Save Your TV

The progress made over the last 20 years in the field of flat screens increasingly limits the risk of dead pixels appearing on a television panel. However, the problem still exists. If your TV is starting to show its age, or if you are just plain unlucky, you may find yourself experiencing this unpleasant phenomenon.

However, faced with a dead pixel, or even several, you should not despair. Before you decide to replace the TV screen, there are a few methods to try to wake up the black dots on your television screen. Before explaining them to you, it helps to understand what a dead pixel actually is.

What Is a Dead Pixel?

A dead pixel is a tiny dot that does not display the correct color on a TV screen. It can be black, which means it is totally off, or it can be green, purple, red, or white, in which case it is stuck on a specific color. In any case, this small dot, out of step with the thousands of others that make up the screen panel, tends to monopolize your attention.

However, the presence of one or more dead pixels does not mean that the television set is faulty as a whole: you can still use all of its features. But if those dead pixels are ruining your viewing experience, you can try waking them up yourself.

Five Ways to “Wake Up” a Dead Pixel

1. Let the Screen “Rest”

It is a suggestion that may seem strange, but sometimes dead pixels appear after very intensive use of the television set. If you enjoyed a TV show marathon all weekend or played a lot of video games over a long period before you saw dead pixels appear, you can try leaving the TV screen off for 12 to 24 hours, then switching it on again to check if they are still present. Sometimes this simple step can be enough.

2. Use Appropriate Software

For this method, you need a computer near the TV and an HDMI cable that will allow you to transform your TV set into a secondary screen for your PC. Once you have made the connections, download the Pixel Réa software (https://www.emjysoft.com/logiciel-reparer-pixel-mort/) onto your computer. This is a free solution that can detect dead pixels and attempt a repair.

To do this, the software will seek to “unblock” dead pixels by varying the display very quickly on the screen. The process is quite long: you have to let the software run for several hours in the hope of seeing a result. Salvageable pixels will have a chance to come back to life with this solution.

3. Use YouTube

If the previous method is not feasible for you because you do not have a computer or an appropriate HDMI cable, you can try an alternative. It still requires your TV set to have an Internet connection and the ability to browse the Internet. If your TV has a Chromecast-type system, this can also do the trick.

Go to YouTube from your television’s interface (or from your smartphone if you use Chromecast), then search for “dead pixel fixing.” You will find many videos, which are usually very long. Pick one that is at least an hour long, but be aware that the longer the video, the more likely the rescue attempt will succeed. Then let the video run for as long as possible. Varying the colors on the screen can help unblock dead pixels and let them operate again.

Important point: if you have epilepsy, do not stare at your television screen during this test phase! The very rapid color variations could trigger an epileptic seizure.

4. Massage the Screen

Try this method at your own risk: it can wake up a dead pixel or create others if you press too hard. This is why it is not the preferred method, but you can try it if all else has failed and you are starting to seriously consider replacing your television.

Start by turning on your TV set and displaying a completely black image on it, for example, by using the remote control to select an unused HDMI input. Then, using the pad of your index finger, gently massage the spot where the dead pixel is. You should see a sort of colored halo appear around the area you massage. Press very gently for two to three seconds, then check the result. You can repeat this several times. If nothing changes after a few minutes, it is probably not worth continuing.

5. Wait a Little Longer

This is a method that is not very satisfactory, but sometimes a pixel only stops working temporarily. Sometimes, after trying everything, we find after a few days or weeks that the pixel has reactivated itself. There is no exact science on the subject, which is why it is so complicated to find a concrete solution to the problem.

One thing is certain: replacing a television screen generally costs almost as much as buying a new television. If you find that the defective pixels are dead for good, you can invest in a new Thomson smart TV without feeling guilty. Just remember to recycle your defective television set; it is good for the planet!