The newest, hottest handheld juggernaut is not without problems, the most prominent issue surfacing in a slew of dead-pixel reports - still, hardware developer Sony was quick to respond.
The PSP launched to the pleasure of many gaming-inclined North Americans on March 24th, and most midnight sales went off without a hitch, save for a few robberies. What many gamers noticed when they went home and snuggled up to play their new piece of hardware may have many angry, frustrated, and mostly disappointed. On December 12th in Japan, quite a few fanatics from the land of the rising sun found the same problem with the system they just poured their hard-earned Yen into. What exactly is the issue, you ask? It’s not the flimsy analog nubs or the ninja-star-esque UMD discs you may have caught wind of – we’re talking about the dreaded dead-pixels.
Only 24 hours after the PSP’s launch in North America, reports of certain units’ LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screens rendering some pixels permanently dark or light popped up every which way, most complaints stemming from the chasms of the Internet. The official PlayStation forums saw the severest reverberation, with angst-ridden PSP owners looking for support from other gamers with the same problem; this resulted in a traffic load, causing the message board servers to temporarily shut down a day after the launch.
Much of the outrage was driven by an e-mail supposedly sent to consumers by Canadian game outlet Video Games Plus. The enclosed message claimed the retailer was “informed by Sony that they will not be warranting any dead pixel units. They are only warranting hardware defects ie [sic] broken buttons, malfunction with drive, and so on.”
Sony insists on referring to it as a “defect,” and explains that this problem affects literally all LCD screens. A Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) representative defends the hardware, saying, “A very small number of dark pixels or continuously lit pixels is normal for LCD screens, and is not a sign of a malfunction.”
Flip to page 13 of the PSP manual booklet, and you’ll find this vindication: “Red, blue, or green spots (bright spots) or black spots (dark spots) may appear in certain locations on the LCD screen. The appearance of such spots is a normal occurrence associated with LCD screens and not a sign of malfunction. LCD screens are made using highly precise technology. However, a very small number of dark pixels or continuously lit pixels exist on each screen.” More generally, the booklet reminds PSP owners to be wary of simple things like exposing the LCD screen to direct sunlight, and leaving the same still image on the display for long amounts of time; both of these factors could independently damage the screen.
The representative for Sony advises unit users who face this common problem to continue to operate the device for “a week or two,” in hopes it will cease to hinder the multimedia experience. The rep promised, “If you find the spots are interfering with gameplay/video viewing during this period, we will support the various elements of [the PSP] warranty,” the one-year limited assurance that can be found on page 125 of the manual. Going into further detail, if a PSP is “determined to be defective” by SCEA, rest easy that Sony themselves will ensure the “repair or replacement of this product [the PSP] with a new or refurbished product at SCEA's option.”
If you have encountered this problem with your new unit, and it is particularly “persistent and aggravating,” technical support recommends you contact SCEA’s customer service line at 1-800-345-7669. Associates you’ll contact at this number will provide you with instructions on how to exchange your unit (after one or two weeks of using the unit), and the line guarantees to work with you, and solve the issue in a process very similar to exchanging PlayStation 2s that suffered from a “Disc Read Error.” Basically, owners will send their PSPs in the mail to SCEA and in return, receive units with new screens. It is unknown at this time whether customers will receive a brand-new PSP or their original unit with a new LCD screen.
Article by Cyrus Baetz, GamingWorld X
Source: SCEA
Our Comments
Cyrus Baetz: There is definitely truth to Sony’s explanation that dead-pixels commonly plague any and all LCD screens, but we figure it’s more noticeable on the PSP since the screen is relatively small, and is always closer to the eye than, say, an LCD television screen. You can’t blame them for trying to save money, time and labor by recommending to wait a week or two, but if it’s a serious enough problem for you, act before it’s too late to change your mind. Happy handheld gaming!
