HP Dead Pixel Policy ...

Hello - I occassionally see posts about this and I had to look for it myself recently, so I just wanted to post it for anyone who was curious or needs to know.

LCD Replacement Criteria
HP uses the following set of criteria when damaged LCDs are submitted for warranty coverage.

NOTE: All LCD panel manufacturing anomalies or irregularities should be examined at the highest possible resolution using both the brightest and darkest possible backgrounds, as some sub pixel failures may not be readily visible under certain conditions.

For dots always on or off:
XGA and WXGA Panels
6 or more dots in any combination and any color that are always on or off
Any 2 dots within 25mm of each other that are always on
Any 2 dots within 15mm of each other that are always off
WXGA+ and SXGA+ Panels
7 or more dots in any combination and any color that are always on or off
Any 2 dots within 25mm of each other that are always on
Any 2 dots within 15mm of each other that are always off
WSXGA+ and UXGA Panels
8 or more dots in any combination and any color that are always on or off
Any 2 dots within 25mm of each other that are always on
WUXGA Panels
9 or more dots in any combination and any color that are always on or off
Any 2 dots within 25mm of each other that are always on
Any 2 dots within 15mm of each other that are always off

The dead pixel policy for notebook PCs is here:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...e=c00035844&cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&dlc=en&lang=en

Their LCD Monitor policy is here (different than notebook PC LCD policy):
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/...e=c00288895&cc=us&lc=en&dlc=en&dlc=en&lang=en

What confuses me about this policy is that they say "dot" and not full pixel or sub pixel, whereas with their LCD monitor policy, a dead full pixel is unnacceptable (meaning all three subpixels are "dead"). I guess they were careful to use "dots" when they did it for LCD panels on notebook PCs.

How do you tell the difference between a dead subpixel and a full dead pixel anyway?

 

Wow they are really specific, probably to cover their asses

Normally the industry standard is 4 dead pixels, non of the subpixel crap. Id refund it straight away if i got dead pixels

 

That's exactly what I did. Had a dead pixel right away and sent it back. No reason to keep a dead pixel if you're within your 21 days.

 

Well, I had one dead pixel, but as I had mentioned in some other post, I didn't want the hassle of sending it back or exchanging it. It's not something I notice really and it's in the top left corner of the screen. Luckily, I bought it at Amazon.com and they had no trouble either returning it or giving me a 20% discount ($200), which I took. It's something I can live with. If I wanted to, I could probably push HP on the warranty to have it fixed, but again - hassle. It doesn't bother me enough - it's just one.

 

I definitely could have lived with the dead pixel because it was located on the lower left but the backlight flickering in one spot near it made me wonder what was going on in that area. Didn't want to take any chances I'd get stuck with a problem.

 

I would return even if was only one pixel because in the long run your eye will automatically gyrate towards it and will become bothersome. Warranty has free shipping for replacements to and fro.

 

Is there program that'll check for dead pixels?

 

No, dead pixels are very noticeable. They usually stand out. Just put a black screensaver or background on

 

Does it make sense that I don't have a single dead pixel on my screen.

 

yes that means you have a perfectly working screen

 

That is some great news. Do you think that they take special care to ensure top quality screens on the Special Edition?

 

Hey Guys - don't confuse STUCK pixels (always lit against a DARK screen) with DEAD pixels. The pixel I have in the upper left of my screen is DEAD, meaning I only see it on bright white screens if I see it at all, because it looks black. STUCK PIXELS TICK ME OFF - I returned like 5 Ipod Nanos (3rd gen) before getting one without STUCK pixels (and these were bright white) - those are annoying as all get out. Dead pixels are not as noticeable. Considering I paid $684 for the laptop when everyone else is paying $950 plus tax - I can live with it. As the dead pixel policy describes, I don't think HP will let me ship it for repair if there is just one dead pixel.

MACs are NOTORIOUS for having dead and stuck pixels because they use LED backlight technology. Everything else more commonly has DEAD (black) pixels. My friend spent $2000 on his MacBook and it had a dead pixel around the same place I have mine - had I paid THAT MUCH, you better believe I would make a stink, especially since Apple has no official dead pixel policy like HP does.

 

The best program I've seen to check/try to fix (good luck) dead pixels is a flash program called UD Pixel - it tests and tries to fix dead pixels:

http://www.xcess.info/a_program_that_can_fix_dead_pixels_on_your_lcd_screen_aen.aspx

OR

http://udpix.free.fr/


Another is Dead pixel killer if you don't want to install anything.

http://www.killdeadpixel.com/

Good luck - hope you don't find any. Supposedly, if you leave one of these programs running overnight, it might fix it by the morning - haven't tried it. Don't want to ruin my screen by leaving it on all that time.

 

I believe you cant fix dead pixels, maybe stuck pixels?

 

I've heard of people having success fixing "stuck" pixels, but not "dead" ones. It makes sense, because if a pixel is lit, that means it's at least receiving a signal. People talk about massaging the stuck pixel out and using programs like the ones above. Dead pixels are pretty much hopeless. I think of it like a light bulb. You know how when an incandescent lightbulb goes out, sometimes you can shake it around and get it to go on again, because the filament moves around - it's sort of like that I think.

 

dead = black
stuck = colours

but yeah, as already stated...can't fix dead, might fix stuck...depends on your luck. :\

 

Okay the analogy didn't work ... I was hoping no one would catch that.

 

I caught that. Might want to come up with another one, lol

 

If a lightbulb goes out, you can't fix it by shaking it around. lol

 

Sometimes ... as long as it's not the new flourescent kind. You never had a 60 watt bulb, shook it and got the filament to reconnect? GOD!

 

Yes, you learn about dead and stuck pixels when you have them. The dead pixel I had, I noticed within hours. It was d-e-a-d. My eye kept gravitating toward it but it was at least off to the side on the lower left hand side. I've never had a stuck pixel. That must be really annoying. At least with the dead pixel, some dust on my screen helped take away my eyes attraction toward it.

Here's hoping the new laptop screen is okay!

 

Good luck dude, but I think this time around, as long as everything else works, if there's just one (dark, not stuck) - let it slide ... my mother keeps telling me to stop obsessing over my electronics ... "Nothing's perfect!" she says. But I think it damn well should be!

It's nice to come to a place where I'm not considered anal retentive or obsessive compulsive though! After looking around, I was considering a "repair" for my one dead pixel, but then I read about people getting their laptops back all scratched and stuff. I'm sort of possessive - I don't like other people touching my crap!

 

Sorry but I must say no.

 

Jong81, I see that you've got the verve, is it as cool as they make it out to be.

 

I've got 1 dead and 1 or 2 stuck pixels. But my dead pixel is literally 2-3 from the bottom near the start button, so it's impossible to see.

The stuck pixel(s) developed a few months after purchase--I don't know how or why. One seems to come and go. They're both near the left side of my screen, around the middle, maybe 2cm apart from eachother on a 45 degree angle. But again, they only seem to be half stuck, as they change colour depending on what they're supposed to be displaying, but it's not correct. It's just...off? And one works most of the time, except for red. Hah. Again, impossible to see unless I stick my face 1cm from the screen.

That's what I love about WSXGA+ on 15.4", you can just sit back and everything melds into one

 

It seems you may qualify for repair based on HP's policy ...
Observe:

WSXGA+ and UXGA Panels
8 or more dots in any combination and any color that are always on or off
Any 2 dots within 25mm of each other that are always on

25mm is 2.25cm baby!!!

 

Yeah that's true. I thought about it when I first noticed them...but this machine is essential for me atm due to school. I've had to deal with repair depots before and at best it's a 1.5-2 week turnaround I find :\

Unfortunately since the stuck pixels are not always "on" ie they still sometimes change colours and are hard to see, I'd have to stretch my story to get HP to fix it. I think I could, but no time right now

 

I really like the verve - I sleep with it at night. Sometimes I leave it on for warmth and keep it open so we can spoon. It's casing is so smooth and soft.

Seriously though - love it - looks great, but the touchpad gets weird if your fingers are oily or sweaty. Like it's not easy to slide your finger, because of the material they used to make the touchpad. And I am the biggest fan of BLUE LIGHTS EVER. If something has pretty blue lights, I have to have it. This includes the gauges in my mazda 3, the pretty blue light on my PS3 ... Anything with a blue light turns me on. My cell phone's keypad even has a blue lit touchpad. What was I talking about? Oh yeah - it's hot ... but it smudges easy. It's kind of like having a black car.

I'm just BANG'IN OUT the bad analogies all over the place!!!

 

No, not really

 

jong, it was that blasted backlight going out that kept me from keeping that one dead pixel. I upped my res on the new lap (not yet shipped) anyway so maybe I'll just squint and make sure I don't see any imperfections. I'm one of those with a really bad repair experience like you mentioned. It happened a few years back and the lid came back looking like Freddy Krueger worked on it.

 

I hit an extra 2 .... the point is, it's within specifications!!!! Lol.

25 mm = 2.5 cm - better?