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Nintendo Vows to Fix Any Dead DS Pixels

Posted by Zonk on from the that-be-customer-service-with-an-N dept.

islandroots writes "In a statement issued soon after the problem came to light, Nintendo is offering to inspect and even fix the pixel problem at no cost as long as the machine is returned within the one-year warranty period. From the article: 'With a small number of Nintendo DS screens, one or two dots on the screen may appear to be 'stuck' on a particular color, such as white or red. This effect is caused when a particular pixel (the dots that make up the screen) is not working properly, even with the high quality standards set by LCD manufacturers. You will find this situation is common in many LCD devices, (PC monitors, televisions, cell phones, etc.)'"

7 of 57 comments (clear)

  1. Wow. by Txiasaeia · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Most notebook manufacturers don't do this unless there are two full pixels stuck, and the DS costs what, a fifth of the price of a new notebook? That's customer service for you. The DS is looking more and more appetising...

    --
    Condemnant quod non intellegunt.
    1. Re:Wow. by xenocide2 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Its not the price, but the fact that the LCD real estate is smaller. If there's one pixel broke on a laptop screen, you have to replace the whole thing to fix it. On the DS, you replace one of the screens, which are less likely to have faulty pixels to begin with. I'll find it interesting to see how this stacks up against the PSP, which has a larger single screen.

      --
      I Browse at +4 Flamebait

      Open Source Sysadmin

  2. Dead Pixels by StandSure · · Score: 2, Funny

    I just got a Dell 2001FP and I don't see any .... hey wait a second there's one right in the center and it's pink ... DAMN YOU DELL!!! DAMN YOUSE ALL TO HELL!!

  3. Re:How sad this is news... by JVert · · Score: 2, Informative

    Alot of devices have a dead pixel policy of like 4 or more before they will offer to repair.

  4. Re:not now :) by discoinferno · · Score: 2, Informative

    Dead pixels are dead from the start. It's possible to get 'sticky' pixels also, where they will display some colours, but not all. My laptop has one bad one that will display from white to dark blue, but no further (ie- a black screen will have one blue pixel on it).

    Try your screen with all white and all black and if you don't see any bad pixels, you are set.

    --
    - It's anarchy baby. Suck it up.
  5. Re:not now :) by specialJay · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I received my DS preordered from EBGames on Monday, and it arrived with one dead pixel. Before even hearing about their support policy, I called up Nintendo and was told that they would send another unit out to me immediately. When I receive the new unit, I am to return the defective one in the UPS return box provided, and ship it back to them. All this at no charge to me as long as they receive the defective one within 21 days.

    In the meantime, I have been ignoring that problem pixel. =)

    --
    Jay Bibby reviews Flash and casual Web games at... http://jayisgames.com
  6. Nintendo Fixed My Dead Pixel! by theraccoon · · Score: 2

    I got my DS in the mail from Amazon on Tuesday. It had a dead pixel out of the box. Of course, my first thought was I'll return it to Amazon, but they don't have any in stock. What's a gamer to do?

    On a whim (before hearing anything about this article), I called Nintendo Customer Service yesterday. I told them I had a single dead pixel, and wanted to know if they'd fix it. Being employed as a high level tech support guy for a fairly large computer company, I've turned down several people wanting their displays repaired for one, two, even three dead pixels. It really sucks, I have a hard time justifying these things myself, people usually go away pissed, swearing to just return the product, but I have no choice. The company sets the standards, and if I don't follow them, I don't get to buy any more games. (Although the irony here is I have a lot of free time to play those games I can't buy. Heh.)

    I was fully expecting to get the same response from Nintendo.

    I almost dropped my DS when the phone agent said, "We can replace your unit."

    I had to make sure he'd heard me: "Wait, I said there was only ONE dead pixel. Just ONE. You're going to replace my whole unit for ONE dead pixel?"

    "Yes," he replied. "Nintendo wants to be certain you have a great gaming experience, and if there's a pixel out on the screen, that could interfere with the game, so we want to fix that."

    In less than ten minutes. he had setup the replacement. The new DS will be in the mail Friday, and 2 - 3 days later in my hands. I use the return shipping label they provide (read: paid postage) to send my unit back. The guy I spoke to was pleasant, asked about what games I was looking forward to for the DS (he said he'd already played Mario Kart DS, and that it's really fun with the touch screen -- "a whole new game") and we were done.

    I'm fully impressed with Nintendo on this one. I haven't had to call Nintendo in over a decade, and it's great to know they're still the same rad company they were when I was a kid. If you've had your eye on the DS, go buy it. It's a awesome little gaming device, and although a bit heavier than the SP, I have no real complaints. At least, not anymore!