My DS Lite hardware experience...
I've decided to share my DS Lite experience from the last 2 months to see how many others have ran into the same problems. I don't consider myself a perfectionist.. just an individual that works hard for his money, and wants to get what I pay for.
Here goes:
UNIT 1:
- This past July, my wife purchased a DS Lite as a wedding anniversary gift for me. I've right away noticed a stuck pixel, and returned the unit the next day.
UNIT 2:
- I've used this unit the longest. Perfect screen, perfect buttons, everything was great. Until the dreadful crack occured in the left hinge (seems to be a common launch system problem).
The way one can tell they will run into a problem is by the sound the unit makes. It made none! It opened to the first position, and then smootly slid into the second. I believe there's some kind of missing stoppers that made the hinge crack if you push it too far.
I shipped the system (box and all) to get it fixed at the local Nintendo service center (this is actually a lie. Nintendo has an office only on the west coast. If you live in the east, you ship to a middle man that does the work on behalf of Nintendo!)
UNIT 3:
- The unit arrived 2 weeks later. To my shock, it was a refurbished (or as Nintendo likes to call it, reconditioned) unit. It came in a small cardboard box + my manuals and adapters. My original packaging was tossed out by the middle man!!!!
It seems Nintendo doesn't repair units, they swap your brand new unit for a refurbished unit. You can tell you have a refurbished unit if your DS Lite serial number starts with a 9! (Nintendo issues a new serial number sticker which they put over the old unit number). Once can clearly see this if they look closely.
Not only was I pissed that they tossed all my packaging, but the replacement unit had 2 stuck pixel (one in each screen) as well as surface scratches! So I shipped it back.
UNIT 4:
- 2 weeks later.. you guested it. A replacement. This time, one stuck pixel.
UNIT 5:
- I was getting angry. This time, I called nintendo directly. They had me ship the unit directly to the west coast unit, and they started a file for me, which I referenced when I shipped the unit back.
UNIT 6:
- A week has passed, and a replacement has arrived. The screen is perfect, the unit is perfect (except for a couple of hairline scratches in the case). The cover clicks perfectly and smoothly into the 2 supported positions.
Being angry that I didn't have the box, and the unit is not "new". I decided to try and sell this unit, and purchase a new one.
UNIT 7:
- This past friday, I walked into a local electronics store, and purchased a new unit. This unit is as new as they get. Instead of a serial number starting with 4 (launch units) it started with 7! The screen has no dead pixels, and the hinge makes the same noise as unit #6 (which I still have).
But something felt wierd about this system. When I got it home, I compared it to unit 6 (which I didn't sell yet) and I was right!
The bottom screen had a strong yellow tint to it!
UNIT 8:
- This morning, I returned unit 7 to the store. But unfortunetly, they didn't have any polar units left. I was stuck taking the onyx (black) one.
Right away, I check it out. No stuck pixels, but serial number starts with a 4. The hinge makes a loud clicking sound in the 2 position (I guess in the 7 series serial number, as well as my last replacement, they fixed it to not be so loud).
Further more, I've noticed a couple of other "issues":
- the volume button seems to be recessed a lot more into the unit
- finger prints are EXTREMELY visible!
- both top and bottom unit have a faint yellow tint to it.
Current situation:
I'm giving up. I'm going to return the onyx and not get it replaced. I believe the Nintendo rep really went up to bat for me with my last replacement unit. The screen is as good as it gets. It has no tint, it clicks like butter, and I guess I'll have to live with the fact that it's a refurbished unit (at least better than most new units one can buy these days).
So, anyone care to sell me their polar Nintendo DS Lite box?
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Originally Posted by leonk
Really thats to much. You got more then you paid for. Shure I can understand a dead pixel on a new units. But a slight yellowing, your trying to hard. You never would have noticed if you hadn't compared it with your other ds.
