U2410 Green/Pink Failure Analysis

So, that sRGB MODE can alleviate Green/Pink Tint Issues. What does it mean?
* We are not sure. We just submitted our findings to them last night but brought up that very point.

This means that there was some possibility to fix this by a new firmware.
* I cannot speak to that conjecture.

OK,U2410's Price is 25% of CG243, so, we want DELL to do 25% work. How about 5 poings?
* To date, our manufacturers only test the center. To have them do more would raise the price of the monitors but we did bring this point to them.

And We are still awaiting the firmware fix for the Graininess in sRGB and Adobe Modes too.
* As are we.

and Why the user cannot install the firmware by himself? I'm not in US, and I don't think that DELL China will do this job.
* Dell has never allowed at home flashing of monitor firmware. I do not think this policy will change but we have brought it up in discussion.

DELL-Chris M:

and Why the user cannot install the firmware by himself? I'm not in US, and I don't think that DELL China will do this job.

* Dell has never allowed at home flashing of monitor firmware. I do not think this policy will change but we have brought it up in discussion.

Curious policy, maybe someone on Dell finances area should suggest the possibility to save thousands of dollars for the company in monitor transportation, just allowing firmware upgrade by the user.

...anyway, will the update available for those customers outside the U.S.?

The graininess update wil roll out to all hubs worldwide. Once they flash them, they will notify us. We would then give the go ahead for exchanges to begin. I have yet to receive word that the flash is ready.

Thanks for the update Chris. I sure can understand the difficulties of having to deal between the hierarchy and the customers. Hope you can also understand us for being frustrated by the whole thing.

On a side note, quick question about the exchange process... if I try to get my monitor replaced by a newer version after the 30 days from purchase, will it be possible? My situation is as follow : I'll be out of the country (Canada) starting next week, for a few months, and will most likely only be able to exchange the monitor in March 2010. Do you expect any problems from Dell Canada with this? Thanks

DELL-Chris M

Would it be possible to distinguish between units with new and old firmware without actually testing for graininess? Maybe by some kind of sticker on the box?

Asking because in Russia it is impossible to order from Dell directly, so we are stuck with a bunch of resellers and units which may lie in the storehouse or at customs for weeks or months.

Also, kind of off-topic here, but it would be nice to know when, if at all, it will be possible to buy U2410 in Russia with premium panel warranty and advanced exchange. Does not really matter if it is from retailers or from Dell directly.

Hi Chris,

Thanks for evaluating this problem. Although the results of the analysis isn't what most of us were expecting.

Perhaps Dell is looking at the issue  in general terms. You need to understand that at the price point of the monitor, you will get buyers that will have a discerning eye for color balance. Looking at a snow landscape that looks pink on half of the monitor, or black text that has a green shadow to it is just not acceptable. Even the cheap Dell LCD I have at work does not have these issues. And if I purchased a LCD I wouldnt be very concerned with color balance.

As for the sRGB solving the problem, it did no such thing on the the monitor I had.

I think Dell should review LG's color gradation specs, and see if they can be tightened.  The monitor would be a winner if LG irons out their manufacturing process to minimize the issue.  As someone else pointed out, If you get a 2410 with out the green/pink tint, it really is a pretty good monitor.

Martin

if I try to get my monitor replaced by a newer version after the 30 days from purchase, will it be possible? My situation is as follow : I'll be out of the country (Canada) starting next week, for a few months, and will most likely only be able to exchange the monitor in March 2010. Do you expect any problems from Dell Canada with this? Thanks
* Getting a New one will not be possible. You would get a refurbished that has been flashed with the new firmware.

Would it be possible to distinguish between units with new and old firmware without actually testing for graininess? Maybe by some kind of sticker on the box?
* I would hope that the flashed monitors would get a different revision number but that is not up to us.

Asking because in Russia it is impossible to order from Dell directly, so we are stuck with a bunch of resellers and units which may lie in the storehouse or at customs for weeks or months.
* That is a problem since we will not be able to flash those. it would be up to the reseller to get exchanges from us. I doubt they would do this.

it will be possible to buy U2410 in Russia with premium panel warranty and advanced exchange.
* That decision would lie with the Region. All we can do is tell them what we are doing in the Americas.

I think Dell should review LG's color gradation specs, and see if they can be tightened.
* Agreed. Right now it is 30. The captures we tested were at 6 and 7, well within current specifications. To make a real difference it would have to be 5. But, at 5, the manufacturer could not meet that and still pump out the yields we need. Plus, the price would go way up.

"Be assured of Accurate, Precise and Consistent Onscreen Color with every Dell Ultrasharp U2410"

"...meets the needs of professional users involved in color-centric work such as graphic design, CAD/CAM, gaming and media creation."

"Experience astounding color accuracy, precision and performance with the Dell UltraSharp^TM  U2410 Monitor"

These are quotes from the Dell website and the "U2410 Color Calibration Factory Report" don't give an indication that the accuracy described is only in the middle of the monitor.

Thank God i've returned this monitor, if not i would stucked with this "WONDERFUL" monitor.

1kredhead:

"Be assured of Accurate, Precise and Consistent Onscreen Color with every Dell Ultrasharp U2410"

"...meets the needs of professional users involved in color-centric work such as graphic design, CAD/CAM, gaming and media creation."

"Experience astounding color accuracy, precision and performance with the Dell UltraSharp^TM  U2410 Monitor"

 

These are quotes from the Dell website and the "U2410 Color Calibration Factory Report" don't give an indication that the accuracy described is only in the middle of the monitor.

Color centric work... Didn't you read it?

I requested for retun for a while but no further response from my regional CS.

What a complete joke, so the green/pink tint is a known problem but nothing will be done about it.

No doubt all the screens that have been returned with the green/pink tint problem will be put back into circulation.

I have bought a wide gamut monitor with an srgb mode, to say I should leave the screen in srgb all the time to alleviate a problem is ludicrous. What happens when I want to use it in wide gamut for say photoshop.

Dell have obviously realised there will be a cut in profit if the green/pink tint issue was sorted, so have chose to acknowledge the problem but ignore a solution.

The monitor is marketed as a premium panel and with "astounding color accuracy" I appreciate that lcd is not perfect but when one side of a screen, has a different colour to the other, marketing this screen as those is a complete lie and deceiving the customer.

Personally I think this is false advertising and will not be buying a monitor from dell again. As i'm based in the u.k I will also be contacting trading standards and also relevant blogs and website to see if they can warn other customers of the "issue".

So I've placed an order for the U2410, but it is processing. But after reading this forum am I to believe that Dell will ship a monitor that knowingly has underlying problems and will have to be returned to be re flashed? That doesn't make sense to me and I suspect I should cancel the order.

After going through multiple forums and the exchange process with Dell, I feel I need to come out of my shell and share my experience.

I work for a University and ordered hundreds of Dell products just this past summer alone.  I quickly heard about the U2410 and order one to try out.  Boy was that a mistake!  I've since received 3 defective LCDs in my opinion, all with various green/pink tinting issues.  I've also sent 2 "captures" to one of Chris M's colleagues in Round Rock, Texas. This latest post about the issue is very troubling.

What bothers me more is how no one at Dell is taking any responsibility of the issue (as if it's not all one company).  Obviously there is a problem that affects consumers so much so that they want a return. This type of thing happens and it's not necessarily Dell's fault.  However, it would be good to hear someone is working on the issue; his posts do little to indicate something will be done. (sRGB to remove pink/green? c'mon!)

I have no doubt that my Dell rep will make this right for our University, as he's been great in the past.  I won't be purchasing this monitor again though for my faculty or any of my clients until I'm certain that it doesn't have any of these major issues.  I also urge people reading this not to gamble with this monitor.  This is what happens sometimes when you purchase A00 products from Dell.

Some other good reads...

http://www.hardforums.com/showthread.php?t=1441159
http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/showthread.php?p=40353539
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1004&message=33150437

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DELL-Chris M:

and Why the user cannot install the firmware by himself? I'm not in US, and I don't think that DELL China will do this job.
* Dell has never allowed at home flashing of monitor firmware. I do not think this policy will change but we have brought it up in discussion.

I've owned monitors before where all a user had to do to update the firmware was place the firmware update file on a flash drive, plug the flash drive into one of the USB ports on the monitor's built in hub, go into the monitor's menu and select firmware update.

Easy as pie.  Don't know why Dell treats its customers like invalids.  Even a little child could perform a firmware update like that.

I don't have experience running a business, but wouldn't having to repair a small number of "bricked due to bad flashes" monitors cost much less than having thousands of customers send monitors in just to have Dell update the firmware or exchange for another unit w/ the updated firmware?