PRS-950 Another broken screen...?

grissley · 03-14-2011, 08:58 PM

Hello,

I was running low on my battery when finished reading one day. Next day I tried to turn my reader on, when the screen got totally crazy (I am not sure if it got crazy right after switching on, or it become already before).
Several strange lines appeared, and after this the reader had gone.
The upper part (60%) got black, the bottom part were liny.
I charged the battery - after this the reader started reacting, but the reactions were very slow (like if the reader were thinking several seconds before taking any action) and the screen in the upper part was very strange (once blurry, once crossed with several lines). Interesting thin is that when switched off, the screen in its upper part become normal (white), not black anymore.
Anyway, there were still those lines in the bottom.
I made a hard reset and left the reader for two days (as I felt like if giving the reader some rest was making it working better).
After 2 days the reader started working "normally" - with some exceptions.
Exception is that the bottom part is still covered with lines, while the proper picture is moved upwards (see the pictures).

What's going on...?
Unfortunately, I don't have the extended warranty and being in Poland it means I probably lost my toy...

petercreasey · 03-14-2011, 09:06 PM

G, Why don't you call the Sony support line and see what they say? And report back here what you learn!

grissley · 03-14-2011, 09:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by petercreasey

G, Why don't you call the Sony support line and see what they say?

I want to be prepared for this conversation - that's why I'm asking here first

tahunasky · 03-14-2011, 10:26 PM

Hi, I had the same thing with my prs-650, basically it locked up with "OPENING BOOK" and only 1/2 the lines were displayed..
I tried soft reset, hard reset.. when i connected it to my laptop the "CHARGING BATTERY" didnt appear like usual, but i could still access the flash storage on the reader via USB cable..

I sent of an email to sony support, and they said to send in for warranty replacement..
After a week of sitting in a box waiting for me to get around to sending to sony, i decided i would post it off, but first delete all the books and notes i had on it.. After being plugged into my laptop via USB for a couple of minutes the "CHARGING BATTERY" message came on, screen was still messed up. I unplugged from laptop, switched on, and it started working, screen still not perfect, but after a reset a couple of times, everything is working perfectly again..

I wonder if its a fault with the reader, software problem..

see pics for what the screen looked like..

doreenjoy · 03-14-2011, 10:30 PM

Looks like a broken screen controller card to me.

elcreative · 03-14-2011, 11:32 PM

Not quite the same tahunasky, yours still had recognisable display across the screen area whereas the 950 has lost part of display... either controller or screen fault...

JSWolf · 03-14-2011, 11:36 PM

It does indeed look line a screen controller issue. If it was a broken screen, what's visible on screen would not be pushed up. The bit at the bottom would be unreadable with the visible part in the right place.

grissley · 03-15-2011, 01:50 PM

Sony response is that if the hard reset didn't work, the item has to be sent for service to US.
The shipping to US would be damn expensive, there is a threat they will charge me taxes once it is sent back, but the biggest threat is that I pay for shipping, send the item, then will have it sent back, pay the toll and taxes, and then see the information that the damage is not covered by the guarantee, so they send the item back not repaired...

ughh.

EDIT

The only US Sony repair facility is in Laredo, Texas.
Shipping to Laredo is 100$.
What a bad luck :-/

JSWolf · 03-23-2011, 09:01 AM

The damage is covered. It's not a broken screen. Broken screens do not push the content up the screen. Only a defect screen controller can do that.

umpi · 03-23-2011, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grissley

Sony response is that if the hard reset didn't work, the item has to be sent for service to US.
The shipping to US would be damn expensive, there is a threat they will charge me taxes once it is sent back, but the biggest threat is that I pay for shipping, send the item, then will have it sent back, pay the toll and taxes, and then see the information that the damage is not covered by the guarantee, so they send the item back not repaired...

ughh.

EDIT

The only US Sony repair facility is in Laredo, Texas.
Shipping to Laredo is 100$.
What a bad luck :-/

Very sorry to hear that. However, I am sure you were aware of the risk of buying a PRS 950 from the US, being you in Europe. I was in doubt when attempting to buy the 950 because of these type of situations (shipping costs + customs tax charged to the buyer). I am happy I got a 650 here in Europe.

Billjr13 · 03-23-2011, 09:29 PM

Grissly, just to give you some hope I sent a PRS700 in because I sat on my reader and they replaced the screen under warranty for a small fee and shipping... I think it was less than $40 dollars US. I know shipping is the big problem for you but once Sony gets it it should be free repair/replace. Good Luck

doreenjoy · 03-23-2011, 11:25 PM

Dupe.

grissley · 05-10-2011, 07:53 AM

So, I'll send it to US for ~30$ (yeah, found sth cheaper

).
Unfortnately, I'll also have to pay at least another 30$ for the repair (full warranty is only 90days...???). Anyhow, let's see.

netboy · 05-11-2011, 01:43 PM

Full warranty is definitely more than 90 days. I had the same thing happen to me and it was replaced at no cost to me. They sent me a new one with a shipping label to send my broken one back to them. My reader was about 5 months old.

pj123 · 05-11-2011, 03:14 PM

Hello, netboy, can you tell us how and where to buy the full warranty for sony prs 950?

03-14-2011, 08:58 PM	#1
grissley Enthusiast Posts: 49 Karma: 320 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Poland Device: PRS-950sc	Another broken screen...? Hello, I was running low on my battery when finished reading one day. Next day I tried to turn my reader on, when the screen got totally crazy (I am not sure if it got crazy right after switching on, or it become already before). Several strange lines appeared, and after this the reader had gone. The upper part (60%) got black, the bottom part were liny. I charged the battery - after this the reader started reacting, but the reactions were very slow (like if the reader were thinking several seconds before taking any action) and the screen in the upper part was very strange (once blurry, once crossed with several lines). Interesting thin is that when switched off, the screen in its upper part become normal (white), not black anymore. Anyway, there were still those lines in the bottom. I made a hard reset and left the reader for two days (as I felt like if giving the reader some rest was making it working better). After 2 days the reader started working "normally" - with some exceptions. Exception is that the bottom part is still covered with lines, while the proper picture is moved upwards (see the pictures). What's going on...? Unfortunately, I don't have the extended warranty and being in Poland it means I probably lost my toy... Last edited by grissley; 03-14-2011 at 09:00 PM.

03-14-2011, 10:26 PM	#4
tahunasky Member Posts: 15 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: Sony prs-650	Hi, I had the same thing with my prs-650, basically it locked up with "OPENING BOOK" and only 1/2 the lines were displayed.. I tried soft reset, hard reset.. when i connected it to my laptop the "CHARGING BATTERY" didnt appear like usual, but i could still access the flash storage on the reader via USB cable.. I sent of an email to sony support, and they said to send in for warranty replacement.. After a week of sitting in a box waiting for me to get around to sending to sony, i decided i would post it off, but first delete all the books and notes i had on it.. After being plugged into my laptop via USB for a couple of minutes the "CHARGING BATTERY" message came on, screen was still messed up. I unplugged from laptop, switched on, and it started working, screen still not perfect, but after a reset a couple of times, everything is working perfectly again.. I wonder if its a fault with the reader, software problem.. see pics for what the screen looked like.. Attached Thumbnails

03-15-2011, 01:50 PM	#8
grissley Enthusiast Posts: 49 Karma: 320 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Poland Device: PRS-950sc	Sony response is that if the hard reset didn't work, the item has to be sent for service to US. The shipping to US would be damn expensive, there is a threat they will charge me taxes once it is sent back, but the biggest threat is that I pay for shipping, send the item, then will have it sent back, pay the toll and taxes, and then see the information that the damage is not covered by the guarantee, so they send the item back not repaired... ughh. EDIT The only US Sony repair facility is in Laredo, Texas. Shipping to Laredo is 100$. What a bad luck :-/ Last edited by grissley; 03-15-2011 at 02:53 PM.

05-10-2011, 07:53 AM	#13
grissley Enthusiast Posts: 49 Karma: 320 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Poland Device: PRS-950sc	So, I'll send it to US for ~30$ (yeah, found sth cheaper ). Unfortnately, I'll also have to pay at least another 30$ for the repair (full warranty is only 90days...???). Anyhow, let's see. Last edited by grissley; 05-10-2011 at 08:08 AM.

05-11-2011, 03:14 PM	#15
pj123 Zealot Posts: 114 Karma: 1050004 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Lenovo Tablet 3 Pro, Kobo Aura H2O, Ipad	full warranty for sony prs 950 Hello, netboy, can you tell us how and where to buy the full warranty for sony prs 950?

03-14-2011, 09:06 PM	#2
petercreasey Wizard Posts: 1,189 Karma: 1119516 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: Sony: PRS 950 & T1, Kobo: Aura One & Forma	G, Why don't you call the Sony support line and see what they say? And report back here what you learn!

03-14-2011, 10:30 PM	#5
doreenjoy 01000100 01001010 Posts: 1,889 Karma: 2400000 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Polyamorous	Looks like a broken screen controller card to me.

03-14-2011, 11:32 PM	#6
elcreative Wizard Posts: 2,888 Karma: 5875940 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: PRS505, 600, 350, 650, Nexus 7, Note III, iPad 4 etc	Not quite the same tahunasky, yours still had recognisable display across the screen area whereas the 950 has lost part of display... either controller or screen fault...

03-14-2011, 11:36 PM	#7
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 80,782 Karma: 150249619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	It does indeed look line a screen controller issue. If it was a broken screen, what's visible on screen would not be pushed up. The bit at the bottom would be unreadable with the visible part in the right place.

03-23-2011, 09:01 AM	#9
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 80,782 Karma: 150249619 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	The damage is covered. It's not a broken screen. Broken screens do not push the content up the screen. Only a defect screen controller can do that.

03-23-2011, 09:29 PM	#11
Billjr13 Addict Posts: 357 Karma: 550002 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Colorado Device: Sony PRS 700 & 650	Grissly, just to give you some hope I sent a PRS700 in because I sat on my reader and they replaced the screen under warranty for a small fee and shipping... I think it was less than $40 dollars US. I know shipping is the big problem for you but once Sony gets it it should be free repair/replace. Good Luck

03-23-2011, 11:25 PM	#12
doreenjoy 01000100 01001010 Posts: 1,889 Karma: 2400000 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: Polyamorous	Dupe.

05-11-2011, 01:43 PM	#14
netboy Enthusiast Posts: 36 Karma: 10780 Join Date: Jun 2010 Device: prs-505, prs-950, irex dr800sg	Full warranty is definitely more than 90 days. I had the same thing happen to me and it was replaced at no cost to me. They sent me a new one with a shipping label to send my broken one back to them. My reader was about 5 months old.

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