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DS screen problems

C

Carm

Member
Let me say first, that I'm a picky bastard when it comes to dust under the screen, dead/stuck pixils and uneven lighting. I owned a GBA SP for 2 months, after exchanging at the store 4 times, and getting repaired twice, it still had the dust/dead pixils, plus they scratched the casing during the repair *sigh*. Got fed up and sold it on Ebay.

I purchased a DS yesterday, thankfully no dust or dead/stuck pixils but there is uneven lighting on the sides. Is it normal for example, the top screens right side edge, there is 3 points where the lighting is brighter than the rest of the screen? Same problem on the bottom screen, only on the left side edge.

I really don't want to go to the store and exchange it because, with my horrible luck with handhelds I'll end up with dead/stuck pixils heh. If it's not normal, I dunno how Nintendo would repair it without changing the screens out though.
 
I *only* notice the uneven brightness on a plain white background (during initial logos when you turn on the DS), it's a non-issue really... You are too anal, even by my standards.
 
Naked Snake said:
I *only* notice the uneven brightness on a plain white background (during initial logos when you turn on the DS), it's a non-issue really... You are too anal, even by my standards.
Click to expand...

I've never touched any videogame or system that I've ever had. I use a towel. I have literally never touched a case or box or whatever. Is that too anal?
 
Widfara said:
I've never touched any videogame or system that I've ever had. I use a towel. I have literally never touched a case or box or whatever. Is that too anal?
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I usually just purchase the system and never take it out of the store. I feel like it's safer behind the glass case at Gamestop.
 
Thanks, and yea I'm a picky bastard heh. In the GBA's case, there was no excuse for dust under the screen, but that was only one of the problems I had with those units. Some of them the lighting was extremely bad, dead pixils right in the center of the screen etc.

I mean if the stuff was right in the corner, I wouldnt have minded as much. The last unit, when I got it back and noticed dust under the screen, I sighed and was resigned to the fact that I would have to deal with it. Then I noticed the large scratches Nintendo's outsourced repair center put on the outer casing, that's when I got fed up and sold it off. I purchased a GBA player the same day for GC though heh.

With the DS, I've found one position where I don't see the brightness that I described on either screen, it just seems like it's gonna be uncomfortable for extended play.

This is why I hate the cd/dvd format heh. I've taken games back to exchange for new copies, when I noticed a few light scratches on brand new discs. I'm very anal about that sort of thing, I still have PS1 games with zero scratches, no excuse a brand new game should have any.
 
All DSs I have seen has uneven lighting in both or one screen. Some everso slightly, some a little more It's usually top right og lower left corners.
I think it's an issue with the backlight Nintendo uses, sometimes it's not wide enough to light the screen completly evenly.
 
Nintendo customer service is great, I had Nintendo fixed my top screen. It had dimmer light on about 1/4th of right side and a stuck pixel that would only display bright blue. The time it took to get it fixed was only 4 days total. 2 days to get to Nintendo, they fixed it and shipped it the same day and took another 2 days to get to me. They replaced the whole top portion of the system.

I bought my DS used and the warranty was set to expire in 2 months. After I got it fixed, my warranty was extended and will now end 12 months after it was repaired.
 
Galanthas said:
Thanks, and yea I'm a picky bastard heh. In the GBA's case, there was no excuse for dust under the screen, but that was only one of the problems I had with those units. Some of them the lighting was extremely bad, dead pixils right in the center of the screen etc.

I mean if the stuff was right in the corner, I wouldnt have minded as much. The last unit, when I got it back and noticed dust under the screen, I sighed and was resigned to the fact that I would have to deal with it. Then I noticed the large scratches Nintendo's outsourced repair center put on the outer casing, that's when I got fed up and sold it off. I purchased a GBA player the same day for GC though heh.

With the DS, I've found one position where I don't see the brightness that I described on either screen, it just seems like it's gonna be uncomfortable for extended play.

This is why I hate the cd/dvd format heh. I've taken games back to exchange for new copies, when I noticed a few light scratches on brand new discs. I'm very anal about that sort of thing, I still have PS1 games with zero scratches, no excuse a brand new game should have any.
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Do you notice ps2 discs getting greasy or grimy just from playing them in the system? Mine always seem to have a weird coating of greasy stuff on the bottom after I play them for awhile. You sound anal enough to notice this sort of thing.
 
I have seen that happen, most recently with Guitar Hero, not greasy though, just a dirt film of some sort. I played the hell out of the game though. I notice that happens mostly if I leave the disc in the system when it's powered off over night. I can't quite figure out what is causing it, but some of my games I've left on the shelf for quite a long time. I would get them out to play and notice a film on portions of the reading side, it wipes off easy enough, just can't figure out why it happens.
 
I hear you I returned my Ds today and got a new one and it is much better, the other one was too bright on the bottom screen and washed out. Both had a stuck pixel the first one had one on the top screen the one I got today on the touch screen.
 
Considering that I have a DS that has completely even lighting on both screens, yours sir, could be returned for a perfect one. The people claiming that all DS units have this problem are incorrect.
 
The lighting on my DS is even as well. I haven't had a problem with it in this regard. If it bothers you, then you should definitely get it changed. Nintendo is very good about these things.
 
The "backlight bleed" is a common issue with LCDs. Unfortunately, you are never guaranteed *not* to have it, even if you purchase a very high-end, expensive LCD :( but unless the problem is very extreme, I wouldn't bother returning it. Although tolerance for LCD flaws varies among ppl. When I took a look at my friend's PSP, the bright beautiful screen was ghosting like a mofo.. . at least the DS's I've seen don't do that. I didn't even tell my friend about that--sometimes people don't notice the problem unless it's pointed out, and he was very happy with his new toy :). Oh, it also had backlight bleed, nothing too nasty, but noticeable during bootup.

Ultimately, unless you are noticing the problem every time and it bothers you (maybe you should stop trying to notice it :) ), I don't think it's worth the hassle of repairing/exchanging.
 
Each of my DS' two screens is beautiful. There is even lighting all across, and all pixels are working perfectly. Unless I have screen abnormalities that I haven't noticed, my system should wear nicely--unless screen defects are from extended use.



I am a photography student, and I should be able to notice problems if present. When I'm deer hunting a lot this year I shall spend hours watching the new Castelvania. My girlfriend is poised to buy me a copy, but I might just get one for myself before the holidays get here.






+1 Nintendo DS screens in my personal DS
-1 Virtual Boy that I paid $179.oo US for

Nintendo and are square. TheyÂ’ve made up for the Virtual Boy in my books.
 
I'm quite anal about these things (returned my original GBA 3 times), and I have not and cannot detect anything uneven on either of my DS's screens. I just checked on both white, black and different coloured backgrounds to make sure. You can do better. Sorry.
 
What causes some screens to have uneven lighting? And does it happen on the psp? Bad enough I have to worry about dead/stuck pixels.
 
This is a device made to step on, throw in bags and use in the bathtub. Get over it, you will enjoy it more :lol

The light comes from the sides, so it's a bit uneven. Depends on how bad it really is on your model. My micro has really uneven light on black screens, but it is so damn bright at other times that it doesn't matter.
 
I'm more concerned about the R button on the DS santa's supposed to bring me this year. I hear they like to pop off or just stop working or something...That's a shame, Nintendo systems (post NES) are usually very resilliant pieces of hardware.
 
Thaedolus said:
I'm more concerned about the R button on the DS santa's supposed to bring me this year. I hear they like to pop off or just stop working or something...That's a shame, Nintendo systems (post NES) are usually very resilliant pieces of hardware.
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...never heard of this problem. I've had mine over a year and I haven't run into it, either.
 
I've never touched any videogame or system that I've ever had. I use a towel. I have literally never touched a case or box or whatever. Is that too anal?
Click to expand...

As sad as this statement is, it is totally true. Believe him or not, but take my word for it, this man speaks the truth. I remember him in high school walking around with his GBA wrapped in a towel like freaking baby jesus.

You are pathetic. :lol
 
Here is an extremely crude ms paint drawing of the DS screen, since I don't have a digital camera heh. Grey area represents normal DS lighting, white area obviously the bright area I'm talking about. I noticed this on the right side of the top screen and the left side on the bottom screen, right on the edge of the screens. Like I've said, I've found one position where I can get them to 99% go away, but any little movement pops them back into view.

nk0xw.png



Didn't notice either while playing Castlevania: DoS though, but they are noticable while playing MK DS.
 
So does anyones DS screens look similar to my crude drawing? 3 points on the top screen right side edge, bottom screen left side edge, brighter than the rest of the screen? Holding it in different positions makes it stand out more as well.
 
Galanthas said:
So does anyones DS screens look similar to my crude drawing? 3 points on the top screen right side edge, bottom screen left side edge, brighter than the rest of the screen? Holding it in different positions makes it stand out more as well.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I have. Except my bright areas are more so along the top.
 
Went out today to purchase another DS instead of just exchanging, so I could compare them. My DS definitely has a problem with those lights on the side, since the new one doesnt have the problem. Unfortunately I won't be keeping the new DS either, because it has some wierd ass problems as well. Both touch screens are the grainy type, but the new DS touch sensitivity is off, takes much more pressure to register. Not only that, but the new DS touch screen has a yellowish tint to it as well.

I just don't get these types of glaring problems in Nintendo Handheld systems. GBA had the dust/dead pixil and fucked up lighting and now touch sensitivity,lighting and color problems. Not sure what I'm gonna do with the original one, either exchange it till I get one without these problems, or ship it off to Nintendo. Of course they never did fix my GBA SP after sending it to them twice.
 
Dragona Akehi said:
Considering that I have a DS that has completely even lighting on both screens, yours sir, could be returned for a perfect one. The people claiming that all DS units have this problem are incorrect.
Click to expand...
Look closely at the corners in the white startup screen, there is a very good chance that you will see a tiny amount of "notsobrightnes".
Of course there will be a few DSs with "perfect" screens, but I had mine changed 5 times before finaly accepting, that not absolutely perfectly lit screens, is just part of the package with DS.
As long as it isn't visible in actual games I can live with it.
 
If my problem was only the corners, I wouldnt be as botherd, but its on the right/top,left/bottom. My problem is noticeable in the 4 games I have, thats why I'm irritated heh.
 
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