Dead Pixel on TV

The TV screen image is formed by dots called pixels. These dots are different colors that depend on the transmitted video. Thus, they can create any picture on the screen.

How a Screen Pixel Works

A pixel consists of three areas so that it can take any color. These three areas are called sub-pixels. Some companies may add a fourth white sub-pixel for brightening.

It is these sub-pixels that TV electronics control to form the picture.

It’s a common TV practice to use three colors to form a color image: red, blue, and green. Therefore, each pixel consists of three sub-pixels of different colors (red, green, blue).

If you have a very close look at the screen, you can see these three colored areas.

The fact that an image on the screen can be created using three colors has been scientifically proven, and there are unique formulas.

What Does a “Dead Pixel” Mean

What is a dead pixel? It is a pixel that glows with a single color regardless of the image on the screen. It’s out of the TV processor’s control.

Dead pixels look like a monochrome dot on the screen, which doesn’t change when the picture changes. The color depends on the position of the liquid crystal stuck in the cell. If it’s open, it’s white; if it’s closed, it’s black.

If one of the sub-pixels fails, the cell will maintain a constant color instead of just black or white.

There are defective pixels that fail when the matrix is heated. You can detect them after the TV has been working for a while.

What is the warranty from the manufacturer for dead pixels on Samsung TVs?

What’s the Reason for Dead Pixels

LCD screens consist of several layers, each performing its function. Only two layers are responsible for the dead pixels problem: a layer with liquid crystals and a layer with thin-film transistors (TFT).

These transistors control the crystals in the cells of which the pixels consist. When such a transistor fails, a dead pixel appears since it becomes impossible to control liquid crystals.

If the liquid crystal layer is defective, a liquid crystal in a cell stands still, and a dead pixel will still appear on the TV screen even if the transistor operates appropriately.

How to Check a TV Screen

Since most defects appear in production, dead pixels can be detected on a TV screen as early as when bought in a store.

The best way to check a TV for dead pixels is to show a single-color field on the screen.

If you are looking for black dots, demonstrate a white field on the screen. If you are looking for white dots, then choose a black field, respectively. If you are looking for a colored dot, present a field of a different color on the screen and scrutinize the entire screen – a dot of a different color (a dead pixel) will be visible with an unaided eye.

To check a TV for dead pixels in a store or at home, you can download checking pictures of the required resolution (Full HD or 4K) from the Internet. Save them on a USB flash drive and connect it to the TV receiver. Show the images from the flash drive on the screen, view the checking pictures individually, and visually look for dead pixels from close range.

The most unpleasant defect is a failed sub-pixel that makes the entire cell take a particular color. This cell attracts significantly more attention than just a dark, inactive pixel.

Some pixels malfunction depending on how the neighboring sub-pixels work. You can detect such defects by screening a checkerboard filling, colored stripes, gradations, or grids. Malfunctioning pixels will stand out from the picture’s general structure.

How to Fix a Screen Cell Malfunction

Some users try to “massage” a point containing a dead pixel at home. They press it with a soft object, hoping the stuck liquid crystal will function properly again. But this procedure only endangers a few more neighboring pixels.

There are also software methods of dealing with dead pixels. It has to be noted that some of the methods of reviving such pixels are risky. The pixels can be restored due to neighboring dots changing colors rapidly. In other words, during the procedure, the sub-pixels receive excessive energy, which makes it possible to revive and repair them. Such technology may help restore at least half of the dead dots and sometimes even as many as 90%. However, the recovery process takes varying amounts of time. The chances are that the restored pixel will “get stuck” again. It may happen so that restoring a dead pixel is impossible.

• The Undead Pixel program uses this method. It suggests finding deformed pixels by filling the screen—defective elements will be seen on different backgrounds. After checking, you can proceed to the treatment.

First, you are to set the number of squares, then select the square size in pixels and set their refresh rate according to the example. After the start, the gazing squares are moved to the defective places. A flashing pixel is a success. You only need to wait for the “stuck” pixel to disappear. However, if you stay over 10 hours, this pixel is unlikely to recover.

• JScreenFix. This website is not a program, but it’s free and convenient. It restores pixels almost the same way the previous tool did. However, you won’t be able to change parameters during the operation, and it’s also impossible to use the computer at this time (if we are talking about restoring pixels on a PC screen). The service highlights a zone with digital noise, and you can move it to the required area of the TV screen.
• PixelFixel. This is a 12-hour video on YouTube that you need to demonstrate overnight. Its colors change so quickly that you may feel dizzy, but you can avoid it if you don’t look at the screen while the recovery video is running.

Your attempts to solve the problem with the screen may further damage the matrix and often result in the invalidation of the manufacturer’s warranty.

The best idea is to contact the service center immediately after checking the TV for broken pixels and getting a positive result.

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