LCDs don't have a degaussing function... only CRTs, and only some of those do.
I hate dead pixels, but you really have no choice as XGX said. Got a brand new Samsung that had a dead on smack in the middle, but couldn't return it because it can have up to 8 and be considered fine. Bullshit, IMO. Vizio has a zero dead pixel guarantee on their LCD TVs, incidentally...
