TX - keyboard is "imprinting" on the screen

Very annoying, but there is a reversed imprint of the keyboard on the LED screen of this unit. When closed there is no contact between the keyboard and the screen, so how does it happen? What can be done about other than a new screen?

It will not polish out, even with automobile rubbing compound.

Any ideas?

 

The usual keyboard imprint comes from the screen touching the keycaps when the laptop is shut and transferring some of the oils from your fingers from the keys to the screen. You can avoid this by putting a clean, lint-free cotton or microfiber cloth over they keys before you close the laptop. Sony sent my TZ back with a nice blue microfiber cloth both times I sent it in for work. I don't bother though.

For cleaning, I use a little bit of camera lens cleaner (although glasses cleaner would work as well), put a little bit on a cotton handkerchief or microfiber cloth and gently work on a small section of the screen, rubbing with a damp part of the cloth, then drying with the dry part.

Most of the auto rubbing compound I've seen is at least a little bit abrasive, which would really worry me about using it on the TX screen. For the normal keyboard imprint problem, you would want something that is not abrasive.

Good luck.
-John

 

Thank you. The abrasive material did no damage, but did not help.

I'll try the two-fold solution: lens cleaner, and if it works I'll start using a cloth.

 

I use a microfibre cloth to clean my TZ screen. First clean the dust off with a soft wipe, then for the grease, i breath on it and wipe it down. 1.5yrs and still scratch-free.

 

Based on the assumption that the problem is oils from my hands, I cleaned the screen diligently as suggested.

I can still read the keyboard on the screen when the unit is turned OFF, and even ON can see shadowing.

I do not think "oil" is the issue, unless it can etch the plastic somehow.

 

If you've used automobile rubbing compound on the screen, the outer protective coating will, in all likelihood be gone, and the oil in your fingers can then indeed damage the display. Consider your display damaged beyond repair by your failure to heed the warnings about cleaning the screen that was bundled with your computer. To quote the TX user manual:
"Avoid rubbing the LCD screen. This could damage the screen. Use a soft, dry cloth to wipe the LCD screen."

Never use any liquids that haven't been marked as safe for LCD displays or camera lenses. Never ever use anything with alcohol, isopropyl or acetone unless the manufacturer specifically tells you that you can do that, or you'll likely dissolve the protective coating, and sometimes even the plastic.
Distilled de-ionized water is pretty safe. And so are solutions that the vendor recommends. But automobile rubbing compound? No way.