LCD screens are the most likely component to contain noticeable flaws in the form of the dreaded dead pixels. There are 3.9 million sub-pixels (red, green and blue) on a standard 1280x1024 resolution LCD monitor, and each of these is a microscopic transistor. While the defective rate of pixels on LCD panels and plasma displays is very low, due to the large number of sub-pixels, manufacturers cannot guarantee 100% error-free panels at an affordable price. To make things more difficult, it is not possible to test any pixels before full assembly of the panel, and fixing any pixels is not possible after assembly.

If a pixel or sub-pixel is dead, it appears as a black or colored dot on an all-white background. In addition, some pixels can stay in a permanently "turned-on" state (this is more common than dead pixels), resulting in a white, red, green, or blue pixel on an all-black background.

Dead Pixel Locator is a cool utiltiy to check the LCD monitor or a plasma display for dead pixels. It checks the LCD screen for dead pixels and displays the faulty pixels in a color different other than the background color.

It is a good practice to check the LCD monitor or plasma display with Dead Pixel Locator before purchasing, although not all vendors allow it. Still, every manufacturer has a dead pixel policy, which you should read carefully. If you find any defective pixels on your new LCD monitor or plasma display during the warranty period, it may qualify for a replacement.


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