[GLLUG] Is 2 dead pixels grounds for returning new monitor?

[Andy Smith]

Hi Dylan,

On Thu, Jan 23, 2014 at 09:02:06AM +0000, Dylan wrote:
> I have recently (within the last month) bought a new monitor. In the
> last week, I have noticed two dead pixels. Should I consider this
> grounds to return the unit for replacement?

You need to check the returns policy of the vendor, and if that
doesn't help you then you need to work out exactly what degree of
fault you have and if it exceeds what is acceptable by law.

As a consumer you are protected by the Sale of Goods Act which
states that if the goods have even small blemishes then they can be
returned as faulty. A lot of people believe that even a single dead
pixel constitutes a fault under this definition.

However, there is an ISO standard for the acceptable amount of dead
pixels per million pixels, and if you have less than this then your
item is not faulty:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISO_13406-2

Assuming you do have less than the number of dead pixels that would
be considered a fault, I think your choices go like this:

1. Hope you have bought from a vendor that offers a long enough "no
   questions asked" returns policy. e.g. John Lewis will accept
   goods back for refund within 90 days even if they have been used,
   as long as they are in saleable conditions. I am not suggesting
   anyone buys monitors from John Lewis. This is just an example.

2. Failing that, hope they will accept it as a fault and take it
   back anyway as a gesture of good will.

3. If they state that there aren't enough dead pixels to be
   considered a fault then you will have to live with it.

Cheers,
Andy

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