A factor in spoiling a
Plasma or
LCD screen with burn in is that it can buil up gradually.
That is we get a
minor removable burn but don't realise its there. This is sometimes
reffered to as residual image retention. If we don't realise
it is there we don't take action and of course the problem gets worse
and we trash our expensive screen.
There are a few ways to check. The most convenient is to check your TVs
menu for a 'white screen' option. This as the name suggests displays a
still white screen. The other option is to find a DVD with a plain
white picture (often at the very end or start) and pause it. Another
way is to plug in the PC and set the background to white. Basically any
very light (preferably white) background will emphasize screen burn and
reveal permanent retention in the making.
Usually the results will be so clear that you can see exactly which
channels, DVDs, games or TV guides are going to cause a problem. For
example after my son has done 2 hours Lord of The Rings (Battle for
Middle Earth) on the
Xbox 360 I can see the controls and even the score and 'mini map' using
any of these methods.
Try
our PC
fix trick to remove residual screen burn but it is more
suited for specific or severe screen burn. PixelProtector
has a 'color wash' for residual image retention.