Is this a stuck pixel on my Apple Cinema display?

Question

I just bought an Apple Cinema monitor and I just found what I think is a stuck pixel. I don't know if it's possible to fix it or not. It looks pink, but it changes to back (black?) if you drag it over the color blue. It does this to other colors too that are darker, and it turns pink in white. Is this actually a stuck pixel or am I screwed?

Answer 1

If it is in one of the controller boards or one of the lines you might be able to use software to "bang it out". Basically, it's software that rapidly cycles the colours of the pixels to try and un-jam that sub-pixel. These rarely work though, as the times this is the cause are slim-to-zero...

Sometimes a "sub-pixel" fault (like yours) it is caused by an imperfection in the LCD manufacturing process where there is impure air when the LCD is being pressed. The inconsistency causes a loose connection to part of that pixel. I have fixed MANY of these by "massaging out" the loose pixel. Sometimes the fix will stay permanently, other times you will need to massage it again, next time the temperature changes significantly and the air-bubble expands there again.

To massage-out a dead pixel, grab a proper microfibre screen-cleaning cloth (the ones for reading glasses are fine)... and turn on the screen, have it running for 15+ minutes to ensure the circuits are a normalised temperature, and while it's running - rub the affected area. Use 2 fingers crossed over, if you see the other pixels changing colour: back off the pressure ever-so-slightly. Don't apply so much pressure that the LCD cracks, just imagine that you have got a squished-bug smudge on your screen or something like that. If you have the smaller display with the shiny glass then this might not work, as the glass doesnt really touch the LCD panel... but it can't hurt to "give it a sturdy clean" with a cloth and medium pressure.