Sadly, the television my dad “gave” me that inspired this strip from a few weeks back, had a glitch similar to the one that plagues jefbot in today’s comic. Basically, a couple of thin blue lines appeared on the right side of the screen once i set the TV up, lines which I couldn’t help but stare at. I watched an episode of Life on the Discovery Channel and couldn’t avert my gaze from those lines, even as spectacular high-def visuals, showcasing the complicated splendor of the Insect Kingdom, were going on behind them. That’s the last time I used the television, and the reason why I haven’t watched any movies or television shows, or played any video games on it, since.
Obviously, I’m going to have to take the set in for repairs. My dad said he’d pay for the fixes, but I wouldn’t feel right about that. Then again, if I’m only “borrowing” the TV set for 6-12 months…
First! and that is totally me, my TV does that to and it is so infuriating when playing games, expecially when the text is already small as it is -_-; though its more than 2 pixels
😎
i’m not even gonna try plugging in my 360 or PS3 until the set gets fixed, Kerosus. the glitchy distraction will be overwhelming.
My girlfriend’s TV has your same real life problem. It sucks, because I watch most of my TV with her. It also *doesn’t* suck, even on lightly-colored shows like House (when it sticks out like a sore freakin’ thumb!), because then, instead of TV, I can still look at pretty lady!! Huzzah!
Now I want a cabinet of the Tron lightcycle game. I got…three times farther in that freakin’ thing than I ever got in Dragon’s Lair, but similarly to DL, MAN it was beautiful!
I think It had a dial instead of a joystick- can you recall??
“huzzah!” indeed, Holaved. if you’re gonna be distracted by something, at least that “something” is pretty. heheh. the lines on my tv are the exact opposite from yours, it seems – mine are really apparent when the screen is dark, and fade when the screen’s light. so pretty much any sci-fi show’s unwatchable.
and yes! i loved the Tron arcade game, which had a joystick and a dial! remember the one board where you shoot the MCP shield and you moved Tron (or was it Flynn?) with the joystick and aimed his arm with the dial? while i loved that game, i loved its sequel, Discs of Tron (which used the same controller setup) even more. 🙂
Yes, and YES. Oh, the pain, the hurting, the many quarters lost…and so…much…FUN.
I think that was one of the first game to give me finger cramps. ^^;;
i think it was track & field for me – that game was BRUTAL!
Ah, discs of tron. I sadly wasn’t around when it came out, but I downloaded an emulated version of it. That game rules!
I love the Tron homage.
So you had that TV ever since and still not had it repaired?
The facial expressions in middle panel are great! Whole strip just asks for KUDOS.
thanks, Maryz!
yeah, i think i’ve had the TV for about a month now but i’ve been so busy lately, i haven’t had a chance to take it to the repair shop. my roommate Michael’s been watching stuff on it all the time, tho, so at least one of us is getting some use out of it.
Love what you did with the strip today! The different styles of art from the first to second panel make the strip really stand out. I see you drew JB from the right side the last 2 strips, and not the left. Gives you a break from having to draw the shiner. 😛 If there was something like dead pixels going on with my boyfriends tv like in today’s strip, I would be hyper focused on it as well. Awesome strip! 😀
glad you liked the different style of art for the TV screens, Spanky! nice to change drawing styles every so often.
and the next time you see the left side of jefbot’s face it’ll be all healed! heheh.
Lest I forget that we’re talking about a COMIC here…
She’s absolutely right- loving the art tweaks: the canting in JB getting “facebooked”, the pixellating for “gamervision”, the Google earth motif, and now, HD jefbot!
Seriously, it all looks the way you intended to, AND looks freakin’ sweet!
awww… thanks, Holaved. :”)
Okay first off those graphic for the TV are awesome. And it took me a second look to see the two dead pixels. That was reaaaaaaaally sneaky. Good job.
thanks, Nissa – i’m happy you liked those TV graphics!
and: good eye! i figured i’d put in a couple of dead pixels for you eagle-eyed readers. 🙂
I had to stare at the panels intently to see the two dead pixels.
Jefbot must have really good eyes.
heh. i think you and Nissa must have better eyes than jefbot to spy the dead pixels out on those little panels, Jaeh. 😀
*Hyperventilates and looks for the hidden cameras*
I HATE DEAD PIXELS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am a service Coordinator when I am not planning on taking over Hades. I work in the repair department and part of my job includes QC. Dead pixels are the bane of my existance! Especially when you get told….”two dead pixels are within specs and are acceptable.” GAH!!!! *grabs a paper bag to breathe into*
Ok I’m calm now…. GREAT flow from one image to the next in the panels.
Poor CF just trying to enjoy the TV while Jeff (and I) stress ourselves into hives. *headdesk* And only a true friend will try to make you see the bright side.
“two dead pixels are within specs and are acceptable” – i think i heard that EXACT quote when i called sony about my PSP’s dead pixel problem a few years ago!!! you don’t happen to work for them, do ya Pixie? 😉
and glad you’re as stressed out as i am over this. dang glitches are driving me crazy and i need to get caught up on Lost and Fringe!
Ha! I love the color in this weeks strip! But the best part is your face in the last two frames!!! …So funny, because no matter how hard we try not to see the little things no one else can see, somehow we obsess over them!
thanks, Funnyshaffer! at one point jefbot was losing it and yelling in that last panel, but having him kinda broken yet still focused on those pixels felt like the funnier choice. glad you liked it!
Priceless! LOVE THE TRON SHOT!!!!! Geekiness…. out-of-control. Also, I love how I noticed the dead pixels in the actual strip and thought my work computer had some fuzz on it or something. I’m so like you Jefbot. If something is just a little off… I can obsess! Dude, as always… great strip!
Wow, I did the same thing. I kept swiping at the screen, like wtf.
Poor baby seal : (
the shots of those great whites catching air in Planet Earth amazes me every time i watch it, MeghanV. but yeah, poor seal. 🙁
LOVED drawing those lightcycles so glad you dug ’em, Mark! the geekiness was definitely flowing as i was sketching that panel out. heheh. and i’m tickled that you were obsessing over the pixels bot was obsessing over without even knowing it! heheh. awesome.
Not the dead pixel disease! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!
i hear it’s more prevalent than H1N1, TCG, so be careful out there.
The look of sad resignation is perfect. Well done, sir.
i thought downplaying jefbot’s reaction worked better in this one so glad you dug that, 11TN.
I can understand if you bought the TV being like that, but being that way on a loaner? Of course, if it’s not that old, perhaps it’s still under warranty.
Tron-reference: Me likey!
unsurprisingly, the set’s no longer under warranty, Stan. i think the trip from my parents’ house to my apartment might have jostled something in the TV, causing the glitches, or maybe it happened while it was sitting unused for a few months. can’t be sure.
sweet! i’m thinking i need more TRON references in future strips!
OMG I hate dead pixels, I had one on the top screen of my DS that appeared after only having it for a few days. They let me get a new one but it still drove me nuts. XD
that’s awesome you were able to get a new DS, DJ. my original PSP still has a couple of dead pixels that drive me crazy in certain games. Sony wouldn’t let me return it. 🙁
Gorgeous!
thanks, man!
I was watching LIFE, “Reptiles” were we watching at the same time?
nope, haven’t seen that one yet, Xin. it’s on my DVR i just can’t watch it until the TV’s fixed!
Is that the tv your dad gave to you? Well this explains why he didn’t want it. lol 8)
i was TRICKED! i want my money back!!! waitaminute…
Dwaaaa, dead pixels, bane of my life! Not even light cycles could draw the eyes away eh?
i’m gonna try and take the TV in for repairs in the next few days, Deaconvorbis, so i can watch those beautiful lightcycles without distraction!
Yeah, dead pixels are some of the things that you can’t un-notice once you notice them. Pretty sure if you didn’t notice the dead pixel’s you’d be a whole lot happier with that TV.
…Like how there’s a second delay when you play old game consoles on newer TVs. When I noticed that I couldn’t not notice it and it bugged me to the point where I had to put down my Genesis and my N64 for a few months just so I could get over it. *bleh*
you said it, Foxmouse – i’d be WAY happier without them glitches! my DVR keeps getting more full and i still haven’t finished Mass Effect 2 or Dragon Age ‘cuz i just can’t use the TV until the glitches get fixed.
i’ve heard of that delay on old game consoles/newer TVs but i haven’t experienced it. that would drive me CRAZY. 😛
Okay, honestly. Somebody please shot ‘Bot out of his misery pixeled life!!! I mean, c’mon!!! Just two silly dead pixels (in this story and LINES in your real life?!!!). My parents’ tv set has something – my big big brother seems to suffer the same visual obssession as Jefbot!!! – but I can watch any show no issues at all.
*searches in weapon vault*
Perhaps a nice warm flamethrower may help burning those retinas of ‘Bot and everything will be fine and dandy!
*evil laugh of doom*
You know that won’t work, a good 45. round through the chest is the best method, preferably two but in this economy i can’t afford it. sorry jef, you’ll just have to bleed out on the ground. like cpt. mactavish! lol
ha! but then i’ll get my revenge by using the knife i pull out of my own body mactavish-style! 😀
-evil voice- What knife. 😈
i tried watching LOST yesterday and couldn’t keep track of what was going on, even with the beautiful island scenery displayed, because of those dang blue lines, Sonitan! maybe if you shot me with an NES Zapper all would be well.
UGH you have no idea how much dead pixels drive me insane!! I had some on my computer and I spent all my time trying to get rid of them. It just ruined my gaming experience knowing they were there… Luckily with a computer you can fix them just by using a little window with the snow like you get on a TV but it has the RGB spectrum…. dunno about a tv. Think yer boned dude!
i called a repair shop near me and they said this “blue line” glitch is a known problem with Bravias, and depending on the problem, it can be fixed. thing is, it’s either a $100 fix or a $600 fix, and they won’t know until they do some work on it! yeah, i think i’m boned, Steve.
2 dead pixels = weeks of nightmares and tossing and turning. No matter how great the other 2073598 pixels look!
i think you summed up this strip perfectly, Slave1. 🙂
those pixels….they’re mocking you ever as you read this!
i know! i can hear them in the other room!!! aaGH!
same here jb. i would feel annoyed too if i bought a television that has dead pixel. we give sellers our hard earn money for a thing that is supposed to be flawless (visually). ughhhhhhh. i makes me angry. tv making me angry here. wargahhagharhble.
don’t hulk out just yet, jf#300! this is that second hand set that my dad gave me, so at least it was free! i just hope it can be fixed for cheap.
it is pretty annoying that these sets don’t last very long these days and it’s a known glitch. this TV is only 2-3 years old! grrrrr… now i might hulk out.
If I see dead pixels, I can’t stop staring at them, hoping they’ll fall off or magically live again.
That’s why I try not to watch television as much. I’m not watching TV, I’m watching the dead pixels in the corners of the screen.
i’ve stared at the blue lines for hours, Rinthia, trying to make them “magically live again” to no avail. i think i’m just gonna have to take it in for repairs. 🙁
what happened to your brain powers?
usually a few thumps on the sides works… but if that’s the TV your dad gave you I’d recommend not doing that :p
not only that, but when your computer has one right in the center and its usually bright red and only appears on dark backgrounds…. great crosshair for unreal tournament tho 😀
::Leith::
heh. that’s looking on the bright side! 😀
i did try giving the tv several “thumps,” Leithal, but they didn’t help. had to stop before i brought out the sledgehammer.
it is bad enough to have one’s existance mocked, but to have dead pixels do it… i’m at a lose for words…(the 15ish words above notwithstanding)
we’ll see who mocks last, Cogwell, when i take the tv set in for repairs to wipe out those dead pixels!
I love this strip, bot!! Your depiction of what’s on tv is fantastic. It’s amazing that we see the world through your eyes. You’re a true artist. FYI, you’re not the only one who’s OCD is going crazy with those dead pixels on your Dad’s TV. It’s been driving me crazy too. In fact, I got a cloth with some bleach and tried to wipe it off. Needless to say, it didn’t work and then my hand smelled like bleach all day. 🙁
looks like you’ll be paying the repair bill for the new screen, MC.
Umm ok it nmight be cheaper to just buy a new TV…
Pixie, that’s waaaaay too easy. Way too easy. 😉
I can only imagine how long it took to draw the pictures, then put two little spots on them for dead pixels. And i hope none of my computer monitors or T.V. sets do that. Id clean them, smack them, and then probably take a sledge hammer to them….In that order.
Gah! i hate those!
my dslite has a dead pixel on the top screen, so i’ve been forced to use my older DS until i can go buy a new lite…i’ve sold the one with a dead pixel to some kid at school for 100 bucks, so i just need to get to the store some day…when i’m not replaying KOTOR….for the 5th time…