• Green pixels on a laptop monitor. How to remove a dead pixel

    What's happened dead pixel
    Pixel/pixel(English pixel) - the minimum element of the image; the smallest display element that has all the color reproduction capabilities available to the display as a whole.
    Beaten("dead") pixel(English: dead pixel, defect pixel) - a constantly burning (or constantly unlit) pixel.

    Often, when selling a specific LCD monitor, the seller already knows about the presence of dead pixels, but sometimes “modestly” keeps silent about it (for example, this monitor has already been returned by a previous buyer). Without checking the LCD monitor (or hastily checking the quality of the “picture”), buyers discover already at home that they have become the “lucky” owners of a monitor with dead pixels.
    When a buyer tries to exchange (or return) a monitor, some sellers “take a pose” by stating that dead pixels are not a defect, while citing the ISO13406-2 standard, which allows for dead pixels.

    ISO13406−2 standard
    Standard ISO 13406−2 ( latest update in 2001) defines a number of ergonomic requirements for the image quality obtained using an LCD monitor. The evaluation is based on criteria such as brightness, contrast, reflection, backlight uniformity and color uniformity, text readability, flicker, quantity defective pixels.

    The standard defines 4 monitor quality classes.
    Class 1, the highest, does not allow for defective pixels. Class 4, the lowest, allows up to 262 dead pixels. Brand-name LCD manufacturers do not produce Class 4 monitors. Most displays comply with Class 2.

    The standard distinguishes 4 types of defective pixels:
    Type 1 - constantly lit pixels;
    Type 2 - constantly off pixels;
    Type 3 - pixels with other defects, including defects in subpixels and RGB cells that make up the pixel. This means red, green, and blue pixels that are constantly lit (the most common defect);
    Type 4 (group of defective pixels) - several defective pixels in a 5x5 pixel square.

    The standard defines the permissible number of defective pixels per million pixels of an LCD monitor: 15-inch monitors can have no more than 2 dead pixels; 17" -, 19" - and 20" - - no more than 4; and monitors with a diagonal size of 21" and above - no more than 6.

    How to avoid getting stuck on dead pixels
    It is very easy to avoid buying an LCD monitor with dead pixels: you need to carefully test it for the absence of them upon purchase. There are special programs for this (before going to the store, copy such a program to a flash drive).

    Programs for testing an LCD monitor for the presence/absence of dead pixels
    Dead Pixel Tester
    dead_pixel.zip (156KB);
    - run the DPT file. exe;
    - after left-clicking, a color selection table will appear Select color;
    — select different colors with successive clicks;
    — the entire area of ​​the screen is “filled” with the selected color, as a result of which the dead pixel (if there is one) becomes clearly visible;
    — by default, 16 different shades are offered, you can select an additional one by clicking on the button Color selector.

    Nokia Monitor Test
    Download and unzip the Ntest.zip file (374KB);
    - run the Ntest ​​file. exe;
    - in the window Nokia NTest select desired language(For example, Russian), click OK;
    - below, to the right of WWW, click the icon stylized as a screen with three vertical stripes- red, green, blue;
    — the monitor screen will be “filled” with white;
    — continue to click the left mouse button, and the screen will sequentially “fill” with red, green, blue, black (with a white square in the center) colors;
    — to exit the program, press Exit.

    Dead Pixel Buddy
    Emergency recovery boot disk Microsoft Windows miniPE edition (stripped down Windows version XP) contains the Dead Pixel Buddy program.
    To boot miniPE, you need to set the BIOS to boot from CD-ROM, place the boot disk with miniPE in the CD-ROM tray and reboot;
    - when miniPE loads, press the button miniPE(alternative to button Start) → Programs → Accessories → Dead Pixel Buddy;
    — consistently “fill” the monitor screen with different colors.

    What to do if you are “lucky enough” to buy an LCD monitor with dead pixels
    Try exchanging your monitor. If the seller refers to the ISO13406−2 standard, refer to Federal law"On the protection of consumer rights."

    Notes
    1. A reputable trading company that respects itself (and its customers!) and values ​​its image:
    a) will never deceive customers by trying to “foist”/“sell”/“sell” defective goods;
    b) will never pass off low-quality goods as high-quality ones;
    c) when it occurs conflict situation(if the warranty conditions are met) will always exchange low-quality goods or return the money.
    2. When buying an LCD monitor, always ask to check its functionality!
    3. Sellers, having discovered a certain number of monitors with dead pixels in a batch of LCD monitors, sometimes put them up for sale at reduced prices, but “forget” to inform buyers about the reason for the price reduction. Therefore, the reduction in the price of an LCD monitor should alert you! Remember: the miser pays twice!
    4. Do not connect/disconnect the monitor “hot”, i.e., when connecting/disconnecting, the monitor and PC should not be in the on state.
    5. Sometimes dead pixels appear during the operation of the monitor. To reduce the likelihood of dead pixels appearing when using an LCD monitor, treat it with care and protect the monitor screen from mechanical influences (impacts, jolts, scratches).

    May your monitor serve you faithfully for many years!
    May it please you with the absence of dead pixels!

    When purchasing a laptop, monitor or tablet, we try to inspect the device as carefully as possible to make sure that it has no signs of defects. Alas, not all flaws can be identified by external examination. Some of them may remain invisible even if you look at them directly. These are just dead pixels - permanent black or one-color dots on the display. They can only be noticed against a plain background, so most often this defect is discovered by the user when money has already been paid for the product.


    It is not always possible to exchange a defective device, which may be due to several reasons. For example, in devices of the second class according to the ISO13406-2 specification, up to 9 dead pixels per million, which means that according to the current law, you will not be able to exchange the purchased device, even if you want to. It is also possible that a defect will appear after the warranty period has expired. Fortunately, in some cases, dead pixels can be fixed on your own. But before we move on to considering acceptable methods, let's find out what dead pixels are, what they are, and what leads to their formation.

    Unlike outdated cathode ray tube monitors, in which the picture was formed by constant bombardment of electrons inside a screen covered with a phosphor, in modern liquid crystal displays the image is formed thanks to liquid crystals that can change their position in space and thereby influence the properties of the light beam transmitted through them. Liquid crystals in displays form what everyone is used to calling a pixel matrix.

    Such a matrix consists of a set individual elements traditionally called pixels or dots. Each matrix element is controlled by its own transistor - Thin Film Transistor or TFT for short . Pixels, in turn, are formed by three subpixels, each of which corresponds to one of the three primary colors - red, blue and green. Mixing in a given order, they give the variety of colors that we can see on the digital image of modern monitors.

    However, as it happens, at some point one of the pixels or the transistor that controls it begins to work incorrectly. As a result, a dot appears on the display, glowing in the same color. This is a dead pixel. The reasons for the appearance of dead pixels lie in the design of the LCD screen itself. The lower the quality of the materials used to make the display, the greater the likelihood that dead pixels will appear on it. Their appearance can also be caused by too low or high temperature, as well as pressure on areas of the screen surface.

    Thus, success in “treating” dead pixels largely depends on the nature of the defect. Some dead pixels can be fixed at home, while others require a completely special approach.

    Dead pixels come in three main types and appear as:

    • Black dot on a white or colored background
    • Constantly burning white dot for more dark background
    • Colored dot on white, black or colored background

    First type most often indicates physical damage to the control transistor. This is the most difficult case. Such a defect can be eliminated only in special laboratory conditions by replacing a non-working transistor. Also, the reason for the appearance of a black pixel can be the crystal stopping in the closed position. It is hardly possible to revive such a crystal. The same can be said about the white dead pixels that appear when the crystal is stopped in the open position.

    Third type defect - colored pixels in most cases can be quite successfully eliminated at home. These are the so-called stuck pixels. They appear when, for some reason, a subpixel freezes in one position. So, to launch such a pixel, sometimes it’s enough just to “boost” it. You can do this using special programs or by using a gentle mechanical effect on the area with the problem pixel, which will be discussed a little below.

    Most safe way This is, of course, software. The most well-known utilities for restoring broken pixels are Bad Crystal, Pixel Repair, JScreenFix, ScreenFix Deluxe. All these utilities work on the same principle. A large amount of energy is supplied to the subpixels, causing them to “swing” and come to life. Externally, the work of programs manifests itself as a rapid change of colors. No additional actions are required from the user, you just need to run the program and wait a while.

    In some cases, restore normal work pixels are achieved in 20 minutes, in others it may take up to 10 o'clock.

    If you fix frozen pixels programmatic method If it doesn't work, you can try giving the screen an acupressure massage. This procedure is performed as follows: turn off the monitor, take a cotton swab and gently rub the problem area in different directions. You don't need to press hard, just enough to create faint streaks. Massage time is approximately 20 minutes. Next, turn on the device and look at the result. This method has certain disadvantages. Firstly, there is always a risk of accidentally damaging the fragile layers of the screen, and secondly, it is not suitable for touch capacitive displays.

    Now let's make a brief summary. Technologies for eliminating dead pixels exist, but this is not a guarantee that they will work in your case. Having studied the statistics, we came to the conclusion that about 30 percent of color dead pixels, which, by the way, are considered the least problematic, cannot be eliminated using the two described methods. The moral from here is - when purchasing a device, ask the manager to conduct an appropriate display test. We also recommend that you ask what class the device’s display belongs to according to the ISO 13406-2 specification - this knowledge may even be very useful to you if you suddenly want to exchange a defective device.

    Not long ago I became interested in the question: “Is it possible to get rid of it using a program or mechanical influence?” I conducted an experiment and now I can say with 100% confidence.

    Until manufacturers have eradicated them, consumers who were unlucky enough to discover them at the pre-sale inspection stage will be looking for ways to eliminate dead pixels in their monitor, TV, etc. We talked about how to check a monitor or TV for dead pixels in the article - I was lucky at home, there is no monitor or TV with a dead pixel on which I could test the program-mechanical complex of the impact on this “scourge” of LCD panels, which greatly complicated my research. Fortunately, at work there is a “wide field” for experiments, there is no shortage of experimental subjects, starting from a service monitor and ending with a top Samsung TV with a characteristic defect :) Below is the original photo of the disease being considered in this particular case.

    METHOD No. 1 - Dead pixel massage

    Eliminate the dead pixel using mechanical force. I chose an ear stick as a tool, and for about 15 minutes I “rubbed” the dead pixel... An activity akin to masturbation, only more useless... The dead pixel did not disappear anywhere...

    By the way... My first TFT monitor SAMSUNG 226BW, after a short period of use I had a similar defect (dead pixel), I pressed it a little with my finger, it disappeared, BUT it always appeared again :) This fact confirms the effectiveness this method, but as practice shows, it is far from a panacea.

    METHOD No. 2 - Program for treating dead pixels.

    On this method I had special hopes... because... there are tons of people online positive feedback about how the program works to eliminate dead pixels. I found several such programs, but the essence of their work was no different from each other. The principle of operation of programs for eliminating dead pixels boils down to the chaotic filling of space with pixels of different colors at different speeds, very similar to what we see when there is no signal from the antenna on old TVs, only in color.

    So "profile" programs for treating dead pixels, not so much, each of them desperately wants money or carries a gift in the form of a Trojan :). I selected and tested several, and since they did not differ in the method of “treatment”... I chose a program with a charming prefix ULTIMATE. The whole trick is to launch this miracle program after 15-30 minutes. The dead pixel should leave your device forever. But neither after 15 nor after 30 minutes the result was achieved... I left the monitor in the program for 8 hours, but to my great disappointment the result was zero.

    Download the program to eliminate dead pixels: (the program contains a Trojan, so use an antivirus, it works without problems)

    Conclusion: In order to be objective, I will say that personally in my particular case of “fighting with dead pixels” I did not achieve a positive result, perhaps you will have better luck :)

    Today every family can afford to buy a computer. Due to rapid progress computer equipment they become obsolete fast , and they are being replaced by more powerful and updated models. Therefore, everyone can now afford to buy a computer or laptop. Moreover, most already have a couple or more computers.

    For example, a friend of mine has a computer that is installed in the kitchen so that cooking and, in fact, dining are not boring. Computer medium power, but for home use It will do just fine. But using it in the kitchen, in the summer heat, and even with the stove or oven on, problems were not long in coming. Dead pixels began to appear on the monitor. While there are only a couple of them, it is necessary to urgently take action to prevent the problem from getting worse. Today I will teach you how to remove dead pixels and fix them.

    For those who are not at all familiar with the term dead pixels, I’ll tell you - these are non-working dots or parts of a dot on the monitor. You can also watch them on your phone. But most often they are noticeable on computer screens.

    If the pixel no longer works at all, then it will be black and can only be seen in white or light tones of the monitor. This type of dead pixel is considered the most harmless. But despite this, nothing can be fixed here.

    The most popular and at the same time the most noticeable dead pixels are dots of bright red, blue, green, yellow, turquoise or purple. Such dead subpixels are also called stuck pixels.

    If one of these pixels appears in the middle of the screen, it will irritate you especially if it is red. Such a dead pixel is immediately noticeable.

    One of the features of dead pixels is that they not only appear unpredictably, but can also disappear unpredictably. For example, on my old monitor, when I first started using it, there were already three dots different colors. Maybe I didn’t notice them when I bought them or they appeared on the first day of use, I don’t know. But I didn’t worry about these dots at all, since they didn’t interfere with viewing the picture on the monitor at all. I've been using this monitor for five years. And during this time, the dots did not bother me at all and I observed them very rarely, despite the fact that they were clearly in the middle of the screen.

    Most likely the points were not caught due to the fact that the monitor was on MVA matrix, and not on the most popular TN. This matrix has one feature - small defects are not noticeable. Before writing this article, I decided to check if I could remove dead pixels on my old monitor. I turn it on, but the pixels are fine. I didn't find a single broken point.

    How to remove dead pixels?

    Naturally, about methods using high technology we won’t talk about it, since they are used only in special laboratories and with special equipment. But there is a treatment method that will help you remove dead pixels at home.

    There are only two ways to remove dead pixels at home, this is programmatic method and mechanical. I’m sure you, like me, were also not aware that there are programs that can fix dead pixels. On at the moment I managed to find only two such programs.

    Software method for restoring dead pixels

    This method was made possible due to the technology of quickly changing the colors of adjacent pixels. Thanks to this process, a flow of energy is applied to the subpixel large quantities, which makes him come to life. Using this technology, you can resurrect from 55% to 80% of already dead pixels.

    But using this method, you need to be patient. Because it will take a lot of time to restore some pixels. You’ll have to get out and experiment if you can’t immediately restore the dead pixels. Experimentation will consist of changing the speed of color changing and the operating time of the program itself.

    Recovered pixels can beov fade away. Most often this is facilitated by hot weather. But, repeating the recovery procedure and the dead pixels work again. But there are times when a pixel cannot be restored.

    Broken pixel recovery program

    As I already said, I found only two programs that can restore dead pixels. One of them is “Bad Crystal”. By downloading the free version, you can use it for 30 days, but with limited functionality. By downloading this version, you will not have access to advanced technologies. But there is an option to use more old version Bad Crystal 2.6 programs. It works without restrictions, but after the first minute of operation the program window is completely darkened. But you can solve this problem by using a hardware tablet. You need to move the program window with the mouse and then do not let go left button mice. It can be held in this position using a mug. In this position, you will see the program window constantly. If anyone finds a version of the program already with treatment, then do not forget to do it before installing. After all, the downloaded file may contain very unpleasant surprises.

    After installing the program, run it. You will immediately need to select the device you will need to work with: screen, computer, mobile phone, console or plasma panel.



    If you are using the program on a phone or game console, the video file will be generated at the selected resolution. It will need to be played in a repeating mode on mobile device. For a plasma panel, you can burn a DVD or HD disc with the finished video or run it from a computer in “Full Screen” mode. Since you are working with a monitor from a computer, we need to select “Computer Monitor”.

    To open additional menu, we need to move the mouse cursor to top part program windows. You will see that only 4 modes are available to you: Common Clearing (CCM), System Modified (SMF), Complex Force (CFV), Personal Protection (PPM).



    But even from these available modes in demon paid version you can only use two, these are SSM and PRM. Other modes provide more high percentage recoverable pixels, so they are only available in the paid version. On the standard, the CCM mode is selected.

    When we have figured out the interface, click on the “Launch” button. After that, working window programs must be moved to the area of ​​dead pixels. We wait 10 minutes and check the result. If the points are still in place, then it is necessary to increase the speed of the program. To do this, press the "Speed ​​Up" button.

    This button will not be visible until you hover over it. It is located on the left top corner program windows.



    We also wait 10-15 minutes and check the result again. If even after increasing the speed the dead pixel does not disappear, we increase the speed of the program to maximum and again check the result of the work. Thus, a lot of time can be spent restoring a pixel. He will eventually recover, but do you have the nerves for this procedure? I learned about cases where such recovery lasted for 10 hours.

    To prevent pixels from getting stuck again, I recommend turning on automatic mode prevention - PRM. The way this mode works is that over a period of time, the colors on the monitor will change. You need to run this process a couple of times a month, at times when no one is sitting at the computer. IN manual mode You can also run this procedure. But I couldn't stop her. Maybe I didn’t wait long, but when the program was running it said that there were 30 seconds left. In fact, the work continued all the time. To shut down the program, you need to end the process called “PPM.exe” in the task manager.

    The next program with which you can restore dead pixels is JScreenFix. Although, JScreenFix can hardly be called a program. This Java application. For it to work, you must have Java installed on your computer. More recently, this program was freely available and absolutely free, you can look for the old version.

    The JScreenFix program is completely different from the previous one. The application will independently determine its place of work. You just need to click on the “Locale” button. The program window will turn black and you will need to move this window across the screen of your monitor. Don’t rush, because the program will have to identify all the dead pixels. In order not to look for points yourself, you need to select “Full Screen”, so that the application scans the entire screen at once. The stage of checking for dead pixels is completely free.

    But the second stage of working with the program, namely the restoration of dead pixels, will already require payment for use. In this respect, the program is similar to “Bad Crystal.” On the application’s website you can find ready-made videos depicting the program’s operation. You can use them to restore pixels. But given that the video resolution differs significantly from the original work of the program, it is not effective You can use any player for playback, so the video can be played both on your phone and on your computer.

    The manufacturers of both programs recommend maintenance of the monitor. To do this, you need to start the “recovery process”. Honestly, I won’t tell you how necessary this is really and whether it’s worth spending time on it. But if we are talking about plasma panels, then such prevention will really be useful.

    Mechanical way to solve the problem

    If the above programs did not cope with the task, it is time to move on to a more serious intervention. In fact, the method is ridiculously simple - you need to give your monitor a kind of massage. Yes, you read that right. We take the ear stick in our hands and, with pressure, move it over the place where the broken pixels have formed. You don’t need to press too hard until streaks appear. And in this way we massage the problem area on the monitor. You need to continue this massage for about 15 - 30 minutes.

    If after this procedure the dead pixels disappear, then the problem was not serious. But, for prevention, you need to run “Bad Crystal” and process this very area. If the dead pixel is not sold, then you need to take a double blow to the problem, namely, run the “Bad Crystal” program and at the same time massage the problem area with an ear stick. The massage can be stopped after 15 minutes, and the program will have to be left running for at least 10 hours. Then you will definitely be able to get rid of dead pixels.

    I hope this knowledge will not be useful to you and dead pixels will not appear on your monitors. And if they do form, they are invisible and will soon disappear.

    But now, having bought new monitor and having said goodbye to the old “box” forever, you begin testing it. Games, films and all kinds of improvised means are used. And suddenly you notice a black or colored dot right in the middle of the screen, terribly interfering with your pink while watching your favorite thriller. This, gentlemen, is His Majesty. A broken pixel is the threat of all developers and a dead defect in computer stores. So, let’s figure out what a “broken” pixel is, and a pixel in general, how to deal with it and how to find it.


    What is a dead pixel?

    The image on a monitor with a liquid crystal display, as with a cathode ray tube, consists of dots, locally called pixels. They are the ones that form the various pictures that we see through changing colors. The pixel also has its own permanent hierarchy - three subpixels, black, red and green. The final color is achieved by changing the position of individual subpixels and directing a light beam of varying power at it. IN modern monitors, using the so-called active matrix, each pixel is controlled by its own thin film transistor (TFT, Thin Film Transistor), the failure of which forms a black inactive dot on the screen - a dead pixel. It does not change its color when the image changes precisely because of a technical malfunction of the control transistor. Such dead pixels can only be restored by replacing the corresponding transistor, which can only be done in special laboratory conditions, which is clearly not available to ordinary users.
    However, there is another type of dead pixels - stuck pixels. A sign of their appearance will be light point on a dark background. This happens when an individual subpixel gets stuck in one position. Accordingly, it does not react to changes in the image on the display, but glows in a certain light color. Such defects, unlike blackheads, can be restored at home through some software and physical manipulations.
    You may be wondering why you should repair your new monitor yourself when there is a warranty! That's the rub. The defect rate of monitors using liquid crystal technology is very high, so manufacturers of leading brands have established special standards that allow a certain number of dead pixels on monitors various standards. These norms were encapsulated in a specific government standard called ISO-13406. Here is a table of the tolerance of defective pixels in 4 monitor standards (1st - the highest, practically does not allow defects; 4th - fortunately, is almost never produced on our market).
    As we have already said, the first class of monitors does not allow dead or defective pixels at all. Manufacturers of products of this class assure that if this defect occurs, an immediate replacement will be made or warranty repair.
    The second class, the most common in the CIS countries, allows for the presence of 2 defects of types 1 and 2, as well as 5 defects of type 3.
    The third class of products, according to the developers, may have 5 dead pixels of type 1, 15 of type 2 and 50 defects of type 3.
    The last and lowest-quality class of monitors allows for the presence of 50, 150 and 500 defects of types 1, 2 and 3, respectively.
    • Type 1 - white pixel on a black background;
    • Type 2 - black pixel on a white background;
    • Type 3 - colored (red, blue, green);
    As you can see, if your monitor is a Class 2 monitor (you'll learn this from the instructions that came with it), that one red pixel that's annoying you so much is acceptable, so you won't be able to exchange the monitor and file a claim with the seller. The only way to avoid such situations is to check the product before purchasing, because no one can force you to buy a defective product!


    Checking the monitor

    It is sometimes difficult, if not impossible, to determine the presence of broken or defective pixels by eye. Sellers demonstrate the monitor, showing you bright multi-colored pictures, not allowing you to see the display against different plain backgrounds. Remember, a dead pixel may appear on certain colors! For example, there may be a red dot on the monitor, visible only against a green background, so you need to check the monitor persistently and, if you want, meticulously. After all, we pay a lot of money for our country and in return we want to get an excellent product.
    There are many programs specifically for checking monitors for dead pixels, of which it is worth separately recommending a monitor test from Nokia. Nokia Monitor Test allows you to test your monitor for defects, moire, dead pixels and readability.
    After starting the program, you should select the Color check mode. After that, switch colors by pressing the left mouse button and diagnose the display for the presence of dots of a different color - dead pixels.
    Be sure to burn the program to a disk or other storage device before going to the store.


    How to treat dead pixels

    There are two most effective methods getting rid of dead pixels. We are not talking about blackheads; unfortunately, they cannot be revived at home. We'll talk about colored, stuck pixels.
    For the first method, we recommend that you be patient, because it will require a lot of diligence from you. The method involves gently massaging the defective area of ​​the display. Don't forget to turn off the monitor when doing this. This should not be done with your fingers, and certainly not with sharp objects - this can damage the anti-reflective coating, as well as the appearance of new dead pixels. A cotton swab is best suited for this massage.
    Find dead pixels with using Nokia Monitor Test and begin to gently apply pressure to this area, after turning off the monitor. After several minutes of such simple manipulations, turn on the product and look at the area. Repeat these steps several times. Naturally, massage does not give a hundred percent guarantee of miraculous healing, but it’s worth a try if you just can’t put up with such guests.
    Another method of massage is hardware. It does not require direct physical impact, therefore it is completely safe. The program for fixing stuck pixels is located at http://jscreefix.com and can be launched directly from the site.
    To launch the program directly from the site, you need to open the page (http://www.jscreenfix.com/basic.php), find and click on the Launch ScreenFix link (your browser may not support this program, the developers recommend the FireFox Internet browser) . Or you can download and run the ScreenFix Deluxe program (http://www.jscreenfix.com/launcher.php), note that for it to work you will first have to install Java Runtime Environment (JRE) 6.
    After starting the program, a window with flickering pixels will appear on the screen, just point it at the defective area and wait for the result.
    Judging by the statements of the developers and users of this utility, stuck pixels in most cases are eliminated after 20 minutes of use. However, if the experiment fails, try turning on the program for 5-10 hours.
    The trick to this little utility is that it performs high-speed color changes on individual pixels, allowing you to programmatically realign a stuck pixel.

    So, you now know what pixels are and how to treat their defects. However, we still recommend checking the monitors when purchasing so that you don’t have to be nervous and apply your knowledge.