Display of dark images/video

I'm glad the Washington Post mentions this issue--I want this problem to be well known when I try and exchange my Touch. I don't feel like jumping through hurdles to get a properly working device after I have already shelled out $400 for it. And ya, I know it's 1st gen and "the bleeding edge" and these are some of the drawbacks. I'm just saying I don't want to have to argue and pay a restocking fee when I do the exchange and getting this issue out there will hopefully force Apple to look into it and acknowledge it.

I think there will be a lot of Touch reviews this coming week and if the reviewers bring it up enough, the problem will definitely be addressed.

I got mine at about 3:00 on friday, I have not return mine, i'm going to wait until I know for sure that I can get one that doesn't have black level issues or wait for an announcement from apple and then ill return it. Even with the black level issue its a really cool device but I bought it to be more of an video player/internet browser then for the music so thats why i'm soooo disappointed. So I guess they are different shipments since you got them on saturday but they probably both came from the same warehouse.

I've been following this thread and I'm experiencing the same problems as those with the blacks not displaying correctly and producing the negative effect. I went to return it today at my local Bestbuy, but since I ordered online through BestBuy.com and used the instore pickup feature they wouldn't let me return it. They said they agreed the blacks were bad, but didn't think it was defective. They told me that I would have to call the one eight hundred number and return it there, but when I went online to read there return policy it says you can make returns in store ??? I feel like I'm getting the run around. Unless Apple releases an software or firmwire update next week, I will just try taking it back to a different store and bringing a copy of the BestBuy.com return policy with me, I may end up having to pay a restocking fee and that bites because I just got mine Saturday. This has really left a sour taste in my mouth as I am a Mac fanboy and this is my fourth iPod and I have purchased every OS update since Puma, along with a Power Mac G5, iMac G3, iBook G4, and Power Book G3 all new. I'm really disappointed, but I hope Apple makes this right. It wouldn't even bother me if Apple cut $150 dollars of the iPod touch in a month, as long as the one I purchased was working correctly.

I just returned my ipod to the Jacksonville, FL Store. Since the store was out of 16gb touches the manager just gave me a refund. I feel better having the money in my pocket until this issue is resolved.

However, in my short time with the iPod touch, I found that many of the really cool things were missing, and were tied to phone service or intentionally castrated by Apple. So I think it's an iPhone for me, despite the fact that I despise AT&T with a passion(Although I already have a plan with them, I am loathe to extend it.)

This thread was very helpful when I was trying to determine whether my unit was defective.

Thanks, Guys!

http://www.bestbuy.com/site//olspage.jsp?id=cat12098&entryURLType=&categoryId=ca t10001&type=page&entryURLID=&contentId=1043363607042

This is their return policy for Bestbuy.com purchases.

You CAN return in store.

There is NO restocking fee for MP3 players.

You have 30 days to do this. Print this out, go back there, get a manager if you have to. But they can't not follow their own policy.

I thought that if the box was unopened you can get a full refund. The restocking fee was for opened merchandise.

This may be helpful: A helpful web developer over at mac rumors set up a site so that we can figure out if there is any discernable pattern to this problem.

Input your info here: http://www.thoughtsgonecrazy.net/screen_report.php

You can view the results here: http://www.thoughtsgonecrazy.net/touch_report.php

Also a note on the serial prefix, the number after 9C7 is apparently the 'week number.' So for example mine is 9C737 so it's week 37.

Thanks for the advice, Sergey.

If we don't hear anything from Apple by Friday, I going to take mine back to a different store. Sorry, to hear that you didn't have better luck with your second iPod touch from Best Buy. I wish we had an Apple store here in Arkansas, but we won't be getting one until The Promenade at Chenal center gets completed here in Little Rock. There are only two Best Buys within a 150 mile radius that had iPod touches so even if I can return it, I may be waiting for awhile.

Best of luck on getting our devices either fixed via firm-wire update or through return/exchange.

Here is my information on my touch:

Serial Number: 9C7368
Software Version: 1.1

Message was edited by: Indie Rocker

The Apple rep at Best Buy told me the touch is launched and in full swing, so we should be seeing new units arrive at Best Buy on a weekly basis.

Hopefully, the next batch aren't problematic. It looks like week 37 was a bad week at the factory.

First post... unfortunate topic.

Got my 1st touch on Friday and instantly noticed the video problem. It looked like viewing thru 3-D glasses, really bad visual from the LCD.

Anyway, my wife went to the mall today and was able to exchange it at the Apple store, although they had to get a manager and it became a huge issue. The quote was "this is how they're supposed to look..." as they all huddled around looking at the reversed out/negative blacks on a video.

So, we hook up the one she got in exchange and it looks just as bad (if not worse). This time everything has a green hue in addition to the negative blacks. So I assume now they will argue to charge the $40 restock fee in order to accept back a 'defective' product (while repeating the above quote). Has anyone dealt w/ a 2nd exchange/return of an iPod Touch yet?

Just to vent: I'm not pleased that Apple seemed to rush this product to market. I would have gladly waited until November (I would have even pre-ordered now) for a screen that was decent.

Yea i agrre with Nunya. I heard that you could sell it for alot to hackers.

Unfortunately that was my experience too, 'that's the way the ipod looks'. I was also accused of being too picky, even though you couldn't view a movie on the thing.

I would advise you to re-buy at Best Buy or another retailer with a friendlier return policy. Apple has the nerve to release a sub-par product, that's also the most expensive available, and then argue with customers about restocking fees if they aren't in love with it.

Well I'm not really sure if mine is good or bad. Somewhere someone posted a link to a part of Silence of the Lambs on YouTube where I could kind of see the effect.

The thing that seems inconsistent to me is that the blacks on even my blackest album art appear fine. Wouldn't a display hardware issue be evident on both?

Hey, I will probably have to return my second touch to Best Buy. Not only do I still have video issues, but I also seem to have found some dust or something stuck under the screen, so a manufacturing defect.

Anyways, I got it on bestbuy.com, and I checked the policy, and you can return in a local store, what I am wondering about is, has anyone returned anything to Best Buy, especially maybe an iPod. Do they hassle you about it, or is painless?

The iLounge review of the Touch is online:

http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/ipod/review/apple-ipod-touch-8gb-16gb/

They downplay the display "negative blacks" issue, but overall they give it a pretty bad review, and rate it a B-.