Stuck Pixel

[CurseTheSky]

Hi guys,

My Envy 14 has developed a stuck pixel near the upper left corner. It's bright red, and quite distracting.

So far I've run JScreenFix over night (Javascript applet that does a colorized "snow" effect on the screen), and a different software-based fix on this website for a couple hours: http://www.topflashers.com/etc/screenfix/. I've also tried wrapping a ball point pen in a damp paper towel and gently pressing on that area of the screen, as well as using a stylus from my fiancée's old cell phone.

So far nothing has worked, and I'm getting really discouraged (considering it's a $1300 notebook, and developed the problem after the 21 day return period). Any other suggestions, or any encouraging success stories to give me a shred of hope?

Thanks.

 

[tweakboy]

I can help you possibly fix that. For the fix grab it from my site http://www.hammiestudios.com/Pixelfixer.MP4

I found this video years ago. It helps with correcting dead pixels correcting the smudge or if images stay on LCD when their gone... its magic actually. This should fix you up, run it for 20 minutes. Its in MP4 format. which is video... do full screen as well. Good luck

 

[evolucion8]

I also tried to use a soft tip pen cap to take away a stuck pixel that I had and didn't work until I turned the display off and then tried, worked with one stuck pixel but ddidn't work 'with the other stuck Pixel that I had and then I started tapping the screen with the opposite side of the pen several times and it worked like a champ and no issues for over a year.

 

[CurseTheSky]

I also tried to use a soft tip pen cap to take away a stuck pixel that I had and didn't work until I turned the display off and then tried, worked like a champ and no issues for over a year. Try to do that with the display on, and if doesn't work, then do it with the display off.

Since it's a laptop, I can't simply power the display off like I could with a desktop monitor. However, I figured out that I can use the connect to projector option in Windows 7 to turn the laptop's main display completely off. I tried applying pressure, then connecting to projector (turn off display), then releasing the pressure when the display comes back on after ~10 seconds (since no projector is found). I did that several times, and no luck. How hard should I be pressing? I'm pressing hard enough to get the weird "liquid" effect from the nearby area, though the laptop has "edge-to-edge glass" over the display, similar to Macbook Pros and iPhones.

I can help you possibly fix that. For the fix grab it from my site http://www.hammiestudios.com/Pixelfixer.MP4

I found this video years ago. It helps with correcting dead pixels correcting the smudge or if images stay on LCD when their gone... its magic actually. This should fix you up, run it for 20 minutes. Its in MP4 format. which is video... do full screen as well. Good luck

I'm trying this now. I've already tried two other similar "pixel-unstuckers" and haven't had any luck. I'll let it run for half an hour or so. Here's to hoping.

 

[CurseTheSky]

No luck with that MP4 tweakboy.

Testing with this page, http://jasonfarrell.com/misc/deadpixeltest.php, the "stuck" pixel is visible on the white (appears red) and green (appears dark, perhaps blue?) backgrounds. It is NOT visible (as far as I can tell) on the black, red, and blue backgrounds.

Perhaps this is a dead green subpixel instead of a stuck pixel? I sure hope not. I really don't want to RMA this thing.

 

[Shawn]

If it's still stuck after all that chances are it will be stuck forever. Either live with it or return it. I've never had any luck with any of the above techniques myself. Be careful when pressing on the screen. I wouldn't risk breaking the screen if you can still return it. Pretty sure they won't take back a cracked screen.

 

[CurseTheSky]

Well, I contacted HP. Their answer? "Sorry, it's normal. Nothing we can do unless there are 3 or more bad pixels."

I'm livid. Now I either have to find a way to fix it myself, or simply live with it staring at me. So much for a "premium" product.

 

[Rifter]

Well, I contacted HP. Their answer? "Sorry, it's normal. Nothing we can do unless there are 3 or more bad pixels."

I'm livid. Now I either have to find a way to fix it myself, or simply live with it staring at me. So much for a "premium" product.

You are lucky its three, most are 5-7. Its just somehting you need to live with when you are using LCD technology.

Im not going to suggest you do this but i had a dead pixel on my BenQ E2400HD LCD display for a few months, tried everything you have and decided i would have to live with it. It was dead and black so wasnt super obvious but i knew where it was and it did piss me off. Then one day i come home to find out my cat has knocked my LCD onto the ground from my desk, after screaming at the cat for 10 min and chasing it around the house i hooked it up and the dead pixel was working! i guess the shock of the fall must have done something, been working fine for over a year since then.

 

[MrK6]

Does HP do mail service for parts? For example, all the laptops I use are Dells and I just have to call them up and say "send me SKU # xxxxxxxxxx" and I get it two days later, switch out the part myself, and mail the defective one back. I had to do this for the LCD on my XT2 because the stylus scratched it. Anyway, call up HP customer support and see what they can do in that regard, make up some story if you have to, but I wouldn't lay down that kind of cash and be unhappy with my purchase.

 

[evolucion8]

You are lucky its three, most are 5-7. Its just somehting you need to live with when you are using LCD technology.

Im not going to suggest you do this but i had a dead pixel on my BenQ E2400HD LCD display for a few months, tried everything you have and decided i would have to live with it. It was dead and black so wasnt super obvious but i knew where it was and it did piss me off. Then one day i come home to find out my cat has knocked my LCD onto the ground from my desk, after screaming at the cat for 10 min and chasing it around the house i hooked it up and the dead pixel was working! i guess the shock of the fall must have done something, been working fine for over a year since then.

Seems that the shock was strong enough to shake everything and unstuck the pixel, I did something similar to my gf LCD which had a white stuck pixel with her HP LCD monitor, I tried everything and then I got mad and hit the pixel serveral times with the opposite side of the tip (It was round and smooth), softly but firmly enough like I have true intentions to unstuck the pixel, that trick also worked on my LCD display because the massaging technique didn't work at all.

 

[Flipped Gazelle]

... Then one day i come home to find out my cat has knocked my LCD onto the ground from my desk, after screaming at the cat for 10 min and chasing it around the house i hooked it up and the dead pixel was working! i guess the shock of the fall must have done something, been working fine for over a year since then.

I hope you apologized to the cat, and rewarded it for a job well done! :biggrin:

 

[Rifter]

I hope you apologized to the cat, and rewarded it for a job well done! :biggrin:

I did, i cracked open a can of tuna and gave it all to the cat. you should have seen the look the cat was giving me, she was like WTF you chase me around and scream at me for 10 min then i get treats? WTF lol.

 

[CurseTheSky]

Does HP do mail service for parts? For example, all the laptops I use are Dells and I just have to call them up and say "send me SKU # xxxxxxxxxx" and I get it two days later, switch out the part myself, and mail the defective one back. I had to do this for the LCD on my XT2 because the stylus scratched it. Anyway, call up HP customer support and see what they can do in that regard, make up some story if you have to, but I wouldn't lay down that kind of cash and be unhappy with my purchase.

Yep. Unfortunately, since the panel isn't deemed defective, I'll have to pay out of pocket. $320 for the 1600x900 screen. :\

I'm going to see if I can give them a call today and talk with a live person, since I was denied service by their email support. A "3 bright dot" return / service policy is absolutely ridiculous on a $1300 laptop, especially one with "Envy" in the name.

 

[MrK6]

Yep. Unfortunately, since the panel isn't deemed defective, I'll have to pay out of pocket. $320 for the 1600x900 screen. :\

I'm going to see if I can give them a call today and talk with a live person, since I was denied service by their email support. A "3 bright dot" return / service policy is absolutely ridiculous on a $1300 laptop, especially one with "Envy" in the name.

When you end up "Envy"ing customers who bought from other OEM's, HP's plan backfired. You can also tell them that you're doing a personal review of the laptop/have a huge thread on Anandtech/whatever - no CS rep wants to be the one that OK'd bad PR. The squeaky wheel gets the grease .

 

[CurseTheSky]

Just called in - they have a different support line specifically for Touchsmart, Envy, HDX, Firebird, etc. lines, sort of like Dell did back in the day for their XPS computers.

The rep spoke perfect English and was very helpful. After ~10 minutes on the phone, I have a service number that I can call in for repair service. I told them I wanted to hold off for a moment, since when I went into the BIOS screen, the bright pixel disappears. After testing it on server backgrounds in Windows, my guess is that the green subpixel is dead - it appears black on a green background, blue (perfect) on a blue background, red (perfect) on a red background, and red / pinkish on a white or gray background. In the BIOS screen, the area where the pixel is is colored blue, hence why I didn't see it while I was on the phone.

Any way, I'm happy that they're going to do something about it. I'm not happy that I'll be without a notebook for a week or two, but what can you do.

Thanks for the suggestions and support guys.

Edit: called back, authorized the repair. They're sending me a pre-paid shipping box, and it's a 4-6 day turn-around from the date they receive it. Not too bad. I'll wait to see how it comes back from the repair service (better not have any scratches, etc.), but I finally have some confidence back in HP, at least for their premium product lines.

 

[Caribbean Geek]

I'm glad that you were able to resolve your issue, I had an issue with my brand new HP Officejet 8000 Pro Wireless which came with a defective printhead and they sent me a replacement that arrived at my home 9 days later along with a prepaid envelope to send my defective unit, I didn't like the fact that the old printhead took some ink of my cartridges but oh well.

 

[CurseTheSky]

I'm glad that you were able to resolve your issue, I had an issue with my brand new HP Officejet 8000 Pro Wireless which came with a defective printhead and they sent me a replacement that arrived at my home 9 days later along with a prepaid envelope to send my defective unit, I didn't like the fact that the old printhead took some ink of my cartridges but oh well.

Yeah. HP reminds me of how Dell used to be - helpful. I have had several reps give me a run-around and / or crap information, but generally if I call back, I get someone that actually wants to help. They DO outsource their main support line, but I still found them much friendlier and easier to understand than Dell's. The Envy support line sounded like people form the USA, and they were extremely helpful and actually fun to talk to, lol.