PRS-600 Distorted screen and reader not responding

gribbs · 06-16-2010, 05:13 PM

Hi,

This is my first post and I hope someone can help.

I bought my ereader in December and it has been working fine. About 4 weeks ago I was reading from my ereader in bed. When I tried to turn it off it wouldn't and the screen display distorted and had thin white lines horizontally across the middle of the screen, like a bar code. The power light was flashing yellow and I couldn't turn it off o access anything on the ereader.

As it is under guarantee I sent it to Sony Central Service in Bridgend who sent me a bill for £216.82 saying that there was physical damage which isn't covered under the guarantee. To cut a long story short I disputed the physical damage and was put through to Sony customer service who investigated. They contacted me today to say they had received a photo of the damage from Bridgend and 'that the only way these lines can appear on a screen is following physical damage'.

I have attached the photo that Bridgend sent which shows the screen, can anyone help please?

I need to get back to Sony in the next few days, either way I'm still going to have to pay £27.50 for a refusal to repair!

Have you heard of this happening before? Is Sony correct, that this only happens following physical damage? I know that nothing happened to the ereader, if I had damaged it I would have just claimed on my house insurance, that's what I have insurance for.

Many thanks
gribbs

Ervserver · 06-16-2010, 08:52 PM

seen that screen before, usually dropping it causes it. Think someone had one get squished in a backpack not too long ago causing a similar look

gribbs · 06-18-2010, 02:07 AM

Thanks for the reply.
That's what Sony say but I know that there was no physical damage to it

HarryT · 06-18-2010, 02:55 AM

That's an absolutely classic picture of a broken screen substrate. It is caused by a physical break in the thin glass layer that lies under the outer screen. I'm afraid it's not covered by warranty. What Sony have told you is absolutely correct.

dorino · 06-18-2010, 11:52 AM

It IS physical damage. Broken substrate.

That's the disadvantage of e-ink, those fragil, thin layers of glass. You might have put too much pressure on the top, etc... It isn't covered by the warranty.

Get a case.

gribbs · 06-18-2010, 05:40 PM

Thanks for all your replies. I have to accept what Sony and you all are saying, but it is a bit hard when I know that it wasn't dropped or damaged and it is already in a Sony case and has been since it was purchased!

twinszz · 06-20-2010, 06:39 PM

Gribbs, sorry to say it, but, I just broke mine yesterday. I had it in my purse with too much stuff and it got squished, even in the case.

Can anyone tell me where to send it to get it fixed?

dorino · 06-21-2010, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinszz

Gribbs, sorry to say it, but, I just broke mine yesterday. I had it in my purse with too much stuff and it got squished, even in the case.

Can anyone tell me where to send it to get it fixed?

Call Sony, they'll put you through to a repair I'm sure.
It'll cost you a bit.

twinszz · 06-21-2010, 06:21 PM

Well, I went and bought another PRS-600 today. It was totally weird being without my reader, as I use it that much. Couldn't wait, however, it seems to buy another for $199 as opposed to a refurbished one for $104 was the better option for myself.

I will definately watch what I am doing with it in the future!

gribbs · 06-25-2010, 03:56 AM

I got back my eReader from Sony's repair centre, it cost me £27.50 for the repair estimate opposed to the £216.82p it would cost to repair it. That is more than I paid for it new! I am going to claim on my house insurance, but I truly think that there was a fault with this screen as there was, as I am sure you are sick of me saying...no direct or indirect physical force applied to the screen when the distortion on the screen occurred. The eReader is only ever used at night and sits on my bed table by my bed!

Thanks again to you all.

dorino · 06-25-2010, 12:13 PM

Something might of gotten on the reader's screen. A cat, a dog, etc. Something might of fell on it.

It's unlikely it's a defective screen, it's much more likely it was a freak accident.

gribbs · 06-25-2010, 01:00 PM

Nope no animals. I was just lying in bed, had been reading it and tried to turn it off

anxi44 · 06-26-2010, 08:57 AM

I believe you Gribbs.

The same happened to mine.

There was no damage, but the screen has all those lines. Now it is in repair, and the warranty covers it, at least in my case.

I am just waiting for them to fix it.

How long did it take to fix yours?

gribbs · 06-30-2010, 02:14 PM

I had it back from Sony as they wouldn't accept that it wasn't physical damage and had to pay £27.50 for the privilege. I'm going to claim on my house insurance. How did you get them to accept it was a warranty repair?

solar5 · 07-27-2010, 10:37 AM

Hey dude, you are not alone!
Same shi(f)t happened to me.
And I am sure there was NO physical damage to my reader neither.
I was using it for a couple of weeks, and then just left it beside my bed.
After a week of idling (right, a week, because it was Soccer World Cup and I didn't have neither time nor wish to read) I opened it and found same lines covering a half of the screen. This is WEIRD!
I am pretty sure it's a manufacturer's problem. But how to prove it to them, I have no idea.

I am sending my device to them today.
Will see what they would say.

06-16-2010, 05:13 PM	#1
gribbs Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: PRS600	Distorted screen and reader not responding Hi, This is my first post and I hope someone can help. I bought my ereader in December and it has been working fine. About 4 weeks ago I was reading from my ereader in bed. When I tried to turn it off it wouldn't and the screen display distorted and had thin white lines horizontally across the middle of the screen, like a bar code. The power light was flashing yellow and I couldn't turn it off o access anything on the ereader. As it is under guarantee I sent it to Sony Central Service in Bridgend who sent me a bill for £216.82 saying that there was physical damage which isn't covered under the guarantee. To cut a long story short I disputed the physical damage and was put through to Sony customer service who investigated. They contacted me today to say they had received a photo of the damage from Bridgend and 'that the only way these lines can appear on a screen is following physical damage'. I have attached the photo that Bridgend sent which shows the screen, can anyone help please? I need to get back to Sony in the next few days, either way I'm still going to have to pay £27.50 for a refusal to repair! Have you heard of this happening before? Is Sony correct, that this only happens following physical damage? I know that nothing happened to the ereader, if I had damaged it I would have just claimed on my house insurance, that's what I have insurance for. Many thanks gribbs Attached Thumbnails

07-27-2010, 10:37 AM	#15
solar5 Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2010 Device: Sony PRS 600	same s#it Hey dude, you are not alone! Same shi(f)t happened to me. And I am sure there was NO physical damage to my reader neither. I was using it for a couple of weeks, and then just left it beside my bed. After a week of idling (right, a week, because it was Soccer World Cup and I didn't have neither time nor wish to read) I opened it and found same lines covering a half of the screen. This is WEIRD! I am pretty sure it's a manufacturer's problem. But how to prove it to them, I have no idea. I am sending my device to them today. Will see what they would say.

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06-16-2010, 08:52 PM	#2
Ervserver Wizard Posts: 2,624 Karma: 1008294 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Iowa, USA Device: Nook Simple Touch	seen that screen before, usually dropping it causes it. Think someone had one get squished in a backpack not too long ago causing a similar look

06-18-2010, 02:07 AM	#3
gribbs Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: PRS600	Thanks for the reply. That's what Sony say but I know that there was no physical damage to it

06-18-2010, 02:55 AM	#4
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	That's an absolutely classic picture of a broken screen substrate. It is caused by a physical break in the thin glass layer that lies under the outer screen. I'm afraid it's not covered by warranty. What Sony have told you is absolutely correct.

06-18-2010, 11:52 AM	#5
dorino I'm odd. Take note. Posts: 325 Karma: 779 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Montana Device: deceased PRS-600, Nook STR	It IS physical damage. Broken substrate. That's the disadvantage of e-ink, those fragil, thin layers of glass. You might have put too much pressure on the top, etc... It isn't covered by the warranty. Get a case.

06-18-2010, 05:40 PM	#6
gribbs Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: PRS600	Thanks for all your replies. I have to accept what Sony and you all are saying, but it is a bit hard when I know that it wasn't dropped or damaged and it is already in a Sony case and has been since it was purchased!

06-20-2010, 06:39 PM	#7
twinszz Connoisseur Posts: 53 Karma: 656 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: TN Device: prs 300, 600, 950, 350, & T1	Gribbs, sorry to say it, but, I just broke mine yesterday. I had it in my purse with too much stuff and it got squished, even in the case. Can anyone tell me where to send it to get it fixed?

06-21-2010, 06:21 PM	#9
twinszz Connoisseur Posts: 53 Karma: 656 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: TN Device: prs 300, 600, 950, 350, & T1	Well, I went and bought another PRS-600 today. It was totally weird being without my reader, as I use it that much. Couldn't wait, however, it seems to buy another for $199 as opposed to a refurbished one for $104 was the better option for myself. I will definately watch what I am doing with it in the future!

06-25-2010, 03:56 AM	#10
gribbs Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: PRS600	I got back my eReader from Sony's repair centre, it cost me £27.50 for the repair estimate opposed to the £216.82p it would cost to repair it. That is more than I paid for it new! I am going to claim on my house insurance, but I truly think that there was a fault with this screen as there was, as I am sure you are sick of me saying...no direct or indirect physical force applied to the screen when the distortion on the screen occurred. The eReader is only ever used at night and sits on my bed table by my bed! Thanks again to you all.

06-25-2010, 12:13 PM	#11
dorino I'm odd. Take note. Posts: 325 Karma: 779 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Montana Device: deceased PRS-600, Nook STR	Something might of gotten on the reader's screen. A cat, a dog, etc. Something might of fell on it. It's unlikely it's a defective screen, it's much more likely it was a freak accident.

06-25-2010, 01:00 PM	#12
gribbs Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: PRS600	Nope no animals. I was just lying in bed, had been reading it and tried to turn it off

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06-26-2010, 08:57 AM	#13
anxi44 Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: sony PRS-600	I believe you Gribbs. The same happened to mine. There was no damage, but the screen has all those lines. Now it is in repair, and the warranty covers it, at least in my case. I am just waiting for them to fix it. How long did it take to fix yours?

06-30-2010, 02:14 PM	#14
gribbs Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: PRS600	I had it back from Sony as they wouldn't accept that it wasn't physical damage and had to pay £27.50 for the privilege. I'm going to claim on my house insurance. How did you get them to accept it was a warranty repair?