[Commander Cody]

Hey all, I'm new to the forums. I picked up a playbook on amazon for christmas. As a blackberry fan, this is about the only tablet I wanted, and the price is right so I jumped on it. Thing is, I'm having nothing but problems and it seems no one else has had this happen to them. The first playbook had a dead pixel in the center of the screen and 2 days later it crashed. I contacted the seller and was able to get a new one and just got a chance to charge it and fire it up today and to my surprise..it has stuck and dead pixels all over the screen. From corner to corner on the top and groups of them scattered around. I also noticed that on startup, there is a line of them across the bottom, but those seem to disappear some time after startup. I guess my questions would be as follows; Has anyone ever had problems like this, or better still, is the playbook screen really that cheap? I've looked around and havent seen any posts even remotely similar. Next question is what should my course of action be. Should I assume i just got unlucky with this seller and try a new one or just cut my losses, get my money back if possible and move on? I really love the PB, but I dont feel like dealing with screen issues all the time. Funny thing is, I've had phones, MP3s, computers ETC. and never knew what a stuck or dead pixel was until I got my PB.

[Spencerdl]

3rd time is a charm, at lease thats what they say. Return it, get another, but this time open and check it while in the store......just sayin.

[Commander Cody]

the problem is, I got mine off amazon and not a retailer and I did ask a few stores if they would oblige for me to check them out and they said basically what is on the display kiosk is whats in the box, so thats a no.

[barkomatic]

I had a Playbook with a single stuck pixel and Amazon took it back for a full refund. Fortuitously, Blackberry then lowered the price of the 64GB to $299 and I ordered one. It has no dead pixels or other issues and is perfect.

There have been many others who have had units with bad pixels. I'd try to get my money back from the seller if possible and order from shop blackberry(no tax or shipping charges). If you can't get your money back, then I'd call blackberry support and get them to fix it or swap it out for you.

[Branta]

Sounds almost like a damaged device. A few (single figures) failed pixels could be acceptable to have slipped through QA, but what you describe should never have escaped first line testing.

[Commander Cody]

thats what I think since I have only had it 48 hrs, just opened it and never dropped it. I ran that stuck pixel fixer which I know doesnt always work, and sure enough it didnt. most of the pixels are dead I think since they are black and white. Thanks for all the replies, I always welcome more. I think what im gonna try to do is get my money back and when it gets refunded ill get one from best buy and get the protection service with it so if it does have a problem its easier to get a new one.

[FF22]

I definitely would return it and maybe try another seller. Walmart and Radio Shack have the 64 for around $300. Or order from Rim/blackberry, also for $300.

[Spencerdl]

the problem is, I got mine off amazon and not a retailer and I did ask a few stores if they would oblige for me to check them out and they said basically what is on the display kiosk is whats in the box, so thats a no.

Amazon has worked well with me in the past, I'm almost sure they will honor you request for a return and even send a free shipping lable. I guess the biggest question is will you be able to find a retailer with a PlayBook in stock,

[bgriff25]

I suggest you contact BB support. All new PlayBooks come with free 90 day support. When I received mine it had a single dead pixel. It was only noticeable when the screen display was dark. I've read where some people say that this is acceptable and there can be a certain number of dead pixels and still be passed by quality control. Well I say BS! I contacted BB support and they were very helpful. They had me take a picture of my screen with the dead pixel and attach it in an email to them. I was then issued a return kit with instructions which arrived they next day. I sent my PB in to be fixed and about a week later I had it back, better than new.

Good luck, I hope you get your problem resolved.
BlackBerry - PlayBook Tablet & Smartphone Help Support & Updates

[Commander Cody]

yeah i do too. this kinda sucks because i love my playbook, but i've literally never had a problem like this with any device

[BB_Bmore]

Sounds like the seller may have a bad batch for whatever reason. I would get a refund and purchase one from somewhere else.

[Commander Cody]

Thats what me and my girlfriend were discussing just a little bit ago. I was suggesting maybe the seller has defective units so I'm going to try to get a refund. I hear it takes a while for your money to go back on the card used, but once it does I'll check around local retailers and see if I can get one. I really hope these things arent as delicate as the two i've already had were..

[Gooseberry Falls]

Hello. If you got a good price for it, I would exercise the 90 day return support from RIM. I got one of the $199 PB from Buy.com. When I had trouble with the power button, I tried to return to Buy but they had no stock and offered a refund. Couldn't find any more $199 PBs. Activated the 90 day support and put in a trouble ticket. I had a new PB in 3 days (Option 1: send yours in and they fix it; 1 day shipping both ways included. Option 2: You give them a credit card number to charge to, they send a new (not refurb) PB, you send yours back, they void the charge). Really painless and since you have bad pixels, they can verify before they send it to you. There actually are many posts of bad pixels. One post returned 8 PB at Best Buy before he got a good one. The RIM return will be less time and hassle and you get the good price you paid.

[conix67]

It doesn't sound like stuck pixels on the second device, especially if group of them appear then disappear. It sounds like the display controller is the problem, not the LCD itself. Anyway, it's a defect in hardware.

[Commander Cody]

hah yeah either way its a defective unit

[taylortbb]

I'll second the idea of send it to RIM. If you've got dead pixels all over the screen that'll definitely be covered by warranty. Ones straight from RIM are less likely to have any issues I think, and at the very least would be easier to deal with replacements.

[kennyliu]

I'll second the idea of send it to RIM. If you've got dead pixels all over the screen that'll definitely be covered by warranty. Ones straight from RIM are less likely to have any issues I think, and at the very least would be easier to deal with replacements.

Problem is, the OP will be getting a refurb, if he opts for a replacement. And he will be getting a refurb back even if he chooses to have it repaired But you are right. Either way, he will likely get a PB with fewer/no issues back.

So, if he is OK with getting a refurb, then, yes, he should warranty his PB.

[bgriff25]

Problem is, the OP will be getting a refurb, if he opts for a replacement. And he will be getting a refurb back even if he chooses to have it repaired But you are right. Either way, he will likely get a PB with fewer/no issues back.

So, if he is OK with getting a refurb, then, yes, he should warranty his PB.

This is not necessarily true. When I sent mine in for a dead pixel, I got the same PB back. The serial #'s matched up. Also, There is nothing wrong with a refurbished BB. They are inspected and any damage to the exterior is replace with new. Then it goes through a series of tests to make sure everything works as it should. Unlike the ones off the assembly lines that are only tested in batches.

[Gooseberry Falls]

Yeah, not true. I made sure it was not a refurb with the replacement. OP has only had it 48 hr and the 90 days will give a new replacement. When I got it back, it did have fingerprints on it but they do test it before sending. I thought it might be a refurb and had RIM check the S/N. They said it was new so unless they blatantly lied to me, I got to believe them. You might get refurb if you are past the 90 days. IDK.

[KOOLWATER]

Can someone post a pic of what dead pixels look like? I assume I have never seen one or I didn't know what I was looking at.

[kennyliu]

This is not necessarily true. When I sent mine in for a dead pixel, I got the same PB back. The serial #'s matched up. Also, There is nothing wrong with a refurbished BB. They are inspected and any damage to the exterior is replace with new. Then it goes through a series of tests to make sure everything works as it should. Unlike the ones off the assembly lines that are only tested in batches.

I didn't say anything is wrong with a refurbished Playbook. But if you ask me, I will choose a new one over a refurb if I am within the return period and can easily return the faulty one.

As for you getting the same PB back, it is still refurbished. That is, it's no different from some other returned and repaired Playbooks. Except you know nobody abused it.

[kennyliu]

Yeah, not true. I made sure it was not a refurb with the replacement. OP has only had it 48 hr and the 90 days will give a new replacement. When I got it back, it did have fingerprints on it but they do test it before sending. I thought it might be a refurb and had RIM check the S/N. They said it was new so unless they blatantly lied to me, I got to believe them. You might get refurb if you are past the 90 days. IDK.

I am pretty sure they reset/assign a new SN to their factory refurbished Playbooks. If you think you will get a new one, ask the agent and he/she will tell you that there is a 99% probability that your replacement will be a refurb.

[kennyliu]

Can someone post a pic of what dead pixels look like? I assume I have never seen one or I didn't know what I was looking at.

Download Screen Helper free and turn on your backlight to the maximum. Then thoroughly inspect your display with each color background. If you don't see any dots that are of different color than the background, then you shouldn't worry about your screen. Note that there are more than 600K pixels (or 1.8 mln subpixels) on your display and getting 1 or 2 dead/stuck pixels may be not too uncommon. If it doesn't bother you, just ignore the defective pixels. They are harmless .

By the way, dead pixels/subpixels are always black and cannot be fixed. Stuck pixels are any other color and there is a very slim chance they can go away.

[Gooseberry Falls]

If you think you will get a new one, ask the agent and he/she will tell you that there is a 99% probability that your replacement will be a refurb.

Yep, I asked point blank will I be getting refurb. She said no, new. If she said 99% yes, I would have had mine repaired. So, they are playing games if that is what they are doing, e.g. resetting S/Ns of refurbs and calling them new. That is simply bad business practice and fraud. It was different packaging but I assumed it was because it was PB only and nothing else. Plus anything I have ever bought refurb was marked somehow on the product from reputable companies.

[kennyliu]

Yep, I asked point blank will I be getting refurb. She said no, new. If she said 99% yes, I would have had mine repaired. So, they are playing games if that is what they are doing, e.g. resetting S/Ns of refurbs and calling them new. That is simply bad business practice and fraud. It was different packaging but I assumed it was because it was PB only and nothing else. Plus anything I have ever bought refurb was marked somehow on the product from reputable companies.

Well, in my case they told me they would send me a refurbished. I double checked and asked three reps if there was a possibility I would get a new one and all of them said there is but it's very very small. You may be just lucky or your case/ticket was somehow special/different.

Anyway, I don't think resetting the S/N is that uncommon. It's definitely not fraud. I hope someone can tell us whether this is the case.

Advice to the OP. If he is not comfortable with getting a refurbished is to ask the RIM representative before sending his unit out.