Has anyone noticed a significant difference between the brightness of the top vs bottom screen. My bottom screen has a warmer more yellow appearance to it vs the top screen which is nice and white. You can notice it when first booting up with the white backgrounds. Anyone else run across this yet?
DS Lite top screen vs bottom screen.
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GTmaster39
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I can already tell this thead is gonna turn into a cluster 
. Just be happy with what you have, stop bitching.
. Just be happy with what you have, stop bitching.
GTmaster39
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[quote name='2poor']What's got your nuts in a vice?[/QUOTE]
I just got promoted to assistant manager at a new store. Im kinda on the edge.
I just got promoted to assistant manager at a new store. Im kinda on the edge.
dyreschlock
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both screens of my import DS lite look exactly the same.
how noticable is this difference?
how noticable is this difference?
Arkay Firestar
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Even if there is a difference, it MUST be less than the DRAMATIC difference in brightness and hue of the fat DS.
Ultimate Matt X
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I think there may be a slight difference in mine, but its probably less visible than the difference between the two screens on my original DS. I just think its the nature of the touch screen that causes it.
[quote name='Womp']Its due to the fact that the bottom is the touchscreen, you have more going on in terms of "Overlapping" the screen with the sensors etc. I barely notice this outside a completely white screen anyhow, however GBA = Top screen play.[/QUOTE]
Exactly, the additional layers over the screen could definately cause a slightly different/darker hue. It may have made sense to bump up the brightness on the lower screen only, but then they may get some that have a brighter bottom screen. I think that would be a worse issue.
LCD's are kind of unpredictable in mass production. I have lots of the new backlit gba sp's around the house, and none are exactly the same on white screens. Some are more yellow, some more pinkish hued.
For me, simply getting one without any dead pixels is good enough. Any slight variations in white-screen color hues may even change with use. I have actually noticed my whitest one getting slightly more yellowish on white screens over time.
So, if it really really bothers you, exchange it, but remember that the next one may be the same AND have some dead pixels.
Exactly, the additional layers over the screen could definately cause a slightly different/darker hue. It may have made sense to bump up the brightness on the lower screen only, but then they may get some that have a brighter bottom screen. I think that would be a worse issue.
LCD's are kind of unpredictable in mass production. I have lots of the new backlit gba sp's around the house, and none are exactly the same on white screens. Some are more yellow, some more pinkish hued.
For me, simply getting one without any dead pixels is good enough. Any slight variations in white-screen color hues may even change with use. I have actually noticed my whitest one getting slightly more yellowish on white screens over time.
So, if it really really bothers you, exchange it, but remember that the next one may be the same AND have some dead pixels.
Your unit is defective. I bought 2 units on Sunday (one for myself and on for the wife) Her unit had two bright white screens exactly the same, and my unit had one white bright screen and one slightly dimmer yellow hued screen. EB said they will get more units by tuesday and they will exchange it.
There is a very slight difference, simply because the bottom is a touch screen and has different type of cover on it.
So if it's very mild difference, then it's normal. If it's a bigger difference, try exachanging.
Maybe check out some others (friends, store demo units) to compare.
So if it's very mild difference, then it's normal. If it's a bigger difference, try exachanging.
Maybe check out some others (friends, store demo units) to compare.
I've read about the "grainy vs grid" screens, but my DS Lite touch screen seems to be both.
If I hold it at an angle, there is a grid of dots. This doesn't affect my playing in the least, as I can never see it when the unit is on, but what DOES affect my playing a little is, my bottom screen is slightly rainbowy. What I mean is, if I'm looking at pure white light, it isn't white - it's scrambled with a bunch of rainbowish stuff. This is fairly light, not severe - but it's still a bit irritating. And during regular play, when the screen is not pure white, it is kind of grainy and the colours aren't pure. When compared to the top screen there's a noticable though not severe difference. The top screen is absolutely sharp and crisp with no problems.
It reminds me of the film that some water leaves behind on screens. You know, the little water spots that make colours turn a bit "off" and blurred.
If I hold it at an angle, there is a grid of dots. This doesn't affect my playing in the least, as I can never see it when the unit is on, but what DOES affect my playing a little is, my bottom screen is slightly rainbowy. What I mean is, if I'm looking at pure white light, it isn't white - it's scrambled with a bunch of rainbowish stuff. This is fairly light, not severe - but it's still a bit irritating. And during regular play, when the screen is not pure white, it is kind of grainy and the colours aren't pure. When compared to the top screen there's a noticable though not severe difference. The top screen is absolutely sharp and crisp with no problems.
It reminds me of the film that some water leaves behind on screens. You know, the little water spots that make colours turn a bit "off" and blurred.
Arkay Firestar
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[quote name='Chrissi']I've read about the "grainy vs grid" screens, but my DS Lite touch screen seems to be both.
If I hold it at an angle, there is a grid of dots. This doesn't affect my playing in the least, as I can never see it when the unit is on, but what DOES affect my playing a little is, my bottom screen is slightly rainbowy. What I mean is, if I'm looking at pure white light, it isn't white - it's scrambled with a bunch of rainbowish stuff. This is fairly light, not severe - but it's still a bit irritating. And during regular play, when the screen is not pure white, it is kind of grainy and the colours aren't pure. When compared to the top screen there's a noticable though not severe difference. The top screen is absolutely sharp and crisp with no problems.
It reminds me of the film that some water leaves behind on screens. You know, the little water spots that make colours turn a bit "off" and blurred.[/QUOTE]
You know I noticed the same thing when I was playing an acquaintance's Lite...but it was the top screen too...whatever plastic film/seal they used on the screens seems to reflect all sorts of different colors back under direct sun glare...I was watching someone else play and had a bad angle and from just over 45 degrees to the left and above, the top screen was glaring in a magenta-ish color...I then held it in my hands and while tilting it at different angles in direct sunlight, even when almost directly facing it, the rainbowish reflecting thing is definitely there. I wonder if it varies, but I found it annoying as hell, because it made everything going on in the game seem drowned in magenta.
This thing sure wasn't made to be played in direct sunlight.
If I hold it at an angle, there is a grid of dots. This doesn't affect my playing in the least, as I can never see it when the unit is on, but what DOES affect my playing a little is, my bottom screen is slightly rainbowy. What I mean is, if I'm looking at pure white light, it isn't white - it's scrambled with a bunch of rainbowish stuff. This is fairly light, not severe - but it's still a bit irritating. And during regular play, when the screen is not pure white, it is kind of grainy and the colours aren't pure. When compared to the top screen there's a noticable though not severe difference. The top screen is absolutely sharp and crisp with no problems.
It reminds me of the film that some water leaves behind on screens. You know, the little water spots that make colours turn a bit "off" and blurred.[/QUOTE]
You know I noticed the same thing when I was playing an acquaintance's Lite...but it was the top screen too...whatever plastic film/seal they used on the screens seems to reflect all sorts of different colors back under direct sun glare...I was watching someone else play and had a bad angle and from just over 45 degrees to the left and above, the top screen was glaring in a magenta-ish color...I then held it in my hands and while tilting it at different angles in direct sunlight, even when almost directly facing it, the rainbowish reflecting thing is definitely there. I wonder if it varies, but I found it annoying as hell, because it made everything going on in the game seem drowned in magenta.
This thing sure wasn't made to be played in direct sunlight.
Oh, but the rainbowy thing for mine isn't -reflective- or anything. It just looks like water marks. It's there no matter what angle you set it at. Like I said.. it looks like dried up water on the screen, but no matter how much I scrub and no matter what I scrub with, it doesn't come off.
Yeah - the backing isn't reflective like most handhelds. I don't know about the regular DS, as I've never held one before, but, one thing I've noticed..
With other handhelds like the GBA and GBC (old stuff), there is no backlight, right? This is made up for with a screen backing that reflects the light in the room. This often means you either have to play outside, or hold your unit in just the right angle so that the light reflects off it in the most ideal position. You can't play in the dark.
But the DS Lite has a screen more like an LCD monitor, where, if you turn off the backlight, the screen is black or so very nearly black that you can't tell the difference. I tested this out for myself. In Super Mario 64 DS, there is an option in the game to turn the backlight off. Curious, I tried it on my DS Lite... the screen went pitch black. I tried turning on a lamp and holding it in all sorts of angles, but it wouldn't reflect any light.
This is why people complain how the DS Lite doesn't work as well in the sunlight as the normal DS, I think. I think that the regular DS has a reflective backing, so that when you play in the light, it lights up the screen. But if you were to play in the dark, you'd need a backlight. Very nice setup, I think.
But the DS Lite doesn't have a reflective back in the screen.
Yeah - the backing isn't reflective like most handhelds. I don't know about the regular DS, as I've never held one before, but, one thing I've noticed..
With other handhelds like the GBA and GBC (old stuff), there is no backlight, right? This is made up for with a screen backing that reflects the light in the room. This often means you either have to play outside, or hold your unit in just the right angle so that the light reflects off it in the most ideal position. You can't play in the dark.
But the DS Lite has a screen more like an LCD monitor, where, if you turn off the backlight, the screen is black or so very nearly black that you can't tell the difference. I tested this out for myself. In Super Mario 64 DS, there is an option in the game to turn the backlight off. Curious, I tried it on my DS Lite... the screen went pitch black. I tried turning on a lamp and holding it in all sorts of angles, but it wouldn't reflect any light.
This is why people complain how the DS Lite doesn't work as well in the sunlight as the normal DS, I think. I think that the regular DS has a reflective backing, so that when you play in the light, it lights up the screen. But if you were to play in the dark, you'd need a backlight. Very nice setup, I think.
But the DS Lite doesn't have a reflective back in the screen.
Arkay Firestar
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[quote name='Chrissi']Oh, but the rainbowy thing for mine isn't -reflective- or anything. It just looks like water marks. It's there no matter what angle you set it at. Like I said.. it looks like dried up water on the screen, but no matter how much I scrub and no matter what I scrub with, it doesn't come off.
Yeah - the backing isn't reflective like most handhelds. I don't know about the regular DS, as I've never held one before, but, one thing I've noticed..
With other handhelds like the GBA and GBC (old stuff), there is no backlight, right? This is made up for with a screen backing that reflects the light in the room. This often means you either have to play outside, or hold your unit in just the right angle so that the light reflects off it in the most ideal position. You can't play in the dark.
But the DS Lite has a screen more like an LCD monitor, where, if you turn off the backlight, the screen is black or so very nearly black that you can't tell the difference. I tested this out for myself. In Super Mario 64 DS, there is an option in the game to turn the backlight off. Curious, I tried it on my DS Lite... the screen went pitch black. I tried turning on a lamp and holding it in all sorts of angles, but it wouldn't reflect any light.
This is why people complain how the DS Lite doesn't work as well in the sunlight as the normal DS, I think. I think that the regular DS has a reflective backing, so that when you play in the light, it lights up the screen. But if you were to play in the dark, you'd need a backlight. Very nice setup, I think.
But the DS Lite doesn't have a reflective back in the screen.[/QUOTE]
You're of course right to some degree about the original DS screen technology. It was a transflective screen, which indeed is capable of using external light sources while still providing decent images on screen. Unfortunately, starting with the GBA, for one reason or another, the screen technology, even with a fairly strong and direct light source hitting it, looked washed out and never as sharp or colorful as a truely backlit screen. There is indeed a tradeoff, because a transflectve screen still has some ability to use direct sunlight and be playable without internal lighting, but the screen brightness, contrast, and color saturation can never be as good.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transflective#Transmissive_and_reflective_displays
Yeah - the backing isn't reflective like most handhelds. I don't know about the regular DS, as I've never held one before, but, one thing I've noticed..
With other handhelds like the GBA and GBC (old stuff), there is no backlight, right? This is made up for with a screen backing that reflects the light in the room. This often means you either have to play outside, or hold your unit in just the right angle so that the light reflects off it in the most ideal position. You can't play in the dark.
But the DS Lite has a screen more like an LCD monitor, where, if you turn off the backlight, the screen is black or so very nearly black that you can't tell the difference. I tested this out for myself. In Super Mario 64 DS, there is an option in the game to turn the backlight off. Curious, I tried it on my DS Lite... the screen went pitch black. I tried turning on a lamp and holding it in all sorts of angles, but it wouldn't reflect any light.
This is why people complain how the DS Lite doesn't work as well in the sunlight as the normal DS, I think. I think that the regular DS has a reflective backing, so that when you play in the light, it lights up the screen. But if you were to play in the dark, you'd need a backlight. Very nice setup, I think.
But the DS Lite doesn't have a reflective back in the screen.[/QUOTE]
You're of course right to some degree about the original DS screen technology. It was a transflective screen, which indeed is capable of using external light sources while still providing decent images on screen. Unfortunately, starting with the GBA, for one reason or another, the screen technology, even with a fairly strong and direct light source hitting it, looked washed out and never as sharp or colorful as a truely backlit screen. There is indeed a tradeoff, because a transflectve screen still has some ability to use direct sunlight and be playable without internal lighting, but the screen brightness, contrast, and color saturation can never be as good.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transflective#Transmissive_and_reflective_displays
JohnnyVolcano
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Just wanted to add that I my ds also has a yellowish and dimmer bottom screen. I went and had it exchanged and the other one had the same problem with a scratched screen. I had it exchanged back to the original one, since I didnt want to risk another one that might have a dead pixel. I then took my original one and went to few stores who had demo units and compared and every unit I compared to had the same dimmer bottom screen.
So I guess it is by design since the bottom screen is touch screen and has extra layer on it.
So I guess it is by design since the bottom screen is touch screen and has extra layer on it.
JohnnyVolcano
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Also, another thing I have noticed. If you are in a brightly lit room, the difference between the screens is barely noticeable. It is much more apparent when you are in dim lit or dark room.
I am also having this problem. The bottom screen has a slight yellowish tint, but I'm unsure of whether to exchange it at this point. I really wonder if Nintendo would even take back a DSL that only has the problem of a slightly discolored touch screen...
I tried to take a picture of my DSL, but the only camera I have handy is my crappy cell phone one, which couldn't even focus on the screens correctly.
I tried to take a picture of my DSL, but the only camera I have handy is my crappy cell phone one, which couldn't even focus on the screens correctly.
Porygon
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http://media.ds.ign.com/articles/711/711985/img_3667128.html
So looking like the DS lite in this picture is completley normal? Is that about the same yellowish hue eveyone is getting? Can anyone here really say the difference is not as big as it is in the picture on their DS-L?
So looking like the DS lite in this picture is completley normal? Is that about the same yellowish hue eveyone is getting? Can anyone here really say the difference is not as big as it is in the picture on their DS-L?
JohnnyVolcano
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[quote name='Porygon']http://media.ds.ign.com/articles/711/711985/img_3667128.html
So looking like the DS lite in this picture is completley normal? Is that about the same yellowish hue eveyone is getting? Can anyone here really say the difference is not as big as it is in the picture on their DS-L?[/quote]
Yes, mine looks exactly like that picture. But like I said before, I took mine and compared to about 4 or 5 demo units, and they all looked the same.
So looking like the DS lite in this picture is completley normal? Is that about the same yellowish hue eveyone is getting? Can anyone here really say the difference is not as big as it is in the picture on their DS-L?[/quote]
Yes, mine looks exactly like that picture. But like I said before, I took mine and compared to about 4 or 5 demo units, and they all looked the same.
Remember, the screen orientation is different on the DSL than the DSphat. The original DS's screens (in terms of vieing angle) where placed opposite each other (one is right side up, the otehr is upside down). The Lite's screen are both placed rightside up. That means if you play with the top screen in its default tilted position, one screen will always be viewed at a different angle and the colors on the screens wont match perfectly.
Also, the bottom screen is definitely grainy and grid. I kinda prefer the grid screens, they were just as sharp as the top screen.
Also, the bottom screen is definitely grainy and grid. I kinda prefer the grid screens, they were just as sharp as the top screen.
clockworkgreen
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My screens are the same way. When I start playing the games, I don't notice a difference, mostly just on bootup.
Hollow Man
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Mine doesn't have the yellowish tint in that IGN photo.
It is a bit grainier (and perhaps if I really pay attention, a tad bit less bright), but I only really notice it when I go into the tubes in New Super Mario. And it's only because I was just playing on the top screen, so my mind says, "Ooh, it looked better when Mario was up there."
I can also notice a difference if I play a GBA title on the top screen, shut off, change the settings, then play it on the bottom screen.
But this is expected because the bottom screen IS technically different than the top.
-HM
It is a bit grainier (and perhaps if I really pay attention, a tad bit less bright), but I only really notice it when I go into the tubes in New Super Mario. And it's only because I was just playing on the top screen, so my mind says, "Ooh, it looked better when Mario was up there."
I can also notice a difference if I play a GBA title on the top screen, shut off, change the settings, then play it on the bottom screen.
But this is expected because the bottom screen IS technically different than the top.
-HM
I can definiltey tell a difference between the screens, but then I expected there would be some difference. If I look closely I think it might be a little yellowish compared to the top, but I really only noticed it after reading this thread and specifically looking for that. Honestly my first impression when I fired it up was 'Holy crap the graphics on the touch screen look just as good as the normal screen!'
I wouldn't worry about this, but it's up to you.
I wouldn't worry about this, but it's up to you.
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