Screen Turning Blue

[naples39]

Recently, I would occasionally get some pale bands running horizontally across my lcd. It was no big deal, just a little adjusting of hinge angle and whatnot and it would go away.

Yesterday however, instead of just going away, the whole screen took a blue tint, and it hasn't gone away. It still works, but everything is noticeably blue tinted and dark. The screen has lost all of its vibrancy.

Is there any kind of recalibration options, or is this just a plain hardware failure/degradation (with the ribbon cable presumably)?

 

[gruso]

Sounds like the ribbon cable unfortunately.

 

[mindlord]

Yep, definitely the ribbon cable. Contact your place of purchase to set up a warranty repair ticket. It will only get worse from here.

 

[mindlord]

i'm wondering how long would that problem take to show up on pandora?
do we have any info about it?

Possibly never. The way I understand it is: For the first 100ish units the built they were having problems aligning the lcd ribbon cable by hand. It was a slow and tedious process and eventually they could get it *just* right, or so they thought. When it's not inserted just right it can become pinched and that pinch will eventually wear through and cause it to break. Since the first 100ish units they've created a little tool that aligns the ribbon cable perfectly and avoids the pinch.

* There is a chance that if yours is one of the 100ish units with the LCD cable inserted by hand:
** That it was put in just right and didn't get pinched, so there's never going to be a problem.
** That is was put in not quite right and got pinched, so it will break eventually.

If you have a unit that is after 100ish which had it's LCD cable inserted with the tool... No worries, should be fine.

 

[naples39]

If it makes anyone feel better (or worse?), I got my unit very quickly, presumably off the very first run.

 

[Prometheus]

If it's from the very first bunch, then that's almost certainly what it is.

@mindlord - If memory serves, ED said it was the first 200, not the first 100. This makes it a bit more confusing to a degree, since only the first 100 have sequential serial numbers.

 

[mindlord]

i got mine since June 22nd, everyday usage, i just wanna breath more calmly, :rolleyes:

edit: a one-nubber shipped on June 3rd

Any sort of anomalous LCD behavior is a sign of impending haze followed by blackout. In retrospect my LCD was always just a little bit weird, but I didn't think much of it until the purple started to set in. I recall once, early on that the screen just went berserk for a split second, like the horizontal and vertical hold on an old CRT would do when a plane would fly overhead... using an aerial, not cable tv for you kiddies out there. I recall another time that I got that 8-bit color effect, and another time only some of the screen took on a green overlay. These were just split second occurrences - all. However, they all point to a dying LCD cable.

If you've been using your Pandora more or less constantly since June 22, and haven't experienced any weirdness with the LCD thusfar, you're probably not going to.

 

[EvilDragon]

If you've been using your Pandora more or less constantly since June 22, and haven't experienced any weirdness with the LCD thusfar, you're probably not going to.

That's what we think, too. Either it is not 100% properly inserted, then it will fail after a while, or it IS properly inserted and will work.
My unit from December 2009 still works, and that one has gone through a lot.
Also, remember Craigs 1000 times opening/closing-test? The unit also still worked.

 

[torpor]

My two Pandoras from June (first batch to be sent out) are still working just fine, no problems with the LCD cable at all.

 

[WizardStan]

Mine started going purple. Last night I opened it all the way, and then force it to open just a little bit further and the tint went away. And now it's fine no matter the angle.
I think it's the equivalent of bending someone's fingers back just ever so slightly until they get the point that you mean business. I am a cruel master, sometimes.
(alternatively it was the cable starting to slip out of its connector and opening it so far simply forced it back into position, but it's more fun to think that I scared my Pandora into behaving properly)

 

[EvilDragon]

Mine started going purple. Last night I opened it all the way, and then force it to open just a little bit further and the tint went away. And now it's fine no matter the angle.
I think it's the equivalent of bending someone's fingers back just ever so slightly until they get the point that you mean business. I am a cruel master, sometimes.
(alternatively it was the cable starting to slip out of its connector and opening it so far simply forced it back into position, but it's more fun to think that I scared my Pandora into behaving properly)

Interesting... might try that... though I can't believe this would fix this completely...

 

[Asmo]

On the German forum you mention that 'from batch 2' there will be a new LCD ribbon cable with integrated shielding and speaker wires - aside from other issues raised here, it sounds like this would alleviate the bezel bowing out problem? I'd be tempted to ask to for my preorder to be bumped to 'batch 2' if this is the case....

 

[DaveC]

On the German forum you mention that 'from batch 2' there will be a new LCD ribbon cable with integrated shielding and speaker wires - aside from other issues raised here, it sounds like this would alleviate the bezel bowing out problem? I'd be tempted to ask to for my preorder to be bumped to 'batch 2' if this is the case....

No the bezel bowing has nothing to do with the LCD cable. It is mostly due to paint buildup on the mating sides of the lid causing the inner lid to be too tight and then bow out.

 

[WizardStan]

I think ED suggested the "warp" when closing the top could be caused by the shielding on the ribbon cable making the one side of the hinge thicker and more resistant than the other, so maybe that will be improved.

 

[Bonbon-Chan]

Darmn, my LCD doesn't work right now . If I don't open completely the pandora, colors are messed up (look like a loose connection). I guess I have no other choice than to send it back...

If I understant, I have to contact pandorasales by email first ?