I have a HP LP2475w display with a cold cathode fluorescent light (CCFL) backlight. It is approximately 8 years old. However, it has only 9041 backlight hours, meaning it has been used for only 12.9% of the time and the rest of the time it has spent idle.
When compared with newer HP Z24i monitors, the LP2475w at 85% brightness will eventually after turning on and waiting be equivalent to Z24i at 90% brightness. However, Z24i at 100% brightness is only 300 cd/m2, whereas LP2475w at 100% brightness should be 400 cd/m2. Thus, I estimate the LP2475w has lost 20% of its backlight intensity. Yet it has only 9041 backlight hours.
Is it possible to lose CCFL intensity just by being idle due to e.g. diffusion or does the intensity of CCFLs degrade only when actually being used?