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Orion27 · Sep 10, 2004, 08:55 AM

I don't leave my display on for long periods with with windows open. My screen is set to sleep in 15 minutes. Always been this way. Imagine my curiosity when I noticed, after reading mail and replying to several posts, screen burn in of my mail app after I closed the program. I was shocked to see it. I usually dispaly a medium grey screen background.
I have never noticed this before. I would definitely have noticed this had it occured before.
I know LCD's are subject to burn in but I don't use my machine to display static images or apps at any time. This display is 20 months old. I'm worried this could be a sign of unpleasant things to come. I have Apple Care.

subego · Sep 10, 2004, 03:59 PM

How long was your mail window open? Has it always been in the same place?

LCD's will "unburn" if you throw a different image at them. Try moving your mail window and wait awhile. I used to have burn-in from the viewer windows in Final Cut Pro. Rearranging them fixed it right up.

If it's happening super-quick though, I don't know what to tell you.

Orion27 · Sep 10, 2004, 07:18 PM

Originally posted by subego:
How long was your mail window open? Has it always been in the same place?

LCD's will "unburn" if you throw a different image at them. Try moving your mail window and wait awhile. I used to have burn-in from the viewer windows in Final Cut Pro. Rearranging them fixed it right up.

If it's happening super-quick though, I don't know what to tell you.

I'd say my mail app was open for about an hour or so. Apple has a tech document describing a fix. Essentially creating an all white background and letting that burn for the approximate time your app was open to create the shadow in the first place.

mrchin · Sep 11, 2004, 08:07 AM

If it's still in warranty, send it in or Genius Bar it. If it's determined NFG, then it should be repaired without a prob.

TailsToo · Sep 11, 2004, 10:44 AM

I've never heard of an LCD getting burn in - might be something else wrong. ( I don't think it's physically possible)

Cadaver · Sep 11, 2004, 12:19 PM

My 22" Cinema and 17" Studio do this, too (more so the 22" Cinema). I find that a bright, opaque window or object will leave a "ghost" when removed if there was a lot of contrast between the object and the background/desktop picture. It fades over time.

I try to use non-solid, multi color backgrounds. This tends to make the ghost effect invisible.

Orion, try changing your desktop pattern to something non-solid and not too dark and see if that helps.

bighill · Sep 11, 2004, 03:33 PM

If I leave a stickie in one place for too long it leaves a ghost on my 17" apple LCD. It goes away after a while. When I first saw one I was pretty freaked...

subego · Sep 11, 2004, 05:56 PM

Originally posted by TailsToo:
I've never heard of an LCD getting burn in - might be something else wrong. ( I don't think it's physically possible)

It's definitely possible. It's just not (usually) permanent.

motti · Sep 12, 2004, 08:13 AM

I had the same problem happen to me after setting the clock of my ATi card too high.

christopherus · Sep 14, 2004, 03:53 AM

I just got my brand new Cinema HD 23" Display yesterday, and guess what: I have shadows (burned) of my windows on a solid grey desktop just from the start, right out of the box!
I called Apple and they will replace it theese days.

Lancer409 · Sep 14, 2004, 05:53 PM

the three day swap is good to hear ... i'm starting to pay more attention to my lcd now =( *shudder"* good to hear it's not permanant