[alligator]

I was reading up on the invisible shield, and I came across a post that said the shield is basically a 3M Scotchgard paint protection film that's used to protect the paint on cars. So I looked up the specs, and found what appears to be the same thing offered here. It is the same thickness, and much cheaper. I ordered some to test, and I'll let you know the results.

For $6.50, I will get a 12" x 12" square, enough to cover my two iPods. They have a video too if you want to see it in action. Check it out here.

[Brien]

I think that for most users, it'd still be easier to let the company cut the film for us.

[brokenjago]

Agreed ^^

[Railroader]

Looks like a good deal.

Trimming it to fit should be easy.

[alligator]

Sure, but $6 vs. $24 just for them to cut it? Why not just cut a small square to protect the screen?

There must be a template for an iPod online somewhere.

[sayuri]

I think this is a good alternative, and the price is very good.

[Chicacredes]

I have access to a plotter and was able to cut a protective cover out of a clear window cling material (I did not want any adhesives on my iPod). It works pretty well... doesnt fall off and barely noticeable. Covers the whole face of the iPod with the wheel cut out.

Anyways if you need a template i used this image from apple to create my cut file.

http://images.apple.com/ipod/images/...op20051013.jpg

[Peter]

Yes but you can remove the invisible shield in the future if you wish. And it wont look like a tacky piece of tape?

[alligator]

Just got the 3M material in the mail. Wow, for $6 you get enough material to cover every iPod you'll ever own. My piece is 12" wide by about 3 feet long. I'll be installing it tonight. It also comes with detailed installation instructions that appear similar to the ones from the InvisibleShield company. In short, they are really ripping you off just to cut the material. You can cut it yourself with a scissors.

[Railroader]

Originally Posted by alligator

Just got the 3M material in the mail. Wow, for $6 you get enough material to cover every iPod you'll ever own. My piece is 12" wide by about 3 feet long. I'll be installing it tonight. It also comes with detailed installation instructions that appear similar to the ones from the InvisibleShield company. In short, they are really ripping you off just to cut the material. You can cut it yourself with a scissors.

Excellent! Thanks for the info and the link. I'll place an order.

[SeSawaya]

so will it leave a residue when removed? Looks good!

[Duracell]

Also, give this a try, I've been using it on my black nano and it's great - not to everyone's taste though, no wheel and screen protection. I've kept my protective seal (the one out of the box) on under the case though.

Just a small warning though, mine appears to have started to split on the corner, but for a tenner, who can complain

[ajprice]

decalgirl.com have templates for iPods, I think they are psd or jpeg files.

[Ulrich Kinbote]

Originally Posted by sayuri

I think this is a good alternative, and the price is very good.

sayuri, is this really your first post, or did alligator sign up as a new user to agree with himself?

[ewiser]

Chicacredes where did you get the clear window cling material?

[alligator]

I applied it last night with soap and water. Works just like the InvisibleShield stuff that others have posted about. Just flip your iPod over and trace the outline with a single edge razor blade. Then dunk the film in water, peel off the back, wet the iPod and apply.

I covered my click wheels, and am really pleased with the result. If you had a template, you could get it even more accurate.

Plus, I have enough stuff left over to cover a lot more. I've used probably 1/3 of the material and I covered both devices twice last night - once to peel it off to see what happened, and once for the real application. It peels off without a trace.

[alligator]

Still works perfectly. I've covered just about everything I own. I can't say enough about this stuff. Plus, my iPods still fit into their docks just fine.

[TerryJ]

Looks like some great stuff! I am ordering the 4" version right now for my 30GB black video. Also, here is a link with exact specs on the video iPods provided by Apple for case and accessory designers.

http://developer.apple.com/hardware/...dimensions.pdf

[TerryJ]

Ummmm.... just went to place and order.... their shipping starts at $10.83 for FedEx Ground?!?!!?!?!? How much can a few inches of this stuff weigh and need to be packaged? That puts it right up there with the cost of the pre-cut stuff.

What a gouge... I'm not ordering based on this inflated shipping alone.

[SoBayJake]

I got some last week, and it works great. I covered the front and back.

The shipping was pricey. My total was around $17. But you get LOTS of it. Enough to do mine, my family members, practive, and then some. I've put it on my cell phone, etc. and still have 80% of it left.

[brokenjago]

It doesn't come with a lifetime warranty if it peels off, or gets f**cked up.

[SoBayJake]

Originally Posted by brokenjago

It doesn't come with a lifetime warranty if it peels off, or gets f**cked up.

Again, you get more than you can possibly need for one iPod. Also, with the invisible shield, you have to pay to send it back. Granted, that's not expensive at all, but still a hassle.

[Chicacredes]

Originally Posted by ewiser

Chicacredes where did you get the clear window cling material?

any kinkos with a sign and graphics department will have it. it would be like $10-15 a square foot. But they usually charge a $25 min. If you have any friends that work there they could probably hook you up with enough 'scrap' to cover your ipod with, or you could ask them for a sample of the material before you place your "order for your window clings" and they will probably give you enough for your ipod if you work it right.

they may have two kinds. i used the gerber material from the s&g department rather than the hp material for the oversize machine.

[MaxPower2k3]

You could also try one of the films from Best Skins Ever, which are made out of that same 3M protective film, but come pre-cut for $7 for a 5G iPod. I think the Nano films are $6. You don't get nearly as much material as buying a sheet of the stuff, but you don't have to deal with cutting it out, either.

Edit: I haven't tried these, but there's a link to a review from a site that also reviewed the InvisibleShield and they seemed to like it just as much.

[gyneric]

Doesn't installing this film require using soapy water? What's the risk of damaging your ipod by getting soapy water on it? This is the only thing keeping me from buying some of this stuff; I really don't want to damage my brand new ipod.

Alligator, when you installed the film, did you keep your ipod off for 24 hours like the instructions from invisible shield say?

[alligator]

Yes, it uses soapy water. You really don't need that much (just a little bit to make it not stick right away), and I left my iPod off overnight just to make sure everything dried out (but I doubt I got any inside my device).

It worked well - you could technically put it on without soapy water, but you'd have to peel it off a few times until you got it to lay correctly on your iPod. No big deal though.

[dekard]

Originally Posted by MaxPower2k3

You could also try one of the films from Best Skins Ever, which are made out of that same 3M protective film, but come pre-cut for $7 for a 5G iPod. I think the Nano films are $6. You don't get nearly as much material as buying a sheet of the stuff, but you don't have to deal with cutting it out, either.

Edit: I haven't tried these, but there's a link to a review from a site that also reviewed the InvisibleShield and they seemed to like it just as much.

I just ordered 3 skins from these folks for the cost of 1 of the name brand ones. I'll post back here my thoughts on this... I thought this thread was worth bumping...

[anorexorcist15]

I recently bought a lot of xpel paint protection (the 3m stuff). i can't say this with 100% confidence, but im quite sure that it is different stuff, either that or IS has an added layer or something.. ive installed the xpel onto my motorazr, and my girlfriends macbook, and testing it now if i rub some keys on my razr it leaves permanent scratches on the protector. invisible shield has some video's that show them kicking its ass against nails and keys, and this stuff i got just doesn't hold up. did anyone buy both IS and this other stuff? i want to know how they hold up against one another.. hopefully im wrong becaus Xpel's stuff was WAAAY cheaper. thanks.

[LeeG]

I have used invisible shield on several devices, and yes, you can save a few bucks trying to find a similar product and cutting it yourself, but for me, exact cuts, known reliability, and LIFETIME replacement guarantee make this worth it. My time is valuable, and if I need to template and cut a new piece whenever I replace it, its a pain. Worth a few extra bucks for me, but very creative of you!!

L

[uicandrew]

or go to bestskinsever.com and get it for much cheaper, yet still have the custom cut.

[pottymouth]

Originally Posted by LeeG

I have used invisible shield on several devices, and yes, you can save a few bucks trying to find a similar product and cutting it yourself, but for me, exact cuts, known reliability, and LIFETIME replacement guarantee make this worth it.

Agreed 100%

If I could get a sheet of this stuff locally for $6 and no shipping I'd buy and and put it on other devices, but I'd still pay invisible shield for the perfectly cut iPod protection.

[badsey]

eBay - 3m paint protection film, Parts Accessories, eBay Motors items on eBay.com

"Paint Protection Film" AKA 3M SGPPF6

Your local auto parts dealer may have other type of films in stock and with color.

3M Paint Protection Film - Bulk Rolls