Vostro screen issue update (with pics)

So I got a Vostro 1500 with an WSXGA+ screen last week. Although it's got an LG panel, I am still not sure about its colours. I've calibrated it along with my desktop PC's monitor now and I've taken some more pics. As you can see the Vostro's colours still seem very washed out and dull. This seems to be especially true with greens: (Vostro on the right)





I'm not seeing any graininess issues or anything like that but its colours are definitely a disappointment. I read somewhere that true-life and the higher resolution Dell screens can have this effect, is that true or have I just got a duff one???

 

I believe the laptop panels are only like 6 bit...Not sure what a desktop panel is...But dont ever expect a laptop LCD to keep up with a desktop panel.

sOnIc

 

Why are laptop monitors worse than desktop ones?

 

Theyre have higher bit color, better refresh rate too I believe...dont quote me


sOnIc

 

that does not matter .. if the color of the screen is as green as that on a desktop lcd there is now way with proper color setting it should be nearly white on the dell. can you post what you settings are color wise?

 

What are you using to calibrate with? The 1400 that I got with a non grainy screen was pretty flat colorwise... I ran a spyder calabration on it and I think it looks pretty darn good now... I wouldn't necessarily say as good as a nice desktop LCD but still plenty good.

 

Uh, is it just me or does the picture on the right look better than the one on the left? The example on the right is the Vostro, correct?

The monitor on the left looks way too warm. The text entry boxes at the top are orange.

Laptop displays are commonly 6-bit TN + film displays and employ dithering to display certain colors. They have much narrower viewing angles, possibly lower contrast ratios, and sometimes weaker backlighting. A laptop LCD can't come close to the picture quality of a good, modern, properly calibrated desktop LCD ... nor should it be expected to. I think that's irrelevant in this case anyway, since the picture on the right looks to be better calibrated than the one on the left.

 

exactly what i was just thinking

 

I dunno how you guys are all claiming that desktop monitors are better because when i cracked my laptop screen i replaced it with the screen from my desktop ( i swapped them over ) and it works flawlessly , and the desktop monitor it came from was a damn good one... excelent brightness , special claiming low power technology and brilliant contrast (cant remember exact ratio) and its currently sitting in my inspiron 6400 working perfectly...

desktop screens and pc screens are exactly the same underneath...

 

Well, aside from the fact that you're using the terms "desktop" and "pc" instead of "notebook" and "desktop," I think you might want to do some reading on TFT-LCD panel types and their various strengths and weaknesses. Wikipedia has an article that outlines the different panel types.

TN + film panels are the most widespread, due in no small part to the fact that they happen to be the cheapest to produce. They offer fast pixel response times (advertised, anyway), but they fall very short when it comes to color reproduction and viewing angles. While these panels are the ones most often used for notebooks (save for the T60 Thinkpads that offered an IPS panel), they are in no way reserved for notebooks alone. Many cheap desktop LCDs also use TN + film panels.

Since the TN + film panels are only 6-bit and use dithering or other methods to approximate and simulate unavailable colors, they can't display a full 16.7 million colors. The alternative panel types that are mostly reserved from desktop LCDs come in 8-bit varieties and are capable of approaching the color reproduction of CRT monitors while improving upon viewing angles at the same time.

For people who deal extensively with photos and printing or are otherwise concerned with screen-to-paper color accuracy, the 6-bit panels found in pretty much every notebook out there probably won't cut it.

 

If you go to that site
http://yoga-manchester.co.uk/
see how your laptop displays it.
It's supposed to look green like the monitor on the left.

 

It doesn't look green like the monitor on the left. It also doesn't look quite as tan as the monitor on the right, but the one on the right is definitely more accurate.

Look at the text entry boxes at the top of the browser windows on the monitor to the left. Do they look anywhere near white to you?

 

I've looked at it with 3 desktop monitors -- one LCD and two CRT's, one of which is high end. All three show it as definitely green.

 

To be honest, the right one actually seems to be the "more accurate" one. The left monitor couldn't even display whites.

 

Hm, I'm not sure why the whites on the left screen look yellow in the photos. In real life they look very white. I think the screen is slightly tilted away from the camera or something. But anyway, the block of green that you can see in the middle looks pretty close to real life.

 

Post pictures of a full white screen on each display. Though neither looks perfect, I still say the one on the left is a little too red. The one on the right looks like it would appear more acceptable if I were using it. Sure, it looks like greens aren't quite as saturated as they should be, but that should be correctable.

Of course, you're taking pictures of two displays that are color-calibrated differently. You're using a camera that probably has its own color reproduction issues or quirks. We're also viewing those pictures on our own unique and separately calibrated displays.

Are you using a color-calibrator of some sort or are you simply "eyeballing" the settings?

 

I calibrated both with something called "Monitor Calibration Wizard" that I downloaded. It seems fairly good.

How exactly do you increase the saturation? I've looked in the nVidia display settings/desktop colour settings and there only appears to be a brightness, contrast and gamma slider. Digital vibrance and image sharpening are also there, but they are not selectable. I tried changing the brightness, contrast and gamma but this didin't effect the saturation.

 

I'd say that qualifies as "eyeballing" it. If you're really concerned about color accuracy, you need to take yourself out of the equation and buy a dedicated calibration tool like the ColorVision Spyder. I'd venture a guess that you prefer a warmer picture and have calibrated the monitor on the left accordingly.

I gained more control panel functionality when I switched to video card drivers other than the ones available on the Dell website. Dell seems to enjoy stripping certain functions from the drivers they provide. LaptopVideo2Go.com has alternative and more recent drivers available. I'd try switching to one of them and see if you don't gain the additional color settings.

 

i just opened up my 1500 last nite - the colors are most DEFINITELY a HUGE disappointment - i had to boost the contrast and lower both the gamma and brightness settings just to be able to look at the screen (and then, when i was looking at some nite photography, the pictures looked way too dark - there doesnt seem to be a "sweet spot")

my 2 year old toshiba screen - as well as my fathers 3 year old vaio screen both look WORLDS better - in fact, this will be my fourth notebook (first dell) - ALL of those screens looked better - so i definitely dont think all notebook screens are inherently worse - im sure they wont match the quality of some high-end desktop screens - but these vostro screens seem to be at the bottom of the barrel...

on the default settings - the colors are just completely off - i dont really feel like i should buy a dedicated calibration tool just to make my screen look comparable to some $499 notebooks out there

i think i may have to return this thing - i mean, i got a great deal on it - but its still too expensive to have such a pathetic screen...

if anyone has anymore suggestions (that dont require me purchasing any extras to get "acceptable" performance) - im totally open to them

otherwise, ill spend a few hundred extra bucks and go with an hp...

 

Just get the HP. They have brilliant screens. I just went to Sam's club and they had a bunch of HP notebooks/desktops with screens all the way up to 24 inches. And they all looked amazing. You will also get nicer speakers with the HDMI and s-video outputs. There is no design flaws in the headphone jacks either. The design is more attractive/thinner/less bulky then the dated dells with thick/heavy designs. IMHO, HP's do have better hardware. Maybe the support is slightly better with dell but who cares if you end up with a whacked LCD.

 

Not to hijack this thread, but is anyone aware of any laptop makers using 8-bit panels anymore? I think ThinkPad's had them a while ago, but not anymore.

 

i actually priced out a configured dv6500t very similar to what you have in your sig - itll be about $100-150 more than what i paid for the dell - but thatll be my fault (for not jumping on hp's 30% deal a couple of weeks ago) - i think thats what im going to do

i mean - the performance of the dell is really pretty fantastic - but what good is it if i get a migraine just looking at the screen?

 

Get a replacement.

 

^ it seems like the replacements are just as hit-or-miss as getting a brand new computer - aren't they?

is there somehow i can ensure that the screen ill get will be better? anything in particular i should ask for?

it just seems odd to me that if i had gone with a lenovo, hp, or sony - i wouldnt have to worry - with these vostros - it seems like the percentages of "bad" screens outweighs that of the "good" screens...

 

There is no guarantee that a replacement will have a better screen, but it would seem a shame to not even give Dell the chance since you yourself said: "i mean - the performance of the dell is really pretty fantastic "

There is zero risk to you to get a replacement. Replacements are given high priority and usually arrive pretty quickly. Mine (with a much better screen) arrived less than a week after I contacted Dell.

 

^ you know - if they agree to send me out a brand new laptop - then ill give it a shot (but i wont agree to a refurb - i did, after all, pay for a new notebook)

are they going to wait until they receive my unit before they send me out a replacement? i just dont want this eating into my return policy timeframe

i must say - this is DEFINITELY an annoyance - and from the looks on the MULTIPLE threads in this forum alone, this is not an isolated problem - that alone tells me that dell doesnt really have the customers best interest in mind - they are a business, and this i understand completely - they want to make money - and that is perfectly fine and normal - but when you have a widespread problem like this, it should be addressed

i mean, they have 3 different lcd manufacturers that they use - it seems like the samsungs are the worst of the bunch (mine is no exception) - heres an idea - use the lcd's that are LEAST prone to have an issue - from what im reading on these forums - it seems to be the opposite - people sit at home praying they get an lg - yet the sec's are the most widely distributed...

ill be honest - if i didnt get the deal i got - theres no way i would give dell a second chance - they actually dont deserve one here either - but ill do it because if it works out, ill have saved a little cash...

 

Looking at the pictures, both screens are different from the color that website gives me.. I get like in the middle of both of those hues. With that said, I don't see what the issue is really.. it's. a. laptop. screen. I mean, as others have said the laptop screen looks more accurate of the two in comparison.

 

They will send you a brand new laptop straight from the factory. You don't have to send back your other one first. They are supposed to send a return label in the box so you can send back the first one. They neglected to do that in my case, so Dell arranged to have UPS came to my work (could be your home too) to pick up the laptop to return it.

It won't cost you anything except your time. If you need to have a laptop in a short time frame, then you should return it.

You are in a Dell notebook forum. You are going to here about all the problems. I agree that Dell has more than their share of screen problems and that is a shame. But you should try to get what you payed for.

 

I looked at the picture and site and my screen is somewhere in the middle of the two you posted. As for a replacement, I don't know how it works where you are but here in the UK Dell are sending me a new machine and picking the other one up at the same time (dead pixels). All brands have problems of some sort.

I was all set to buy HP but at the last minute i read this on zdnet:

I viewed the thread on hp's site and that really put me off. My friend bought a HP and had that exact same problem with it and the customer service was abysmal. I just went back to that thread on HP's site and they still haven't sorted it.

 

yeah - its a screen many of us stare at for hours at a time - to me, its one of the MOST important aspects of the laptop - and when the 2 and 3 year old laptops in my house have screens FAR better, theres something wrong...

luckily - im not really in a hurry - i can wait for a replacement - im currently using my toshiba - its starting to fail on me - but at least i can look at the screen without getting a migraine...

 

welp - just got off the phone with dell - talked to tech support first - the rep said its definitely a hardware problem and told me i would get it replaced - he then transferred me to customer care

the customer care guy said: "yep - well just ship you out a replacement" - a few minutes after he started getting the deal setup, the conversation continues:

- me: you know, online i read that you have 3 different manufacturers for the screens - is there a way i can request the lg screen? (knowing the answer)
- csr: nope (he used that word) - we are only authorized to ship you out the same screen you ordered - order for order
- me: oh i understand that - but i ordered the xga+ screen and, apparently, dell has 3 different manufacturers of the *same* screen - i was hoping i could request the lg screen
- csr: nope, youll get the exact same screen
- me: ok, i just hope its better than this one
- csr: oh yeah - itll work fine

a few more minutes pass

- me: i have another quick question - when does my return period end after i get the replacement? id just like to know how much time i have to test the unit out
- csr: its from the original order date - your order date was november first
- me: ok, so i have until december first then?
- csr: yep (again, he used that word)

another 30 seconds pass

- me: oops - one more question - this is going to be a brand new unit, right?
- him: nope (used the word) - this will be a refurb
- me: oh really? because i paid for a new computer - will i get some sort of discount? some sort of refund?
- him: nope (this was his entire answer)

i give him a few seconds to rethink what i just told him

- me: ok, i think ill just go ahead and ask for a refund then
- him: ok

a few minutes pass

- him: did you want us to schedule a pick up for you or would you like to drop the computer off at ups?
- me: i have a ups right by my house - ill just drop it off
- him: ok - ill go ahead and email you the return label - you wont have to pay for shipping or anything...

thats it - not a seconds hesitation - not a second to even try to "save the sale" - after this experience, i know ill definitely never deal with dell again

for those interested - im gonna set up a little comparison of the screens (vostro 1500 and my old toshiba) - i just got home - so give me a little bit to eat dinner and what not...

 

Dell screens suck period. My 640m has terrible, now I mean terrible backlighting issues, black screens are a cloudy mess. The screens are meant for business though, not for visual fidelity so I don't mind too much.

My bro who has a 1710 swapped his dell screen with his old fujitsu siemens, don't know what panel they were using but the difference was night and day. Dell uses the cheapest, cruddiest screens they can lay their paws on and go with that because at the end of the day, they save money and hardly anyone complains because they think it's quality, but in actual fact they don't have a clue what a quality lcd screen looks like. Ignorance FTW!

To the peeps who think the right screen looks better, tunnel vision and market branding wins again...

 

lol - you know, you gotta give it to dell - they found a loophole that nets them a ton of cash (horrible screens) - no one complains - they stick with it - god bless capitalism - and i cant fault them for that - first and foremost, they are a business - they want to make money and it looks like theyre making enough for themselves

ill tell you though - this was my second experience with their customer service - and both times, maybe its my luck, but i get some incompetent fool who doesnt even consider thinking before he/she stinks

2 customer service experiences at dell = 2 of my worst customer service experiences of all time

i mean, the completely apathetic tone this guy today took - he could give a rats @ss whether i returned it or not - im not going to beg dell to take my money - especially for a product that doesnt make the grade

im telling you, the $599 computers at best buy have better quality screens than this garbage

 

I'll have to admit that the $500 Acer laptop I got recently looks better than my $1300 Vostro. But the rest of the build of the Vostro is top quality.

I still don't get how Dell continues to act this way. I mean its great that they'll take a return without hesitation, but come on! I just wanted to add acciden protection and they made me order A WHOLE NEW LAPTOP. Not just add it to my existing order, but order a brand new one just to add the accident protection. What a joke. So they get stuck with a prebuilt laptop, and pay for two more shippers (new one to me, old one back to them)... They would do this a dozen times if needed which is great, but why not just replace the damn panel with the one you request.

The odd thing is that they said they would replace it with the exact same panel. But if you ask them to provide you with a specific panel they say they don't know what manufacturer it is. What gives?

 

ok - i just snapped up a few pics - now, im no photographer - so please bear with the poor photos - im not good to begin with and didnt really take much time with these - lol

on the left: toshiba m55-s329 (1200x800 native resolution)
on the right: dell vostro 1500 (samsung screen - 1440x900 resolution)

- both computers are at the "default" settings - ie - everything down the middle - please note that i DID attempt to adjust the vostro screen - but when i got the desktop to look like i wanted to, everything else went caput (photos were too dark, the colors in ie were totally off, etc)

- both computers are at the highest brightness settings (lowering the brightness settings on the vostro just makes for a more dramatic "washing" of colors - i wanted to keep this as fair as possible)

- both computers have their own version of "truebright" technology (as you can probably tell from the photos)













imo - you can pretty much see the difference in every single picture (the dell just looks completely washed out) - but - its most remarkable in the pictures where the photograph of the watch is displayed

look at how deep and rich the black looks in the photos on the left - on the right, it almost appears as though the watch has a grayish bezel

and in the first two pictures - you can clearly see the bleed from the bottom of the screen on the vostro

washed out screen + completely apathetic customer service = ups label being slapped on the box of the vostro - it goes back tomorrow...

 

It's too bad they treated you so poorly. Good luck with whoever you decide to go with.

 

sorry to hear that. Maybe go with a Sager. Everyone says they're top notch and most online vendors are good to deal with concerning issues like this. Of course will cost you several hundred more, but probably worth the money considering.

 

Ahmen to that.

 

Hi everybody,

I purchased a Vostro 1500 N series (with no OS) nearly a month ago. My problem is with its display. There are visible dim vertical stripes in ca. 3 cm width on both edges from top to bottom. The more the brightness is reduced, the more the dimness becomes visible. It is rather irritating to my eyes and mind, as well.

I called the local Dell Service today and I was told that the replacement part should be ordered (I live in Hungary) which would probably take a week and then they replace it under my 3 year warranty plan.

Do you think it is a fair policy only to replace the defect LCD or they should replace the whole notebook? I vote for the latter.