SZ pixel issue...don't know what it is...

I have an SZ160P...with a screen issue......

So I've read through some of the posts in the huge dead pixel thread about the SZ and I don't know what exactly has happened to my screen. On the right hand side near the edge, there's this blotch. It's greyish in color...and from what I can tell:

1. It appears on any color other than black...or something very close to black.
2. It's not contained within the "walls" of a pixel. I've seen dead pixels, and you can see the shape of the pixel that went out...this is something different.
3. I've run Dead Pixel Buddy and it doesn't exhibit the characteristics of a dead pixel (where it will turn a different color depending on what color it's supposed to show)...no it stays the same color on all screen colors.

This is the best description I have for what it looks like:
It's about 4-5 pixels wide...and it looks like it's almost contained in a perfect square (created by the pixels)...but not quite.
It looks like when you choose the paintbrush tool in Adobe Photoshop, set the hardness to a low value, select black as the color, and click somewhere on the screen.


I've tried to massage it out...doesn't help. I've tried changing different characteristics about the screen and that doesn't work either. Finally I tried Microsoft's #1 fix...reboot. It's still there.

The laptop is still under warranty from Sony but I don't know if they would be willing to fix this. It's also under a service plan from CompUSA in which I get 2 new LCD screens in the course of 3 years...if something happens to them. I'd rather not use one of 2 right now if there's a way to fix this because the laptop is only about 6 months old.

Any suggestions, solutions, thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Jeff

 

It actually sounds like the panel is physically broken inside. It is possible that a few pixels actually broke and started to "spill" their contents inside.

 

Aye -- "clusters" of dead pixels (or whatever you want to call them) are definitely a key-word for service reps.

Sony immediately escalates dead-pixel-ish related questions to advanced tech support -- or at least that's what they told me when I talked to them last. Worth calling, in any case.

 

Has anyone dealt with Sony's repair service? I'm wondering how long they're gonna keep my laptop if I send it in to them.

 

Sounds like you have dust inside the screen. Happened to me too in a SZ1HP (~SZ160). It's a production error where the screen edges are not perfectly sealed, so after some time, dust ends inside the screen.

 

I've dealt with them many, many times. The general turnaround time on Sony repairs, in my experience, is very good ---- you'll have a box shipped out to you overnight, ship it out the next day.. and then get it back in anywhere from 4-7 business days, if my experiences are generally indicative of turnaround time.

..of course, the flipside to this quick turnaround is that my computers have come back to me, several times, exhibiting the same problems that I sent them in for. YMMV.

 

^^ Yea I've had that happen...only it was sent in through BestBuy on my old school GRX (16.1" LCD =]).

I just noticed another characteristic of the issue...with a white screen, the "blemish" is not visible from certain angles. I haven't tried it with other background colors.

I guess I'll have to back up all my stuff and send in the laptop to Sony. Hopefully they'll fix it.

If it's just dust inside the screen, is there a way I can fix that?

 

Dust inside the screen. Typical behavior.

No. There is no way of repairing that. Even Sony has to replace the entire screen with a new one.

 

wow...you'd think they would take better precautions to prevent that...ugh