Dead pixels
can harm your LCD screen.
Dead pixels can be an eyesore blotting your LCD television screen. Dead pixels are points on your screen that remain the same color no matter what the color is supposed to be. LCD (liquid crystal display) screens use a liquid in conjunction with backlighting to display images on your monitor. The amount of liquid varies, allowing different amounts of light through, which creates the different colors. Dead pixels are often pixels with uneven or no liquid behind them that get stuck in a certain position. They can normally be fixed, however.
Instructions
1. Turn the television on, and display a black image. This can be most easily done with a DVD and DVD player. Find somewhere on your disc that has a black screen--perhaps before the movie, or right after the end credits. Pause the film to ensure that there is simply a black screen. It is important that you have a black screen as opposed to simply not having the television on, because you will be using the backlighting on the LCD to help you fix the screen.
2. Locate the dead pixel. It should be stuck on one color and should stand out from the black background.
3. Use the rounded/dull end of the pencil or, preferably, a PDA stylus to gently tap the dead pixel. You don't want to tap too hard to start with, but enough to see a white glow under the point where the stylus or pencil contacts the screen. If you don't get a white glow, you didn't hit hard enough--apply slightly more pressure until you get the white flash.
4. Tap the spot gently with your stylus or pencil. Increase the pressure as you tap. Five to 10 taps gradually increasing in pressure should knock the pixel into sync and remove the eyesore.
5. Test that the dead pixel is gone by finding a new spot on your DVD to pause and display on screen. Pause the disc on a purely white background and search for any remnants of the stuck pixel. With luck and patience, you should have removed it.
Tags: Dead pixels, dead pixel, black screen, screen Dead, screen Dead pixels
