DeckHD Is Not Abandoned, But The Lack of Communication Makes Me Worry

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Last year, before the OLED Steam Deck was announced, people were questioning if there was anything we could do to improve the LCD screen of the original Steam Deck. That's where DeckHD stepped up. The product is a new screen that you can install that increases the resolution and the color gamut, meaning you will be able to see more vibrant colors on your screen. It's an awesome alternative, and while we didn't get to try it ourselves, the idea behind it is nice. However, there have recently been some issues, and some purchasers seem to believe the project may have been abandoned.

According to users on the DeckHD Discord server, there have been a lot of people who have purchased the screen within the last month and a half and have heard of no updates regarding their orders. On top of that, almost all the support tickets that were submitted went silent, making people a bit worried about their products and whether they were ever going to get them. It got so bad that a lot of individuals started thinking that DeckHD was an abandoned project. Well, luckily, that isn't the case, though there are still some issues to be wary of.

According to Francisco_, a staff member on the DeckHD Discord server, the project has not been abandoned and isn't dead at all. They were in the final stages of automating everything for DeckHD. After I got his messages, Rema, another DeckHD staff member, posted an announcement to the server, going into more detail. A warehouse relocation caused shipping delays, and I reassured everyone that all orders would be fulfilled and shipped within 1-2 weeks. As for customer support, it is currently limited.

While this does explain some of the issues, it doesn't change the fact that many people have been left wondering about their products after spending over $100 to get a screen. People were rightfully upset when nothing was communicated, and there has been no contact via the support line for why those who ordered screens were getting tracking numbers without any shipment movement or not hearing anything back after a month and a half.

On top of that, there have been some worrisome repercussions for voicing worry into the server. I can confirm that one user who was helping me ask others about their DeckHD situation was banned. While no direct reasoning was provided to him, I was told that he violated server rules and was starting arguments out of nowhere. From my time researching this, I did not see any deliberate arguments that he started, and he was helpful in figuring out who had been affected by this lapse in communication.

I have asked about specific examples of this user's conduct and have yet to receive a response.

There have also been some worrying and seemingly aggressive messages from the staff in response to this. Specifically, Francisco_ on the server responded regarding this user's ban. Some of the responses were worrisome, including mentioning that they are always watching Discord (yet not responding to the people who are wondering why their support tickets aren't being answered or products are not being delivered). There were some back-and-forth messages, but a couple that stood out to me was accusing these individuals of "bringing pitchforks," not giving any straight answer about the specific rule that this individual broke (publicly) and that the discord server is not a support platform, though it is listed under support on the DeckHD website.

I hope this is a turning point for the staff and that they learn to communicate better, but it makes me a little worried overall. The users complaining on the server had every right to be worried, considering there was 0 communication until now. And even still, it isn't 100% communication as some questions weren't answered publicly, like why this user was banned. The team did hold themselves at fault for the lack of communication. Still, they also need to understand that users just want to know what is going on with their orders after almost 2 months of no movement or responses to their inquiries.

All in all, this is a bit worrisome, and I do have some reservations about purchasing a DeckHD myself. I would like to see a major improvement in communications and a quicker turnaround for fulfilling orders before I would feel confident about purchasing. It does give me the feeling that the product isn't the top priority for the company, which is totally fine, but it does make me wary about buying one. The project seems to not be abandoned, which is fantastic news, for those who ordered, but I may advise waiting to purchase one if you haven't yet to be safe.

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