Stuck pixels on LCD TVs

[Uli]

i've found a stuck red pixel on my new beloved TV - a Toshiba 52-ZF355D. most likely it just got it as it's very obvious and i even noticed it from my couch

anyone here with experience in respect to stuck pixels? please note that it's not a dead pixel, just a stuck red subpixel.

is it likely that a stuck pixel just disappears over time. and what chances are for a repair or exchange of the panel?

[Richard.John]

Would you really notice it during viewing/playing etc? Not with your mind's eye but in reality? My Sony 32 inch Bravia has one, I know it's there but I can't see it when sitting at my normal viewing distance. If it's just the one, I would forget about it, as you can't guarantee that the next panel won't have one or more, or backlight bleed problems or whatever....

[charlesr]

Try running a stuck pixel routine on it overnight (plug in your pc or laptop).

[Uli]

@ Charles
yes, i've already tried "Undead Pixel" and "Jscreenfix" for a couple of hours with no effect. but maybe i should try it for longer. i've also tried to apply pressure but i have the feeling that there's a muss less flexible screen protection pane than on my PC monitor which prevents that any physical solution works out.

@ Richard
yes, i fear this stuck pixel would annoy me till the rest of my TV's life as this is a 52" panel and the stuck pixel is noticeable in every dark film or game sequence even from my couch.

sure, things can get even worse with a new panel - if they exchange it. but i don't hear much about people complaining about stuck pixels so i figure chances are good that you'll get a LCD TV which will remain completely free of defective pixels. after all this is a 2.000 Euro TV, the RRP was even higher.

how long do you already have that stuck pixel and did you already run pixel flash software over it like Charles suggested?

[Richard.John]

I noticed my stuck pixel on the day I set up the TV. I have not tried to fix it as I can't see it from where I sit, and considering the the panel is made up of over 1,000,000 pixels, one stuck one isn't so bad, IMO.

Your best bet would be to speak to the retailer then, assuming you can't reactivate via the screen fix app.

[charlesr]

Leave it running overnight or basically as long as you can go for. Surely worth a shot! It worked on my PC monitor.

[Lyris]

I'm glad someone's had success with one; I've never seen a stuck pixel fixer working for me.

Also, I've never been able to wake a stuck SUBpixel back up. The way I've managed to bring stuck pixels back to life though is by applying pressure (gently!) to the TV then turning the power on, and if that doesn't work, massaging the area (with a soft cloth protecting the screen from my grubby mitts).

Most likely, you're, uh, stuck with it.

but i don't hear much about people complaining about stuck pixels so i figure chances are good that you'll get a LCD TV which will remain completely free of defective pixels.

I think it's more likely that they don't notice. A lot of panels I've seen have the defects.

[stevosowl]

i've fixed a lot of stuck pixels on monitors over the years

your best friend is a nintendo DS stylus. Switch the tv/ monitor off. Apply pressure to the pixel with the stylus and switch the power back on whilst still applying pressure

this technique works most of the time - im posting from a monitor that had a stuck blue pixel right in the middle [of my lovely sammy], now its perfect again

[kernow]

None of these worked for me, If its going to bother you I'd personally try to send it back, I managed to get a whole screen replaced on my 1.5yr old TV after enough complaining, and it had about 10 stuck pixels in the end. I went through a lot of agony with the damn thing, phoned trading standards, wrote them letters etc, but it got somewhere in the end at least. You should have more luck if its pretty new still.

Mind you you wont be able to notice it from a normal viewing position. its become a standard to be accepted with LCD's sadly. If they scrapped all the panels with dead or stuck pixels it wouldn't be worth their while making them as the procedure apparently has quite a low 'perfect panel' yield ratio.

[Uli]

i've tried both the pixel massage and apply pressure technique too, sadly without success. problem is the protection screen is a little thicker and less flexible than on an ordinary PC monitor and it seems i can't put enough pressure on the pixel to make it work.

@ kernow
did any of your stuck pixels disappear over time?

[kernow]

no, they didn't. nothing worked, I left stuck pixel fixers overnight, tried the prodding method etc. no success on any of them.

[MJ]

The problem with TVs is they are not covered by a zero dead pixel policy like computer monitors.

[kernow]

Not even many computer monitors are anymore either, including Samsung's who started the whole zero tolerance scheme.