Al-doped ZnO films were deposited on glass in an in-line system by reactive mid-frequency (MF) magnetron sputtering. The influence of substrate position on the film properties as well as the relation between static and dynamic deposition are studied. All films showed low resistivity (<4×10-4Ωcm) and excellent transparency (> 80 % in the visible region). The resistivity ρ for substrate positions above the sputter craters (race tracks) is up to a factor of two higher than on other positions where the smallest ρ is 1.9 × 10-4 Ωcm. Major differences in statically deposited films as a function of the position on the substrate are found for the structural film properties as characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD) and etching behaviour. The different surface textures obtained after etching are directly related to variations in the short-circuit current densities of amorphous silicon p-i-n solar cells prepared on these etched ZnO:Al films.