DS Lite & Dead Pixels

qBot

Just bought a NDSL this morning. Charged it up and started playing Mario Kart just to notice a dead pixel in the centre of the top screen. Really annoying and obvious too. Brought it back and got it replaced only to find that the new one had a dead pixel too. How many more people are finding this? It's really annoying.

Rozie

Both DSs and PSPs are plagued by this - some of the earlier PSPs had whole lines of dead pixels.

You won't notice it after a while - my DS had it and I forgot it was there after a while. It is annoying at first. I'm pleased to say my Lite has none whatsoever.

qBot

My last DS was perfect. I was thinking initially I would get over it. But funnily enough when i'm playing mario kart that small dot sometimes looks like an opponent in the distance. I'm going to run in to the shop and get another one tomorrow..

steviec

My PSP had none, my DS had one, and my Lite has none, luck of the draw I guess! As long as the shop is willing to change it though you're fine. I imported my DS and had no such luck.

flogen

I had heard of the PSP having it, but not the DS (and I worked in Game for a while!!!); bound to happen all the same, and even more likely with early lines...

Bring it back, even ask if you can check it in the shop before you take it away... they should be alright with it, if not just keep coming back (they have to exchange faulty goods... if they try and say it's not faulty tell them it is because it's not working on the level the machine was intended to )

Wasn't there a video you could put on the PSP that could remove some lazy pixels (flashing colours etc.); any one come up with one for the DS (although you'd need the HDD to work it...

Stalfos

my DS has one dead pixel, but i only notice it was there is a black and never any other time really. Was annoyed at first but dont mind now.

mikeruurds

I bought two DS lites yesterday; a white one for my wife and a black one for myself. We got home and fired them up... the white one was perfect, but the black one had 3 dead pixel clusters.

I took it right back to GAME and got a new one. I checked the replacement in-store and found that it had two slightly dodgy pixels but they weren't totally stuffed so I accepted it.

I was extremely disappointed with prevalence of dead pixels.

Mike

Spuddie

I bought my ds lite today , got home , played mario kart and realised it had 1 dead pixel in the bottom screen , bottom right of the screen .:( It dosent bother me but im just wondering did any of ye bring back your ds lite over 1 pixel ? and should i bring it back ?

evad_lhorg

it wont be replaced for one dead pixel. there is a certain amount that is required

i_am_dogboy

They will replace for one dead pixel, it be nintendo's policy, at least it was for the original DS.

I have found a dead pixel on my bottom screen, and a wierd defect on the top screen, so I'll be getting mine replaced in the morrow.

Puck

I work in a game shop and I know if someone brought back their brand new DS Lite with just one dead pixel I'd still replace it for them, no problem. You'll find that a lot of the people behind the counters are actually reasonable humans. Ok, some are gits.

This thread scared me so I had to check my new DS Lite. No sign of any dead pixels. I can't get over the clarity with these new screens. Love it!

Spuddie

i think what i actually have is a stuck pixel , As when im in the menu with picto chat and ds download play i cant see the pixel at all , its all perfect !! But then when i start any game a small blue dot appears in the bottom screen !! I would bring it back and replace it but id have to test the new 1 in the shop which i dont want to go through the hassle of......bringing a game with me , unwrapping the new ds ,packaging the ds back up ,etc. and with a que behind me.

I heard that with the psp there was a video that you could play and it had a 60% chance of fixing your pixel but i doubt theres anything we could do with the ds.

Thorbar

Thankfully my ds lite has no dead/stuck pixels on it.

rainbow kirby

Thorbar wrote:

Thankfully my ds lite has no dead/stuck pixels on it.

Likewise

Spuddie

I bought my ds in Smyths , and i was wondering , if i bring it back over the 1 stuck pixel do they have to take it back or can the reject it ?

Kimbot

Spuddie wrote:

I bought my ds in Smyths , and i was wondering , if i bring it back over the 1 stuck pixel do they have to take it back or can the reject it ?

Dude you buy a product in faith that it is 100% and if its not they have to replace it!!

qBot

In hindsight I should have put a poll into this thread to see the ratio of ds's with dead pixels to ones without. Is it possible to put one in now? Gonna bring my ds back tom evening to Gamestop and see can I get a decent one.

Q_Ball

Smyths line on it is that if its not interfering with gameplay then they wont do anything about it.

I bought a lite recently that had dead pixels. brought it back for a new one and checked instore. there was one dead pixel in the middle of the lower screen so i just got my money back. All i want is one with no dead pixels!

It baffles me how its accepted that with these kind of displays that there has to be a number of defects before an item is declared faulty

qBot

Well, I just got a bran new one in town.. Still have to charge it up so don't know if it's flawless yet.

FranknFurter

Im sure I heard that in the PSP "guarentee" there was somthing saying it had to be a certain amount of dead pixels per screen before it was considered defective?

b

qBot

Well. Gave it a quick go this morning. 3rd one was the charm. Not a single dead pixel

elekid

My friend's girlfriend was kind enough to get my DS Lite for me in Game, since I was in work that day, and she made them open it and let her check for dead pixels before she handed over the money!

My friend was told that they would only take it back if it had 3 or more dead pixels but they still replaced his for him when he found 1 dead pixel.

Mr E

Hi guys, your advice please....

I got a DS Lite last week. Dead pixel smack bang in the middle of the touch screen (its a pixel stuck on lit, so you see a green dot on a black screen).

Brought it back to Smyths today. Guy behind counter said that it was company policy NOT to exchange items with dead pixels because Nintendo wouldn't take them back from Smyths. 1-2 pixels was an acceptable margin on a DS, 3-4 on a PSP. He wouldn't exchange it for me.

From what I have read on this thread, other shops have taken them back.

Where do I stand on this?

Crucifix

TmB wrote:

Hi guys, your advice please....

I got a DS Lite last week. Dead pixel smack bang in the middle of the touch screen (its a pixel stuck on lit, so you see a green dot on a black screen).

Brought it back to Smyths today. Guy behind counter said that it was company policy NOT to exchange items with dead pixels because Nintendo wouldn't take them back from Smyths. 1-2 pixels was an acceptable margin on a DS, 3-4 on a PSP. He wouldn't exchange it for me.

From what I have read on this thread, other shops have taken them back.

Where do I stand on this?

In terms of "what I remember from business studies", what the supplier does is no concern of yours. I suppose it hinges on whether a dead/stuck pixel means it's not 'of merchantable quality'.

zilog_jones

Sounds dodgy - I heard (with the original DS anyway) that Nintendo *will* replace any DS with dead pixels. Though you have a stuck pixel, which technically isn't the same thing, and I don't know what the policy is with them.

It's possible that it can go away - fast flashing colours can often get rid of them (there's PC and PSP software for doing that).

Attol

I work in a game shop and I can tell you that it is Nintendo's policy to replace even if you only have 1 dead pixel. Our manager verified this today by calling them up himself to ask. So anyone not taking them back is just messing you around. We've had about 5 Lites back so far with dead pixels. Only 1 dead per each console.

jonnybadd

Yeah I had several dead Pixels on my PSP and the shop I bought it in wouldn't exchange it, My third (and first european DS, don't ask what happened to the other two) had a stuck pixel and the same shop exchanged it no bother. Thankfully No stuck/dead pixels on my Lite as of yet!

Attol

By the way a lot of these seem to just be stuck pixels, not dead ones. My best friend had 2 coloured pixels when he got his but they both unstuck within a couple of days. I'd encourage you to play it for a week before returning it to ensure the pixels are actually dead and not stuck. The shop will still exchange it for you with a receipt even if you do wait an extra few days.

tba

Yeah the warranty for The DS lite is Two Years so give it a chance before you go mental raving looney in the Shop.

Mr E

Thanks folks... the pixel is stuck on green, so it might free itself up.

On Nintendos site, they say (and I'm paraphrasing) to try it out for a few weeks - if its still driving you mad, they'll replace it.

ShiverinEskimo

Bought mine in virgin and not a single dead pixel. Chuffed.

aidan_walsh

Got mine in Gamestop in Tralee last week. One dead pixel, but its right at the top of the top screen, so its not really in the way. Don't think I'll bother making a fuss about it as it doesn't bother me.

Kurtosis

Anyone had to return a Lite with dead pixels to Gamestop on Henry St. or does anyone know what their policy is on exchanging them?

tba

Dont know their policy but tbh the lads in there are usually pretty sound, and overly friendly to DS players.

Kurtosis

Good to hear it! I haven't actually bought a lite yet, but I'm gonna this weekend, just nice to know that if there is a problem, they'll exchange it there.

i_am_dogboy

penguin88 wrote:

Anyone had to return a Lite with dead pixels to Gamestop on Henry St. or does anyone know what their policy is on exchanging them?

A friend of mine returned his to that branch no problem, I returned mine to the branch on liffey street-also no problems. I do believe a boards user works in the henry street branch so just go in there and say "IM ON BOARDS REPLACE MY DS LOL".

GrumPy

Anyone know what the deal is in gamestop? trade your old ds for a lite, and pay just €80? do you need to bring anything else, like charger etc...

i_am_dogboy

Just need the DS, stylus and charger, costs 70 yoyos.

Star Lord

Got myself a (white) DS Lite on thursday and couldnt be more happy, not a single dead/stuck pixel. The screens are phenominal too, took a wee bit of gettin used to seeing the colours properly!

machalla

I'm only back from gamestop (best retail deal I could find, €170 and any 1 game) in Henry street in the last half hour. Just picked up a ds-lite for my girlfriend. Theres a dead pixel on the bottom left of the top screen

I wasn't sure it was there till she saw it herself. Hopefully the folks in there will sort it out for me tommorow. I never thought to check it before taking it away damn it..

I don't think she wants to let it away from here now either so its going to be like taking sweets back from a kid just after you give them it!

Shes now totally addicted to Meteos as well.

Sigh..

zAbbo

Try and get it changed now, I went through 3 DS's when they launched, each time I got it exchanged(toys'r'us - usa). Maybe some irish shops would be picky on single pixels.

machalla

Just got in to gamestop and had a good experience I'm happy to report. They had a look at it and just went yeah no problem, what colour do you want? Pleasant to deal with and no messing. Happily checked out the new console for me there and then to make sure the screen was fine.

I'd definitely be thinking of getting one for myself now in the not to distant future so I'll head back into gamestop for that after getting treated decently.

If any of the folks who work there are reading this, thanks!

im...LOST

I got a DS lite yesterday(traded in DS phat) and am glad to say that there were no dead pixals in sight.
I check as soon as I got it just to make sure :P.
I have to say that I am very happy with it so far....

cosgrove80

I've had my DS about a week now and there are two central stuck pixels, so I've decided to bring it back.

Just this evening though I dropped the stylus down the side of the couch and there's no chance of getting it back.

What are the chances of Gamestop replacing it for me do you think, without having the stylus?

I'd imagine they can't resell a returned device anyway.

ShiverinEskimo

Tilt the couch up from the opposite end, stick your hand down and grope like your at a strip club when the power's out.

cosgrove80

ShiverinEskimo wrote:

Tilt the couch up from the opposite end, stick your hand down and grope like your at a strip club when the power's out.

Already tried. The couch is one of those reclining footrest types. It weighs a bloody tonne. I can't even get it off the ground. The side it fell down too, makes it pretty irretrievable.

Suppose all I can do is bring it in and see what they say. Was just wondering if anyone knew their policy

cosgrove80

bedlam wrote:

Offer them the spare one from the replacement unit.

Genius. Didn't realise there are two in the pack

Headshot

im a bit gutted

just bought a second hand ds

had a look at the screen no dead pixel

brought it home, guess what

got a dead pixel

i have the reiceipt for it, but it was bought in game in limerick in June

any chance of getting a new DS


dammit it any way
cant win

any advice lads

ShiverinEskimo

Imported a pink DS lite from play-asia for the girlfriend and she has a dead pixel right in the middle of the screen - Hateful because I can't comprehend the awkwardness of trying to exchange it if its even possible so she just has to live with it.

Blub2k4

penguin88 wrote:

Anyone had to return a Lite with dead pixels to Gamestop on Henry St. or does anyone know what their policy is on exchanging them?

I did, it's nothing to do with "their" policy, nintendo will replace it with one dead pixel. I bought one in Mary st, had to bring it back for one pixel, was no problem, then the replacement in the shop was the same and the third one was good, no problems at all exchanging.