Aura HD Stuck Pixel: How prevalent is the problem?

[guitarizt]

I just got my Aura HD, but there's one stuck pixel in the middle of the screen and 1" away from the left bezel that's really annoying. There are also about 8 more less noticeable ones mostly towards the bottom right of the screen.

Is this something that other Aura owners have as well? Has anyone been able to order a new one for another $169 so they can keep the original one while they're waiting for the new one? I was hoping I'd have an ereader a week ago so I could get some reading in before I start school again in 12 days and will have no time to read while I'm doing that and an internship.

My noticeable stuck pixel looks just like this picture that 93terp posted:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...7&postcount=16

I'm assuming it's not technically a stuck pixel, but a defect with the light layer. It looks so much like a stuck pixel I'll just keep calling it that for now.

[guitarizt]

Just talked to support. They said they needed a picture of my exact one, and I was able to take a picture of my probably 5 year old phone. Support said they'd have to have tier 2 e-mail me back. =[[

I'm noticing a lot more now even towards the middle of the screen. I'm wondering if that's normal? I didn't notice any problems with nook glowlights or paperwhites in stores and I've viewed at least 5 different ones at various times.

[robko]

Originally Posted by guitarizt

Just talked to support. They said they needed a picture of my exact one, and I was able to take a picture of my probably 5 year old phone. Support said they'd have to have tier 2 e-mail me back. =[[

I'm noticing a lot more now even towards the middle of the screen. I'm wondering if that's normal? I didn't notice any problems with nook glowlights or paperwhites in stores and I've viewed at least 5 different ones at various times.

If it's the white spot in the "upper" middle that's not normal. And I haven't seen a lot of reports of that happening.

[ewphoenix123]

Damage in the light layer, and its actually a pretty big one.
There were a very few people that had pinhole sized bright spot, which in one case actually disappeared after applying soft pressure on the spot, but yours looks much bigger, more like scratched during production.

[flowoeB]

same problem here - two big ones and several small ones... i'm pissed...

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by guitarizt

Just talked to support. They said they needed a picture of my exact one, and I was able to take a picture of my probably 5 year old phone. Support said they'd have to have tier 2 e-mail me back. =[[

I'm noticing a lot more now even towards the middle of the screen. I'm wondering if that's normal? I didn't notice any problems with nook glowlights or paperwhites in stores and I've viewed at least 5 different ones at various times.

That's so bright that at first I thought I had something on MY computer screen!

I certainly wouldn't be happy with that if I owned it.



Don

[ShellShock]

Nothing like that on my Aura.

[TechniSol]

Well that blows. If they're going to replace it they should send you a replacement unit and let you send yours back in the box with a return shipping label. Weird shape for a stuck pixel, looks more like crap under the surface of the display or damage to the light diffusion layer as others have suggested.

Good luck.

[guitarizt]

Thanks everyone. I'll let you know how it goes. I've still been waiting for an e-mail from tier 2 support. Ideally I would like for them to send me a new one then I return this one once the new one is hopefully ok.

Second option is I just return this, I buy a paperwhite, and they refund me once they get it.

Third option I hate is they only do exchanges and I have to send this Aura back first and wait another 2+ weeks to get the new one that hopefully is ok.

Maybe I should just settle for hearing back from tier 2 support in the next week.

[John F]

Originally Posted by guitarizt

...

Maybe I should just settle for hearing back from tier 2 support in the next week.

If you have to go back and forth with tier 2 support, try asking if they can speed up their responses. It seemed to make a difference when I asked them.

Good luck.

[whitelight]

Oh man, I really feel for you. I ordered an Aura HD direct from their site and it arrived a few weeks back. As soon as I turned on the backlight, I noticed a brilliant white spot in the middle of the screen that was incredibly distracting. After searching online, I found this forum as well as many other pages mentioning this defect.

That's not a big problem, I thought. I'll just return it for a working one. Wow, that's a mistake. After three weeks, I'm still nowhere. First, I had to go through the "send us a photo of the defect" rubbish. After that, a few more round trips of frustrating support (like them asking me for a whole load of information about the device and myself that they already had because, as I mentioned to them initially, it was purchased through their site). Eventually, I said they could just send me any color as a replacement (mine was Ivory), just as long as I get something.

They gave me a Fedex waybill, asked me to return mine and said they would ship a replacement "in a few business days". And, because I'm a complete sucker, and believed that they would send a replacement, I actually sent them the defective unit back. That was two weeks ago. They've got my defective Aura, and I have nothing.

Since then, it's radio silence from them. I replied to the ticket twice and they just ignore it. I speak to the online chat team and they said someone would contact me within 48 business hours. Nothing. At this point, I'm sending them back the cover that I purchased from them at the same time as the Aura and getting the credit card company to reverse the charge.

So, I'm afraid that I can't offer you any advice. Hopefully your experience will be better than mine. For anyone who hasn't yet purchased a Kobo device, please think about it long and hard beforehand. Their support isn't just bad. It's unbelievable. I've been ordering online since since the early days of the Internet, and this will be the first time in all those years that I will have to reverse a credit card charge. That's quite something.

One other bit of advice I can offer to anyone with this defect who might be thinking about returning it - Maybe just learn to live with the flaw and next time buy another device. I don't think it's worth engaging Kobo support about it. Better to have a defective device, rather than nothing.

[RZetlin]

I just checked my Aura I bought this week.

It is not a stuck pixel, but in issue with the lightning layer.

If you view my Kobo without the built-in light on, it looks perfectly fine.

Blacks and whites show up okay without any distortion.

If you have the light turned on, there is a tiny light speck that shows up in the lower middle of my screen.

There seem be a production defect.
----------------------
Since it's still new the possibility of exchanging the ereader has crossed my mind.

But there is no guarantee that the replacement does not have the same defect!

[drew2720]

you could be right about a replacement might have the same defect...mine has a tiny light speck in the lower middle also and it can't be seen unless the light is on...haven't tried to see how high the light has to be before it really starts to shine, but thankfully, it's really low on the screen. Otherwise, beautiful screen and light very even.............

[Breid]

Originally Posted by whitelight

I ordered an Aura HD direct from their site and it arrived a few weeks back. As soon as I turned on the backlight, I noticed a brilliant white spot in the middle of the screen that was incredibly distracting. After searching online, I found this forum as well as many other pages mentioning this defect.

That's not a big problem, I thought. I'll just return it for a working one. Wow, that's a mistake. After three weeks, I'm still nowhere. First, I had to go through the "send us a photo of the defect" rubbish. After that, a few more round trips of frustrating support (like them asking me for a whole load of information about the device and myself that they already had because, as I mentioned to them initially, it was purchased through their site). Eventually, I said they could just send me any color as a replacement (mine was Ivory), just as long as I get something.

They gave me a Fedex waybill, asked me to return mine and said they would ship a replacement "in a few business days". And, because I'm a complete sucker, and believed that they would send a replacement, I actually sent them the defective unit back. That was two weeks ago. They've got my defective Aura, and I have nothing.

Since then, it's radio silence from them. I replied to the ticket twice and they just ignore it. I speak to the online chat team and they said someone would contact me within 48 business hours. Nothing. At this point, I'm sending them back the cover that I purchased from them at the same time as the Aura and getting the credit card company to reverse the charge.

I feel bad for you, I would be furious if I that had happened to me. It seems to me that Kobo really needs to improve their customer service if they are serious about selling their ereaders online. You go for it, all guns blazing, and I hope you get a resolution soon.

Originally Posted by whitelight

One other bit of advice I can offer to anyone with this defect who might be thinking about returning it - Maybe just learn to live with the flaw and next time buy another device. I don't think it's worth engaging Kobo support about it. Better to have a defective device, rather than nothing.

I disagree with this advice. If you order an Aura, you expect it to be in perfect condition, if there are flaws in the lighting layer, IMHO you are entitled to get a replacement, as the unit you received is not as advertised. The Aura is marketed as a "premium" ereader and it is too expensive to 'learn to live' with flaws. My advice is, if you have flaws on your device, return it for a full refund, and then decide if you want to order an Aura again or wait until a competitor has something similar or better on the market.

[guitarizt]

I got a tracking email today to return the unit. I first got the aura 8 days ago and that's when I sent the first email with screenshot to support. I told them I was frustrated after waiting so long to get the aura to have it be defective. I said I wanted a refund, and they responded shortly after and said they would give me a refund.

I sent the unit back with the prepaid fedex label they gave me today. They said to email them the tracking number so they could start the refund which I emailed. Now I'm waiting again, but I ordered a kindle pw this evening and it arrives tomorrow. That's good service.

I looked at the pw in the store and the blacks aren't as good probably because of the resolution, the screen isn't nearly as white, but it's more ergonomic and I can have it by tomorrow. I might get a pw2, sony's new unit, or the aura again if the price drops and it's available to buy from a us store.