[Macworld.com]

Jonathan Seff test drives a service that offers to clean up scratches on your iPod's screen. The good news: it works. The bad news: the service is temporarily unavailable. [more]

[reidnixon]

Do not pass 'Go.' Do not waste $200 (or something like that!).
BUY A GOOD CASE BEFORE you even remove your iPod from its box!!!!
My Speck ToughSkin bulks it up a bit, but I have been soooo happy that I did this with my iPod Photo...especially with its big padded rubbery corners, having dropped it a few times.
I chose it based on Playlist's reviews of cases. Strange--on Speck's site, I only see it available for 5G (video) iPod. Older models have been abandoned.
My advice remains...protect it from the start with a case that covers the screen.

[exnihilo]

Nothing wrong with a short spat of elbow grease! You don't even have to spend the $10 - $20 for those products you listed. You can use scratch removers that you find in the car aisle at your nearest auto parts / big box retailer. Those cost $5-$6 and you get a whole lot more of it. I used one by Nu-Finish on the screen of a 3G iPod I got on eBay. The screen was significantly scratched, but after sever minutes of buffing, which I admit was not easy, it looked brand new! Same some time and money!

[bigpics]

Seems kind of strange to post a story about a defunct company that did a good job... ...but with poor service... ....which may or may not be back in business in the future.... ...with no alternative source for the service.....????
Some posts on the MacCast Forum some time ago had detailed instructions on using a combination of #1200 grit (NOT 400) sandpaper (which I couldn't find at either Home Depot nor auto supply stores) followed up by liquid polish. I can't find the article at the moment.
But I doubt I could've brought myself to actually sandpaper my iPod screen anyway.
DL TV has discussed using Brasso, but I can't vouch for that either...
So I've learned to be more careful and live with the scratch I have (and never notice anymore).

[ofusball21]

I have been very happy with my shieldzone cover for my 5 G iPod. It was the first thing I did when I took my iPod out of the box and has since then kept it looking brand new. Amazingly enough I still managed to get minor scratches on the bottom of the iPod when I was putting it on.

[Downing]

Quote:

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BUY A GOOD CASE BEFORE you even remove your iPod from its box!!!!

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Agreed. It takes a bit of discipline, but I've purchased my last two cases, via mail order, and had them in hand before I purchased my last two iPods. Consequently, my iPods are in near pristine conditions as I take them out of their respective cases only to charge or play them on my iPod stereos.
Ol' Ben Franklin wasn't kidding when he said an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.