K53TA Screen banding

Good Afternoon!

This is my first time posting and I happened across the forum while looking for a solution to my problem So here it is.

http://i166.photobucket.com/albums/u85/djksoul/IMG_20110808_120206.jpg

I picked up a brand new Asus K53TA from my local Best Buy yesterday afternoon and was thrilled about it. Great specs and seemingly outstanding performance for the dollar (Gaming performance is stunning for this price point), however no display model was available for me to review.

There is a severe banding problem with the display. Check out the enclosed pic (My apologies for the quality. It was taken from my phone) and you will clearly see what i'm talking about. This makes the overall image quality terrible, especially during gaming and movie watching. The issue is especially apparent in dark scenes.

After hours spent updating drivers, playing with calibration settings, staring at test images, and calling ASUS support, I can pinpoint the problem to one of two things.

1) The laptop comes with an SEC5441 panel and AMD Radeon 6720G2 graphics, which is essentially a crossfire configuration between the APU graphics and an additional dedicated GPU. The images and various test patterns I've looked at suggest that the color depth is incorrect, being displayed at 16 bit instead of 32. I've ensured that the proper color depth was applied numerous times.

2) Perhaps ASUS got a bad run of panels. I went to exchange the laptop and compared it to a display model today (they finally put one up) and noticed the exact same problem.

There may also be the possibility of GPU error. It may be broadcasting at 16 bit color depth in error regardless of settings which might suggest incompatibility with the display panel?

Regardless, testing with both the AMD and ASUS GPU drivers produced the exact same result.

Just an FYI for you all.......unless somebody can make a few suggestions for me.

Thanks!

 

i bought one yesterday as well and noticed the same thing... its the only issue i have with the laptop atm... i was hoping to replace the screen with something better. but im not sure if thats possible atm.

i think its just a crappy screen i dont think its the rest of the hardware to be honest.
im going to try the computer out on my tv later on and let you know if i still have the same banding issues.

also does anyone know how to find out what lcd panel we have... i wanna see if there is a nice compatible 1080p replacement for this screen. thanks

 

What a shame

Per the hardware id for the panel, it's an SEC5441 which is made by Samsung. It's the same panel that in the Alienware Mx11.

I'm hoping that this is something that ASUS can fix with a BIOS update or by enabling some form of dithering at a minimum.

I also forgot to mention that the issue exists even with the complete absence of the GPU drivers.

Good luck with the screen replacement!

 

Seeing the same on my K53TA bought at BB yesterday...I've sent ASUS a support inquiry regarding this. Make sure to pester ASUS about this... often!

 

It is definitely just a very low quality screen, as Asus has done with their non-gaming notebooks for years. I went up to BB today to check it out and noticed it as well. That seemed to be the only problem with the laptop. Build quality was good, keyboard was firm and it is obviously great performance for the price. I didn't like the touchpad all that much either but that might just be because I wasn't used to it. If only Asus had even used an average quality screen this would be the best deal I have seen in a while.

@Anyone who has this - The display model at BB had a little problem where the left click button was raised higher than the right and really wobbly. I assume that was just on that one and is not a model wide problem?

Edit - I picked one up to check it out and the display as well as the button are both better than on the display model. I think that Asus made the left-click a little looser so you know which button you are pressing if you aren't looking but on the display model it was really loose. Probably from some idiot clicking it too hard.

 

It is on mine as well.....and seems basically the unit can put out 32 bit color depth but right now the panel is only producing 16 bit despite what comp is saying and hence the banding. I also sent asus an email and explained it is not a one machine issue but the whole lot---which is pretty sad for asus to send something out like that. If you read folks at slick deals they have been talking up a lot on this ---as well. I hope there can be a solution found by ASUS to fix this as I do like the Laptop alot. Alot of bang for your buck.

 

well i went to best buy again today to pick something else up and i noticed that the other K53 laptops that ran on the intel setup didnt have any bad banding issues. also i hooked it up to my LG 1080p hdtv today and had no banding issues ether. so its def the panel

i find it weird that the intel version dont have the bad banding but the amd one does..

 

no. These are not cheap screens.
they're just miscalibrated. software issue.
If I set the screen in 16bit color, SOME banding goes away. Try viewing the attached gradient picture in 32bit mode, then 16bit mode.
Test just the picture; there's still banding elsewhere.
On the picture, banding goes away about 80-90% in 16bit color. At least it's smoother. So the screen is capable.

and there's nothing wrong with the graphics card either.

the screens are not the problem, and the graphics card is not displaying in 16bit mode, because if you plug in the hdmi or vga port, the external monitor displays perfectly in 32bit color.
also, if you hit printscreen and take a picture in 32bit vs 256 color (attached), the screenshot will show the difference. In 32bit, the screenshot is true 32bit when viewed on other computers.


Zombiechow has a samsung lcd. I would have liked a samsung, but I got a Chi Mei, which is not bad either.
(My screen is used in some s ony and samsung laptops. yeah, even samsung buys screens from other companies.)

so, what are the chances that 2 different lcd brands are cheap and bad at the same time?

it's a bios issue.

 

So is there some way to recalibrate the display then?

 

not by us.

asus needs to fix it. They have the AMI bios software


For example, in the asus k50AB notebook, there was an lcd flashing issue fixed by a bios update-
http://support.asus.com/download/download_item_mkt.aspx?slanguage=en-us&model=K50AB

another laptop had display artifacts fixed by bios.
ASUSTeK Computer Inc. -Support-

I have faith a simple bios update will fix our problem.


All we can do is continue to email them everyday. Keep pestering, or else they won't know the seriousness of this.
Make their job tougher by being annoying.
http://vip.asus.com/eservice/techserv.aspx <<<<< here

Here's a template you can use-

 

I just sent my email to them. Let's hope that they do in fact release a BIOS update to fix this. I'd hate to have to return such a nice system just because of a small bug like this.

 

While comparing color modes in this laptop to my old laptop, I have concluded that the k53ta is truly in 32bit color mode, but does not have FRC and dithering enabled...... so it shows posterization and banding.

A bios update should be able to turn that back on.

 

Sounds like somebody knows quite a bit about displays. +1 rep.

 

So the big question is when or if they are going to fix it. Also, how are the video card drivers updated?

 

I just called asus headquarters, and tried to get any random department that could help.

I reached the motherboard bios support dept, and although they couldn't do anything about notebooks, the person was able to escalate my trouble ticket to the manager of notebook dept at asus HQ.
Notebook Manager has already been notified, and they will look into it and call me back today.

For this kind of problem, the ticket goes to asus hq, and then to the engineers in taiwan.

I also got a quick response to my email to the "escalation mail box", which you can access here-
http://vip.asus.com/eservice/cus_suggest.aspx

the guy said he forwarded the issue to the "design team" for review.

so i will keep bugging them everyday until I get some hint whether this is fixable.

 

Link626----thanks for prodding ASUS ---I sent another email just now --and reiterated all that is wrong and known and how time is crucial as if they do not at least tell us they can fix it ----tons of these are going to be heading back to Best Buy. I tried to focus on the global nature of the issue and the time criticalness before the returns start up strong. I really do hope we hear something positive as I still think at this price level this is a really nice sweet little machine. It is not perfect ---but for me if they can fix the banding I would love keeping this one.

 

The machine is AWESOME, plays Crysis 2 at pretty high frame rates. Hopefully video card drivers will improve over time (hopefully amd cares about the APU line) and ASUS NEEDS to do a bios update. It really can't be that difficult, it should be done ASAP.

 

Thanks link626!! Keep it up man. I also called and emailed them though have heard nada back so far... We have to keep up the pressure!! I really really want to keep this as well..

 

If i get to speak with the notebook manager, I will remind him that it is in his best interest to fix these as soon as possible.

If you guys look at the flyer/documentation that came in the box, it says something like-
"please don't return this to the store...... call us first, we may be able to help"

Clearly, it's bad when retailers chargeback and return a boatload of merchandise to the mfgr.
manufacturer loses shipping costs, value from refurbishing, etc etc.


When you guys call, be sure to have them escalate to notebook dept in fremont california.
Often, these dumb phone reps don't know what to do, and just follow the protocol they are given- that is,
1. install/uninstall driver.
2. if #1 fails, send to local contracted asus service center (which often orders some random part, and returns laptop back to you unfixed. My local service center said they do not do software/bios fixes. Only swapping hardware.)
3. fail fail fail.

 

Emailed them right now. It can't be that hard to fix?

 

HP had a similar problem last year with a touchsmart tablet pc with ati graphics.

ATI Color Banding - Page 4
http://forum.tabletpcreview.com/hp-touchsmart-tm2-wacom/36130-ati-color-banding-7.html


exact same scenario as ours- Banding on tablet screen, no banding on external monitor.
HP fixed it with bios update.
Took HP 1.5 months to finally get around to it. but that was during christmas season.

 

I can see a month but I am hoping for a sooner fix! I hope those who buy this laptop check out this thread and keep bugging ASUS about it. BTW, where do you guys update your video card drivers?

 

you don't.

drivers are up to date already.

 

Well I'm glad that there's a potential fix coming soon.

I can't believe it's 449$ over @ Best Buy USA. Here in Canada, the cheapest is 599$ through Staples (699$ NCIX).

Looks like it's a trip to Niagara Falls, USA once again

My brother wants this laptop real bad, but is on a budget of 500-600$. This laptop has the best bang for buck out of all laptop companies I've cross checked for gaming.

I just hope the screen is not atrocious and the brightness is at least decent/fair.

Would those who currently own one be willing to share some close ups of the laptop and get pics of the screen? (thanks in advance)

 

Asus uses a number of lcd panels with this laptop.
confirmed panels so far- LG, samsung, and chi mei CMO.

All these lcd panels are glossy, and should be 220nits, 500:1 contrast. plenty bright. It's a pretty standard spec screen. not bad.


+++++++++++++++++++++

Asus supervisor just called me back right now, and i told him how it looks like FRC is disabled, so it can't display millions of colors, and that the issue affects all bestbuy models.

I also told him that lenovo and HP had a similar problem last year, which was fixed by bios update, so I asked him to push for a bios fix.
He will continue to update me on status.

 

Thanks for the updates!

 

I finally got one response from my first email to Asus ..standard one but here is what i got ..

Thank you for contacting ASUS and providing your feedback. I do apologize for your inconvenience. I've documented this case and will pass it to our design team for further review. In the meantime you may find more information from this page here: [ ]ASUSTeK Computer Inc. -Support- Knowledge K53TA Please contact us at 888-678-3688 if you have any questions.

Thank you,

Aaron L
ASUS Product Support Team
Aaron2_Lin [email protected]

So at least they are starting to see these emails rolling in --looks like from taiwan ---so that helps too closer to fixer uppers.

 

Thanks for the Info Link626, I just bought mine today and I sent my support request in also.

 

. .

 

Nevermind what? Did the guy never respond?

 

i thought i found the contact information of the asus notebook product manager.
turns out it was outdated information.

everyone needs to continue to email asus, or else they will just think this is a small problem that you can just RMA to the nearest service center, (and get back unfixed.)

I called asus hq operator at (510) 739-3777 and told them to pass a message along to the notebook product manager.
always gotta go through annoying middlemen. and they probably still do not have any idea how widespread this problem is.

if you call the toll free tech support number, you should demand to get your ticket escalated to notebook product management team. Don't let them tell you to send it to local repair shop. There's nothing the repair shop can do.

 

What guarantees that if we sent them in that they won't get fixed?

 

So calling would be better than emailing? or both? Kinda frustration when they probably aren't aware of the issue, just a bunch of telecomers taking in calls.

 

no need.

Banding fix is out. I was curious, so I searched asus ftp, and they uploaded a new bios today.

ftp://ftp.asus.com/pub/ASUS/nb/K43TA/K43TA206.zip

Download new bios, unzip file, use flashing tool from Start menu

Start > all programs > asus utility > winflash

and load the new k43ta.206 and reboot.


make sure you got the battery plugged in just in case.

 

Awesome! Thanks man! I appreciate it!

 

Just out of curiosity, when was this new BIOS posted by Asus? I may call and complain about how useless my rep was on the phone if the BIOS was out while I was talking to him.

 

Link626----awesome man. Works way way better and thanks for instructions . Its not perfect but very acceptable for me now and good enough to keep the machine. Yea! Yes if we complain a little more maybe we can get it improved perfectly. Thanks for your efforts and everyone else here and on other sites that got their attention.

 

the date on the file is 8/12 8am. Dunno if that's pacific time or taiwan time.
it's not posted on the website yet, so maybe that's why your rep didn't see it

no need to complain. they don't care.

 

YAY! the bios fixed the banding. now this is most def the best deal out there.
thanks link626 for the link! lol

 

Thanks for the update!

That's great news ...I'm surprised they released a BIOS update this fast.

 

YAY! It's fixed! ASUS you rock! and are heart touching at the same time (so is link)! Has to be the best laptop for the money right now hands down. Load up Crysis 2 and you will see why.

Props to the engineers that got this bios fixed ASAP!

 

has anyone noticed there blacks are grainy now?

 

It looks like every other cheap led screen now lol

 

yes, everyone sees it.
all dark shades

so continue emailing asus about it, and tell them to remove the grain and noise in the next bios update

 

Can they do that with a BIOS update?

 

yes. they've done it many times in the past-

http://forum.notebookreview.com/asus/95731-lists-graininess-fixed-bios.html

 

Just emailed them about the graininess.

 

I try running ftp://ftp.asus.com/pub/ASUS/nb/K43TA/K43TA206.zip through winflash and get the error: The BIOS size is invalid. Click [EXIT] to exit. How do I get around that?

 

I had the same problem. Go inside the compressed folder and take out the file inside separately and just click on that.

 

yes, you have to unzip the file