red "dot" on my new LCD TV

[Ryan_V]

Bought a 42" Polaroid LCD TV on black friday. it has a small red dot on the screen that's noticable when there is something dark in that position on the screen. What is it and is there a way to fix it myself or do I need to take it back?

[LMITOUT]

A stuck pixel will usually be most visible against a black background, where it will appear red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, or yellow, although stuck red, green, or blue pixels are most common. Each pixel on an LCD monitor is composed of three subpixels (one red, one green, and one blue) which produce the visible color of the pixel by their relative brightness. A stuck pixel results from a manufacturing defect, which leaves one or more of these sub-pixels permanently turned on or off.

Stuck pixels are not guaranteed to be correctable, and can remain faulty for the life of the monitor, however might be fixed by flashing numerous colors with a very rapid intensity.

Defective pixels in LCD screens can sometimes be improved by mechanically manipulating the area around a defective pixel by pressing or tapping. This can help to evenly distribute the oil inside the screen, but it can also damage it.

[LMITOUT]

Stuck pixels, unlike dead pixels, have been reported to disappear, and there are several popular methods purported to fix them, such as gently rubbing the screen (in an attempt to reset the pixel), cycling the color value of the stuck pixel rapidly (in other words, flashing bright colors on the screen,) or simply tolerating the stuck pixel until it disappears (which can take anywhere from a day to years). While these methods can work on some stuck pixels others cannot be fixed by the above methods. Also some stuck pixels will reappear after being fixed if the screen is left off for several hours.

[Nick Kuhn]

If possible output from your computer to the screen and have it display something seizure inducing. There are a number of programs for computer stuck pixels, they can't be too hard to find, and should work if you change the output to the TV. There was a list on digg not to long ago of good ones.

[Whoaru99]

How big is this red dot?

[Ryan_V]

Not very big, but noticable if you're looking.

[Scott Stein]

Bought a 42" Polaroid LCD TV on black friday. it has a small red dot on the screen that's noticable when there is something dark in that position on the screen. What is it and is there a way to fix it myself or do I need to take it back?

you get this at wally world??

[IFallsRon]

My Polaroid developed a big black square in the middle of the picture. I got my money back and got a Magnavox.

[Ryan_V]

yes I did get it as wally world. thanks for the info guys, from the research I've done it looks like a bad pixel, maybe more, is normal. should I bring this thing back, or just live with it and hope it straightens out??

[LwnmwnMan2]

Take it back. It's NOT normal.

Keep going back until you get one that DOESN'T have a bad pixel.

FWIW, depending on how much the extended warranty is at Wal-Mart, you might want to pick it up, if they cover bad pixels.

The Samsung I got at Best Buy, I bought the warranty for the in-house service for 4 years.

I figure after 4 years, I'll get the wife to let me put the 46" in the bedroom and get a bigger one for the living room.

[Whoaru99]

yes I did get it as wally world. thanks for the info guys, from the research I've done it looks like a bad pixel, maybe more, is normal. should I bring this thing back, or just live with it and hope it straightens out??

You can try to take it back...I would.

But, be aware that many (most?, all?) mfgs. have a dead pixel policy meaning there is a possibility they won't take the set back if the number of bad pixels is under their threshold.

[Whoaru99]

Not very big, but noticable if you're looking.

Sure, but like a pinpoint...one single dot/pixel, or like a 1/8" area, etc.?

[Sandmannd]

I would take it back. For what these TV's cost they should be good out of the box.

[jwhjr]

I would take it back. For what these TV's cost they should be good out of the box.

I agree, I'd take it back as well.

[Nick Kuhn]

Originally Posted By: Sandmannd

I would take it back. For what these TV's cost they should be good out of the box.

I agree, I'd take it back as well.

From the engineering standpoint cmon, 2,073,599/2,073,600 working pixels isn't good enough for you? I wish every job was held the such high standards...

[jwhjr]

When you buy something new don't you expect it to have no issues?

[LMITOUT]

To be able to see a spot on the screen is unacceptable.

[Sandmannd]

To be able to see a spot on the screen is unacceptable.

I agree and yes, for the price of these TV's I expect nothing but perfection.

[Jim43]

Sure glad the 42" Vizio 1080P I bought 3 weeks ago from Wally World did not have any problem like this. Never seen a TV picture

look so good with a Blu Ray player hooked up with a HDMI cable.

Just through away the box it came in to, hoping this does not jinx it.

[DTro]

How big is the spot?

Stuck or dead pixels are very common on LCD screens. In fact I think most warranties specifically call out a certain percentage as being acceptable.

[LwnmwnMan2]

How big is the spot?

Stuck or dead pixels are very common on LCD screens. In fact I think most warranties specifically call out a certain percentage as being acceptable.

The warranty I got from Best Buy calls for 3 stuck pixels, then they'll fix it.

However, since this TV is new, and came that way, I would return it.

[Ryan_V]

I've done the research, there is an acceptable amount, and for polaroid it's like 5 or 8 or something. I've looked at the spot now because I know where it is. I had my dad over and he couldn't find it to save his life. the only time it's noticable is when the screen has a dark background. It only bugs me because I know it's there. I've decided to keep it because, yes I could bring it back, but for the money I paid, I can't find another one and can't afford a few hundred dollars more to exchange it. it has an awesome picture, heck even the Packers looked good in HD!!! I did notice a line as well running down from the dot, but that's only noticable if you less than a foot from the screen. I will take out the extended warranty just to be safe. thanks for the responses fellas!! see you on the ice, hopefully soon!

[DTro]

it has an awesome picture, heck even the Packers looked good in HD!!!

If it's got that good of a picture I'd keep it too. I have yet to come across one that good

[Nick Kuhn]

You'll get used to it I'm sure. There's a 4" crack in my 51" (don't ask) and I hardly even notice it's there anymore. But again stuck pixels are usually fixable, whereas dead pixels (always black) are not.

[Sandmannd]

Originally Posted By: Ryan_V

it has an awesome picture, heck even the Packers looked good in HD!!!

If it's got that good of a picture I'd keep it too. I have yet to come across one that good

I'm with Darrin on this, I have never seen a TV make the Cheese look good.