Dead Pixel Philosophy

[rc55]

Hi,

Is anyone aware of a retailer that offers a "no dead pixel" policy on TFT's? ... or at lease offers a policy of allowing the return of a TFT that is unsatisfactory?

After buying a 17" TFT for a friend from Komplett I was disappointed to spend £800 of his money only to give him a Samsung monitor with 3 always on green pixels in a row, just to the left of the middle of the screen!

No complaints about Komplett though, they are an awesome retailer, but reflect the returning policy that Samsung holds.

I mean, I would even pay /above/ the normal price to be guaranteed a perfect panel. It's frankly too irritating for someone who works in graphic design.

Any thoughts...?

Ruairi

[Stoo]

if we find a list a list of places that do the check then it could make a useful sticky, maybe along with the proposed good/bad components list?

[MAS]

I know DigiUK do a dead pixel test for a tenner. I dont think you'll find anywhere that will let you return a monitor other than under the manufacturers terms, it would cost them too much money. But I agree that when you spend a lot of cash you'd at least like to get a screen that's perfect to start with.

I was going to buy my TFT from Komplett but, as they wont offer me a dead pixel test, I'll be buying from DigiUK instead.

[rc55]

MAS: That's thoroughly useful information, DigiUK for all TFT's in the future for me then!

Ruairi

[directhex]

pc world ;P

[LayZeh]

Infact you could probably get away with saying there are dead pixels to a staff member at PC World when there aren't and get a knocked down price, it's not like their staff are trained to even know what a pixel is.

[rc55]

Heh, I work at PC World!

...and I'm sure I'm not the only one there who knows about dead pixels.

Ruairi

[Steve]

IMO nobody should have to put up with dead pixels.

It's like buying a PSU that occasionally drops to 0V on the 12V line, only to be told that if it doesn't do it more than twice a minute they aren't going to refund.

OK, I'm sure there are better comparisons out there...

[eldren]

You'd be hard pressed to find them, kez. This is pretty much an industry standard among LCD makers, this general acceptability of a few dead pixels. I seem to recall that Tom's Hardware (eww) went into the details of this, and listed the manufacturers with the best (Ie. lowest) conditions for returning a monitor over dead pixels, but sadly, no one warrants 100% defect-free screens.

This is one of the major reasons I still use a good old CRT. (The other being, I have no money. )

[directhex]

the manufacturing process is not completely infallable

and the crt crowd are fantastic at forgetting that all aperture grill crts also suffer from dead pixels

[Steve]

I realise that Eldren, and it is a shame.

I'm like you - I still use CRT (and don't have much money, lol.)

If you pay such a premium for an LCD, then it would stand to reason you'd expect perfection. Still, as always, the uneducated masses will allow it to continue...

[Platinum]

If your not happy with the TFT just return it under the DSR and get another one...

[Stoo]

yeah, but then you get hammered with a re-stocking fee.. ends up being a bit expensive if you get a crop of bad screens.

[Oakey]

I bought my Samsung 181T from www.woc.co.uk (and I know a ton of other people also ordered from there at the time), I asked if they'd do a dead pixel check and try to guarantee me a perfect panel. They checked (the box had been opened when I received it so I assume they did) and the TFT was dead pixel free and still is to this day (I've had it about 18 months).

[Rave]

I thought that a 'cluster' of always on pixels was enough of a reason for returning?

I used my LCD at work for about 6 months before I even noticed that it had one always off subpixel. It's near the centre but so tiny as to be unnoticeable if you're not looking for it. At home I use a Cornerstone P1500, I'm not going to get an LCD that big for a reasonable price any time soon.

Rich :¬)

[Moby-Dick]

I think Nexnix will guarentee it for certain models for a small fee.