How do I fix my m1530 Grainy Screen?

OK - my tech just left. The replacement screen was a Samsung (shows up in device manager as SEC4457, replacing AU Optronics) (both screens 1440X900). Definitely an improvement - grain is gone, though even this one is a bit too reflective IMO - what is with these glossy screens??? Anyway, contrast/color/uniformity is better and the tech guy was fairly knowlegeable and very careful. So I'm good.

Thanks to everyone who posted on this thread. Very helpful.

 

First I got a AU-O screen, got it replaced by another AUO. Still not satisfied so I got a full system replacement, now with a Samsung. All three was crappy. So after calling the Xps support and I was told that LG didn't exist for M1530 and that he did not want to change my panel again, said that refund was the only option, or to keep my laptop the way it was.

But I did not want to return my 1530, cause I like it, exept for the screen. So I called the support again after two days and talked to Muhammad for 30 minutes, and he finally said. Dont worry Marcus, you will not be unsatisfied again. Got my screen replaced by a LG just one hour ago. Definately worth fighting for!

Finally feels like a got my new computer that I paid for.

 

whats the difference between the 2 lg screens xk903 and wd03?

 

ugh, my service call has been put off for two days now

this is ridiculous. is dell going to pay me for lost wages?

 

Got my XK309 and i dunno what to even say. This screen is just insanely better

too bad the tech screwed up my computer, the right hinge is all messed up now.

ugh

 

Call Dell and they will replace the parts the Tech damaged.

 

RW985 LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY..., 15.4WSXGA+, VIDEO ELEC. STDS. ASSOC...., TLF, SAMSUNG...
just my luck
should arrive tomorrow and im not looking forward to arguing with dell

Order Date: 4/22
Shipped: 5/14

 

I got my XPS 1530 a few days ago and I'm very happy with it, its a great notebook! How can I tell if its the LG Screen....It said it on the order sheet but how can I physically check on the computer? Display settings then what?

 

Is it worth trying to get an LG when i have sec3157 ?

And do i have to send in my laptop or are they coming to my house and chage it?

 

Device Manager, click the "+" to expand Monitor listing, double-click the monitor that is listed, go to the right-most tab, choose HardwareID from the dropdown box.

 

Does anyone know if the M1330 has the same problem with its 1280x800 display (not LED)?

 

Yes, my opinion is that it's definatelly worth it. It may take a while and some hours arguing with tech support, but I dont regret a second now when I finally got the LG. I had both AU-O and sec3157 - lg are loads better.

 

which company is the dell xps m1530 1680x1050 i live abroad and can return my laptop to dell to replace it can any1 tell me which screen is always LG?

 

I just received my xps1530 today. They shipped it with the wrong screen resolution, giving me wuxga instead of wsxga. After talking with them, i turned on the system and started to play with it. immediately, i noticed that the screen looks grainy in comparison to my inspiron 6400 WSXGA+ that this thing was sent to replace. Colors also seem dull and washed out, and I'm having some viewing angle issues. When looking straight ahead at the screen, brightness seems to improve, but no matter what i do, the extreme edges of the screen appear to dull out. If i look directly at those edges, it seems to appear less washed out, but it is literally head movement that is required in order to see things correctly, and that makes no sense to me.

Screen is a Samsung. I'm going to ask that it go back for another one tomorrow.

 

Almost all resolutions on the M1530 use multiple manufacturers. Only the LED and WUXGA panel have a single manufacturer so far.

Have a look at the Top 10 questions about the M1530. Link in sig.

 

Well, I read the last 20 or so pages of this thread along with the first page and I have a few questions.

Do the crappy displays happen on all of the different screen sizes you can choose from on this notebook?

I've also heard a rumor that the crappy displays are being fazed out and if I just wait a couple of months, I won't have to play Russian Roulette to get a good one. Any truth to this? Anyone know where this info comes from?

I'm looking to buy a 1530, but only if I can get a good display.

Thanks.

 

I received the Service Tag and I got the AU Optronics XU290 display. As far as I know it's not worse than the Samsung displays, but not as good as the LG.

Can anyone confirm that please?

 

I ordered my 1530 on April 30th and it was shipped with the LG DW306 LCD (1680x1050). Should be arriving today...

 

Wow, almost a month!

 

I received my XPS m1530 about 2 wks ago. Since then I've noticed the grainyness of my Samsung screen. Called support and asked for a replacement, and requested an LG, but they said they couldn't promise anything. Tech came today, and Dell had shipped him a WXGA+ instead of a WSXGA+, and it was a Samsung again! He called in and ordered a WSXGA+ again and asked for an LG but the person on the phone said he couldn't see the screen brand, only that it was a WSXGA+ screen. The tech should be by on Monday to install it.

Anybody have any tips/tricks on how to get a guaranteed LG screen when you call in? I don't want to repeatedly get this replaced.

FYI: I'm in Canada

 

The options you have are the following...

Get Dell to replace the screen has many times as it takes until you get a LG.

Since you're still in your 30 days return period you can get Dell to cross ship you a brand new replacement and hope it comes with a LG panel.

You can return the whole thing for a refund and re-order a new one.

Arguing with support over the LG screen is only going to net you gray hairs... I did all three option and my new order came with a LG screen.

Good luck!

 

FWIW - the tech who did the screen replacement on my 1420 said Dell knows more about this issue than the customer service reps let on. They can get specific screens for people. But you need complain loudly and often. It also helps to get as far up the customer service rep food chain as you can and try and get it resolved within the initial satisfaction guarranty period - don't wait.

 

Thanks for the info Rhodan. How many times did you try exchanging the screen before you gave up and got a refund? Did you just talk to the tech support rep and ask for the LG panel?

Also, what do you mean by "cross ship"?

 

I attemped 2 screen exchanges. I did 1 cross ship, that's when Dell sends new a new replacement while you still have you current system. Once you receive the cross ship replacement you ship back the other system.

After 2 screen and 1 cross ship I cancelled the order because XPS support bluntly told me on the phone I was not getting a LG screen. I placed a new order, which for the same price had better specs, and got a LG with it...

 

Is cross ship something you need to request specifically, or is it something they just do for you? Do you know of anyone else in Canada who was able to get the LG replacement screen without ordering a new machine?

Thanks.

 

You just need to ask them to replace your system and they will place a new order for you. They will issue you a return shipping label via email that you can print and stick to the box to ship your faulty unit back.

It's really luck more than anything else. Just like when they build the system at the factory what you get depends on what's on the shelf at the time your replacement part order is processed. Some people got a LG on the first try and some never did... The best method is brute force where you keep requesting your screen get replaced until you get a LG.

 

Well my replacement screen should be here on Monday so lets see what I get. This will be my first replacement, so if its not a LG, I'll quickly request a 2nd replacement.

Thanks for the help!

BTW: Repped!

 

I have a M1530 with a 1680x1050 Samsung Screen, it's not awful, but I can definitely notice some grain and it's not as vivid as my girlfriend's M1330.

I rang up Dell to get a replacement Power Adaptor (Mine was getting incredibly hot), but also mentioned the issue I had with my screen and how the LG screens seemed to be lots better in comparison.

The tech I spoke to said the grain was how the Samsung screens are designed (?) and wouldn't budge on it at all, I gave up trying to convince him because his english wasn't that great and he didn't seem to understand a lot of what I was saying He also said that Dell don't use LG screens anymore as of this month, it's exclusively Samsung (Which I find hard to believe as Dell use multiple brands for everything don't they?)

Should I keep calling and trying, and does anyone have any advice for me?

I'm from the UK if it makes any difference

 

1.Call back.
2.Mention poor viewing angles and poor brightness of the Samsung. They will ship you a replacement screen.
3. If it's another samsung go back to 1.

Repeat this as many times as it takes to get a LG panel. Arguing with them over the phone is pointless, few peple have managed to get a LG panel shipped on demand.

 

Just something to consider: you could get the 1440x900 LED screen instead of going for the LG 1680x1050. That's what I did and I'm blown away by the screen. I'd say it's one brightness setting over the LG and a good 3 settings away from the Samsung. The colors are amazing and so is the contrast. The viewing angles are basically perfect. Whenever I try to use my desktop monitor now, I get annoyed because it's contrast, vibrance, brightness, etc don't come anywhere near those of the LED screen (and it's a pretty good monitor). Even my friend who has a Macbook Pro with an LED screen (with a reputation for being amazing) repeatedly mentioned how awesome the LED on the M1530 looks.

So yeah, that's another option. It's $100 above the 1680x1050 screen, but it's worth every penny IMO.

 

I got shipping a SEC3350 Samsung 1680x1050 display. As everyone says, it was grainy and had bad viewing angles. I called dell, they sent out a replacement, saw it was a Samsung, and the tech and I decided not to even put it in as it would have the same issues. I called dell back, and got pushed up the escalation ladder a few times. They now say the only screen that is available with that configuration and resolution is the Samsung model. So I asked about upgrading to 1440x900 LED. They went ahead and agreed and ended up not charging me for the upgrade although its a $100 premium over my original configuration. They are shipping me a new unit with packing slip for my existing system. The agent on the phone and I talked about swapping hard drives when the new system arrived and he agreed it was the right thing to do because all hardware except the screen are the same.

It took a lot of persistence to get this to go through. I had wanted to keep the resolution and just get an LG display, but the LED looks so much better and has such a better battery life that it is worth it. 1440x900 is a good resolution and overall the games should run better as well.

Hopefully it wont take 4 weeks to ship the replacement. The original system was delayed 3 times, but at least i get to keep the current laptop until then.

 

I received almost an identical spec notebook to what you ordered on May 22nd. Called on the 23rd about how bad the RW985 display was. First two people I talked to said that was the only display available and that it was 'working as designed'. The funniest suggestion was that I should just use an external monitor since that looked acceptable.

Thought about it for an hour and decided to return the notebook and order a Thinkpad. I was talking to the return person about why I didn't like it and they were able to send me an LG xk309. The service tech installed it at 8:30pm this evening for me and I am very happy. It seems to me that Dell has made a decision to only replace the display if you are going to return your notebook. The three people I talked to in Technical support all said "they are working with the manufacturer'.

The difference is unbelievable, I'm amazed that Dell considers the RW985 acceptable.

 

I wonder if the fraud thing Dell committed had anything to do with it.

 

So, I checked my service tag and I'm getting a Samsung display, WSXGA+. Is there any chance at all the diplay will be OK, or is my nightmare just beginning?

 

Is this like a "Magic 8 Ball"?

It is possible, ask me again later.

Yes, there are reports of some of them being good. Just have to wait and see.

 

No one who has seen both screens has ever said that the samsung was ok.. So I'd say that those "reports" are pretty unreliable.

 

On more than one occasion the service tag has been wrong. Mine shows a RW985 yet it arrived with a dw309...

You never know.

 

Mine says: X167G LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY..., 15.4WSXGA+, TLF, SAMSUNG..., V2

The word "samsung" looms large there., but the part # isn't the dreaded RW985. It's X167G. Does that mean that possibly it's a different Samsung than the previous ones? Or just that Dell changed the part # to throw people off the trail?

 

Well I ordered my M1530 on monday. When it was delivered on Thursday,
turned it on and discovered a nasty grainy screen (SEC3157).
Phoned dell support and then requested a replacement. The tech ran me through a bunch of tests and asked if that made a difference, I told him no.
He said he would send a replacement screen.
I then requested for it to be an LG, it was then he said he would have to speak to his manager, and I was placed on hold for 10 minutes.
Guy came back and said they would be sending me the LG as his manager
would be authorising it.
Tech bloke was here today and replaced the samsung with my new LG!
really rhink it is luck of the draw though as it seems I and a few others
are the odd ones out.
I live in the UK so as it was made in Ireland this happened pretty quick.

 

Oh well, if it can go wrong it does for me.

Received my new XPS M1530 today (WXGA+) and instantly on switching on I was not happy. I simply couldnt believe how bad the display was, even my wife commented without being prompted. Just to confirm I checked the Hardware Id and yes the samsung SEC3157 was there.

So phoned Tech support and an engineer is coming on Monday to replace it. Asked for an LG and he said he would see what he could do.

Watch this space.

 

I hope I don't get a Samsung. Ordered an M130 yesterday so I'll have to see

Has anybody got any tips on how to argue over the phone?

Someone should write a guide on what to say. Right now it seems the best thing to do id just tell them you want a refund unless you get an LG

 

I got no where until I was talking to the person to return it.

 

Good news, tech came out today with new screen.

The AU Optronics 2077, massively better it has to be said. I'm happy.

 

Glad to hear that jayq! Hope you enjoy it!

 

This is pretty weird.
I got my laptop a few weeks ago (1680x1050) and i didn't even know about such thing as grainy screen, Frankly i still don't get that. I don't know what it is. i don't see anything bad at all. Am i blind or it is no there at all? i know for sure that the letters are SEC but i don't know the numbers. i will take a look tonight.

 

Out of all the laptops I've ordererd from Dell none of them had grainy screens, i really dont think its a commonplace, most people dont know what it is. It just seems like it because most people post on NBR asking for resolution to their problems, though there is a high occurrence of grainy screens on NBR, doesnt mean all of them are. Im sure there are SECs without grain at all.

 

for all those who ordered the wsxga+ here might be some good news for you guys. friend just received his XPS1530 with the wsxga+ resoluation. It looks very very good, and sharp, bright, not a sign of graininess. I compared it side by side with my LG Philips replacement, and it looks just as good. I checked the Hardware ID, and guess what.....IT's AN SEC3350!!!! SAMSUNG!! really good screen, comparable to my LG Philips. And i know what i grainy screen is. so...need not worry to much...SEC might have fixed the issue already.

 

Too bad you can't order the wsxga+ anymore since Dell took it off a few weeks ago. Hopefully it returns in LED glory, though even the Alienware m15x doesnt have a wsxga+ option.

 

Many thanks jfdube, just setting about a full format and reinstall now!

I honestly had now idea about 'grainy screens' until I seen this one mmhorda. Side by side with my current asus g1s it was just terrible. New screen in this morning and even the tech agreed it was like night and day.

I'm just so happy I didnt have to go through this process many times.

 

Interesting, thanks for that side by side report. I got a WSXGA+ display (SEC3350) a week and a half ago and I think mine looks great. Of course, I've been told that I think that only because I've not seen the LED. Nice to see some affirmation that some SEC screens actually do compare favorably.