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iLikebeer · Mar 23, 2005, 02:56 AM

I just bought a pair of polarized Oakley's and noticed the iPod photo is almost impossible to read while I'm wearing them. Anyone else notice this or is it maybe just mine.

It seems kind of weird because the iPod mini, my cell phone's color screen, my TV, and my lcd iMac all look fine with them. If the glass on the iPod photo screen is polarized too to cut down on the glare; well, it doesn't work too well.

Doesn't really bother me, just annoying to have to take off my sunglasses to change the song.

iREZ · Mar 23, 2005, 02:20 PM

I know I experience the same thing with my 3rd Gen iPod and my Maui Jim sunglasses. Just one of those things that sucks, makes me appreciate the shuffle even more.

ChrisF · Mar 23, 2005, 02:37 PM

Originally posted by iLikebeer:
I just bought a pair of polarized Oakley's and noticed the iPod photo is almost impossible to read while I'm wearing them. Anyone else notice this or is it maybe just mine.

All LCDs use polarized glass. That's what allows them to work. If you turn any of your other LCD equipped items while wearing your sunglasses you will notice the LCD appearance changing.

f1000 · Mar 23, 2005, 04:01 PM

Originally posted by ChrisF:
All LCDs use polarized glass. That's what allows them to work. If you turn any of your other LCD equipped items while wearing your sunglasses you will notice the LCD appearance changing.

Absolutely. Luckily, there are technologies just around the corner that don't use polarizers and will make LCD's obsolete.

ASIMO · Mar 23, 2005, 04:16 PM

I find that putting a clear (obviously) plastic such as the scroll wheel protector that came with the ipod alleviates the interference.

f1000 · Mar 23, 2005, 04:41 PM

Originally posted by ASIMO:
I find that putting a clear (obviously) plastic such as the scroll wheel protector that came with the ipod alleviates the interference.

That's because the plastic acts as a retarder. I'm sure that if one Googles "wave plate" one can find more details on how to better exploit this phenomenon. Even Scotch tape works.

iLikebeer · Mar 23, 2005, 07:33 PM

Originally posted by ChrisF:
All LCDs use polarized glass. That's what allows them to work. If you turn any of your other LCD equipped items while wearing your sunglasses you will notice the LCD appearance changing.

I don't know too much about the details of LCD's. While my GBA SP appears to have polarized glass, my 15" iMac's LCD doesn't, my phone doesn't, and my mom's iPod mini doesn't. *Edit: my Sony DV camera's screen doesn't have polarized glass either.

It seems that LCD's more likely to be used outdoors have them, just from my small group of test subjects. That seems weird to me, as I've always thought the gameboy and iPod photo have more glare in the sun.

Weird. I need to get a case anyways though, before my screen gets too scratched up.

littlegreenspud · Mar 24, 2005, 07:46 AM

Try turning your ipod through 90 degrees...

Zimphire · Mar 24, 2005, 07:49 AM

Yeah the first time I noticed this with my iPod photo, I thought my screen had messed up.

JHromadka · Mar 24, 2005, 11:13 AM

Originally posted by Zimphire:
Yeah the first time I noticed this with my iPod photo, I thought my screen had messed up.

Ditto. Had bought a pair of Oakleys and thought I broke my iPod's screen at first. You also notice the distortion on tinted car windows.

Zimphire · Mar 25, 2005, 08:19 AM

Yup, and the back of car windows that have the heating elements in them.

What really freaked me out was, I had the iPod in my coat, and it's a long coat. Accidentally sat on part of it. Now I am not a big guy, a weigh about a buck 50.

I went to look if I screwed it up, and had my sunglasses on. I freaked out.

ApeInTheShell · Mar 25, 2005, 03:23 PM

Maybe you cool dudes could take off your sunglasses for just a moment or a minute dare I say!

In Mac OS X you could change the display to warm yellowish white or neutral white. But that would mean you were working. *shrug*

Now I suspect your either running with an iPod on the beach singing and twirling around dancing every mile, driving in the car while changing songs, or staring in the bright sun at the iPod. Try turning off the backlight bucko.

ThinkInsane · Mar 25, 2005, 05:36 PM

Originally posted by ApeInTheShell:
Maybe you cool dudes could take off your sunglasses for just a moment or a minute dare I say!

In Mac OS X you could change the display to warm yellowish white or neutral white. But that would mean you were working. *shrug*

Now I suspect your either running with an iPod on the beach singing and twirling around dancing every mile, driving in the car while changing songs, or staring in the bright sun at the iPod. Try turning off the backlight bucko.

My eyes are pretty sensitive to light. If it's daylight and I'm outside, I've got a pair of Maui Jim's on. My comfort trumps my need to look cool, not look cool, or see my display undistorted. I do remember the first time I looked at the display when it was turned 90 degrees, it took me a second to realize that it wasn't broke, it was the glasses

mishakim · Mar 26, 2005, 12:42 PM

Originally posted by iLikebeer:
I don't know too much about the details of LCD's. While my GBA SP appears to have polarized glass, my 15" iMac's LCD doesn't, my phone doesn't, and my mom's iPod mini doesn't. *Edit: my Sony DV camera's screen doesn't have polarized glass either.

as noted above, all LCDs are polarized. If a screen looks ok when you've got polarized glasses on, try rotating either the screen or the glasses. You'll quickly see the effects of the polarization. The phone might not be LCD, but you should definitely see the effect with the iMac and the iPod, unless some coating is un-polarizing the light (I'm not sure if that's possible, or if it would just change the polarization angle.