March 26, 2005

Sony Responds to Dead Pixel Controversy



We the internet aflame with dead pixel PSP chants, Sony has now come out as said "We will work with you" only if you try your PSP after 1-2 weeks and it still bothers you. However the company representative cannot confirm a replacement unit will be brand new, moreover this is far from the no questions asked policy Nintendo has. It seems the more you yell and more you complain, the farther you will go. But with surveys showing more than HALF of PSPs with dead pixel flaws, I doubt Sony will eat that kind of return loss. This sure is an interesting story, more developments to come. If you have a PSP, please vote how many dead pixels you have on our online poll.

The Sony rep suggested that PSP owners who encounter the pixel issue should try the device "for a week or two" to see if it continues to bother them. "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 rep said. Each PSP comes with a one-year limited warranty, which is on page 125 of the PSP manual. If a PSP is "determined to be defective" by SCEA, the company will see to the "repair or replacement of this product [the PSP] with a new or refurbished product at SCEA's option."

According to a technical support associate contacted by GameSpot, PSP owners who encounter a persistent and aggravating dead-pixel issue should contact SCEA's customer service line (1-800-345-7669) for instructions on how to exchange their unit after a week or two of using the unit. "We will work with you," he assured. The associate said the process would work much like exchanging PlayStation 2s that suffer from the dreaded "Disc Read Error" problem: Gamers will mail their PSPs in to SCEA and receive units with new screens. The associate was unsure if customers would receive an all-new unit or their old unit with a new LCD screen. Source: Gamespot
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