Help! Mysterious Broken Screen!!

[HarryT]

The point is, though, that if Tribble's figures are correct, and the failure rate is under 1%, that would seem to rule out the idea that there is a "manufacturing defect". A 1% failure rate is, I'd have thought, well within what would be regarded as "reasonable" for pretty much any electronic device.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The point is, though, that if Tribble's figures are correct, and the failure rate is under 1%, that would seem to rule out the idea that there is a "manufacturing defect". A 1% failure rate is, I'd have thought, well within what would be regarded as "reasonable" for pretty much any electronic device.

If it fails by itself it is a manufacturing defect. What the percentage is is irrelevant. It is a manufacturing defect with respect to the EU laws about what a seller has to to.

What you are saying here is that 1% fails and the seller should fix it.

[dki]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I've had nothing but prompt, courteous support from Bookeen. May I ask what bad experience you've had which makes you feel so negatively about them?

Absolute lack of responsiveness as to the controller question - I asked for a controller fix, just to see if this would help, before shipping it round trip to France (about $160). The only answer was - they have to look at the screen. Well, it's not as if I can just take it down the street - so let's try something else first, it might work. If not, let's go from there. Still, no fix. NONE. No answer. No reason for no fix. Just ignoring the request (repeated at least four times). Their answer (send device back, pay $160 plus approximately $200 for us to look at it) might have been courteous, but frankly, I don't care. It was not to the point, did not explain anything, and did not even attempt to address the issue, much less to resolve it. If this was a controller issue, and could be fixed by software fix - who would refund the shipping costs? I asked that too - no answer to that question either (not that I believe they would admit it was a controller issue).

If I did anything to the device (dropped it, had it in the bag with a laptop or a hammer) - I would understand that, and not bother to make that ruccuss, honestly. But it was ON THE BEDSIDE TABLE, WITH NOBODY TOUCHING IT when it broke. It was left for five minutes, I did not even switch it off. It was in it's covers (as always). It did not fall down - it was on the bedside table when I came back, it was still on, and those damn lines were on the screen. I did not have it in my bag for several days prior to the failure, it was just at home, in covers, without accidents, just regular use.

I felt I deserved a honest resolution to this, not just a standard "send it to us and we shall see" answer, therefore repeated requests to Bookeen. They should at least try to fix the known controller issue. If there is no controller issue, than there is a design issue (frankly, no device should be caused to break by lying on the flat surface with nobody touching it).

I've given it up as a bad job, will try to only buy french perfume (maybe, so far there's nothing that I really like) and cheese, as there is small likelihood of that needing a customer service. Every time I think of Bookeen's customer service, I'm fuming. This is absolutely the worst I have ever encountered (and I used to live in Europe, so I am familiar with some of the Eastern Europe's customer services). There's simply no way to get to the point answer from them, and that's that.

Dorota

[HarryT]

Sorry, what do you mean when you say that "you asked for a controller fix"?

[dki]

A software fix (program) to check if the screen problem is a controller issue, and if so correct it. Software issue versus hardware issue. Software that governs the ebook display. Display that is no longer correct. Program to check if all display controllers are uncorrupted, and if so replacing corrupted ones. Or updating. Installed by flash, in this case. Controller files - whatever the extension is - equivalent of .dll.

Display problems caused by corrupted software are not all that uncommon, not only in ebook devices. Other issues caused by corrupt controlles are not uncommon, either. There are several references to controller issues in this tread alone. I had controller issues for numerous problems with numerous devices. I am not an expert, but I was always able to fix them with a proper program/file available. I have no clue why you are puzzled by this, rather than "bedside table", or "in it's covers", but that's me.

Bookeen did not ask for an explanation of "controller fix" they know perfectly well what I meant. They just prefer that I pay for shipping and their "expertise", rather than provide a free solution to try. Like I said - no attempt was made to resolve the problem. Is there any reason not to try a controller replacement on the non-working device - other than of the client did it you would not get $$$$? Or maybe my bedside table was the wrong size?


Dorota

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by dki

A software fix (program) to check if the screen problem is a controller issue, and if so correct it.

The controller is actually hardware, sort of like a video card. The screen is hardware sort of like a video monitor. There is no software that will fix a broken screen controller.

BOb

[dki]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

The controller is actually hardware, sort of like a video card. The screen is hardware sort of like a video monitor. There is no software that will fix a broken screen controller.

BOb

Yes, you are right, I should have said driver(s) that control(s) the display.(.dll, although I am sure this would be a different extension). And believe me, the Bookeen knew what I was talking about when I asked them for a possible software fix of the display issue. As there is absolutely no sign of any physical damage to the unit that I can see, and it was not mistreated in any way (it was mine and nobody in the family touched it, so I should know), my guess was driver, which I called incorrectly controller. Drivers are software, and they can be fixed, as far as I know. If it's different in Cybook's case, why not tell me, and give sensible explanation? I am not computer genius, but not an idiot, either, I might be able to understand, or ask somebody to translate the explanation into layman's terms.

Bookeen support did not answer one of my questions, other than standard "pay us, pay us" reply. No matter how politely they ignore my requests, I am not impressed and will keep away from Bookeen, and advise everybody who considers buying ebook reader to do the same.

Anyhow, for now I give up, I will hold onto this, and maybe at some point I will be able to have someone who is able to check it - in the lab, something like that. I just want to know, and don't believe that Bookeen would give me the real reason for the device breaking (that would be uneconomical). Has anybody gotten any reply other than "broken screen"? Even one person? I might have missed that post.

[HappyMartin]

I have bought 2 Cybooks. One for my wife and one for myself. My wifes broke after a few months when on a desert trip. She doesn't remember causing the damage but lets be real here. I turn up all the time with scratches and bruises that I don't remember getting and no, I do not drink. So does my wife. If we are unable to recall injuries done to ourselves that must have involved pain how on earth can we honestly claim to remember every force exerted on an inanimate object we use daily.

Having said that we should expect things we use to be able to take accidental abuse up to a point. I have no idea what that point is though. Also most of the evidence here, aside from Tribble and his 1% figure, is anecdotal. Anecdotal evidence from disappointed people will usually be negative, understandably.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by dki

Yes, you are right, I should have said driver(s) that control(s) the display.(.dll, although I am sure this would be a different extension). And believe me, the Bookeen knew what I was talking about when I asked them for a possible software fix of the display issue. As there is absolutely no sign of any physical damage to the unit that I can see, and it was not mistreated in any way (it was mine and nobody in the family touched it, so I should know), my guess was driver, which I called incorrectly controller. Drivers are software, and they can be fixed, as far as I know. If it's different in Cybook's case, why not tell me, and give sensible explanation? I am not computer genius, but not an idiot, either, I might be able to understand, or ask somebody to translate the explanation into layman's terms.

It's HIGHLY improbable that the cause would be a corrupted device driver, but you could rule that out yourself by using the "796fmt" firmware reflash. This completely rewrites and replaces the machine's firmware, rather than doing an update.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

It's HIGHLY improbable that the cause would be a corrupted device driver, but you could rule that out yourself by using the "796fmt" firmware reflash. This completely rewrites and replaces the machine's firmware, rather than doing an update.

Maybe or maybe not. I think there is a bug in the driver since I sometimes get lines that are not shown. Going back and forth a couple of times usually makes them disappear. It would be nice to know if this is a bug that is known or if I have a hardware problem but since I cannot trust Bookeen to tell me about known bugs that is impossible for me to know.

[tribble]

Originally Posted by tompe

Maybe or maybe not. I think there is a bug in the driver since I sometimes get lines that are not shown. Going back and forth a couple of times usually makes them disappear. It would be nice to know if this is a bug that is known or if I have a hardware problem but since I cannot trust Bookeen to tell me about known bugs that is impossible for me to know.

If you have bad lines in the device, that com from the controller, then Bookeen will repair your device under warranty. We had a few controller failures and it was no problem getting those repaired. Physically broken glass layers are a totally different matter.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by tribble

If you have bad lines in the device, that com from the controller, then Bookeen will repair your device under warranty. We had a few controller failures and it was no problem getting those repaired. Physically broken glass layers are a totally different matter.

But since this problem disappear after a while it can be a software problem. So I do not want to have the trouble (and the risk that somebody drop my unit) if it is not neccessary. I will live with it until it get worse.

[albertoLP]

HarryT, if you dont get paid from booken, you are losing money man. So quick responses avoiding any kind of bad publicity for them. Maybe you should answer their mail instead of them

When everything is ok you dont need to complain about it and the sun shines in the sky. But when it doesn't, i think you can not defend them that hard. Simply coz you just dont know what happened. Its easy to get along when everything is fine, It seems that was the case with you.

I understand its MONEY if the assume my broken unit, but I just felt I lost MONEY for doing nothing wrong. Moreover, I have a shinny new cybook on a case aparently perfect. You could even use it as a mirror, because is so clean. But if you turn it on, it does not work. I have a shiny frisbee that cost me almost 400€

My fault or their's? If they claim it was my fault I do not feel happy at all, coz it wasn't. The device is extremely delicate to pressure... thats bad enough for this kind of device, but I wasnt even told...

Plus, the software is not finished yet... still buggy and crappy...

I love ebooks but I will wait for another better device, cheaper, less buggy and I will avoid booken in my next buy (just not to stumble on the same rock)

[dki]

Originally Posted by tribble

If you have bad lines in the device, that com from the controller, then Bookeen will repair your device under warranty. We had a few controller failures and it was no problem getting those repaired. Physically broken glass layers are a totally different matter.

And Bookeen admitted it's a controller issue? You represent a wholesaler, right? I am just an individual customer. I don't believe that if I send it back they would replace anything for free, ant that's the bottom line - other than the shipping costs. For me breaking even means ONLY shipping this device if I know that this is a controller issue and repairs are free. Otherwise I would pay more to fix this than to buy a new Sony.

HarryT - Thanks, but my question is, why Bookeen support did not give me that info (and enclosed file for my convenience?). Why do I have to go around looking for an answer? I will, however, try your solution if I find the file (I am sure I will, but have to have some time and also a desire to work on it - right now I am all Bookeene'd out). I don't want to do everything the hard way - customer support is to make it easy, and Bookeen's support certainly does not fit the bill.

albertoLP - a trip to Africa is one thing - five minutes on the bedside table in covers is another. My Cybook did not do any trips - other that in my bag (in it's covers), in my car (no public transportation for this baby), to work. As it happened it was not even traveling to my workplace for several weeks prior to it's untimely demise. I took paper books with me, as I was going places where $500 worth of equipment might have been too much for my safety (and Cybook's, too). So I think I did not cross the fine line of device abuse...

Overall, I treated this device much, much better than my laptop, Axim, or REB 1100 - and I mean LOTS, like 1000%, as REB does not even have a protective cover - and BTW is as resistant as regular paperback (maybe water damage would be different). All of the above are still in working order. Therefore I think that Cybook is just not ready to be released on unsuspecting public (other than French public, they probably are used to this).

Also, if Bookeen still chooses to sell this device, they should post a warning regarding the fragility of it (even though if it's a controller damage, that is crappy parts, too, and it's unlikely that they will put "this is an extremely fragile device constructed with inferior quality parts, so be careful" on their website). But that is what Cybook is (in Mybook).

Dorota

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by dki

HarryT - Thanks, but my question is, why Bookeen support did not give me that info (and enclosed file for my convenience?). Why do I have to go around looking for an answer? I will, however, try your solution if I find the file (I am sure I will, but have to have some time and also a desire to work on it - right now I am all Bookeene'd out). I don't want to do everything the hard way - customer support is to make it easy, and Bookeen's support certainly does not fit the bill.

There's a link to the file here

To reflash, unzip the file (it should be called "update_kernel") into the root of the SD card, then reboot the Gen3. As soon as you see the initial "splash screen" press the central button of the navigation control and keep it held in until the screen flashes white. Release the button and the reflash will begin automatically.

Good luck!