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27-inch iMac - Yellow Tinge
- Thread starter Davieis
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Not really an option for me, I write iPhone software and music software on OSX is generally much less of a headache because of how Core Audio is built into the OS and you don't have to use any kind of kludge like ASIO...
See what kind of silly predicament I am in?
Well, if I had to guess, I would think that the late 2009 iMac is not going to be around for long. Once Apple introduces RGB LED back lit Macbook Pros in January, people will begin screaming at Apple to kill off the new iMacs and rebuild them in a proper manner, with a proper screen and a proper graphics card.
That is not much of a consolation for those who purchased the new iMac as they will be left in the proverbial boat up the creek and without a paddle. The only alternative will be to throw the iMac overboard and use it as a boat anchor or perhaps a boot cleaner by their front door.
Well, if I had to guess, I would think that the late 2009 iMac is not going to be around for long. Once Apple introduces RGB LED back lit Macbook Pros in January, people will begin screaming at Apple to kill off the new iMacs and rebuild them in a proper manner, with a proper screen and a proper graphics card.
That is not much of a consolation for those who purchased the new iMac as they will be left in the proverbial boat up the creek and without a paddle. The only alternative will be to throw the iMac overboard and use it as a boat anchor or perhaps a boot cleaner by their front door.
hehe, Well I'm very happy with mine. And I don't believe Apple will do that as soon as you reference. Technology moves forward so we'll see what the timeline is.
...and its pattern is just like what jonwd illustrated in his post above. Here's a photo of my computer -- this picture shows it worse than it actually is, but you get the idea.
FWIW, there's no way that the magnetic fields from the iMac's speakers are causing this issue...magnets affected CRTs significantly, but they won't mess up an LCD display.
I'm also leaning toward keeping my current iMac. I've already had to return one because of the flickering issue, and it's pretty evident that this yellowing deal is a pretty widespread problem and it likely simply a limitation of the display's technology. My computer is flawless otherwise (no dead/stuck pixels, quiet hard drives, and no flickering...yet) and I know the likelihood of getting one that's significantly better is pretty darned low.
I'm comforted that other critical folks have also decided to keep their yellow computers. My wife thinks I'm nuts for wanting to try to swap this one out, but I tend to be overly anal about my toys.
If you can live with that yellow tinge then by all means keep your iMac. On the other hand if it really bothers you and you know that you will keep checking the screen over and over and over again and never really be happy with your purchase, then I would would advise you to return the computer for a refund. I could not live with it, but that is just me.
Some people can not stand a loud tick tocking clock while others can not stand a dingy yellow screen, everyone is different and has different standards of acceptability.
Well, if I had to guess, I would think that the late 2009 iMac is not going to be around for long. Once Apple introduces RGB LED back lit Macbook Pros in January, people will begin screaming at Apple to kill off the new iMacs and rebuild them in a proper manner, with a proper screen and a proper graphics card.
That is not much of a consolation for those who purchased the new iMac as they will be left in the proverbial boat up the creek and without a paddle. The only alternative will be to throw the iMac overboard and use it as a boat anchor or perhaps a boot cleaner by their front door.
I gotta disagree with you here. Frankly, I don't think the MBP's will get great new screens really (but who knows, could be wrong) and even if they did I don't think it would be a catalyst to change the iMac's. The MBP's would still be TN panels I believe.
Secondly, people were "screaming" at Apple to make the iMac a decent machine for awhile. Laptops in a box, they were. They finally made them with real desktop parts, but it certainly wasn't a fast response to consumer outcry. They might have gone ahead and done that anyway.
True the new RGB LED back lit Macbook Pro will probably still be a TN panel however it will be far superior to the "White" LED iMac panel. People will visit an Apple store and immediately ask what is wrong with the iMac panel once they compare it to the new RGB LED back lit Macbook Pro panel.
Getting back to the yellow tinge issue on the the iMac. Perhaps the only way to achieve a perfect screen would be to demand that each individual LED contain exactly the same amount, no more and no less of yellow phosphor. I have no idea how the LEDS are mounted, however if they are mounted in say 4 blocks behind the LCD, then it is possible that one block located on one quadrant of the screen could contain LEDS from a batch which contain excessive yellow phosphor. Perhaps the solution would be to ask a Genius to open up the iMac and replace the defective block of yellow tinged LEDS.
If the LEDS are not mounted in blocks then the Genius would have to individually test each LED and replace each off white yellow tinged LED so as to assure proper conformity.
BB, all of this presumes that the backlight is causing the yellow tinge on the new iMacs. I think it's quite a bit more likely that some sort of limitation in the panel itself is causing the problem. Since the yellow tinge seems to occur, without fail, at the bottom of the screen, maybe the position of the backlight with respect to the panel is such that a color error is the result.
You may very well be correct, something is dreadfully wrong to be producing the unsightly yellow tinge. The panel is a (LM270WQ1) made by LG and Apple is very hush hush regarding the specs. Unless proven otherwise, I'd guess the gamut is the usual standard 72% of sRGB. If in fact they were using a high gamut monitor, I believe they would be advertising that fact, of course, I could be wrong but I doubt it.
Looks like for nice monitors you get to pick between some slight yellowing for the iMac's, or a pink/green color gradation on that Dell you are touting (which I have no problems with, I'm on a Dell now).
http://en.community.dell.com/forums/p/19302919/19603137.aspx?PageIndex=1
Furthermore, even though it's got problems, Dell is saying they won't fix them. At least Apple is taking returns. My point?
Nothing is perfect it seems, unless you're willing to spend an absolute mint. And even then...
I agree with you there, this has gone way off topic. I think he is just hoping to convert as many people to Windows7 has he can
I also own a Dell and it has been perfect although Dell's customer support is probably the worst in the business. Apple's customer support (at least from anecdotal evidence) appears to be the best in the business, however their quality control is sadly lacking.
I read about the Dell pink/green color problem shortly after posting. You are right about Apple taking returns. Try that with Dell. Ha. I think the moral to the story is never ever purchase a Rev A product from any company. Sit back in the tall weeds and watch for at least 6 months before you make your move.
Based on "anecdotal" evidence (not sure we have access to any other kind really), all manufactures QC is quite bad. It's just that with Apple you still pay a premium. My uncle recently bought an i7 960 machine or whatever the higher x58 chip is, from HP, and not only was it defective, the entire line was. It would constantly freeze. After a month of them trying to "fix" it with nothing happening, he opted for a refund. Meanwhile everyone on the HP forums KNEW they were defective. HP then stated they would not refund his tax, because he didn't return it within 30 days. But they had been trying to fix it during that time! He had to fight with the manager to get it back, and furthermore, is not refunding sales tax even legal?
I've also had several "pro" Dell's at work break. Usually shortly after the warranty is up. Never want to buy a Dell myself. The ONLY machines that have been rock solid for me, are the ones I build myself with name brand high quality parts. Only one in the last ten years have ever given me a problem, and it was some weird Tyan dual AMD thing that got discontinued pretty quickly. Other than that? Never had a single problem. Parents have a machine I built that ran for seven years before it started acting weird, and it was some old AMD with a VIA chipset. I mean come on, it shouldn't be that hard for manufactures.
I'm hardly an Apple apologist (look through my posts, I even said "what idiot would buy an iMac?", and here I am seriously thinking about picking up an i5), but I'm not about to start saying Dell and HP etc. are the models that Apple needs to live up too. Not at all.
Every single one of my Dell 2209wa's (e-ips machines, with what appears to be a standard lamp backlight) have color uniformity issues. One of them is so bad I have to use it alone so that I don't notice it with a monitor right next too it. The other two were acceptable to use together, but one was clearly more blue while the other more yellow. No amount of calibration could fix this. But it was ok, I could still do my work! That's what is important.
I may actually go pick up an i5 this weekend as I REALLY need an OSX desktop. So...if there are issues that are significant at any level I will surely post about it. I am an extremely picky user in general...a perfectionist for the most part...
good post....
The thing about comparing Apple QC to any other tech company is that you also have to consider the unit volumes that each company sells.
The number of iMac that Apple ship within the US each month has got to be less than 200k, based on Mac sales generally.
I'm sure that Dell and HP sell many more times that....to give it perspective.
In my experience with Apple products, everything they do is much more likely to fail than any other piece of hardware.
Whether that be ipods, iphones, iMacs or mini's (all of which I have bought new) in fact I am yet to buy an Apple product that lasts longer than 12 months before requiring attention.
I'm sure my experience isn't typical, but 'just works' is not a slogan I would apply to them in any way, shape or form.
Well, the yellow tinge is the main reason why I am returning the iMac, after a rather interesting and insulting encounter with a "Genius". Read about that, HERE. The hardware fault notwithstanding, the whole experience at the Apple Store, has just left such a bad taste in my mouth. From not seeing the problem with the screen (while it was so apparent), to outright insulting my wife and I, the associate just soured my enthusiasm.
My 27" is being replaced as we speak... the waiting is started again...
But Im afraid it is a exchange that doesnt do any good.
Yesterday Ive been to the "Mediamarkt" (Apple reseller shop) and a 27" C2D was on display. I opened the finder and looked at the differences in color; the yellow thinge was also on that screen. Dropping my hopes of a good screen below zero.
Seems like every 27" screen has it... Can someone (with good eyes for color tell me they have one without the yellow thinge)
Naja, good luck with the new Mac m8. Hope it works out better for you. If not, then keep returning it till you get the unit you want. My experience with Apple Care (Germany) has been stellar.
At last, an admission of guilt. So much for the "common knowledge" that the new display has "45%" of RGB. Every number you've listed is bogus, and entirely made up by YOU. Sure, the displays may be white LED, but that doesn't mean they can't perform well. By all accounts EXCEPT YOURS WHICH HAS PROVEN TO BE COMPLETE BULLS**T, the new iMac display is the best Apple has EVER DELIVERED. Are you going to say that every pro out there with a cinema display got "taken"?
Why don't you do a little googling and tell me just how many times Apple has used color gamut as part of its marketing. EVER.
I agree. I was initially very interested in the new iMac, the design is fantastic, however the build quality leaves much to be desired.
The cheap white LED back lit screen will always be problematic and is an unchangeable component of the late 2009 iMac. The screen together with the high pitched whine problem, the flickering black out problem and the shattered glass screens preclude a rational consumer from even considering an iMac at this time.
Hopefully, Apple will improve the iMac over time. In the interim there are more compelling computers on the market. Specifically the Dell XPS 9000, together with the Dell UltraSharp U2410 monitor. Widows 7 is very stable and quite elegant, so unless you absolutely must have the candy coated Snow Leopard OS, I feel that the time has come to "dust our feet" from Apple and move forward.
While it is certainly true that the Vista debacle helped Apple in the short run, it is also true that Windows 7 is the Apple killer.
The late 2009 iMac is like a bad car wreck. The only thing left to do at this point is to move on and don't look back.
Oh, what might have been.
This post is where you really overplayed your hand. It's quite obvious to me now that you are if not an agent of industrial espionage on a grassroots level (and other readers, don't think they don't exist, because they do), then at least someone who has a vested interest in Apple's competition. Of course he's not going to say that any of the current Macs are "worth it" or a "good deal", or "pro machines". What a crock.
To everyone asking if there even exist 27" iMacs without the YT, scroll down in this forum a bit, you'll see several threads like "Raise your hand if your iMac is perfect!".
There is a huge difference between Adobe RGB and sRGB. I do not believe that you understand the difference.
If the new iMac contained a high gamut panel then Apple would be promoting that fact. Instead the silence is troublesome. It is as if they are ashamed of the specifications.
The new iMac display may very well be the best Apple has EVER DELIVERED. If so then that is quite pitiful.
Uuuugggh. Enough with the stupid fighting guys.
The iMac display is no RGBLED, we all know it, and we can debate whether it's priced like one or not, but I don't believe any current all-in-one desktop PC has one. If you need one, get a DreamColor or Dell monitor or whatever.
That said, having an obvious yellow tinge on the bottom 1/3 of your screen is hardly "a perfect picture with superb color consistency" as touted by Apple (see here for Apple's description), and it seems pretty reasonable to fault them for specifically marketing the machine's "superb color consistency" with very obviously non-uniform color showing up in so many of the screens.
The iMac display is no RGBLED, we all know it, and we can debate whether it's priced like one or not, but I don't believe any current all-in-one desktop PC has one. If you need one, get a DreamColor or Dell monitor or whatever.
That said, having an obvious yellow tinge on the bottom 1/3 of your screen is hardly "a perfect picture with superb color consistency" as touted by Apple (see here for Apple's description), and it seems pretty reasonable to fault them for specifically marketing the machine's "superb color consistency" with very obviously non-uniform color showing up in so many of the screens.
I agree there...the just works thing is a bogus PR line that obviously no longer applies these days, even if it "may have" to a greater degree in the past.
I know people are having a few problems and this is a great place to share and help each other. But I find all this anti-apple propaganda is spoiling these threads and in some way is danger of making people move to other forums, which would be a sad day.
It is not "anti-Apple propaganda" to report issues on a machine. Most of the propaganda around here is pro Apple with a scary amount of religious like fervor.
I actually think it is quite "pro-Apple" to stand up and say they are better than this. We know they can do a good job, and they are letting their customers down. So get with it Apple. This is Business 101.
Being anti-Apple would be saying their products are worthless, no matter what it is.
I think Robitay was referring to BB's suggestion that their products essentially are worthless and that anyone who buys them is a moron who doesn't know the difference between sRGB, RGB, and NTSC.
I completely agree that Apple's customers (myself included) should in no way settle for substandard products like yellow tinged screens. I'll keep sending mine back until I get one that's right, and I hope anyone else that buys one does the same.
All LCD monitors will have backlighting defects.
bluebermuda is foolish to think that RBG backlighting will ever come to a macbook pro.
Have you seen the Sony RGB backlit TV? It is 4 inches thick.
All laptop LCDs with LED are side-lit.
Most LED monitors with larger screens are backlit.
Backlighting is inferior to Plasma technology and even projection technology.
That is why most sports bars use plasma and why movie theaters use projection.
Even if you had a bunch of LEDs behind there is still space between each LED and that alone will cause a difference in light dispersion.
Until LCD can light each pixel like plasma it will always be an inferior technology and will have these types of defects.
bluebermuda is foolish to think that RBG backlighting will ever come to a macbook pro.
Have you seen the Sony RGB backlit TV? It is 4 inches thick.
All laptop LCDs with LED are side-lit.
Most LED monitors with larger screens are backlit.
Backlighting is inferior to Plasma technology and even projection technology.
That is why most sports bars use plasma and why movie theaters use projection.
Even if you had a bunch of LEDs behind there is still space between each LED and that alone will cause a difference in light dispersion.
Until LCD can light each pixel like plasma it will always be an inferior technology and will have these types of defects.
Are there pictures of this yellow tinge?
Is the problem limited to early production iMacs of this generation?
Is there a rough estimate on how many people it is affecting?
If it's that bad, I would think Apple would replace your iMac with one that doesn't have this problem. I haven't seen any sign of it, and I placed speakers right next to the screen to see if I could recreate the problem. No luck, the screen works really well. A friend of mine described it as being 'vivid.'
I did turn down the contrast a few notches though, the damn thing is very bright.
Is the problem limited to early production iMacs of this generation?
Is there a rough estimate on how many people it is affecting?
If it's that bad, I would think Apple would replace your iMac with one that doesn't have this problem. I haven't seen any sign of it, and I placed speakers right next to the screen to see if I could recreate the problem. No luck, the screen works really well. A friend of mine described it as being 'vivid.'
I did turn down the contrast a few notches though, the damn thing is very bright.