# Dead Pixels.. That bad?



## Hayds510 (Jan 18, 2009)

Hey i recently spent about $1200+ on a tv. it's a Samsung 50" Full HD plasma. I fuss over things a fair amount, Even cheaper things.. and when i heard about dead pixels i figured i should check my new tv screen to see if there were any. at first i couldn't notice anything and i looked hard, but when i put up a full white screen, after staring hard and close, i managed to find about 3 or so (maybe 4) and my heart sank.. but my mates say they can't see them from sitting back where they were and I only found them when i looked for them, if your minds not on it they are really hard to notice. 

I want to know how serious of a problem it is.. is it a "#@!%!!! get that replaced immediately, ur tv is screeewd" or more of a "that happens, lots of tv's have it and it will be fine, dont worry" i'm hoping it's the second one but i dont want any lies for comfort i want to know whats the deal with these pixels. I have a 5 year warranty so i guess i could just wait out the duration and see if anything goes wrong and then act, but still... peace of mind. you know?

thanks


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## ebackhus (Apr 21, 2005)

There is an "acceptable" number of dead pixels for every LCD. Check with where you bought it for what they consider worthy of replacement.


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## Hayds510 (Jan 18, 2009)

i know about that, and i think it's somewhere around the 4 dead pixel mark for a tv my size, possibly more.. though mine is a plasma not an LCD. if it's not necessary though i'd rather not go through the waiting processes and stuff if it's only a small non expanding non impacting thing, if it's a tv equivolant to like.. tuberculosis and my tv is about to crap blood then i want to know so i can act now and get things sorted. considering it's 3-4 out of 2 million pixels, it's really not noticeable unless your right up looking, and the most prominent of the dead pixels looks like a small spec of dust right up close (if your looking for it) 

so.. what i'm saying is, I could live with it if i know for sure that it's normal and happens and i've read around but the facts are pretty inconclusive from technical and forum esq points, just things like people saying they allready HAVE replaced theirs or dont care about a few, i'm yet to stumble across the info that says whether people replace them for reasons of.. desiring a 100000% blemish free display panel or if it's really important to get onto it. as it is i played a friends xbox360 on it last night and they really were invisible, i'd need some kind of hawk vision to scope em out and when i didnt know that there was a chance my tv could have them, i didnt notice anyway. 

to get my blabbering out the way, heres what i'm gettn at:- is it.. the sort of thing that is heaps important, you'd all get replaced even though you can hardly see them, it's gonna expand... OR is it more like a thing of perfectionism which is probably hard to find in technology these days anyway, where it's only cosmetic and my tv will live.. because if my tvs fine i can live with it, knowing it shouldn't get worse.


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## Fazza (Dec 12, 2010)

I have a 32" Samsung tv and shortly after purchasing it I noticed a dead pixel and was so annoyed I flicked the screen with my finger and to my amazement the dead pixel vanished!

As said previously there is an acceptable number of dead pixels your tv can have before it's deemed faulty so check your manual that came with the tv to see what it says.


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## yustr (Sep 27, 2004)

> What Is Samsung's Dead Pixel Policy?
> 
> One or two dead pixels out of the approximately 1.3 million pixels on a typical LCD television is acceptable. Generally, then, if you have only a few dead pixels, service is not an option.
> 
> ...


 Source

Don't know about the policy on plasmas.


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## Hayds510 (Jan 18, 2009)

Fazza said:


> I have a 32" Samsung tv and shortly after purchasing it I noticed a dead pixel and was so annoyed I flicked the screen with my finger and to my amazement the dead pixel vanished!
> 
> As said previously there is an acceptable number of dead pixels your tv can have before it's deemed faulty so check your manual that came with the tv to see what it says.


i've heard similar stories to this, i tried it out myself but unfortunately it didn't work, though.. there was an incidence where i mistook a small dust particle for a dead pixel by the way it appeared sort of rainbow colourish on the screen, which possibly could have been the case? though maybe it does work sometimes.. I'll give it another shot at a later date if any more creep up to see if i can get them with it. thanks


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## Hayds510 (Jan 18, 2009)

yustr said:


> Source
> 
> Don't know about the policy on plasmas.



thanks for looking into it
it's hard to say whether it's applicable to a plasma because the screen makeup is so different. I read similar info myself about the LCD panels, but there wasn't to my knowledge anything on plasmas there.. i could have missed something and i'll check my manual again and maybe email samsung.
at this point i've accepted it, and i've looked hard and narrowed it to 3 solid dead pixels (possibly a 4th) , everything else was just dust or some temporary issue.. so in my eyes, it's only defective if it's life threatening to my tv.. or gets in the way.. but you truly can't see/notice them without looking for them within a couple feet of the screen. given thats the situation, how would you guys feel if it was your tv?


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## bruiser (Jul 30, 2005)

Here's a little info on plasma screens and pixels.

http://www.plasmatvbuyingguide.com/plasmatvreviews/plasmatvpixel.html


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## Hayds510 (Jan 18, 2009)

bruiser said:


> Here's a little info on plasma screens and pixels.
> 
> http://www.plasmatvbuyingguide.com/plasmatvreviews/plasmatvpixel.html


thanks. 

i spose if its the case that it is 4 or more like the author of that assumes then i sit right on the line, which kinda leaves me Hangin where i was. on one hand, they aren't noticeable, on the other theres that knowledge that there is an imperfection with my new tv even if it's just the slightest thing.. i'm not good at goin with these decisions on my own so.. yea if it was the case it was a week till christmas.. you've got a tv sittin on a unit awaiting a new console and theres a minor minor imperfection that you cant necessarily see but know is there, what do you do.. If i had the tv for a year i probably wouldn't be bothered if it had 10 dead pixels, but right now its new and its not a great feeling.. hmmmm


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## yustr (Sep 27, 2004)

I would email Samsung and file a claim - if for no other reason than to have it on file. Then, if some more pop you'll be able to move from 4 to 6 rather than from 0 to 6.

Regarding, how I'd deal with the TV - hard to say. I once ought a new car and there was a persistent vibration above 60 mph. Many weeks spent in the dealership without success. Only when I threatened to invoke the Lemon Law did they inform me that was a bad tire all along. But, it so soured me on the car that I ended up trading it in - at a loss - because everytime I got on the hiway I was expecting to feel the vibration and I hated driving it. So, if knowing about those dead pixels ruins your enjoyment of your TV, sell it - take the $ hit - and move on. And, when you replace it...don't look so closely. :grin:


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