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entropy
Disorder at its finest
entropy
3,169 Posts
20 Feb 2006, 9:39pm

Backlight bleeding

Can someone explain to me what backlight bleeding is, and what it looks like?

I recently bought a Dell 2005FPW, and for one, it's amazing. Going from a '95ish CRT to a pretty crappy new one, to this baby is one helluva change. However, I'm wondering if I'm experiencing this problem with mine, or if it's just a normal artifact of LCD monitors (which would be pretty crappy).

For example, when I have this window open right now, it looks great because of how light everything is. In fact, in all but the darkest things, it looks great. But if I'm playing EVE, or watching Battlestar Galactica (which I just recently got into - great show), it's fairly dark. When it's dark/black enough, on all four corners there's kind of a halo of light extending from the most extreme points, shaped almost like the drooping parts of a stage curtain, but on all corners. I looked at my brother Panasonic (or something) LCD and it's got this effect on the top and bottom, but not as extreme.

When it gets dark out, I'll put on the "Blank" screensaver and take a picture without the flash... that should give you a pretty good idea of what I'm seeing. Is it worth paying and fussing over an RMA, or should I live with it since all LCDs do this?
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Khaos
King Kretin
Khaos
697 Posts
20 Feb 2006, 11:01pm
I'll let you know when I get my HP L2335.

Sorry, that wasn't a very constructive reply. It is hard for me to say since I have never used an LCD monitor of that size to date, but just for kicks I turned off all the lights in my office just now and minimized everything (My desktops are always pure black) and I noticed a miniscule amounts of backlight bleed. Nothing like what you are describing. I think you might have a defective monitor, and if it really bugs you, it may be worth RMAing.

You might be able to talk Dell into providing a FedEx or UPS label for return shipping. They always pay for return shipping at work when things get botched.

Good luck!
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gibbonsl
Anime Freak;)
gibbonsl
798 Posts
20 Feb 2006, 11:32pm
yes that is called backlight bleeding, all LCDs do it, to some degree or another

all of mine does it
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Gargoyle
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Gargoyle
4,843 Posts
20 Feb 2006, 11:47pm
My Dells at work do that halo thing, too. One does it less than the other (the older one, actually), but I think that's because the backlight is slowly dieing, since that one isn't as bright as the new one.

I've gotten used to it, though. I usually have a black background of some kind on, so I've had a long time to get used to it. Personally, I prefer the halo thing over the weird discoloration in my 6-year old Trinitron
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Leonardo
Buzzwinkle the Moose
Leonardo
15,037 Posts
21 Feb 2006, 12:26am
Some do it more than others. Our Samsung 930B has a little bit of bleed, my Xerox XG91D has almost none.
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entropy
Disorder at its finest
entropy
3,169 Posts
21 Feb 2006, 2:22am
Okay, here it is resized a bit. It's not exactly at the right viewing angle/distance, but it's relatively close.
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Leonardo
Buzzwinkle the Moose
Leonardo
15,037 Posts
21 Feb 2006, 2:28am
Assuming your time exposure didn't exaggerate the light output, I'd say that's PRETTY BAD. That is not ordinary. That is substandard. A good monitor should be close to black with a 'black' background.
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entropy
Disorder at its finest
entropy
3,169 Posts
21 Feb 2006, 2:41am
Yeah, it did exaggerate it. It automatically increases the exposure time when I turn off the flash, I can't prevent it. It's just a basic one, nothing special. Maybe I'll try my mom's camera.

For comparison, here's a picture of my background right now. Look at some of the icons and the headphones - they're very black. "How much blacker could it get? And the answer is none - none more black."*

*Kudos if anyone gets the reference. Once of my favorite movies of all time.

Edit: That was stupid. A screenshot won't prove anything. I'll try a regular picture.
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Leonardo
Buzzwinkle the Moose
Leonardo
15,037 Posts
21 Feb 2006, 2:49am
It's really hard to form an opinion over a digital photograph. Not bad photos - just can't tell. Wish I could be more helpful.
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primesuspect
The Icrontic Guy
primesuspect
29,322 Posts
21 Feb 2006, 3:09am
all flat panels will do it to some degree- they are basically screens with fluorescent tubes behind them, after all. I'd say "get used to it"
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tmh88
Custom User Title
tmh88
2,498 Posts
21 Feb 2006, 3:11am
All LCD's do that. I have a samsung and I love it. Samsung = awsome

anyway mine barely does that at all.
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Camman
110% Pure Awesome
Camman
2,188 Posts
21 Mar 2006, 1:19am
just found this thread. That isn't normal based on your first picture. Dell 2005FPW's are notorious for backlight bleed. I searched shortmedia for 2005fpw because I just got mine and i wanted to see what amount was acceptable. I was "looking" for this sort of bleeding because I had heard about the problems with the 2005FPW but I think my panel is in pretty good shape

just search dell's forums for "2005fpw backlight" and you'll see how much of a serious issue this is with these monitors, if that first picture is representative of how it actually looks then youre monitor looks totally washed out and I'd RMA it, Dell will pay to ship if it's under warranty which I have to assume it is.

ive got some minor blacklight bleeding, dont know if its worth going through all the bull of RMAing and trying to get a better one, ive heard of people going through like 4 or 5 of these trying to get a perfect one, honestly though if I wasnt looking for it because of all this stuff people posted i probably wouldnt even have a second thought, it seems the black is a little washed on the edges when watching a DVD and there are black bars around or whatever but its not really even noticeable in games and general use other than on a totally black background
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Camman edited : 21 Mar 2006 at 2:53am .
entropy
Disorder at its finest
entropy
3,169 Posts
9 Apr 2006, 2:06am
Yeah, I was starting to get used to it, but I think I may need to RMA it anyway.

Besides the backlight, on the left side of the screen I can see almost like straight ripples going upward for about 1 inch or so in. Goes up most of the edge of the monitor.

So much work to RMA, though...
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Camman
110% Pure Awesome
Camman
2,188 Posts
9 Apr 2006, 2:43am
little update on this, i ended up RMAing this monitor, well it wasnt really an RMA cause it was under the "21 day satisfaction guarantee" and they overnighted me a new 2005fpw and it was perfect, way better than the first one they shipped. The background still isn't as pitch black as the Dell 19" ultrasharp I use at work but its way better and theres no extreme washout like the first one.

Dell was pretty good about it, and if you have the standard 3 yr warranty I believe they are all "advance exchange" and they'll get one to you quickly along with a shipping label to send back the other one.
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Thrax
Cat Whisperer
Thrax
25,154 Posts
9 Apr 2006, 4:16am
That's because there have been two revisions of the 2005FPW. The old stock has TERRIBLE backlight bleed, the new stock has virtually no backlight bleed. Some of the old stock is still floating around, sadly.

Read all of this on a 2405FPW review a while back, when they were doing 2005 vs. 2405 visual comparisons.
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entropy
Disorder at its finest
entropy
3,169 Posts
9 Apr 2006, 4:23am
Interesting. Any way to tell (S/N or otherwise) which revision mine is?

Either way I should probably RMA it. I was kind of accepting medicrity, which is not something that should be accepted in a $400 anything.
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Camman
110% Pure Awesome
Camman
2,188 Posts
9 Apr 2006, 5:11am
Quoting Thrax
That's because there have been two revisions of the 2005FPW. The old stock has TERRIBLE backlight bleed, the new stock has virtually no backlight bleed. Some of the old stock is still floating around, sadly.

Read all of this on a 2405FPW review a while back, when they were doing 2005 vs. 2405 visual comparisons.
That is true, but I don't think the Revision comparison is the thing people were making it out to be to determine monitor quality. Most people thought that December 2005 and beyond monitors were "perfect" and no defects, but my first 2005FPW was a REV03 February 2006 and had problems, the new one is a March 06 Rev A03 and didn't have the problems with backlight bleeding, seems like it's still very much hit or miss.

entropy: the sticker on the back with the serial number lists the Rev number as well as the manufacture date. And yes you're exactly right, and that's why I returned mine, when you're dropping that kind of coin on something you shouldn't have to just "accept" common problems.
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entropy
Disorder at its finest
entropy
3,169 Posts
10 Apr 2006, 11:17pm
So how exactly to I RMA this thing? I've never RMAd anything before, so I have no idea...

By the way: Revision A03, manufactured January 2006 in Mexico.
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Leonardo
Buzzwinkle the Moose
Leonardo
15,037 Posts
10 Apr 2006, 11:28pm
Go to Dell's site and search for "RMA" or "return merchandise authorization." I'm not being snide, my friend. But different manufacturers have different procedures. Some have fill out an online form, others may want you to email or telephone a support entity first. I don't know what Dell requires. Hope it goes as well as MSI and Asus - both treated me with courtesy and fast turnaround time.
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Camman
110% Pure Awesome
Camman
2,188 Posts
11 Apr 2006, 12:43am
Quoting entropy
So how exactly to I RMA this thing? I've never RMAd anything before, so I have no idea...

By the way: Revision A03, manufactured January 2006 in Mexico.
I called Dell's support, they tried to get me to go through the like troubleshooting "did you try it with another PC?" etc etc, I just kept saying yes I tried everything and its obviously the panel, they were pretty good about it though, shipped me another one next-day delivery.
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entropy
Disorder at its finest
entropy
3,169 Posts
13 Apr 2006, 12:00am
Ugh. I really don't want to go through all the rigamorale of calling up India tech "support". I can't even do an online chat, because monitors don't have a service tag. Can I just email them?
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Camman
110% Pure Awesome
Camman
2,188 Posts
13 Apr 2006, 1:42am
Quoting entropy
Ugh. I really don't want to go through all the rigamorale of calling up India tech "support". I can't even do an online chat, because monitors don't have a service tag. Can I just email them?
The dont. I was just telling you what I did, it wasn't really that big of a deal or that much of a pain, you can't use any of the chat or email support things because monitors only have a serial number and not standard dell tag or express service code.
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