[dsio]

6 Weeks ago now, I purchased a Dell 24" LCD monitor.

I'd been desperate to upgrade from my 19" AOC CRT, and when I discovered that a new revision, "AO3" was out, which fixed the banding problems in previous revisions of the Dell 24" 2407WFP monitor, I jumped at the chance to get one for $1100 including 5 year warranty.

It was amazing. It truly was, my brand new AO3 24" LCD. Gaming was amazing, images were brilliant, programming a great deal easier, and I couldn't fault it.

Then I discovered that the Composite and S-Video ports, didn't work. At all.

Nothing. Just a jumping blur that sometimes resembled colours.

So two weeks after purchase, I asked for an RMA. It all went well, and I had a replacement at my door the next morning. That's when it all turned to hell.

My replacement monitor was not a new monitor. It was a previously returned monitor sitting around the warehouse.

It had:
*Scratches on the sides
*Strawberry jam all over the side and buttons
*An old revision, an "A02" with the banding problems

***A massive, 1200 pixel long line, vertically from the top of the screen to the bottom of the screen, in red. An entire column of dead red pixels.

That day, I called Dell tech support. I explained the problem and asked for a new one. They said that they WOULD NOT provide me with a new one, only a used refurbished monitor as a replacement. They said it would be another one off the warehouse floor.

I said, No, I paid for a new working monitor, and I want exactly that.

So the lady at tech support tells me she will call me the next day, after asking her supervisor.

A week passed.
Two weeks passed.
Three weeks passed.

The forth week, I call again. I get another guy, from tech support this time, who makes me repeat the same crap all over again. Then he tells me, don't worry, I'll get the customer care lady to call you back.

A week passed.
Two weeks passed.

I called again, when I spoke to the tech support guy, he said he'll get her to call me back. I said, "No, I've been told that twice already. I won't be called back, I'll speak to her now."

Funny enough, that moment, she picks up on the line and says hello.

She tells me that I NEVER asked for a new monitor, and that I said to her that I was happy to keep my broken one with the red bar down the middle. Just as I go to respond, the phone hangs up.

I call back, in a complete fury, and get another guy on the phone.

This time, he tells me, the entire Dell customer care centre has been blacked out by a power failure, and will probably be out until close of business.

"She will call you back later"

Thank you Dell, Thank you Malaysia.