What can you do to prevent or fix LCD Image Retention
First a few terms need to be defined.
Burn-In: With phosphor-based electronic displays (CRTs) non-uniform use of specific areas, such as prolonged display of non-moving images (text or graphics), can create a permanent ghost-like image of these objects or otherwise degrade image quality. This is because the phosphor compounds which emit light to produce images lose their luminance with use. This wear results in uneven light output over time, and in severe cases can create a ghost image of previous content.
Image Persistence / Retention: This is an Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) technology phenomena, and is similar in appearance to CRT burn-in. However, unlike CRT burn-in, the effects are usually temporary and often not visible without close inspection. This occurs as to create images, Liquid crystals bend in various ways to guide light to specific areas of the screen. If the image does not change for a period of time, the liquid crystals develop a memory and do not rapidly re-bend to another location. The result is a persistence or ghosting image.
Again - It is important to realize this this persistence is not permanent burn-in.
How MicroTouch devices combat LCD persistence/ghosting
Pixel shifting: MicroTouch LCDs employ Pixel shifting as a way to combat persistence. Pixel shifting is slightly shifting the image across pixels after an image has been left static for any length of time. This process repeats itself as long as the image remains static but is not observable to the viewer.
Pixel shifting does help, however, this process has it limitations and cannot prevent retention under all situations / conditions.
How to correct if you do experience: Persistence will dissipate with time once the displayed image has changed; however this can be a slow process 36 to 48 hours. To speed up the recovery, alternating between full white and full black screens will exercise the liquid crystals and speed the recovery. Many screen savers allow you to alternate between such images. Also, many diagnostic tools have full color alternating patterns.
Sign up for our Customer Portal. The portal provides a home base for you to interact with the MicroTouch support and services teams. It gives you a secure place to track and manage all open and closed support tickets—or file a new ticket—so you can move issues along at your own pace, see ticket activity and be reassured that your problems are being addressed. The portal also provides the most efficient method to initiate an RMA.
Launch a Ticket with our technical resource center. The center is here to support you M-F, 8 AM to 5 PM EST.