# Is static-image burn on a television fixable? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 7, 2008, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-static-image-burn-on-a-television-fixable/448400 "2008-05-07T05:28:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-static-image-burn-on-a-television-fixable/448400/1 "2008-05-07T05:28:31Z")
So our big screen finally crapped out on us and we did what our repairman told us: found a used one on Craigslist. My wife checked it out before buying, but didn’t notice until we got it home that it has some static image burn on the screen (the seller assured us it had EXTREMELY low hours and was flawless, but that’s a thread for a different forum.) It’s fairly faint most of the time but really shows when the screen is light-colored. The only suggestion I’ve heard so far is to leave it on snow when we’re not watching it. Is there anything else we can do? It’s a Panasonic HD big screen. Not sure of the actual model but it’s a couple years old - not a plasma or LCD. I think it’s a rear-projection CRT. Thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-static-image-burn-on-a-television-fixable/448400/2 "2008-05-07T05:40:38Z")
[This was interesting](http://www.highdefforum.com/archive/index.php/t-6230.html). Apparently rear projection CRTs are among the most susceptible to burn in of current tech choices. > [@](#): > > Burn in is a physical wear on the phosphors of the tubes or panel. It’s not the same as the temporary issue of ‘image retention’. When phosphors are bombarded with electrons & give off light, they dim with use. The brighter they are driven, the faster they will age. Unused parts of the screen will remain brighter, and a full screen image will show variations in brightness in the pattern of the uneven wear. CRTs of RPTVs and Plasma drive their phosphors really hard, and will age must faster than a direct view CRT. Manuals of CRT based sets warn to not view images that don’t fill the screen, or contain static bright images like stock ticker scrollers, more than 15% of the time, to help delay burn in. Keeping your contrast & brightness at moderate levels also helps. It’s impossible to ‘un-age’ the phosphors, but it is theoretically possible to burn the brighter areas to the same dimness as the burned area … ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-static-image-burn-on-a-television-fixable/448400/3 "2008-05-07T06:21:51Z")
Sorry, but you’re SOL. Burned phosphors are burned. It’s the exact same process as the darkening of the ends of a florescent bulb. Hopefully you can get your money back as this set is definitely NOT low hours.