We all know that when the older CRT (cathode ray tube) monitors start to show less sharpness and focus, then it means that CRT screen has outlived its life and need to be replaced. But how do you know if there is problem with LCD monitors? These newer monitors usually get stuck or dead pixels. A stuck pixel is a point on your LCD screen which always shows light. A dead pixel is a point on your LCD screen which never shows light and stays black. Its hard to notice these dead pixels on your screen under normal usage. But there is a program called LCDTester using which you can easily find the dead pixels on your LCD screen.
LCDTester is designed by Spacejock Software and you can download it from their web site. The download is available both as an installer and also as a portable zipped program. It is recommended that you download the portable edition so that you can use it on any computer without having to install it. LCDTester is designed for Windows XP, Vista and later versions of Windows. It may also work for Windows 98 and Windows 2000 users but those operating systems are unsupported.
When you run LCDTester for the first time, it shows a very simple window with a big Begin button in the center. When you click on this button, the screen would turn white. In the white screen, you can easily spot a dead pixel as it will not emit any light and stay dark. Now each time you click on the screen, it will change the primary colors (red, green and blue) so you can easily spot a stuck pixel as it will only emit light of one primary color. When you have located all the dead and stuck pixels, you can press any key on your keyboard to close LCDTester.
If you find any dead or stuck pixels and the LCD monitor is still under warranty then you should immediately contant the manufacturer for a replacement. Most of the manufacturers give you a full replcement if the monitor shows dead pixels under the warranty period. LCDTester may also come handy if you intend to buy an old LCD monitor from someone – you can always check it for any defective pixels before you pay for it.
So if you want to quickly check your or your friend’s LCD monitor for any defective stuck or dead pixels, then give LCDTester a try. You can download the free LCDTester from its web site at http://www.spacejock.com/LCDTester_Download.html.