What's up with all the Grainihypochondria?

What is Grainihypochondria, you ask?

Here are the symptoms:
1.) Obsession with part numbers / manufacturers before ever even seeing the screen
2.) Looking at your screen for minutes on end to try and spot defects
3.) Asking people how to tell if your screen is defective
4.) Dreams of touring an LG factory and being given a free souvenir laptop LCD

If you, or anyone you know, has been suffering from any/all of the symptoms, then they are most likely suffering of Grainihypochondra (or GHC).
Don't worry, modern medicine has come up with a treatment for GHC:


Chill Out may be habit forming. We aren't quite sure if it is because the researchers conducting the study took some and ended up quitting their jobs and moving to Hawaii. Not recommended for single mothers or anyone who is solely responsible for taking care of something really important. Side affects may include laziness, inattentiveness, brain freeze, and temporary blindness. Ask your doctor about Chill Out today!

 

hi i think i got a samsung screen with my Inspiron 1520 and I think the screen is grainy. Sometimes if i tilt the monitor the colour changes! I think i should return the laptop this is not what i paid for. Dell must treat customers better. thank u for the ice cream

 

great post, +1 rep lol

 

Ha ha ha very funny.

I especially agree with point 3. If people are asking how to tell that there screen is defective, then they are definately paranoid and wasting everyones time.

I've said it numerous times before, if your screen has a problem you will notice it straight away!

 

Well, sometimes the difference might be subtle, or the user isn't experienced enough to notice the problem. For example, if I'm using a CRT monitor right now, then I won't really know how a LCD monitory SHOULD look like. Plus, I've had experiences before where something didn't work but I didn't even know it's suppose to work that way.

 

hey, never thought about my screen before...now it seems like i do, in fact, have graininess... u just ruined my life... screw ur medicine lol
+1 rep

 

well, i noticed a difference right when i booted up my 1420 and set it aside from the replacement that jsut came in, and so i had the two laptops on, side by side. both screens are made by LG, but the replacement screen was completely different and crazy sparkles everywhere.

still waiting for a tech to come replace it.. :S

 

yeah, nobody says it's wrong to want/have a normal screen, just don't get all paranoid(save urself some nerves), worst case scenario, they'd have to replace it.

 

Ice cream tasted crap. gimme another one

 

LOL, good thread! Definitely agree with point 3, if you have to ask for pictures or instructions to tell if your screen if grainy, its NOT.

 

There's logic to asking if your screen is defective, especially if it's your first laptop purchase ever.

You'd never know if you were getting ripped off unless someone told you, as you'd just be happy with what you got. One might argue that the monitor is good enough if you're happy and can't tell, but you're still getting ripped off and you'd likely be even happier with a higher-quality screen.

 

It would be my first laptop purchase. How would I know if everything is fine, or not?

 

i think, u should be able to notice it right away, if u have eyes, of course

 

Well, when you receive it and open it, if you notice a lot of white light coming from the base of the LCD or the top, then thats called light leakage. If there is a lot of it, and its annoying you, it might be wise to call Dell.

Keep in mind, though, that on darker backgrounds, it will appear to be a lot. However, for minor light leakage, it usually disappears as soon as you put a different/lighter background.

Another thing to check for is whether the screen is grainy. If it is, you should notice it right away. However, if you need help, open Notepad and check the whites in it. If they look VERY sparkly or blurry, then you might have grain. However, if things look normal or adequate, then its ok.

Hope this helps.

 

lol nice post.

In all fairness, there are some people out there that aren't computing experts and money could be tight so dropping 1G or 2G's is a big issue especially when there are so many posts about grainy screens.

I had first had experience and had to return it and those screens are downright horrible. You think of how long it takes to ACTUALLY receive the system, imagine having to return it because of grains and waiting AGAIN? We could be talking 6-8 weeks to get everything resolved so I think the paranoia is justified but that's what you gotta put up with when ordering a Dell.

 

Yeah I bought a nice new car a while ago... went to the dealer to pick it and my nice leather seats had tears in all of them...

But it still drove fine so I just took a chill pill and went on with life...

Or not.

If the a car manufacturer started shipping cars with torn seats, blemished paint jobs or whatnot to a large percentage of their merchandise I think you would quickly see a similar result wherever gearheads congregate.

I personally think that it's not overreacting to be pensive about a potential flaw in a major portion of a multihundred dollar purchase...

 

Still, there's a difference between getting a car with ripped leather and ordering a car, wondering if it has ripped leather, and then asking people how to tell if the leather is ripped.

 

If 80% of Scion xA made in Japan got delivered with ripped seats I bet people would be trying to figure out how to get their VIN before the vehicle was delivered... Not to mention if the rips were such they could be mistaken for some kind of texture or grain by people who don't have a lot of experience with how leather seats should look.

Bearing in mind that it wasn't a great analogy since most people don't get cars shipped, but lets just say that they all get shipped for sake of argument.

Wouldn't happen here, but I betcha it would result in a pretty nice lump of posts at automotiveforums or something.

 

Instead of ripped seats, a better analogy would be grainy or off-color windshields, or windshields you couldn't see through unless you looked at them from exactly the right angle.

 

Yeah... the idea being the same... an issue that is not a catastrophic failure (like no pistons in the engine or something) but is a legitimate issue in a large percentage of the product.

 

c'mon now guys, we can sit here and make examples of analogies all day...all this poster wanted to say was that we all need to calm down...what happens happens, how r u gonna change anything b4 u receive it in the mail?

 

If it's a known issue with Dell, they are aware of it and have at least claimed to stop sending out AUO screens I would think I would get on the horn with dell and start setting up an exchange or what not before eating more of my 30 day window.

And good news or bad, the anticipation can be worse than the actual result... often I would rather get bad news than have to wonder if it's good or bad for days/weeks, at least then you can start thinking about what you are going to do.

Whether you can change anything or not, just not having to worry and wonder if is well worth the hassle of finding out to me...

 

lol pwnd! R+

 

LOL, it's true. Everyone seems pretty grainy crazy around here. xD

 

C'mon, you naysayers have to admit...Dell has been using crap screens the last couple of generations of notebooks. The 700m was a wonderful screen, and ever since, it seems Dell cannot put out a decent screen to match it (except for, possibly, an LG UXGA on the E1705/9400).

Lately, some are acceptable, most are crap. True, to keep cost down, they are probably substituting lower grade LCD's, but we, as the consumer, should have a choice when we order for a GOOD/BETTER/BEST display (and not just resolution, but grades of visual excellence!).

It really is like spinning the roulette wheel when getting a Dell notebook. Even a certain model/config is not guaranteed a particular LCD panel! One has to wonder what the Dell parts buyers say when they see an AOU or SEC panel in action?

Makes you wonder if anyone even inspects the prototypes before they go into production!

 

Nah, not so funny if you think about it. When you're burning that kind of money, you probably would get irritated if something was wrong with it.

 

I'm not saying there isn't a problem, I had to get a replacement for my first laptop because of grain, but worrying about it before you've seen it or worrying that you can't tell there's something wrong (grain is a purely visual defect, if you can't tell it's there, what's the problem?) is just rediculous.

 

Well sure, you can't see it now, but if it gets worse when it's out of the return or warranty period, then you're screwed. Besides, that doesn't even matter. If you paid for a machine, you deserve a flawless one, with no defects, visible or otherwise. imho, at least

 

Yeah, but it's good to know if the model laptop you're looking at has pronouced problems before buying. I'm a first time laptop buyer and I wouldn't know what graininess or light leakage means unless someone else described the problem to me. This is where these forums were helpful. However, if your laptop has these issues you'll notice either pretty much out of the box if you have a vague idea of what it is. Knowing what graininess was, and actually seeing it in action with my replacement AUO gives me a sort of guideline of what to determine as unacceptable on my second replacement.

 

I agree that knowing about light leakage, graininess, etc. is important, but there's a line between knowing about something and uselessly obsessing over it.

 

Uh oh, my chill out spilled in my laptop!

 

+rep.

Effin' genius.

 

If you ordered and got a screen that is defective, you have all rights to ***** and moan.

But *****ing and moaning BEFORE you even get it is kinda lame.
Some people don't even bother ordering after reading this and that. Atleast give it a shot, you got absolutely no money to lose.....

 

I don't know what I laughed at more, the great points the OP made or the posters who are getting all defensive about the post.
I especially love the poster talking about Dell having an 80% defective screen output LOL!!! Just because every other post on this forum is about "grainy" screens, doesn't mean every other person that actually buys a Dell is receiving a grainy screen.
Great post OP, I've been wanting to post the exact same thing for MONTHS now!!
+rep

Julia

 

i will be listening to music at a reasonable volume between 9 and 11.

 

how do you have no money to lose? If you're like me and only bought the laptop with no dell care plan then i would say you have alot to lose. if i get a defective laptop wont i have to pay to ship it back to dell? or even worse what if they say something like its not a problem like what they told some of the posters here...then i would either be stuck with a defective laptop or how to pay dell a 15% restocking fee to return it, correct?


I would say you have alot to lose.

 

I think ur wrong dude..

http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums/board/message?board.id=insp_video&thread.id=167802

 

You have a 1 year warranty by default, even if you don't pay for Dell Care. Plus, you are allowed to exchange the system within 21 days.

 

hehe... i think even though i returned my 1520 for a full refund, i lost a lot in the transaction. we will see if they do, in fact, give me a full refund. they lied about practically everything else, so i expect the full refund promise to turn out a lie as well. sad when i have so little faith, is it not?

i lost a lot of time- calling dell, waiting for packages, configuring a computer i will now not get to use, etc.

i lost money- i spent about sixty bucks in cell phone minutes, mostly on hold.

also, now i have to go through the whole process of buying a laptop again, while WAITING for dell to return my money so i can buy one. my csr promised the money would be returned within 4-5 days of dell receiving the laptop, but the returns people said it could take up to thirty days. what a load.

so, now after all this time and effort- i'm left without a laptop. i also missed out on the HP 30% coupon because a csr begged me do give dell 'one last chance' to get it right. well, dell- you got it wrong. thanks for less than nothing.

to those of you who think you have nothing to lose when buying a dell- this is my perspective, from a guy that has been there. until dell convincengly fixes the grainy screen problem which they have not done- you do, imho, have something to lose.

 

I seriously dont see the point in this grainy issue. Ppl keep taking pictures of the screens only 1mm away from the camera and say that they see grain when there very near to the screen, but you have to be VERY close to even notice it and who the hell uses a laptop only 1cm away from the screen?

On mine i can see a nice non-grainy laptop, the main problem is the viewing angles and light bleed.

 

have you even had a grainy screen?

Trust me, you don't have to be close to the screen to see it.....
It's so obvious even a blind person could see it

If you've not gone through a grainy screen, you'll never know what the fuss is about.

 

Fair enough i havent seen a totally grainy screen, but i can see something on my screen which seems to be slight grain, but when my head back to view the screen as i normally would, it is not visible and all i can see is a perfect screen.

The main problem is with the light bleed and viewing angles. I've never ownned a notebook before this so i dont know if its normal or whether im being to demanding.

Does anyone know if Dell will replace the screen after 30 days of owning it or is it just for the 30 day period that you can get your screen replaced?

 

Ditto! You always hear about "it" when someone is mad, but when they're happy, you don't. Like in relationships, when you're happy with your partner your friends hear nothing about it, but as SOON as they piss you off the whole world knows.

I took this post as a light hearted joke. I don't think the original poster meant you SHOULDN'T be informed about graininess, and what your screen should look like, he's just saying if your laptop HASN'T got to you yet, CHILL OUT. Don't start sweating bullets before you actually get your laptop because when you get it - nothing is probably even wrong with it.

My family has ordered so many Dell's over the years and we have always been satisfied. After ordering my new 1720 yesterday, I have to admit, coming on this forum has made me a bit paranoid. But then I had to say to myself "You know what? Dell has never disappointed me, and I haven't even got my laptop yet, so I'm not going to worry about it because it isn't even here yet."

 

Lol. this link....i'm in that discussion

IHMO, i think that this dell dude is just trying to calm us, but it isn't exactly happening. The one question i have is that if there aren't any artcles AT ALL about this new tech, this means that this tech is in PRE PRE PRE PRODUCTION. and its in our hands? Well we should all feel blessed that we are test rats...we haz new technology!!!! YAY!!!!!!

-.- kick me.

my laptop has grain. when i open office and theres white, i see grain oh boy i have sparkles on my screen. nice touch. (some rep at dell told me that this was to enchance the view, i'm like what?). bleh. sucks.

think i should add that i did try to get a replacement, however i had to send my system in and it came back with scraches. yuck. using silver sharpie to hide them.

my machine has lost 1/2 its value....

 

my critique of mike dell's explanation (my thoughts in italic):


There’s bee a lot of talk around LCDs lately, specifically a phenomenon where the screen takes on a “grainy” or “glinting” appearance. This has been seen across all LCD panels including both notebook displays and desktop monitors and is not specific to any one brand of LCD or computer. Moreover, this is not a defect; it is inherent to the way LCDs are designed.

no, dell is not the only manufacturer that has had this problem, but that is no excuse. it IS a defect, and is NOT inherent to the was LCDs are designed-come on, we're not retarded.

If you know how LCDs are manufactured this phenomenon can be explained in the diffusion process. “Glossy” finished screens undergo a lower level of diffusion than the traditional “Anti Glare” or matte finish LCDs. The lower diffusion on glossy LCDs yields an increase in backlight luminance, which results in a brighter and sharper image without severely reducing battery life. The trade off is what appears to be a glinting or sparkling effect on the LCD, but results in a sharper and brighter image.

oh, well, gosh golly. i guess if we knew jack **** about LCD manufacturing, we would know all about- DIFFUSION? hahahahaa... this is funny stuff. tell me more!

For those who are less familiar with the LCD manufacturing process just think of two plain sheets of printer paper, one behind the other, being held up to the sun. (Don’t try this at home) You would see illumination through the papers, but not the direct sunlight. This is because the paper, like an Anti Glare LCD, is acting as a diffuser, scattering the light before it reaches your eye. Now, if you were to take a needle and poke a hole in one of the papers, stack them on top of each other and then hold them up to the light again, you would see a “glinting” effect where the hole was punched because there is one less layer of paper to diffuse the light. The glossy LCDs work in a similar way except it’s a much more intricate piece of paper, much smaller holes, and, unlike the sun, you won’t be blinded by the backlight.

oh boy! some terminology for us morons. thanks for stooping to our level- for those of us not familiar with the LCD manufacturing process. could you be any more condescending?

Because this “glint” is inherent to the LCD design accurate methods for measuring it weren’t available until recently. Although not a defect, our customer feedback and concern around this phenomenon has led Dell to acquire a unique, first of its kind method for measuring the “glint” and is in the process of implementing it into our product design cycle. Once the testing is finalized we believe we will have accurate and reproducible specifications that we can implement in our products.

try not buying crappy screens. it's not rocket science. having problems with the SEC3350? discontinue it. duh. notice the although not a defect line. what a load. past dells did not have this problem, current HPs do not have this problem, hell, some of the new dells don't have grainy screens- and you say it's not a defect? really?

It is important to note that some customers will prefer different types of LCDs based on what the computer is used for. The glossy LCDs provide a brighter screen, higher contrast and a sharper image for watching video and DVD’s. The traditional Anti Glare LCDs are better suited for editing documents, web surfing, and overall normal computer use.

this has nothing to do with the subject at hand, but sure is a good diversion tactic. oh, gee- i guess i prefer a different type of LCD- that's why my 1520 screen is so awful. please.

Mike

although it is nice that mike has commented on the subject, this is a total load of bull****. not a defect my ass. dell wants you to chill. i didn't and neither should you. if we accept this ridiculous explanation and stop complaining then dell will get away with putting DEFECTIVE LCDs in their laptops. dell needs to know that consumers will not accept this. however, i can't imagine they will ever admit it is a defect, which it is, because then they would actually have culpability for the great grainy screen fiasco of 2007. lol. fiasco. also, if you have to be within an inch of the screen to detect the grain, then you don't have it. if you really have a grainy screen, you should be able to see it from arm's length or greater.

 

I wish I could share your optimism. For me "isn't even here yet" is the problem. That's why I cancelled after two months of hearing lies and crap.

 

hey, does any one know whether the light bleed accentuates over the period of use or it stays the same? mine has light bleed at bottom. otherwise its a perfect screen.

 

I was telling my brother about a ton of people on here waiting months and he assured me we've always gotten our Dell's within 2 weeks. I bet I jinxed myself, lol. Lately everything I order online comes late, or I'm not here when it's delivered, something is missing, etc. But I WILL stay optimistic.

 

I just got my replacement today with a SEC screen for my Vostro 1400 and it's a day and night difference between my AU screen.

the AU Screen from the original was dim and with terrible blue tint + insane grain, this one has proper color, no grain and overall perfect.

Going to send back the old one, I just hope some poor soul doesn't get this crappy screen as a refurb

 

whom do they give the refurbs? one who replace or even to those who place an order?