Screen Burn In

Mmm,

You are quite right that LCD displays don't experience "burn in", Joey, but they can and do sometimes suffer from the effects of "Image persistence". The process is different but the results can be similar. I had quite a bad case of it once on a PB12, in fact, in the menubar area.

See http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2807 for Apple's own advice and recommendations about such things.

They DO recommend using either Energy Saver or a screen saver to avoid it, and creating your own all white "screen saver" and using it for a while to get rid of it once it develops.

Cheers

Rod

In this case it is almost as if it is "Image persistence" , but generated by the light passing through the logo area , rather than by screen illumination itself. I wonder if this is actually possible!

Cheers

Rod

I appreciate the ideas and links, gang! I just don't think the identical ghost a bunch of us see 'in' our screens is "image persistence" because the oddity is not a constantly on-screen (or even familiar) item like a menu bar, side border, etc.

FWIW, these suggested solutions did not eliminate the image on my MBP (ditto on some others' screens):

- an image-changing screen saver (x6 months; didn't prevent);
- a solid white image covering the entire screen (x3 hours; didn't fix); and
- turning off the machine (x8 hours; didn't fix).

Alas, I think my ghost may even be getting worse. It used to show only with/against dark colors. Now it shows with medium-dark colors, too. Shoot.

Are you reluctant to take your machine in for evaluation at an Apple Store? RedKettle above got his screen replaced under warranty. You might too.

anyone who says a lcd cannot burn in a picture has not seen our lcd monitor at work that has the same picture displayed on it for 10 hours a day 5 days a week all year.ive tried the white back ground thing and that doesnt work.it is more then image persistance.

ive tried the white back ground thing and that doesnt work

The instructions I've seen indicate you will need to display a white screen for something on the order of the time the original picture displayed.

...anyone who says a lcd cannot burn in a picture has not seen our lcd monitor at work that has the same picture displayed on it for 10 hours a day 5 days a week all year.

Why is that, pray tell? Wouldn't a printed, framed picture be an equally useful and much less expensive replacement for the monitor?

@eww: I've yet to take my MBP to a store because I thought my odd screen thing had a 'sure, just do this...' fix. Plus it's not under warranty (I got it used, in tip-top shape, from a pal this past summer). So I'm still hoping for a cure or even a cause here. (crosses fingers)

Plus now I'm curious about how the identical effect can affect X number of MBPs yet, as Hollywood scribe William Goldman said about his biz, "Nobody knows anything."

P.S. I just found another thread from last Sept. where the OP includes two photos of the same apparition. Their ghost is a bit less rounded, and even more obvious:

Macbook Pro Screen Problem
Posted by: Xiaomizaina
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2179019&tstart=200

Xiaomizaina's photos:
http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/7148/photouu.jpg
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/8840/photo2gd.jpg

not sure how we would display a live network map on a printed canvas?

I see. When you said "the same picture displayed on it for 10 hours a day 5 days a week all year," I thought you meant it. If not, that's different.

I found this thread via Google. My sister's 13'' MBP (Summer 2009) had the same problem. It is definitely a ghost-like image of an upside-down sunset that is especially visible when displaying dark colors. Perhaps there was a defect in the batch of display panels used to make the laptops?

We made an appointment for the Genius Bar and it didn't seem like the technician had seen this problem before. They were able to swap out displays under warranty, but not after a close physical examination of the computer to see if the defect could be blamed on user damage, etc.

After the repair, the store said the laptops's liquid sensors had been tripped and future repairs would not be covered by Applecare. The computer has never gotten wet or had a drink spilled on it. This seems to be a common complaint with the newer laptops. They all have integrated moisture sensors that activate for no apparent reason, allowing Apple to wiggle out of warranty repairs.

Hi - Exactly the same problem on my MacBook Pro 13" purchased in Oct 09 - exactly the same pattern as others have described with a horizontal blur just above halfway up the screen and the start of a circle below it (the best description was the earlier one describing an inverted sunset / horizon).

Took it to the Genius Bar at Brent Cross, London - great service and immediately diagnosed as a problem with the screen, though the engineer had not seen it before. The part is now on order for replacement under warranty.

Display replaced today - thanks Apple Brent Cross!