other hand, if that gets proven by others I'll start cursing nVidia's partners for not making more video cards with DisplayPort.
 
Hi guys. Are the new U3011 still having uniformity and tinting problems? Please let me know when you received the monitor and if your monitor has a darker shade on one side than the other. I'm interested in picking more 30" but I'm afraid of this problem.
 
So I been using Display port and I have no issues with custom color mode, as where I have had consistent issues with it using DVI, I report back as I test more...
 
My new u3011 A01 has an issue under custom color.
The issue only shows up when I turn on the monitor in custom color mode
The right half of the screen luminance is lower than the left half for orange and brown background. All other colors are fine. Please see picture below.
I am using Displayport and I have not tested any other cable type. Issue also shows up when monitor awakes from sleep mode.
Bug.JPG
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Cycling through all the preset color modes fix the issue (until the monitor is turned on again).

Edit:
Ok. I have reset the factory default settings and my half screen tint issue is gone.
However, Custom Color is screwed (total blue shift) if the monitor is turned off or goes to sleep while in a mode other than CC.
Leaving the monitor in CC mode at all times seems to do the trick.
 
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Had the power supply start to fail on mine. They shipped a replacement out with a fedex label and returned the monitor in the box they sent out. Getting to the customer support was a bit of a pain - not sure if they fixed the on-line chat yet to recognize a u3011 service tag number - but it was swapped out quickly once I got a human. Replacement, like the original is pixel perfect.
 
I received my replacement U3011 Rev A1 and strangely it doesn't seem to have the custom mode issue with the blue screen. Both LCDs I received are revision A1. I will test further to make sure it's not a mistake on my part.
 
got it today. but for some reason its max resolution is 1920 x 1080 and the recommended resolution is 1280 x something. i updated the monitor driver that came with the CD, but the problem still exists.
 
got it today. but for some reason its max resolution is 1920 x 1080 and the recommended resolution is 1280 x something. i updated the monitor driver that came with the CD, but the problem still exists.

Are you using a DVI cable? Is it Dual Link?
 
Are you using a DVI cable? Is it Dual Link?

The lcd came with a dual link DVI cable already attached. So I just attached the other end to my video card. My primary monitor works at the correct resolution. It's just this 30" incher (my secondary) that's giving me some problem. I will try to update my video card driver tonight and see if it can fix it. FYI my video card is a HD6950.

Another note, in custom color mode everything is very pink/purple. Not sure if it means anything. Perhaps that's the default color and I may need to make some adjustment to get rid of this pinky/purple'ish color.

Also the AG coating that ppl are talking about, I don't see any. It's just like my 2707WFP when side by side. Does that mean my 2707WFP already has that AG coating?
 
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The lcd came with a dual link DVI cable already attached. So I just attached the other end to my video card. My primary monitor works at the correct resolution. It's just this 30" incher (my secondary) that's giving me some problem. I will try to update my video card driver tonight and see if it can fix it. FYI my video card is a HD6950.

It sounds like they may have included a single link cable in error. Here are the pin outs for the different types of DVI cables if you wanted to double check: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DVI_Connector_Types.svg

Another note, in custom color mode everything is very pink/purple. Not sure if it means anything. Perhaps that's the default color and I may need to make some adjustment to get rid of this pinky/purple'ish color.

Sorry to hear this. This sounds exactly like the custom color issue people have been referring to in the last few pages of this thread. :(
 
Weird thing about the Custom Color mode with mine is, I know it has the issue but yesterday I reset to factory to fix it and set it to Custom mode. So far, everything is fine. I do suspect if I switch to another mode and let the computer enter sleep mode a few times the CC mode will screw up again.
 
Custom Color Mode issue here as well - but I am fine with sRGB so not too upset... Would probably not miss it if it wasn't there to begin with...
 
I had the issue when I first tried custom color everything was yellowish but it seems to have gone away and works fine for the past week
 
Thanks for the helpful comments.

Anyways, I have fixed the resolution problem. Originally have tried reinstalling monitor and video card drivers with Driver Sweep in safe mode to make sure no garbage left...didn't work. So with no ideas left I then went on to switch the DVI connection on the video card from bottom (beside the vent) to top (beside HDMI and mini displayport). And magically 2560 x 1600 appears! I'm not sure why this is happening but it's now fixed. FYI the top DVI connection was occupied by my 2707WFP. Perhaps this is a bug or something?

This display is really nice. However there are like 5-6 grey pixels lumped together near the center bottom + 1 dead pixel. I have no idea what type of pixels are these but i'm sure they are not dead. I guess a pretty big dust is behind the panel LOL. Anyways those 5-6 grey pixels are very annoying so I have called Dell and asked for a replacement.
 
And don't worry, they are very prompt and responsive in getting the new monitor out to you. Next day shipping.
 
Received my U3011 yesterday. My initial impressions are very favorable. No pixel problems noted. Have not tried the Custom Color mode, am using sRGB. So far the only adjustments I've had to make is to turn the Brightness way down.

Am really blown away by how much better game playing is on this large of a monitor. Primarily do flight sims and RPG's. FSX looks fantastic.:D

Also hooked up my PS3 for blu-ray movies with no problems.
 
Zarathustra[H];1036895873 said:
I don't believe this for a second.

How come almost all of us lay people are able to replicate this problem very easliy, but the experts, the engineers who designed the damned thing can't figure it out?

I think they are trying to quiet this one down so they don't tarnish the reputation of their professional level monitors.

It's amazing how quickly my post on the Dell forums with the words "DESIGN FLAW" was deleted. I also got a nasty little note in my email saying that if I reposted their notification of my post being deleted on any other forums, they'd delete my account...

Classic cover up.

My guess is they are trying to either

1.) not have to deal with the issue at all; or

2.) (More likely) Fix it quietly in the background with a new rev and only replace monitors for those who complain. This way they don't have to address the problem for those that never use custom mode.


Either way, I am disappointed in Dell. This is more like Apple than Dell...

Damn, makes me wanna keep my U3011 Rev A00; at least until Rev A02 comes out that is.
 
Long time lurker, first time poster etc et al!

Proud new owner of a Dell U3011. Love the pixel density, controls are nice, but the panel? I have some concerns. As I've not owned one before I don't know if this is normal, so figured I'd ping in here:
  • Backlight bleeding: the four corners and fading into them have noticeable bleeding. It's not so bad if you're not looking at a plain colour screen, but I didn't have this with my previous Samsung 275T which was perfectly uniform. Is this normal for the U3011?

    [*] Contrast: this is the biggie for me. Again, coming from a Samsung 275T, the blacks on the U3011 are, well, it'd be affront to the shade 'black' to even call it remotely akin. Now granted all LCDs have some level of backlight bleeding which makes true blacks impossible, but the Samsung had brilliant blacks, and it really helped colours pop on the screen because of the contrast between light and dark. On the U3011, black is more appropritately called 'black grey', even if I drop Brightness to 0 (and yes I tried different presets too, from Standard to sRGB -- on that note, Game doesn't really do much does it? Except dial up brightness a whole bunch, washing the blacks out even more). The effect, overall, means darks are just light dark, and colours are washed out. Again, maybe this is normal for 30" panels but now I feel spoilt coming from the Samsung 275T. The only reason I opted for the Dell U3011 is size and pixel density (and it was on sale!)
Does this reflect anyone else's experience? I don't think I can exchange panels over 'your blacks aren't black enough!' but even if I could, it wouldn't matter if this is the norm.

I really want to love this montior, but everytime I'm using it I feel like I've taken a step back from the Samsung :/
 
Contrast ratio is bad because the u3011 uses a IPS panel.
IPS monitors are know to be under-performing in the contrast ratio area so this is normal.
On the other hand, your old 275T uses a PVA panel.

Unlike backlight bleeding, contrast ratio has nothing to do with screen size.
Blacklight bleeding varies by unit so might want to consider an exchange.
 
I would say exchange it. The blacks on mine are so black that it makes everything look 3D.
 
Contrast ratio is bad because the u3011 uses a IPS panel.
IPS monitors are know to be under-performing in the contrast ratio area so this is normal.
On the other hand, your old 275T uses a PVA panel.

This is not true. The U3011 has the worst blacks I've seen out of the Ultrasharps. Have you seen the blacks on the U2711? The reason is because the U3011 has 16 CCFL lamps as opposed to the 8 and 4 on the U2711 and U2311. PVA has a bigger problem like black crush.
 
This is not true. The U3011 has the worst blacks I've seen out of the Ultrasharps. Have you seen the blacks on the U2711? The reason is because the U3011 has 16 CCFL lamps as opposed to the 8 and 4 on the U2711 and U2311. PVA has a bigger problem like black crush.

For better or worse, I had a U3011 and U2711 side by side on my Ergotron arm for a few months and I could tell no difference after I calibrated them with the i1. I mostly use them for work and some gaming but they looked the same to me. I’ve now added a second U3011. They are different revisions and I had a hard time getting the colors to match. The old U2711 and U3011 were easier to match. ??? I’ve always seen backlight bleed on LCD displays. The U3011 is the biggest display I’ve used and I do think I see it more in the corners but I’ve got an old Dell 20” that is even worse. The only display I’ve seen with none was an OLED display and my Kuro Plasma TV has almost none and it’s perfectly uniform unlike the LCDs.

But the main thing for me is that I only see it on an all black screen. Sure every LCD has hot and cool spots but I can see them without a camera that can see that kind of stuff.
 
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