My iPod mini's display is blank

Question

I KNOW that the contrast is as high as it goes, but the display is totally blank. If I keep pushing the buttons I can make it play, but can't read anything. Just this morning when I plugged it into the computer, the battery thing came on very strong, but then it faded and again I can't see anything. Everything else seems to be working well, but like I said I can only do things by trial and error for not being able to see what I'm doing.
HELPPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

I am also having this problem. My Ipod 4g mini was brand new out of the box. I hooked it up to my ibook G4 10.3.9. Transferred songs to it from ITunes and then waited for the battery to fully charge for a few hours. I came back. Dismounted the Ipod, unplugged it from the USB and the screen was fine. But while I was scrolling through songs the screen began to get very faint. I went into the contrast and turned it up thinking it might be an 'available light' issue. It seemed better. I put the Ipod down to answer the phone and when I came back the screen was gone. No next, no pixels. No nothing. The backlight still worked, but there was still no text.
Now the weird things is that the music still played and the click wheel still clicked but I just couldn't read what was on the screen.
Being a long time Mac user (back to the SE), I fushed it out, restored it, reset it, tested my connections. Updated Itunes and the Software update etc. Nothing worked. Still no screen display.
(SKIP DOWN IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR ME RANT)
So I took it back to the store I bought it from and was politely told that because I had opened it, they couldn't take it back. They directed me to the local Apple Store here. I took it there and was told they'd never heard of that problem before and then directed me to call the 1-800 Apple support line. I did that and after waiting on hold for 40 minutes (!!), they suggested I restore, and fiddle with contrast etc etc. After telling them I'd done all they, they said they'd never heard of this problem before. And told me to fill out a form to get it sent in to be fixed. Not to mention I bought it for a trip I'm taking and now won't be able to take it.
(END OF RANT)
Now, Apple said they hadn't heard of this problem before. But clearly, I am not alone in this. I have searched the discussions and found a few more instances where people have had the same exact problem.
We have to let apple know there's some sort of defect on these so other people don't get duped into buyin' them.
Oh, and by the way, if anyone has a solution to this screen fading issue. That'd be great. Thanks.
I mean BESIDES the all-encompassing "Try resetting it."
Also, I've read in this forum that a woman had the same problem, sent it back to apple, got it back and the same thing happened again. What gives?
LINKS TO DISCUSSIONS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM:
Andrew M., "iPod contrast problems.", 04:23pm Aug 5, 2005 CDT
Karen Schmidt1, "My iPod mini's display is blank", 06:50am Sep 27, 2005 CDT
andrew ruth, "my screen is blank", 04:36pm Sep 26, 2005 CDT
Simone De Stefani, "iPod mini 4GB: contrast problem, screen almost invisible", 03:17pm Sep 22, 2005 CDT