Dead Pixel?!?!

Hi I hate to come here and just post for help, but I would just like to tell people on this forum for helping other people and discussing about VAIOs. I knew I had to get a S150 back in late July and early August when I first saw saw previews for it and discussions.

I'm not sure, but I think I have a dead pixel. When my screen is on ther is a small dot that is just gray or black. At first I thought it was dirt but couldn't get it off so I cut off my screen and cleaned the monitor. Now with the computer on, the dot is still there.

TO THE POINT: What can I do about it. I'm annoyed that I spent a fortune on it has, what I consider, a defect. It's small but nonetheless it is still a defect. What options do I have? I think i'm still covered by sony's one year warranty, but i'm also covered with best buy's warranty.

Thanks for any help I recieve!

 

Well, I think I have bad news for you. 1 dead pixel is no reason to get your money back/to have your screen replaced. There is a "norm" saying how many dead pixels are "allowed". A friend of mine bought a couple of years ago a notebook with 2 dead pixels (one always green, second always white I think). He tried to bring it back and the shop assistant explained that on this particular screen (14,1") 4 dead pixels are still OK.

 

To clarify -- this is not a Sony issue but an industry issue. Every manufacturer states in their fine print that a certain number of dead pixels may occur in an LCD. The exact number varies by manufacturer but tends to be in the 5 - 8 range. It also depends on how they're clustered around the screen. 4 within a square inch might warrant a return while 6 scattered everywhere won't.

Now, with that said...

If you purchased the laptop through a channel that allows you to return it for a refund (ex: sonystyle.com), you may want to do so and then re-purchase to try another unit. If you can't get a refund then try working their support organization. Be very nice and cooperative at first, and if that doesn't work then start being difficult and demanding. After all, what do you have to lose?

Also consider whether the pixel is actually worth the hassle. Many, many high-res LCDs are shipped with a fex dead pixels. For what it's worth you actually got a bit lucky -- you have just one and it's stuck off. It's when they're stuck on and you have a bright blue or red dot on the screen that it's really annoying.

Good luck.