Gray, flickering, terrible screen? Share your story in here.

**DirkBelig** · 07-17-2012, 08:11 PM

I came home all stoked to play with my Nexus 7 that UPS had left, but the moment I powered it up and saw this:

...my heart sank. Image burn-in, a bright gray glow all over everything, total epic fail. It's hard to see in the cell phone snapshot, but here how the same photo I took looks on my color-calibrated monitor and on the N7:

While I waited on hold with Google Play's auto-callback, after 20 minutes I noticed the screen was looking MUCH better. No haze, saturated colors; I fired up Transformers 3 and it looked good. Downloaded a comic book and that looked good. Weird. Did it just need to warm up? (I'm old enough to remember such concepts.) Any hopes that was the case when the screen timed out and the moment I turned it back on, I could see it was jacked up as before.

After over 45 minutes on hold, I got a guy who sounded harried and said they'd been getting a LOT of calls about this and he asked me to hold. He came back after a couple of minutes and asked if the CSSN number of the box's label ended in "1617." Mine did and he told me that someone from Google would have to contact me to arrange a replacement and it may be a couple of days - probably the end of the week. Lovely.

I don't know if this CSSN # is a batch number indicating the have a bad bunch of screens or whether they were verifying that I was calling about the one on my account, but that's my story. Anyone else got a screen issue tale to tell?

**kdskinner** · 07-17-2012, 08:15 PM

You will love the screen on your Nexus when you finally get a replacement. It is really nice although the displayed area is just a bit smaller than my wife's Kindle Fire the resolution is much better. Saturation seems about the same to me as she has on her Kindle Fire and it looks as good or better than I have on my iPad 1.

**DirkBelig** · 07-17-2012, 09:01 PM

When it gets to behaving, yes, it's lovely. However it's a random occurrence that takes its time to happen.

**Cubfan** · 07-17-2012, 09:16 PM

The auto-brightness does flicker a bit in some situations. Doesn't bug me much.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

**kenyee** · 07-17-2012, 09:25 PM

Originally Posted by Cubfan

The auto-brightness does flicker a bit in some situations. Doesn't bug me much.

Dim conditions? I was wondering if my Nexus was broken...

**Ravynmagi** · 07-17-2012, 09:27 PM

The screen is the only thing I'm slightly disappointed with.

Mine also had a lot of ghosting when I first turned it on. And after half an hour or so the ghosting seemed to go away. But the colors still seem washed out, the contrast doesn't look right, light grays look too light (such as on this forum).

My CSSN doesn't end with those number.

I can live with it. But the screen seems kinda mediocre to me. If this isn't normal, I may contact Google about it later after things settle down.

**Ravynmagi** · 07-17-2012, 09:28 PM

Also I don't even try to use auto brightness. This seems to suck on any Android device I've ever owned, it always goes way too dark.

**igjoe** · 07-17-2012, 09:54 PM

Looks like mine is flickering during video playback... It's not super noticeable, but I'm picky with my screens.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

**DirkBelig** · 07-18-2012, 01:31 AM

Originally Posted by Ravynmagi

I can live with it. But the screen seems kinda mediocre to me. If this isn't normal, I may contact Google about it later after things settle down.

Definitely do so. The screen is one of the things the reviews touted as being so good, so to settle for a substandard display - especially when the Great iSatan is pushing Retina displays like crazy - is to say that quality isn't important and you'll willingly pay for what you don't actually get.

**Ravynmagi** · 07-18-2012, 01:40 AM

I just saw another issue with my screen. So far it's happened twice, one row of pixels will flicker, then go back to normal. Worried that row of pixels might be getting ready to die.

**EnDroidable** · 07-18-2012, 01:44 AM

My screen is also flickering like mad, its a bit disappointing, but I will see if it goes away after a while if not I will return it and get another one.

**corydorcutt** · 07-18-2012, 01:57 AM

Mine doesn't do that and it looks great. That flickering stuff doesn't sound normal.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

**Guineaa** · 07-18-2012, 02:12 AM

Honestly, what high resolution? Small text on this thing is more blurry than my 12 inch 1280x800 HP elitebook with ClearText viewed from the same distance. I think it's a text rendering problem on Android.

I gave Apple a lot of grief when they made Retina display the selling point for the "New" Ipad, but you know what, they really mean high resolution.

**EnDroidable** · 07-18-2012, 02:34 AM

Hey guys just am update the screen isn't flickering anymore for now after charging it up to 75 percent with auto brightness enabled. Will let u know if it starts doing it again.

**tqmcguire** · 07-18-2012, 08:20 AM

Originally Posted by Ravynmagi

The screen is the only thing I'm slightly disappointed with.

Mine also had a lot of ghosting when I first turned it on. And after half an hour or so the ghosting seemed to go away. But the colors still seem washed out, the contrast doesn't look right, light grays look too light (such as on this forum).

My CSSN doesn't end with those number.

I can live with it. But the screen seems kinda mediocre to me. If this isn't normal, I may contact Google about it later after things settle down.

The washed out colors is what I noticed right off the bat. I was a bit taken back, then I downloaded a game I also play on my 3rd gen iPad and it's just horrible. The colors are hideous. Sitting my HTC One X beside it, both with the stock pink, purple, teal, yellow Jelly Bean wallpaper it's REALLY bad. Definitely went light on the red but even the blues are more muted. I wonder if this can be fixed with a software update. I sure as hell hope so. I LOVE this tablet but the colors are hideous.

**Silken1987** · 07-18-2012, 10:05 AM

Originally Posted by Cubfan

The auto-brightness does flicker a bit in some situations. Doesn't bug me much.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

I've noticed this as well. I think I may have to switch it off as everytime it flickers I think there is a fault with the screen, clearly being paranoid lol.

**mud314** · 07-18-2012, 10:11 AM

So just to confirm of what I'm reading...you guys are perfectly OK with paying over 200 for a defective piece of equipment, "it's not that bad and I can live with it".

Seriously? I have a wonderful bridge in San Francisco for sale it's a bit old and needs a coat of paint now and then but I am willing to part with it. Let me know if you are interested.

**Ravynmagi** · 07-18-2012, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by mud314

So just to confirm of what I'm reading...you guys are perfectly OK with paying over 200 for a defective piece of equipment, "it's not that bad and I can live with it".

Seriously? I have a wonderful bridge in San Francisco for sale it's a bit old and needs a coat of paint now and then but I am willing to part with it. Let me know if you are interested.

Well regarding my washed out colors and somewhat blurry text. I think I'm worried that this just might be normal and getting a replacement would just be a waste of time.

If I got it at a retail store and they had replacements on a shelf, I wouldn't hesitate to get it replaced. But having to call Google, sit on hold forever, get the RMA number, box it up, go to the UPS store, wait a week or two for the replacement, then to only find out it's got the same issue. Ugh, that would really suck. So that is why I'm thinking about living with it for now.

**kenyee** · 07-18-2012, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by Ravynmagi

If I got it at a retail store and they had replacements on a shelf, I wouldn't hesitate to get it replaced. But having to call Google, sit on hold forever, get the RMA number, box it up, go to the UPS store, wait a week or two for the replacement, then to only find out it's got the same issue. Ugh, that would really suck. So that is why I'm thinking about living with it for now.

See if there's another Nexus 7 owner nearby and look at theirs...or stop by a local gamestop or staples or best buy, etc...

**mud314** · 07-18-2012, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by Ravynmagi

Well regarding my washed out colors and somewhat blurry text. I think I'm worried that this just might be normal and getting a replacement would just be a waste of time.

If I got it at a retail store and they had replacements on a shelf, I wouldn't hesitate to get it replaced. But having to call Google, sit on hold forever, get the RMA number, box it up, go to the UPS store, wait a week or two for the replacement, then to only find out it's got the same issue. Ugh, that would really suck. So that is why I'm thinking about living with it for now.

Agreed. I was looking forward to this device big time. Probably for the same reason the rest of us gadget geeks wanted it, but there are way too many complaints for a new launch. Starting with the whole mess that google made with shipping. Since Google is releasing the Nexus brand to others, I may just wait and see what "The Others" (as in Lost) do for us. I'm hoping for a HTC branded Nexus or Samsung. The only thing I am still finding appealing about this, the price point. Cannot be beat.

**Rizon216** · 07-18-2012, 11:23 AM

Mine flickers when auto-brightness is adjusting. I think it's normal and is just the Nexus trying to figure what the optimal brightness level is. I think the only reason I notice it is because it's not as instantaneous as it is on my Galaxy Nexus and was on my Droid X.

If I turn auto-brightness off or it isn't changing the brightness, the screen is fine.

**2defmouze** · 07-18-2012, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by mud314

Agreed. I was looking forward to this device big time. Probably for the same reason the rest of us gadget geeks wanted it, but there are way too many complaints for a new launch. Starting with the whole mess that google made with shipping. Since Google is releasing the Nexus brand to others, I may just wait and see what "The Others" (as in Lost) do for us. I'm hoping for a HTC branded Nexus or Samsung. The only thing I am still finding appealing about this, the price point. Cannot be beat.

Look at every single device forum on Android Central right after launch. All you see are problem threads... you'd think there wasn't a single quality android device in existence! Lol, while I'm not doubting the issues, the point is that more people come on to complain when there's a problem than to praise everything working right. Couple hundred thousand of these things or more have gone out and if you see a hundred faulty units on here you have to realize that's a fraction of a percent... just offering some perspective

**Ravynmagi** · 07-18-2012, 11:54 AM

Someone on the XDA forums noticed something about the over saturated washed out screen. He noticed it happens after playing videos.

I tested this out and the video looked fine (the Transformer movie), but as soon as I went back to the home screen I noticed it looked even more washed out and oversaturated than before. Going to other apps also looked over saturated.

He said shutting off the screen helps. But for me the over saturated washed out look doesn't seem to totally go away though after watching a video (though it does decrease a lot after a while). It seems I need to reboot the tablet, then the colors look good again.

**cemysh33** · 07-18-2012, 11:56 AM

Mine is doing the same. I contacted Asus support and all they had me do is a hard reset, which i didnt do bec I knew it wouldnt fix anything. Then he said that I would need to send it in for repair. Thats crazy, I responded that I could return it and buy another by the time they "fix" my N7. What is the contact info for Google?

**DirkBelig** · 07-18-2012, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by Ravynmagi

I noticed it looked even more washed out and oversaturated than before.

Umm, that's an oxymoron there. The image is either oversaturated (i.e. colors are unnaturally rich and vivid) or it's washed-out (i.e. lacking in proper color richness, like Saving Private Ryan, though technically that look is "desaturated"), it can't be both.

Look at the picture of the girl in the OP. It's not as clear as in person, but compare the colors of her skirt (red vs. orangish-gray), blouse (deep purple vs. grayish lighter purple) and jacket (black vs. gray) to see how bad it typically is. I'm a photographer and am a maven for accurate colors (I turned my Epic 4G Touch's display to Movie mode in order to get the most natural-looking color) and the Nexus is very problematic.

The fact that the colors keep shifting make no sense unless there's a driver issue between modes. Even the cheapest commodity LCD monitor doesn't wildly vary in consistency like this. My g/f bought an Acer monitor for her computer and I took 5 minutes messing with the settings before declaring, "This is junk. You need to get something else and better." (She ended up with a Dell that cost less and was miles better.) Displays are either good or bad, not both. That the N7's screen is having these problems is either due to poor LCD consistency or a problem with the Tegra 3 chips that run the whole shebang.