problems with VMU - big black spot on the screen

[soy]

hello, this is my first post here. so i apologize if i did something that infringed some rules around here ._.

so i just got this used VMU, and it have a huge black spot -like a black hole on its screen. the device still works okay, though...
anyone having the same problem? is there any way to fix this?

also, i found a lot of console & controller cleaning tutorial out there. but i couldn't find a single VMU cleaning tutorials...
i tried to open that stuff but it seems that the speakers are glued to the back panel. i stopped because i'm afraid i'll ruin something (the speaker won't sit in tightly when i put them together again, or probably i'll ruin the screen because of opening it up or something...)

if this has been discussed before, a link to the thread would be greatly appreciated. thanks!

[mazonemayu]

That would be dead pixels, your screen is fucked that's all

[soy]

oh my...

is there any way to get some replacement screens without killing another VMU?
i'm nowhere near an electrical wizard to figure it out myself, but i can solder a few cables given the right tutorials.

i mean, if this is a common problem... there are countless threads, videos, and blogposts about repairing the console's lens, but absolutely nothing about this...
there's one guy in gamefaqs have the same problem, but i didn't think he has resolved it, either...

[mazonemayu]

yes, there is a way: use a screen from another vmu, which is pretty stupid imo :p

just buy a new one & transfer your files

[soy]

so basically u'll just have to kill a VMU when this happen, huh...

yeah i live in a country where we trade goats for AK-47s, dreamcast stuff are not a common item, and international shipping hates us. fuck my luck.

well, nothing lasts forever anyway...

thanks for ur response

[mazonemayu]

well, you don't have to throw it away, it'll still work as a memory card (save & load stuff). it's just the screen that is dead

[FinedrivE]

so basically u'll just have to kill a VMU when this happen, huh...

yeah i live in a country where we trade goats for AK-47s, dreamcast stuff are not a common item, and international shipping hates us. fuck my luck.

well, nothing lasts forever anyway...

thanks for ur response

[soniccd123]

Sorry for necro this thread, but i think this may be of interest of the community. This problem seems to be caused by the degradation of the reflective layer on the backside of the display. I have not tried yet, but it seems to have a easy solution which is replacing said layer with a new one or other reflective material. It is done in this video on an VMU and it seems to be a pretty common problem with Game Boy screens:

The problem and solution on an actual VMU (unfotunately only in portuguese, did not find this in other languages): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sTbECRkblc

[Dreamtastic]

My main VMU that i used for years suddenly got these black spots that are dead pixels as well years ago. It still works fine, i actually find it not to be a problem but well used.