*** Dell UltraSharp U2410 24" Widescreen LCD Monitor @ £447.99 inc VAT ***

[Phunky]

The monitor is great, but i'm gutted about a couple of things:

- It's might be too big for my actual needs (ie: 360 mainly!)
- Lack of audio inputs.
- The darn power button, is too sensitive at times.

Other than that the quality is great - still does not seem to be as nice as my old DGM PVA tho, but that could be down to the matt screen.

 

[Billzz]

Makes me sad to see the problems are having with this screen, I'd like to reiterate it seems i've been one of the lucky ones and seem to have a perfect screen and i'm VERY fussy about monitors (i'm a graphic designer for a living and it must be perfect). All I can say guys is stick with it because it is fantastic when you get a good one.

The only complaint I have is that the bezel inset around the outside of the monitor is very deep and reflects the contents of the screen around the edge. Small niggle mind.

 

[Alfie]

Dell will not replace these anymore. They have told me that OCUK is illegaly advertising a warranty that they and the end user have not paid for. I have spent hours on the phone attempting to resolve this.

OCUK are collecting mine tomorrow and will send out a replacement by tuesday so i'll be without a screen.

OCUK tell me that thir purchasing team are in contact with Dell to resolve this but they can't tell me when they think the discrepancy can be resolved.

Dell claim they hold no account with OCUK despite speaking to management in the OCUK offices.

I have been throuroughly let down and have spent £20 on the phone.

UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE I RECCOMMEND NOT PURCHASING THIS SCREEN.

For those that found a works number on their box, please post an image for me. Mine does not have one.

 

[Alfie]

Just to add...........this is all because OCUK will not provide the original Dell order number to Dell so they can authorise the return. Even scanning the invoice was not enough.

 

[MKay]

I'm waiting for Revision A01. I need also that dithering in sRGB to be solved.

There's an easy (if not ideal) fix for that though - Don't use sRGB/Adobe mode. Although Custom Mode seems to lack the ability to fine tune to the same degree I think, from a purely visual perspective, the U2410 looks its best when you take time to tweak it in Custom Mode.

I say that because the main reason most people probably want the calibrated modes is to compensate for the wide gamut look. However, in comparison with the provided profiles, you can probably compensate better for wide gamut yourself in Custom Mode and, if you take time to visually match it up with Adobe/sRGB mode (use a lot of photos with a large range of colours) - or get something which will do a decent job of calibrating a wide gamut display - there's no reason you won't be pretty close to 100% happy. The only reason most people would want more accurate than this is for professional printing purposes, and such people are more likely to be looking at brands like Eizo (or should be, if that's how they make their living).

As for the issue itself, although the appearance is dithered that's definitely not what's going on - move the squares around and the pattern stays static. That's not dither. It seems like something related to the backlight itself, and however these mode are engaging something to do with it. Perhaps that's also part of the reason the U2410 dims the light in Adobe/sRGB mode (it might not be purely related to the fact it's calibrated). That'd also partly explain why blacks below an RGB value of 6 (Lagom test etc) disappear, and ones above that to look dithered, whereas in ordinary standard modes the U2410 can be tweaked to display all values, right down to square one and up to 254, without the dither effect.

I suspect Dell may fix the Adobe/sRGB issue in a new revision (if it's not something which will cost a lot of money). I'd rather they spent the time implementing fine tuning for different zones of the screen though, as I think the pink / green / whatever tint issue is a far more serious one. Of course, a 2 touch mode shortcut ability would be nice for getting into game mode more easily too.

 

[MKay]

At least you guys receive the monitor promptly, here in Singapore im still waiting for it, gotta wait for another 14 days more.

Where did you get that idea? For the U2410 they usually tell us 7 to 10 WORKING days (14 days ), all whilst charging us double the price for the same screen.. So we get to pay more, but must often wait the same amount of time. They could supply these screens more quickly, and don't probably to deter people from swapping monitors so readily. The "factory excuse" is most probably a crock because, when you actually check the dates of manufacture, it's usually something made more than a month ago.. Which means, unless they like to sit them in the factory for a month, it's coming from other stock.

 

[MKay]

Dell claim they hold no account with OCUK despite speaking to management in the OCUK offices.

They don't - As mentioned OCUK are buying via a 3rd party supplier.. As do the vast majority of other companies.

I have been throuroughly let down and have spent £20 on the phone.

Did you not try going through the customer support section on this forum? You'd probably get a better response..

For those that found a works number on their box, please post an image for me. Mine does not have one.

I recommend people DON'T post a works number without censoring it, since someone could actually use that to obtain a screen from Dell etc.. edit: same goes for monitor serial numbers..

That completely sucks if your box didn't have a number on it though - it should always have this although, as I said, they didn't even ask for mine! (I guess it depends who you get on the phone)

 

[Alfie]

i wasn't asking to show the works number, just where it was on the box.

+customer service forum..............Tried that, but i've also been on the phone to OCUK six times and Dell 8 times and i've been in email contact with Dell.

Dell refuse to replace and they even spoke to the manager at OCUK who would not provide dell with an order number or authorize my replacement. I am severely let down.

I've never had a bad experience at OCUK before. I'm really gutted.

 

[Alfie]

what format is the works number in?

 

[MKay]

i wasn't asking to show the works number, just where it was on the box.

All boxes should have a label like this. It can be anywhere on the box.

The work number is a 9 digit number containing no letters afaik

+customer service forum..............Tried that, but i've also been on the phone to OCUK six times and Dell 8 times and i've been in email contact with Dell.

Dell refuse to replace and they even spoke to the manager at OCUK who would not provide dell with an order number or authorize my replacement. I am severely let down.

That's not cool, Although, if the number isn't on the box, OC would probably have no way to know it without actually keeping a note of the order numbers themselves before dispatch.

I've never had a bad experience at OCUK before. I'm really gutted.

I would be too..

 

[Flanno]

I'm thinking of one of these for a new rig and mainly for gaming. After that, general use and watching divx's.

However I was dissapointed with the input lag....around 13ms in game mode and up to 33 or so in normal mode according to tft central. My Sony LCD TV (w4000 series) is as close to a crt as you can get input lag wise (under 10ms), has a good backlight (very even), and generally has no issues. Would I be better using the LCD TV for my new PC built (with Radeon 5870) or would the Dell offer better image quality. The only negative I can think of with regards to using an LCD TV is the dot pixel pitch being higher than a dedicated PC LCD over the 1920x1080 res at 32" being too small. What you reckon ?

 

[Sallermas]

ALfie you need the works order number and the original purchasing companies name to make a warranty call.

They obiously should all have Dell packing labels on the box which shows the original source, Dell works order no and original purchasing companies name.

if these are removed it means the origin is obviously being hidden.

I didn't get mine from OCUK this time I wanted the pixel guarantee as Dell do not always replace them under the Premium panel guarantee i.e. 1 bright pixel!

 

[Alfie]

I don't have that label and OCUK were unable to proide the information. I can take it that the label should be there and that it normally is when the U2410 is ordered from OCUK? Perhaps the bright pixel was known about so the origin has been hidden?

If my replacement from OCUK has no label i will go mental!!

OCUK have stopped responding on the customer service forum.

 

[Phunky]

OCUK have stopped responding on the customer service forum.

I've noticed this too lately

 

[Alfie]

OOOOOOOOOOO interesting. I just checked the box really thoroughly this time and found a large sticky area where the label has obviously been peeled off. Why!!!!!!!!!! this is very suspicious.

I am furious. you have no idea what i've been through with this.........Dell even told me they thought it was stolen!!!!

 

[Blue Alert]

My monitor from OCUK didn't have an order number, but the OCUK invoice number was sufficient evidence for them. Truly sucks that they're putting up more a fight for you.

Anyway, I've been on the phone to Dell this afternoon, and I've got a second brand new replacement coming my way in 5-7 days. Dell were very apologetic. The two I have are being picked up in mid-October, and so in a weeks time I will have three of these monitors hanging about!



EDIT: Since I still have the monitor (and box) I got from OCUK, I've just had a quick look for any suspicious sticky areas where a large sticker (comparable in size to the sticker with the work order number on my replacement monitor box) could've been. Whaddaya know... there is one.

 

[Alfie]

Yeah, I sent them a scan of the invoice but because the invoice didn't have any mention of warranty on it was refused.

So did you guys all get a sticker with a works number on it then?

If OCUK send one out without the label you cannot get it excahnged under warranty. Unless you are Blue Alert the swine!!

 

[MKay]

I don't have that label and OCUK were unable to proide the information. I can take it that the label should be there and that it normally is when the U2410 is ordered from OCUK?

Mine was entirely hidden under a sticker with my own information, which required some very careful peeling, but it was still there at least. The other (from a different source) made no attempt to hide the sticker.

If my replacement from OCUK has no label i will go mental!!

Understandable. Although, for whatever reason, Dell seem to have given you a difficult time on this one too. Maybe it's whatever is showing on their system, and they don't like it for some reason.

 

[Alfie]

I think there may be something dodgy about the stock tbh. Why remove or hide the stickers? And from what Dell were saying, they have no idea who OCUK are really and they think it's fishy.

Not cool.

Sorry for turning this thread into a customer services issue.

 

[MKay]

Why remove or hide the stickers?

It should always be there. It could've come off at some point during transport etc. Unlikely though

And from what Dell were saying, they have no idea who OCUK are really and they think it's fishy.

Not cool.

What's going on is other companies (Like Ino-Tech or Taran) are ordering larger quantities of the screens from Dell, and when they do that they get a volume discount from Dell. These are then resold to web retailers who don't want to hold on to large stocks themselves.

However, as far as Dell are concerned, whoever sold you the screen doesn't exist - only the person who originally ordered from them exists. Thus, when you mention OCUk, Or Scan (mentioned so people don't think it's just an OCUK thing) or any number of other web companies reselling Dell products, Dell will say "WHO?!"

Whilst they will send the replacement to you, any Dell issued refund would actually go to the person who originally purchased - Which isn't even the person you bought the screen from! So, whatever you do, never take Dell up on the offer of a refund otherwise it's good luck seeing your money without a fight

Since the practice of companies buying larger volumes of Dell products, supplying web retailers, and those web retailers reselling to you, has been happening for years, I doubt it's something which upsets Dell since they'd have cracked down on it before now. So the only "fishy" thing is probably some of the people in the Indian call centres don't understand what's going on unless you explain it to them. But my advice, if you get a box without the label, is you should return for a refund..