Dead pixels in the CCD

[Francesco Bacigalupo]

Hello,
I've just realized my HD1's CCD has a dead pixel area of 2X2.
It shows up as overexposed and oversaturated. And what's worst those pixel were still alive when I received the device.
Apart from the fact that now I'd like to throw my camera down the toilet, I can bring some news about cropping with stabilization "ON".
I've noticed that the dead pixels stay in the same place on stills as on running video shot without stabilization. This proves that the whole CCD area is used when filming SD. I'll look deeper to be sure if the same happens for HD, but it seem so.
If you turn stabilization ON dead pixels keep moving a bit around the place where they usually stay, so a further resizing occurs.

Overall experience with the camera has been quite painful due to lack of focus freedom.
I'd really like to know who t.h. persuaded camera manufacturers that two/three speed zoom were needed more than a smooth focus control.
It's overwhelmingly sad.