What's up with my LCD?

S

scottmso

Limp Gawd
Joined
Apr 15, 2004
Messages
380
Hey, the LCD in my 600m in my sig is acting very weird today. For as long as I could remember as I had it, there would be a little "line" that would be made on the screen if I had closed it for a while (and ideally carried it in a bag) about where the screen contacted the keyboard when it was closed. Whatever this was, it would wipe off with my finger. I thought of it as just a slight annoyance.
See http://www.scootinger.org/IMG_1271_web.jpg for picture

Until today! When I carried my laptop from school, when I opened it up next I was greeted with a nice surprise. A little cluster of pixels that would stay on blue all the time, on the left side of where this "line" would be! I wasn't abusing my laptop or anything, it was in my Targus backpack (with a bunch of books in it though.) Then I had to go back to school with it. When I came back I noticed the cluster of pixels AND another cluster (in the middle) and a little dark spot that just wont go away and a couple of dead pixels by the dark spot (towards the right). All on the same row that the little line was before! A bit later the dead pixels went away and the intensity of the other spots decreased (although they could be seen if you looked hard enough.)

I'm obviously concerned about this. And of course I have no idea what the problem is! What do you think? Am I at fault (by any chance)?

A long time ago I did drop the laptop about 3 feet onto a carpeted floor. It only damaged a little bit of plastic on one of the corners (around the CPU air vent.) I'm worried that if I try to have warranty repairs done Dell will try to weasel their way out of it for physical damage.

Any advice appreciated - thanks!
 
id say it had to do with it in the bag. it was pressed up against that with alot of force obviously therefore ruining the pixels. example would be pressing on the lcd, it changes colour and if u do it long enough, there are consequences.

if its under warranty, return it.
 
Thats the biggest problem ever with Dells, what happens is the LCD is actually rubbing on the keys while it's closed, apply a little pressure and it permanently pits the screen, and with too much pressure it damages the pixels. It's really bad engineering and flimsy-ness on Dells part, in combination with being squished by your books.
 
tdg said:
Thats the biggest problem ever with Dells, what happens is the LCD is actually rubbing on the keys while it's closed, apply a little pressure and it permanently pits the screen, and with too much pressure it damages the pixels. It's really bad engineering and flimsy-ness on Dells part, in combination with being squished by your books.
Click to expand...

there are many many lappys that suffer from this problem
my Apple lombard included
whenever the sreen is off you can see the outline of the entire keyboard
the problem is just what it appears the keyboard sticks up to high so it pressures on the lcd and can cause issues with the fine wiring and lcd crystals in the display

if the machine is still under warenty i would send it in for repair
the worst they can do is refuse it
and then its $150-300 for a new display on ebay
 
tdg said:
Thats the biggest problem ever with Dells, what happens is the LCD is actually rubbing on the keys while it's closed, apply a little pressure and it permanently pits the screen, and with too much pressure it damages the pixels. It's really bad engineering and flimsy-ness on Dells part, in combination with being squished by your books.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's not a problem isolated to Dell notebooks. And in fact, that's not an issue on the 6000. The older C Series of Laptops it was a common issue because not only did they have the nubbin on the keyboard. But often times the keyboard keys were too high thus contacting the screen when the notebook was closed.

I reckon what happened to the OP's laptop is a bit of debris or something got between the keyboard and screen to make the blue pixels....the line on the other hand usually is indicative of the very fragile circuits at the edges of the screen getting damaged or even damage to the LCD data cable.
 
Is there any way to prevent that? Say a thin sheet of grey "foam" or something?
 
If it makes you feel better my 600m's keyboard scratched the screen on mine within a month. That was about 2 years ago. I never bothered to have it fixed when the unit was in warranty as I figured the other screen would just get scratched too and it is hard to notice. On the plus side if you didn't have the sweet sxga+ that the 600m's had as an option it is time to upgrade to one if the unit is out of warranty.
 
daedal said:
Is there any way to prevent that? Say a thin sheet of grey "foam" or something?
Click to expand...

When we ship laptops we use a sheet of antistatic plastic inbetween the keys and keyboard to help prevent screen pitting during shipping. Having a sturdy shell around the laptop will help prevent the pressure marks.
 
tdg said:
When we ship laptops we use a sheet of antistatic plastic inbetween the keys and keyboard to help prevent screen pitting during shipping. Having a sturdy shell around the laptop will help prevent the pressure marks.
Click to expand...
So in other words, a "hard" laptop bag, or something similar to exert pressure away from the actual Laptop? I'm thinking of buying my first Lappy so this is very valuable information. Thank you. :)
 
Sent this issue to Dell:

For pretty much the whole time that I have had the laptop, the screen evidently made contact with the keyboard when the laptop was closed and in a bag. This caused a small mark to be created horizontally on the screen where the screen made contact. These marks would wipe off with my finger. However recently minor damage has been caused to the screen because of this defect. For example part of the screen (on this line) would be blue all of the time at a time and a bruise has appeared on the screen. I would like this defect to be repaired and the LCD screen replaced. Thank you very much.

-----------------------------------------

My reply:

Dear EDITED,

Thank you for contacting Dell Technical Support.

Please verify if there is any crack on the LCD screen. You should have reported about the issue as soon as you come to know that Keyboard comes in to contact with the LCD screen whenever the lid is closed. Now, there is a physical damage on the screen, but damage could have been avoided if it was checked earlier.

The LCD physical damage is not covered by usual warranty as it is only covered by complete care warranty policy. If there is any crack, I would not be able to replace it.

However, I would send the computer to our repair facility but I can give you any assurance that the LCD will be replaced.

Respectfully,

EDITED
Dell Rep ID EDITED
Dell Portable Technical Support

----------------------------------------------

The hell? Sure if I dropped it and then the screen cracked I would be responsible. However, Dell should be responsible for what their own defect causes!
 
Well, if there's no crack, then there obviously isn't anything that would prevent Dell from replacing the LCD. Just tell them there's no crack.

Another thing to note, Dell's depot repair isn't that bad. Usually they can get the Laptop back to you inside a week.
 
Update: I sent a reply and a different person replied and had a prepaid DHL box sent to me. Then I had the prepaid DHL pickup done on Friday. Today I get a call saying that the damage is not covered under warranty and to call them back to discuss options (pay for repair, etc etc.) Well I'm certainly pissed. I'll probably call em back later today. Will update....
 
If Dell wants too much to repair the screen but you still want it fixed I found a couple LCDs on eBay for $270 They're not too hard to replace, but if you want somebody to do it for you I'd put a new LCD on there for $50 + cost of parts. The Latitude cousin of the 600m is popular with the schools around here and I can practically replace them in my sleep. I'm a DCSE so I doubt Dell would void your warranty (assuming they can). If Dell's not going to cover that screen under warranty they can't force you to pay their over-priced service charge. Nor can they void the rest of the warranty for having a third party make the repairs.
 
scottmso said:
Update: I sent a reply and a different person replied and had a prepaid DHL box sent to me. Then I had the prepaid DHL pickup done on Friday. Today I get a call saying that the damage is not covered under warranty and to call them back to discuss options (pay for repair, etc etc.) Well I'm certainly pissed. I'll probably call em back later today. Will update....
Click to expand...

first ask for 3 things
1. What is the exact damage
2. What do they think the damage was caused by in specific
3. How can they prove #2 was not a design defect

Always be poliete and very firm, do not use any fowl launguage

Do not take no for an answer
ask for a supervisor if they still say no
ask for thier supervisor or corperate customer service
They activly calculate the cost of continuing to argue with you vs the cost of replaceing the screen

Good luck ;)
 
Update....

The Friday before last Friday I called and they transferred me to the support department (from out of warranty repair) because I wanted to try to convince them to fix it (as the warranty agreement says they should.) So the technician says they will talk to the repair people at the depot about it. Well it never happens...so I call back on Tuesday. After trying to find my way through Dell's menus (what a nightmare!) I finally get a tech support person. I explain the situation and they say they will talk to the people at the depot about it. After a few minutes I get a call from the out of warranty repair people saying that they "confirmed" with the tech support people that it is not a design/manufacturing/etc defect, but to get me off their backs they will waive all of the labor charges and just charge me $299 for the LCD. After asking to speak to a supervisor and being denied that request because "I spoke with my supervisor and that is the best we can do", I say no thanks of course and tell them to ship me the laptop back. So nothing happens over the past few days. Today I call the out of warranty repair department and they say the laptop has been shipped. Whew....

Now I'm trying to decide what to do. I certainly think that this is a breach of the warranty contract because it says that it covers labor/manufacturing/etc problems. Right now I'm planning on writing to Dell, and filing complaints with the BBB and FTC. I'll probably start a website to tell others about my Dell experience as well. I may even consider a lawsuit in small claims court (I'm only 16 though....) Anyone have any ideas on how I can deal with Dell? Thanks...
 
I recently contacted Dell and brought this to the BBB's attention. Dell told me that it is a "cosmetic defect" and they cannot help me because I bought my refurbished notebook "as-is" - both parts are complete BULLSHIT. Any more ideas?

Sorry for bumping an old thread.
 
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