by Matt Gomez
Daily Lobo
Since its March 24 release, the PlayStation Portable has received a lot of attention.
Yet much of the attention is not focused on the hand-held system's game play, the multimedia capabilities or the design.
Instead, the attention has been focused on a dead pixel.
There have been complaints about the 4.3-inch liquid crystal display the PSP features, and the source of discussion is the dead pixels.
A dead pixel is a small red, blue, green or black spot that remains on an LCD screen permanently. Sony refers to the dead pixels on page 13 of the PSP manual:
"Red, blue or green spots (bright spots) or black spots (dark spots) may appear in certain locations on the LCD screen. The appearance of such spots is a normal occurrence associated with LCD screens and is not a sign of malfunction. LCD screens are made using highly precise technology. However, a very small number of dark pixels or continuously lit pixels exist on each screen."
Sometimes dead pixels are a problem.
"They are always going to have dead pixels," UNM undergraduate Matt McClintock said. "It's an issue when they have them all in a block. That's when they become most visible."
McClintock's PSP has dead pixels, but he said they are not an issue for him.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
"I know for a fact that all screens this size and smaller have some. I only have two and most of the time I don't notice them."
Sony customer service representative Jan, who declined to give his last name, said Sony is asking PSP owners to first try the system for one to two weeks to see if the dead pixels interfere with the system's use.
"If you find that the spots are interfering with game play, keep in mind that the PSP carries a one-year warranty and will exchange the defective system for a new one."
Sony won't leave customers with defective systems, McClintock said.
"The PSP isn't really an established name, so I think they're going to cover it really well," he said. "Since it's an unestablished market, they will want to make sure it's covered. If not, they know everyone will be all over them."
Despite Sony's warning, not all PSP screens have dead pixels.
"I've had no problems with the screen or dead pixels," UNM graduate Carlos Casias said. "I actually don't play it as much as other people that are having those problems. I invested in a screen protector that I'm hoping will protect against those issues."
Despite his PSP being unaffected, Casias said he recommends potential buyers purchase their system where getting an additional warranty is an option.
"I bought mine at Wal-Mart because they were having a sale, but I would recommend buying it at Best Buy or somewhere else where you can get an additional warranty," he said.
