There are a few things to consider when it comes to pixelated images. The first is whether or not the pixel is stuck or dead. If it is, then it may not be able to be fixed and the image will need to be replaced. If the pixel is live, then it can be fixed and the image will look good. However, there are a few things that can help determine if a pixel is stuck or dead: -The color of the image: If there is a black pixel on a blue background, then it may be indicative of a stuck or dead pixel. This can be fixed by either changing the color of the image or by replacing the entire frame. -The size of the image: If there are large chunks of white space in between pixels, then it may indicate that one or more pixels have been lost and need to be replaced. This can also be determined by checking for jagged lines and other irregularities in the image.
Having a single black pixel glaring at you when viewing certain background colors can be a bit frustrating and puzzling at the same time. Is it just stuck or is it dead? Today’s SuperUser Q&A post has the answer to a curious reader’s question.
Today’s Question & Answer session comes to us courtesy of SuperUser—a subdivision of Stack Exchange, a community-driven grouping of Q&A web sites.
Photo courtesy of Daniel Mogford (Flickr).
The Question
SuperUser reader Mirkan wants to know if a black pixel seen only when viewing a blue background is stuck or dead:
Is this a case of a stuck pixel or a dead one?
Is this pixel stuck or dead?
The Answer
SuperUser contributor Tetsujin has the answer for us:
Have something to add to the explanation? Sound off in the comments. Want to read more answers from other tech-savvy Stack Exchange users? Check out the full discussion thread here.
The reason the dead spot is visible only when blue is displayed is because it is a blue sub-pixel that is dead. When the background is blue, that is the only color on and it stands out. When the background is another color, the other sub-pixels reproduce it or it is still bright and absent blue, which is less noticeable.
For example, you can see yellow because it is created from red plus green. A white pixel with a dead blue sub-pixel will produce yellow, which is not very noticeable in a bright spot that small.
