Bizarre "dead" pixel

[warreng24]

Hi all!

I've had dead pixels in the past on LCD screens. Usually, they'll be stuck on red or stuck off (black). However, I just recently noticed that my T42 (14" 1400x1500) screen has a "dead" pixel right dead center.

Here's the interesting part. The pixel seems to be stuck either off (black) or on blue. The funny part is that when I run the white mouse cursor over it, the pixel dissappears (ie turns on white to match the mouse cursor).

However, if I set the background (desktop) color to white, the pixel shows clearly, until I pass the mouse cursor over it (and then it seems to turn white to match the mouse cursor)!

What do you all think? Video driver issue, video cable issue, or BAD pixel?

Also, what is IBM's policy on bad/dead/defective pixels? I can't seem to find it on their website.

Thanks in advance,
Warren

T42 2378-FVU

[AlphaKilo470]

On newer ThinkPads, it's probably something to do with the drivers, but I don't know. My age old 760E has a red pixel at the far right that disappears when the mouse is moved over it. It can't be software because it still does that even in the BIOS screen.

[warreng24]

Okay,

This is really really strange! The pixel seems to be working properly again. Has anyone ever heard of this happening? Or is my mind playing a trick on me?

[Kenn]

Warren, try clicking the middle ultranav butten when you see the dead pixel again. The current drivers cause "false" dead pixels that seemingly appear randomly.

To answer the other question for Alpha, "dead" pixels don't always have to be 100% on/off. The "red" dead pixel could have its red element (out of red, green, blue that make up one pixel) stuck on. Thus, when all elements are supposed to be off (black), it's red. But when all elements are supposed to be on (white), you don't see anything strange because red is supposed to be on anyways.

[beeblebrox]

Sometimes I have a stuck blue pixel. It is a "dead blue pixel of the week". It occurs randomly. Has nothing to do with drivers, because it turns blue even during startup of the Thinkpad.

Since it happens only sometimes for a few days, I don't worry.

[Kenn]

Sometimes I have a stuck blue pixel. It is a "dead blue pixel of the week". It occurs randomly. Has nothing to do with drivers, because it turns blue even during startup of the Thinkpad.

Since it happens only sometimes for a few days, I don't worry.

Some dead pixels are fickle - like a loose electrical connection that sometimes works, sometimes doesn't (because that's exactly what it is). Some happen when the LCD is cold, when it's hot, after certain color changes, after you slightly rub against that part of the LCD, etc. Neither better nor worse than a "permanent" dead pixel, but that's just how some of them work