Pixel Lines on Screen - only when backlight is on

Question

Pixel Lines on Screen - only when backlight is on

I pre-ordered a Black 30GB Video iPod when I first heard about them.

For the past year, my iPod has stayed in mint condition because of my iPod sock. However I turned my iPod on the other day and there was 3 small lines in the middle of the screen.

There are no cracks on the front or back of iPod. Just pixelized lines on the screen.

They have grown each time my iPod has been turned on/off and they now stretch across the whole screen.

When the screen doesn't have a backlight, there are no lines viewable. When the light comes on they appear.

First time it appeared -

Today -

Anyone got any ideas how to fix it?

Thanks.

5th Generation, 30GB Black iPod Video, Windows XP

Posted on Nov 9, 2007 6:34 AM

Reply

Answer 1

kruton05

Level 1

10 points

Nov 9, 2007 6:41 AM in response to Matthew Power

do you still have your service plan?

send it back you will have a new one in about 5 days

its like depot.info.apple.com, or some config of those three words

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Answer 2

Nov 9, 2007 6:50 AM in response to kruton05

It says there is a £120 cost to service product?

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Answer 3

Dec 27, 2007 2:32 PM in response to Matthew Power

iMatthew my iPod is doing the EXACT SAME THING!!

Please can anyone help?

I don't think it's permanent because sometimes the solid lined turn to speckles and sometimes it's a solid line straight across the screen.
I wonder if has anything to do with docking stations as this problem began shortly after I got my hi fi speaker.

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Answer 4

riosgirl

Level 1

0 points

Dec 27, 2007 4:04 PM in response to rachelmaechel

Mine also has the lines similar to picture that someone else posted in a different spot. but the are thin black lines just like that

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Answer 5

Dec 27, 2007 4:28 PM in response to riosgirl

Yep mine are lower, around the area where the volume meter hows up. The lines in first picture in the post above looks just the way mine did. They morph and change every so often. Yours might start changing. They may get worse and then get better or they may stay the same for a while.

Not sure if Apple is aware of this issue? I hope it's just a simple firmware fix or something. For now, Im just happy my music is ok.

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Answer 6

Jan 4, 2008 12:33 PM in response to Matthew Power

I have exactly the same issue. Mine started a few days ago as a little line, maybe 30 pixels across. The next time I used the iPod it doubled. Now it's a line across the entire screen.

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Answer 7

Jan 4, 2008 4:51 PM in response to Matthew Power

I noticed my 30 gig Gen 5 doing the same thing at the airport today. Mine began with lines extending across the screen and they occur in multiple places. I've been reading up on the issue during my layover, but I haven't found any other information on this issue. I'm planning on doing the factory reset when I get home to see if that will help at all. I'll let everyone know how that goes (fingers crossed).

Message was edited by: SteveReeves

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Answer 8

Sarix

Level 1

8 points

Jan 7, 2008 8:02 AM in response to Matthew Power

I got my 5th Gen iPod two years ago and had never experienced anything like this.

A couple of days ago I tried to turn it on but it had run out of battery. When I plugged it to the computer it finally turned on I got the same pixel lines shown on your pictures, only a little lower on the screen.

I'm currently out of the country so can't call AppleCare from here. Any quick fixes?

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Answer 9

Jan 9, 2008 1:04 PM in response to Matthew Power

Same issue here. It occured within 12 hours of upgrading my version. Restoring to defaults is not an issue. I want to flash this thing with the older firmware to see if the issue goes away. it would be great if someone could confirm whether this is a hardware or software issue

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Answer 10

Jan 16, 2008 10:23 PM in response to SteveReeves

Just to update. Restoring the Factory Setup and flashing my G5 to older firmware revisions didn't fix the problem. It is interesting though b/c I noticed this issue shortly after the latest firmware upgrade too.

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Answer 11

Jan 17, 2008 1:05 AM in response to Matthew Power

I have the same problem. It started a month or so ago same as yours and has not gone away yet so I think its here to stay.
I noticed at first if I pushed on the screen where the line was at it would break the line up. Mine also has a line all the way across the screen about a quarter way down the screen right in a bad spot to view vidio. I was thinking of contacting that repair site that i saw someone posted, it says they repair the lcd screen for $65. thinking of calling them.
here is the address if anyone else wants to check it out.
http://nftechservices.com/iPod%20Service.html

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Answer 12

Jan 25, 2008 3:17 PM in response to chille1972

I have the same issue. Funny how it seems to have started for everyone around Nov 07 - Jan 08. Has anyone heard from Apple?

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Answer 13

Jan 25, 2008 4:22 PM in response to ElvisJulep

I hate to say it, but I wouldn't doubt it if this were (in a way) planned to happen. Nearly every company wants their products to wear out so you buy new ones!

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Answer 14

Sarix

Level 1

8 points

Jan 27, 2008 10:28 AM in response to Sarix

Unfortunately, I was out of the country when this happened so I couldn't call Apple Care right away nor restore the ipod because my library was in my desktop at home and not on my laptop. The lines kept growing and spreading the more I used the ipod, which started to worry me.

When I came back to the States I called Apple Care and they sent me a box to ship it to them. I will post again to let you know what they say.

Sarix

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Answer 15

Jan 30, 2008 7:11 PM in response to Matthew Power

Same thing has happened to mine. I've treated my iPod Video so good and all of a sudden a line shows up across my screen. It keeps getting thicker too! I took my iPod in to the Apple store at the Genius bar to see if they can fix it and all they were directing me to is to buy a new iPod. But I emailed the place that another user posted the link to and they said that we have dead pixels in our LCD screens. The only way to fix that is to replace the LCD screen. Has anyone sent their to these people yet (www.nftechservices.com)? I want to know if I can trust them and if they are legitimate. Can anyone please let me know if I should send my iPod to them?

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