Pixel Lines on Screen - only when backlight is on

My 5th generation iPod developed two thin black lines on the screen which coincided with several airport scans.

When will Apple notice this is a problem and come up with a solution?

Hi, I have 5th gen 30 gig same thing happened (black lines when backlit) after updating firmware - was perfect before. As others reported resetting made no difference. Is this going to be addressed or do apple just feel we should upgrade? (I have 8 gig iphone and 16 gig ipod touch but like the capacity of the trusty old 5 gen hd model). Make some noise. Come on apple look into it!!!!!

Same problem - black lines across the screen recently appeared and are growing. Interesting that these lines also just occurred after traveling through numerous airports. But I travel frequently so not sure why different now except that I went through both London Heathrow and Gatwick. Noticed that the previous post was from London. As this seems like more than normal wear and tear, Apple should be investigating and resolving! Look forward to hearing from them.

I unfortunately started out with the same problem when I first got my 5th generation (video) ipod in 2006. I started seeing the similar lines on my screen a few months after I bought it, but they went away so I thought nothing of it. Eventually they'd come in bigger chunks and wouldn't go away, and now the bottom of my screen and some of the side are dead (but it you put it in the light, you can still see words through the black). I got the performance plan from Best Buy and wanted a replacement and they told me the screen problems were my fault and that the warranty was now void. I wish there was a reason for this because I didn't do anything to my ipod to cause this.

Is replacing the LCD screen the only option?

I have an ipod classic 80gb
I ran out of waranty 15 days ago, and those lines appeared as little black spots, know they are across the screen, and keep growing,
Is there anything I can do to stop it or fix it? besides sending it for support???

Hello,

I am the owner of NF Tech Services, the repair company that was mentioned in this thread. We have repaired many 5th generation iPods with the dead pixel line issue that is described in this thread. Unfortunately, it's a widespread issue that seems to affect most 5th generation iPods that have a the LCD screen made by a certain supplier.

The LCD screen replacement costs $65.00, including return shipping with FedEx Home Delivery. The repair is guaranteed for 30 days. We do not use the screens that are known to have a dead pixel line issue, and all parts are brand new.

I would be more than happy to answer your questions about this issue- it's been one of our most common repairs, so I have seen many instances of this defect. The most unfortunate aspect of this issue is that the screen usually gets large dead pixel lines on it far before the iPod has reached the end of its useful life. In most cases, the screen can be replaced, and the iPod can be used for many more years.

The URL of our website is: www.nftechservices.com.

Hopefully this information can be of help to you.


Required Disclaimer: I may receive some form of compensation, financial or otherwise, from my recommendation or link.

OMG! My line got thicker too. At first it was thin, but now its thick. I hate it!

I think its something Apple put in there. How is it possible, three friends with the same Ipod have the exact same pixel lines appear on their Ipods within a month of eachother. When you update your Ipod, this is probably what happens. Oh well guess we all have to buy more.

same thing happened to me. i dont want to shell out 65 dollars for apple using a cheap lcd screen on me. THANKS APPLE.

Hi nfts08,

Thanks for posting here. I'd be interested to know why the lines are only visible when the backlight is on?

Cheers,

Kevin.

(Aside - isn't it a shame that we have to rely on a 3rd party company to explain the problem on Apples' own support forum?)

Kevin,

That's a good question.

I can't say for sure, but it seems that the dead pixels aren't visible when the backlight is off because they are not illuminated, so they just blend in with the rest of the screen. It's kind of hard to explain, and I'm not sure how familiar you are with the way an LCD screen functions, but the dead pixels exist whether the backlight is on or off; you just can't see them unless the backlight is on.

Either way, the only solution is to replace the LCD screen. In my experience, the dead pixel lines simply spread as time goes on.

Hopefully this clarifies things a bit.

Thanks!

Nick
NF Tech Services

I have the same issue. Lines showed up in mid August for me. This one is also a Black 30 gig video and was pre-ordered. I've used it relatively infrequently since the first few months. This is probably not even worth fixing now because the battery is likely a pos and in need of replacement soon as well. I'm very dissatisfied. Unless Apple steps up and offers a screen replacement or some reimbursement towards a new one, I'm probably not buying any more of their products. They will not even respond to this widespread problem on their own support forum.

Okay. I bought an iPod 30 gig and this happened to it, also.

This might sound strange, but you are actually witnessing the screen cracking. I don't know why, but that is what is happening. When it happened to me, it was just a couple lines a few pixels long and a few red dots. I decided that I could tolerate it. It got a little bit worse every day. This went on for about 3 weeks. Then, one Monday we didn't have school and I was listening to my iPod in my chair. By now the lines were really annoying. I set it down on my desk in my room and I went out to eat with my family. While I was gone, nothing touched my iPod. My desk is clean, my dogs physically are unable to go upstairs, I have no other inside pets besides fish, and no one in my family went up into my room. After I got home, I went upstairs and I was shocked and incredibly angry to find that my iPod's screen was physically cracked. No one had touched it, and it wasn't just a virtual crack. The glass inside was broken. It was bleeding and everything. I had to buy an iPod screen on eBay and fix it myself.

If you are currently having this problem, I strongly urge you to buy a screen on eBay (from a trusted seller) and replace your screen, because this is what happens.

Message was edited by: Benny S

Benny S:

I think the issue you're describing is different from the Pixel Lines issue described in this thread. The dead pixel lines that are photographed at the top of the thread and described in my post are not cracks on the iPod screen- they are just dead pixels on the LCD screen. (I've repaired many, many of these)

Either way, you are correct in stating that the only solution is to replace the LCD screen.

Nick

i got those lines. Any solution beside replacing the lcd panel?