Philips Pixel Service Manual

Philips' Flat Panel Monitors Pixel Defect Policy

Philips strives to deliver the highest quality products. We use some of the industry's most advanced manufacturing processes and practice stringent quality control. However, pixel or subpixel defects on the TFT LCD panels used in flat panel monitors are sometimes unavoidable. No manufacturer can guarantee that all panels will be free from pixel defects, but Philips guarantees that any monitor with an unacceptable number of defects will be repaired or replaced under warranty. This notice explains the different types of pixel defects and defines acceptable defect levels for each type. In order to qualify for repair or replacement under warranty, the number of pixel defects on a TFT LCD panel must exceed these acceptable levels. For example, no more than 0.0004% of the subpixels on a 15" XGA monitor may be defective. Additionally, because some types or combinations of pixel defects are more noticeable than others, Philips sets even higher quality standards for those.

Pixels and Subpixels

A pixel, or picture element, is composed of three subpixels in the primary colors of red, green and blue. Many pixels together form an image. When all subpixels of a pixel are lit, the three colored subpixels together appear as a single white pixel. When all are dark, the three colored subpixels together appear as a single black pixel. Other combinations of lit and dark subpixels appear as single pixels of other colors.

September 2003

Types of Pixel Defects

Pixel and subpixel defects appear on the screen in different ways. There are two categories of pixel defects and several types of subpixel defects within each category.

Bright Dot Defects

Bright dot defects appear as pixels or subpixels that are always lit or "on". These are the types of bright dot defects:

		Two adjacent lit subpixels:
	One lit red, green or blue subpixel	- Red + Blue = Purple	Three adjacent lit subpixels (one white pixel)
		- Red + Green = Yellow
		- Green + Blue = Cyan (Light Blue)

Black Dot Defects

Black dot defects appear as pixels or subpixels that are always dark or "off". These are the types of black dot defects:

One dark subpixel

Two or three adjacent dark subpixels

Proximity of Pixel Defects

Because pixel and subpixels defects of the same type that are nearby one another may be more noticeable, Philips also specifies tolerances for the proximity of pixel defects.

September 2003