Sony GDM-F500 problems

[Dethoff]

I bought Sony's top of the line 21 inch GDM-F500 monitor for $1800 about a year and a half ago. It was a lemon from the start with significant focus problems in the corners. After returning it twice
for unsuccessful repair and much bitching, Sony refunded my money and I went out and bought a new GDM-F500 (faith triumphs over reason).

The second unit actually was much better , but still less than I had hoped, given its fabulous reviews and high price. Anyway, I was happy with the unit until recently (a year later) when the focus started going way out to the point that it was unuseable.

It was returned to Sony for service who after a month said they still did not have the parts to fix it. After much badgering on my part, they are now shipping an A stock (new- not refurbished) replacement. I am hoping it will be the updated GDM-F500R, but that remains to be seen. I have not yet recieved the replacement.

I have read quite a bit to lead me to believe that some of the origonal GDM-F500s were lemons and those that weren't have a bad record of failing. I suspect that the updated R version was produced to address known problems.

I was curious to know of any other's long term experience with this monitor.

 

[Lore]

Deja.com usually provides a lot of insight to issues like that. I believe there is also a few other folks who bought the same monitor you did and had the same problems, and were eventually given the F500R which, according to them, is satisfactory.

Interesting that a monitor costing nearly 3 times as much as the lowest cost Trinitron tube monitor (KDS AV-21TF) has a much shorter life and lower quality than most of their other models out there. (Yes, I know, .22mm stripe pitch but what's the use if it's out of focus? That negates the point of having .22mm stripe pitch!)

And that's the monitor they consider their flagship.

I think your F500R will do you just fine, if not, just complain some more.

 

[Dethoff]

In reply to my own post, here is the outcome:

I received a brand new replacement which, in fact, turned out to be the newer GDM-F500R version. The monitor is gorgeous. The focus is very sharp and quite uniform throughout. The convergence is virtually perfect.

This monitor performs better than my F500 ever did. It now meets or even exceeds the high expectations I had, given its high praise and lofty price.

I am as pleased as could be.


John

 

[Lore]

Excellent.

I'm glad you were able to get through to them - who did you speak with? Their normal customer service channels, or what?