Hardware Got 2 units, which 3DS to keep? :(

[TheZoc]

Hey guys,

Jumping straight to the core of the post: I have two 3DS Cosmo Black units right now with me. I need to choose one to keep and one to sell. Both of them are ambassador units, but, they have some differences:

3DS Unit A (The first one I got):
+ Have ExciteBike 3D
- The charger is not the original one. Measuring it's output,it's a bit higher than what's supposed to be (5.3v). Im not sure if that might damage the 3DS unit or battery life.
- The analog stick seems to be a bit slippery. Cleaning it with Isopropyl alcohol improved the grip, but it still doesn't feels like Wii's nunchuk grip.
- Minor SD door scratches due to this crap.
- It had records on activity logs the owner used flashcarts.. Many failed attempts also. I've formatted the unit since then.
- It was used for quite some time (3-4 months, and probably a LOT) by the previous owner.
- The box have 2stickers on it with the code 8070945. Is it too much coincidence to have the same number here ?
- I worry this might be a refurbished unit.

3DS Unit B (The one I got recently)
- Do not have ExicteBike 3D
- Got a dead pixel on the top screen, close to the top left corner (This is what put me in doubt in which one to choose! D. I'm not sure if it's a single dead pixel, 2 or 3, one closer to another.
- The IR port is a bit scratched (how bad is this?)
+ Have original charger (Measuring it's output, it's 5.0v. Very close to the china one from the other unit. o.O )
+ The analog stick grip seems to be equal to the Nunchuck. I don't feel it slippery when playing Zelda/DoA.
+ It wasn't used as much as the other 3DS. According to the previous owner, it was used very few times (And it came with firmware 1.0.0-0 and the activity log showed max 5 hours of gameplay prior formatting).
+ Except from IR port, there's no case damage.
+ Even coming without ambassador, after trading mails with Nintendo, I could prove this was bought on the ambassador period, and they enabled this unit as an ambassador unit.
+ Battery seems to hold the charge for more time on this unit. (Never timed, might be just me...)

I'm not sure what to do... I can buy Excitebike for the other unit, but that Dead Pixel... At least right now, when I just discovered it, I keep looking at it, all the time.. Not sure if I'll forget about it

Suggestions?

 

[chris888222]

I don't think a dead pixel really affects gameplay. To what extent is the first set scratched on the SD slot?

 

[TheZoc]

I was trying to put the image here ( http://flexcode.org/lcd.html - the 2nd method one) on the pixel, and hope it's just a stuck pixel, but... the pixel is very close to the first bar+circle of the wifi signal strength indicator... It seems I can't get browser to go full screen (is there anything beside games that can do that?), so, I can't try this method in attempts to solve it

@chris
The scratch on the LCD port happens on the right side of the port, and in the circular part of the 3ds case (I mean, the original cosmo black case, not a protective case). It seems that that hand grip was put and removed several times from there. It damages the 3DS, if someone is willing to buy it.

 

[chris888222]

Sounds awful. I am unable to open that image (iPhone lacks flash)... but you can actually get ambassadorship on the 2nd set?

If the pixel problem isn't that bad and you can get ambassadorship, then keep the second.

If you don't mind, can you take a few snaps on the first set's damaged section?

 

[BoxmanWTF]

3DS unit B, definitely.
The analog is very important to gameplay and if it doesn't feel solid there's something wrong.
The dead Pixel won't be too much of a problem, eventually you'll forget it's there.
That "crap" seems to have done a lot more shite to Unit A than you would want.

 

[TheZoc]

I got ambassador on both units. Just the first unit have ExciteBike 3D.

I should be able to get a camera and take some photos after I get some sleep. With the other 3DS camera, I'm not able to capture the image properly.

If someone can think of a way to do a quick color-switching (flashing) at that position, please, tell me. I found a youtube video (stuck pixel fixer) that flashes colors, but I can't find a way to make it run on 3DS

 

[muckers]

Unit B. It sounds like the nicer console by far. You can always buy Excitebike again, and I think a dead pixel or two will be much less distracting and annoying than the other defects with unit A.

The analogue stick issue in particular would drive me crazy.

 

[chris888222]

I got ambassador on both units. Just the first unit have ExciteBike 3D.

I should be able to get a camera and take some photos after I get some sleep. With the other 3DS camera, I'm not able to capture the image properly.

If someone can think of a way to do a quick color-switching (flashing) at that position, please, tell me. I found a youtube video (stuck pixel fixer) that flashes colors, but I can't find a way to make it run on 3DS

Well...

http://jasonfarrell.com/misc/deadpixeltest.php (hopefully it works)

First set just has excite bike as an extra? Then keep the second.



To be honest, eXcitebike isn't THAT nice anyway.

 

[TheZoc]

Yeah I can't get that page to be at top of the 3ds wifi/internet/clock bar...

I'll get a good camera when I wake up and take some pictures of it.

I thought about writing a DS homebrew to show that flashing image... but I'm still worried with that flashcart system blocking possibility (Since I got a DS Lite, why risk,right?), and it seems CycloDS Evolution wouldn't work on 3DS anyway...

Thanks for the support guys. I'll show pics when I wake up

 

[BoxmanWTF]

Also if you really want, when the 3DS transfer software comes out (next week hopefully) you can just transfer Excitebike 3D to Unit B

 

[Skelletonike]

Have you tried putting pressure on the dead pixel? Like poking it... I know it happened often on my DS Lite and all I had to do was poke it, and it'd flickl then disapear.

 

[Janthran]

3DS unit B, definitely.
The dead Pixel won't be too much of a problem, eventually you'll forget it's there.

I doubt that. This is on the 3D top screen. Those will stand out like dirt on the screen.

 

[TankedThomas]

Did you buy TWO second-hand units? Geez, sounds like you got bad deals. I started off thinking you bought Unit B yourself and that you could just return it (I can't stand dead pixels), but it sounds like that may not be the case.

You know, you always take a screwdriver to it and have the best of both worlds. I know, it's not a very good solution because you risk breaking something, but still...

 

[PsyBlade]

mix n match to create a good and bad one
then sell the bad one

 

[kmihalj]

Well, dead pixel is covered with warranty, and 3DS is selling less than year so you can get new one (or repair of screen) for free...

 

[Wizerzak]

If you don't care about ambassador programme or about making a slightly bigger profit: sell both and buy a brand new one.

Out of the two though, the seconds is better, send it in to Ninty under warranty to get the pixel problem fixed.

 

[alexbulluk]

Go with B.

I used to have a 1st Gen iPod touch that had a dead pixel, and I assumed it would drive me crazy, but after a short time I forgot about it completely, and you will too.

 

[Janthran]

Go with B.

I used to have a 1st Gen iPod touch that had a dead pixel, and I assumed it would drive me crazy, but after a short time I forgot about it completely, and you will too.

Again, your dead pixel wasn't on a 3D screen.

 

[alexbulluk]

Go with B.

I used to have a 1st Gen iPod touch that had a dead pixel, and I assumed it would drive me crazy, but after a short time I forgot about it completely, and you will too.

Again, your dead pixel wasn't on a 3D screen.

But how much difference does that make? I mean, does it, like really stand out in 3D? Because then I suppose it would be pointless to keep a 3D device if the 3D is impaired.

 

[Janthran]

Go with B.

I used to have a 1st Gen iPod touch that had a dead pixel, and I assumed it would drive me crazy, but after a short time I forgot about it completely, and you will too.

Again, your dead pixel wasn't on a 3D screen.

But how much difference does that make? I mean, does it, like really stand out in 3D? Because then I suppose it would be pointless to keep a 3D device if the 3D is impaired.

I can see every little speck on my 3D screen.