Is one dead pixel a returnable offense?

[ThatWasAwkward]

I just got my 17" Core Duo iMac yesterday. It's pretty great overall, but there is one tiny dead pixel off on the right side of the screen. It's not that big of a deal, I admit. Nonetheless, it somewhat irks me. Would Apple allow me to trade it in for another one because of that? I'm still debating whether or not it's worth the trouble.

 

[jsw]

I think it's highly unlikely they'll let you. AFAIK, there's no "official" policy, but you generally need a lot more than one dead pixel.

 

[ThatWasAwkward]

I think it's highly unlikely they'll let you. AFAIK, there's no "official" policy, but you generally need a lot more than one dead pixel.

There's no official return policy? That seems kind of odd to me.

 

[jsw]

There's no official return policy? That seems kind of odd to me.

Not for dead pixels. Again - as far as I know.

 

[Mord]

depends if in your country their is a restocking fee, in the uk i think their is a 14 day return policy so you can return it "because you dont like it" and try your luck on a new one.

or you could just deal with it or try rubbing it out, which works 80% of the time.

 

[hhlee]

I just got my 17" Core Duo iMac yesterday. It's pretty great overall, but there is one tiny dead pixel off on the right side of the screen. It's not that big of a deal, I admit. Nonetheless, it somewhat irks me. Would Apple allow me to trade it in for another one because of that? I'm still debating whether or not it's worth the trouble.

they might be nice and let you do it - otherwise for general display manufacturers, they consider 4-5 dead pixels as acceptable error

 

[decksnap]

yes there is a pixel policy.

From apple.com:

Many Apple products use active-matrix LCD panels, including the iMac (Flat Panel), iBook, recent PowerBook computers, Apple Cinema displays, and iPod models with a color display. In addition to being slim and light, active-matrix LCD technology provides customers with many visual performance advantages when compared to traditional cathode-ray tube- (CRT) based displays, such as increased brightness, sharpness, and contrast ratio.

Active-matrix LCD technology uses rows and columns of addressable locations (pixels) that render text and images on screen. Each pixel location has three separate subpixels (red, green and blue) that allow the image to be rendered in full color. Each subpixel has a corresponding transistor responsible for turning the subpixel on or off.

There are typically millions of these subpixels on an LCD display. For example, the LCD panel used in the Apple Cinema HD display is made up of 2.3 million pixels and 6.9 million red, green, and blue subpixels. Occasionally, a transistor does not work perfectly, which may result in the affected subpixel being turned on (bright) or turned off (dark). With the millions of subpixels on a display, it is quite possible to have a low number of faulty transistors on an LCD. Therefore, a certain number of subpixel anomalies is considered acceptable. Rejecting all but perfect LCD panels would significantly increase the retail price for products using LCD displays. These factors apply to all manufacturers using LCD technology--not just Apple products.

If you suspect your display contains a high number of pixel anomalies, take your Apple product to an Apple Authorized Service Provider for closer examination. There may be a charge for the evaluation.

 

[ThatWasAwkward]

or you could just deal with it or try rubbing it out, which works 80% of the time.

Rubbing it out? Like... just rubbing the screen where the dead pixel is?

yes there is a pixel policy.

From apple.com:

Ah, thanks. I guess they probably won't take it back, then. Oh well.

 

[robbieduncan]

depends if in your country their is a restocking fee, in the uk i think their is a 14 day return policy so you can return it "because you dont like it" and try your luck on a new one.

In the UK that depends on whether you bought it in a store or at a distance. If you bought it in a store it is assumed that you would take the time to check that the product is what you want so this rule does not apply.

If you buy over the phone or internet where you cannot check the product out then you have 14 days to check it out and return it if it is not what you want.

 

[sk1985]

Typically if you just bought it Apple will do the return. Especially if you bought it at an Apple store. I've noticed the apple store likes to make all their customers leave happy. I'd try a in store exchange if you bought it at an apple store. Most of the employees don't care. If the computers is only a few days old they just label it as DOA and give you a new one. Seriously it's that easy. It gets tricker when the computer is out of it's return date because then they have to do the work on the monitor and are forced to follow apple's dead pixel policy.

 

[dswoodley]

it depends on you and your determination. I have known people who have returned displays and laptops with one dead pixel. They were incredibly insistent but polite. IF you keep talking, eventually they may well grease your wheels.

 

[blackpeter]

or you could just deal with it or try rubbing it out, which works 80% of the time.

I don't know about that. I've owned/serviced many (20+) LCD's with dead/stuck pixels. Not one has been resolved using this rubbing method.

 

[ThatWasAwkward]

Just to clarify a little, I ordered it from apple.com. I didn't physically buy it in a store.

 

[Mord]

my ibook came with 5 dodgy pixels, i rubbed 4 of them out one has a stuck green bit at the bottom but it's barely noticeable.

also i got rid of two red stuck pixels on my sisters ibook using the method, thankfully i have none on any other lcd's i own.

 

[bigbossbmb]

PixelMurder

Save the text as .mp4
Open in QuickTime

Woof, Woof - Dawg

This is from another thread...it helps with stuck pixels. just play the video over the effected area.

 

[decksnap]

Also, if you exchange it, since it is technically under spec, you run the risk of getting one with 2, 3, 4 + dead pixels.

 

[ThatWasAwkward]

Well, thanks everybody. I'll probably just keep it and try out that pixelmurder file and see if it helps. Does anybody here have any experience using it? Maybe some tips? I've read some comments from people about it that say that it actually made things worse for them.