the LCD Sony customer service saga continues

For those keeping score, I had sent my SZ340 into Sony for the third time to address the SAME issue. The LCD screen on my computer emitted an annoying buzzing sound whenever the computer was on anything other than max brightness + A/C power. Battery power, and lower brightness settings triggered the buzz...... and a buzzing laptop sucks.

Sony techs kept trying fixes, and then kept sending my computer back to me without having the problem fixed. Boo.

I sent my computer in for the THIRD time on 11/3, and just got a call from them today. The guy I spoke with said that the techs, who were standing right next to him, said that the sound is unavoidable with the SZ3XX series, and that he wanted to move me into the SZ2XX line.

I said woah, first off, I haven't heard this LCD buzz coming from other SZ3XX's I've used, and second off, your solution is to DOWNGRADE me??

He said, yeah, the techs said all SZ3XX's have it, but maybe it was more pronounced in mine (read: I'm being too picky?). Then he said that moving me into an SZ2XX wouldn't be downgrading me -- they'd make sure I had the same specs.

I said woah, one of the reasons I ordered (and paid so much for) a SZ3XX was the new Core 2 Duo processors ---- and the SZ2XX's don't have that.

The guy I spoke with had a hard time understanding how going from a 300 series computer ot a 200 series one was a downgrade but, apparently, he and the techs are currently looking at my options and I'm awaiting a call back.

.....ok, so the most irritating thing I'd like to point out right now, before I update with the progress that I've made on this, is how I've sent this computer in THREE times for the SAME issue. If, after sending it in once, the techs would have told me "This is a design issue with your model of computer and cannot be fixed", then I would have been able to do something about it (e.g. live with it, or sell it). ..but to have Sony continually recommend that I send the computer in, make random "fixes" to my machine, and then send it back to me (twice) is just insane!!!

Grahh!!!

/rant (I wish I could say that made me feel better about all this. )

 

Tell them to pull your hard drive and send it to you in a new SZ340. They will not want to do this as they do not have a stock of new computers sitting around at the tech shop, but they will get one from Sony and install your hard drive. I had them do this for me years ago. They just got an authorization from customer support.

 

I'm so sorry to hear about this! I love my Sony FE and it has produced not a single problem so far.

Ever think about a fully tricked out FE?

 

Oh and by the way, I have never heard a buzz from my 370P/C.

 

no tingling on my SZ1X
suposibly SZ1Xs can fit in a Core2 Merom, had lots of convos on this when SZs came out =p

 

I've never heard of this buzzing issue before being reported, and not particularly with the 300 series. None of the reviews for 300 series I've read mention this.

 

Same with me --- I've only heard of this with my SZ. It drives me up the wall.. especially now that the techs are saying that this happens in all SZ3XXs. I am one frustrated Sony customer. GRRR!

Still waiting for the guy to call me back --- at least I have his direct line in my cell phone now.

 

Politely request for a new SZ340P with your exact config as a replacement. AS much as I hate to say this but I think your SZ is a lemon! This is not common & happens in other brands & items as well but I think they can/will eventually replace it with a new one. Wish you good luck.

 

We shall see.

I'm certainly frustrated --- I've "owned" this laptop for just over 2 months now, and have probably had it in my possession about 2 weeks total.

 

Well, three cheers for being a pain in the a$$. Sony has decided to replace my SZ340 with a brand new SZ360P ----- same amount of RAM I had, same processor, upgrade to the LED screen (they said this time that it was the LCD making the noise), upgrade to Windows Professional, upgrade to 120GB harddrive, same DVDRW drive, etc etc etc.

Should ship out next week. Hurrah!

 

Good for you, persistence pays off.

 

Let's see how many problems you have this time

 

the circuit board for the premium is based in the body and the circuit board in the normal magnesium one is based behind hte screen. The circuit board could be the one making noise as electricity discharges thru the magnesium casing...

 

YAY!!!!!

 

Glad to hear they are hooking you up. I think it's part of the training techs and reps go though, to lowball you right off the bat, as an opening offer to feel you out...it's good you kept at it. Downgrading as a solution is pretty laughable. On the same token, I doubt the techs have much, if any product knowledge. The name of the game is usually to manipulate the customer by telling them what the tech thinks will appease someone who's upset, and they have to just hope they don't get called on it. There are probably a lot of people who wouldn't have known any better and would have just accepted it.

I'll be curious as to how this one turns out. Mine still makes the buzz, and I asked a buddy with a Dell B series to listen to his, and his also makes the sound, but very quietly. Maybe the LED backlighting will be the solution.

lol

 

We shall see ---- I remain hopeful.

As I tried to insinuate, if the Sony reps would have told me, after I sent my laptop in for service the first time, that there wasn't anything they could do about the LCD buzz, then I would have learned to deal with it, you know? The guy that I spoke with last at Sony suggested that the LCD inverter was the culprit for the buzzing sound --- and that the LED backlit screens didn't have this problem -- or have an inverter.. or something.

I have also always wondered if the issues I had with my SZ had anything to do with the fact that it was a CTO model. The other SZs I've played with, all being display models at Best Buy, etc., were all pre-configured models, and all had sturdier keyboards than mine, no LCD buzzing, etc.. although, as I've mentioned before, I might have missed the LCD buzz in noisy stores.

In any case, it would (will! positive thinking!) be nice to have a notebook I'm super happy with.. and I was happy with the SZ, apart from the keyboard and LCD noise.

 

Further proof that a lot of the "techs" have no clue what they're talking about. I'd like to know what qualifications one has to have to be a member of the tech department. That guy that suggested the downgrade was probably trying to take a phone order for Readers Digest whilst attempting to pull a fast one on you.

I can't hear my LCD buzzing if I have a fan on in the room, so i'm not sure that you could hear much of anything in a raucous place like Best Buy.

Regardless...I hope it works out...The SZ does indeed seem like a really nice system. I'd like to trade for one..any takers? heh

 

kgbeezer, sorry to go off topic. What did you mean in your sig that your
Sony PCG NVR23 is the best sounding notebook ever?

 

That is such a good deal.

A SZ360 body with SZ340 specs.

I notice the Sony call you "picky" too. They said the same thing to me.

Just 1 question.

You can hear the LCD buzzing over the CPU fan and Hard drive noise?

Hope your SZ3 "50" turns out good. HEHE

 

Yeah, I could totally hear the LCD noise over the fan and harddrive in my 340.. of course, I couldn't help BUT listen for the LCD buzz since I became so preoccupied with it. I could even hear it in semi-noisy environments (the doctor's office waiting room, for example).

Hah --- speaking of "techs" -- the first time I sent the SZ in for service for the LCD buzz, the tech thought that the issue had to do with the way my HD was connected to the rest of the computer, so he told me that he replaced the harddrive and sent it back to me. When I got the machine back, the Sony checklist (the sheet that tells you what work had been done) said that the harddrive had just been reimaged. That's it.

..plus, in that same return shipment, I ended up getting a call from some guy in Colorado who received MY notes to the technicians (plus extra packing material *I* had used) in HIS return shipment with his SZ. High fives for compentency!

 

I just meant that the sound quality produced was the most un-notebook like that i've heard. It had the small "subwoofer" in one of the interchangable bays, and unlike the other subs i've heard in notebooks (namely Dell), it actually added a really full sound. You could listen to music at a reasonable volume and not be punished by an ear shredding, shrill sound.

It's puzzling that a lot of notebook manufacturers seem to pay very little attention to sound detail. Yea, there are external speakers, but it defeats the purpose of a laptop. Speakers won't fit in my computer bag! I'm lucky I can squeeze my notebook in there.

 

SZ360P arrived today ---- brand new, as promised.

.....................and..... it's quiet! No LCD buzz at all! Hurrah! The keyboard is also SIGNIFICANTLY nicer than my 340 ---- so are the touchpad buttons, for that matter (the ones on my 340 wiggled quite a bit). I think I can wholeheartidly recommend not going the CTO route via sonystyle...based on my experiences, anyway.

I guess this problem is, maybe, partial to the non-LED backlit LCD screens after all?

In any case, I am very much looking forward to enjoying this computer.

 

I am confuse

What is the specs on your SZ360? Same as SZ340?

Congrats!

 

More or less. I had my 340 configured with a 2ghz Core 2 Duo, 2gigs of RAM, 100gig HD, Dual Layer DVD, etc etc etc. The 360 came with the same processor and RAM, bumped my HD up to 120gigs, and added in a camera plus the carbon fiber body and LED backlit screen.

 

That looks exactly the same as 360

The LCD backlit screen noticeable compare with 340? I didn't know 340 didn't have camera. Thats interesting..

 

You can choose not to have the camera on the SZ340 because it is a customized model & there is option to have or not have the camera...

 

Yeah, the 340 is one of the CTO models where you get to pick exactly what components you want. I chose not to get a camera in mine... just b/c I wanted to save 30 bucks. Silly in retrospect.. but hey, whatever.

I can definitely tell the difference between the 360 screen (premium model) and the 340 screen (non-premium model). I'm exceedingly happy to have moved into the former category....... not the least b/c the premium screens don't have the LCD buzz that I've complained endlessly about.