LCD TV/Monitor Repair Do-it-Yourself Guide

How to fix dead pixels on LCD screens

One of the disadvantages of LCD screens, unfortunately, is the possibility of them having the dreaded dead pixels. Repairing or reviving these dead pixels that usually appear like white dots or black dots is currently still not possible because a pixel on an LCD screen display is a very tiny, microscopic unit of the LCD screen and it is just not possible to open up the display, get that errant pixel out and replace it with a nice, conformist pixel. There is just no way to do that right now.

However, this does not mean that there is nothing else that we can do to try and fix dead pixels on monitor. Although a dead pixel does not pose any real danger to your equipment as a whole, seeing them appear on your screen can be an annoying experience. After all, you are using an equipment that you paid hard money for and seeing it in a less than perfect state could be a stressful state for you.

Now, before you whip out that wallet and go out to spend more money on a new LCD TV or monitor, what you need to do first is to check if the dead pixel incident can be covered by the manufacturers’ or dealers’ warranty. This, however, is a long shot since most warranties have a dead pixel policy that guarantees the equipment only if there are at least eight (8) dead pixels on the display. Since the probability of having 8 pixels all at the same time is very low, the best thing to do is to never buy from that dealer again. Or, if you are still just shopping around for an LCD TV or LCD monitor, choose a dealer that will guarantee against LCD dead pixels of any count.

Now, if that is no longer an option— if your dealer is refusing to replace or repair your dead pixels or if your LCD unit is no longer within the warranty period— one thing you can do is try a logically simple fix that some tech dudes have come up with to try and solve, or at the very least, alleviate the dead pixels LCD problem.

Some people have suggested that randomly refreshing the screen at a very fast rate with alternating colors of red, gleen and blue will sometimes fix those stubborn dead pixels. Apparently, this is what those dead pixel software fixes that come in DVDs do. They fire very quick bursts of red, green and blue (in random order) to shock the dead pixel into action once again. Reports indicate that this fix is about 60% effective. So if you are experiencing this problem, what have you got to lose?

You can either get one of those DVDs being sold over at your nearest electronics store or you could create a red-green-blue video of your own and to play it repeatedly until the problem goes away or you could download one from the internet. This website is giving away a dead pixel fix for free (I have not tried it myself though so use it at your own risk).

Above graphic courtesy of www.gdargaud.net

Thank you for reading this article on fixing LCD dead pixels.

LCD Monitor of Powermac G4

Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screens are technological marvels but they have one minor (and annoying) problem: they attract dust like there is no tomorrow and can easily be smudged by your fingertips or your hands. If you’re trying to learn how to repair a LCD monitor or television, one of the first things you need to be aware about is how delicate the LCD screens are on them. You are most likely going to find dust and smudges on them so you need to know how to clean them. You must proceed with care when you try to do this. The following are some tips on how to do it correctly:

LCD screens are typically seen in PDAs, laptops, iPods and high definition flat screen televisions. If you check out the inside of your home, chances are you will see more of these clever screens utilized in a lot of todays appliances and gadgets. LCDs are everywhere there is cool technology!

However, anyone who owns any type of LCD screen knows there is one minor hitch to them. These screens or displays attract dust and dirt like magnet attracts iron fillings. Just within a few weeks of buying your once crystal clean LCD screen, it starts picking up dust, lint, and smudges.

When you see your LCD display gathering up a bit of dirt, first instinct is to get a tissue or paper towel to wipe it off. Perhaps you even try the damp cloth or towel approach. Well, don’t! If you have then you will have made the biggest possible mistake that could do damage to your delicate LCD screen display.

LCD screens are not like your usual cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor screens. The LCD screens are not glass, rather they are made up of a soft film that can easily be ruined or scratched by coarse paper towels and the chemicals that may be found in ordinary tap water.

Proceeding in caution is a must if you want to keep all your LCD screens in perfect and undamaged condition. This is one case where a little knowledge could save you a whole lot of trouble and disappointment.

LCD Screen Cleaning Tips

Most experts recommend that you use a cleaning solution of 50% isopropyl or rubbing alcohol and 50% distilled water. You should use a soft cloth such as an old cotton T-shirt or handkerchief or any of those microfiber cloths that they use for reading glasses and lenses. Never ever use tissues, paper towels, or any of those ordinary dish cloths, as harsh texture may scratch and damage the soft surface of an LCD screen. Ordinary cloths also tend to pick up tiny debris that could further damage the screen.

It is advised to turn off any devices before cleaning them. Inspect the screen before you start to take note of any particular areas that need to be cleaned. Do not spray the cleaning solution directly onto the screen. Instead, dampen the cleaning cloth with the solution first and apply gently and with very light pressure, using a circular cleaning motion. Do not apply any heavy pressure on the screen and avoid touching with your fingers tips.

The screen should be thoroughly dry before turning your device back on.

A little reminder: you should always read the owner’s manual or consult with the manufacturer for the recommended cleaning method for your particular device.

You should also note that there are commercial LCD cleaning kits available out there that are very inexpensive. These cleaning kits will have everything that you need to clean your LCD display screens. Most will be bundled with microfiber cloths that are necessary for picking up dust and removing smudges and fingerprints. A can of air duster or compressed air is also handy for removing dust from those hard to reach places on the screen.

Some cleaning formulas that you can buy may contain the same formula or mixture as the home-made one suggested above, but there are cleaning solutions coming out that are ammonia and alcohol-free which are definitely better for your LCD screens. Some even have an anti-static coating that will help prevent too much build up of dust. It may be prudent to pick up one of these cleaning kits if you own a lot of LCD screens. You can also purchase single wipes and cleaners for traveling.

What ever method you take, or cleaning formula you buy, just be reminded that you should treat all the LCD screen with a lot of care. Be sure you clean all your LCD screens regularly and when the need arises. This will help you enjoy your LCD devices more and will protect and prolong their life so you save some money in the long run.

Copyright © 2006 Titus Hoskins.

For other handy LCD cleaning tips and all the materials you need to clean LCD screens go here: How To Clean LCD Screens. To learn how to clean a laptop LCD screen try here: How To Clean Laptop Screen.

Here’s Quick Diagnosis Tip for a Dead Laptop LCD Display

Sony Vaio Laptop

This LCD troubleshooting article is a guest post from Gerald Potratz of Finest Laptops

If you are a laptop computer owner, sooner or later (believe you me) you are going to be faced with a unit that has a display problems that has gone dark typically in one of two scenarios. The most common case is when the LCD screen is damaged due to some physical event that cracked or broke the display screen. Laptops hate gravity and do not take kindly to being dropped, especially when the case is flapped open just when gravity happens and the accident occurrs. The other case involves no physical damage and a malfunction in the video, power or control circuitry has caused the display to cease functioning normally.

In the case of the cracked or physically damaged LCD display, you need to ascertain if there is other damage to the laptop. The best and easiest way to do this is to get an external monitor plug it to the laptop using the provided output connector at the rear of the laptop case. If the external monitor works and you see that your programs and applications are working and your files are accessible, then chances are the damage is isolated only to the LCD screen and that your data can be recovered if in case you decide not to repair the screen anymore. Even if you choose not to repair the laptop, this situation is actually the best case scenario of a really bad situation. At least your data could be saved!

If the laptop screen has not been physically ruined by a fall or otherwise, but the screen is not displaying anything, you should try to connect an external monitor as described above and determine if the rest of the laptop is functional. In the case where the screen is totally blank and the external monitor you plugged in doesn’t work, then a more expensive diagnosis and repair scenario will probably be your only option. Or, you could

It is recommended to take these basic steps first before you get a repair person involved. You should think through your repair options before you are confronted with a potentially costly repair decision.

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