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Another iMac 27" display problem that affects ALL iMac 27" ?
- Thread starter cinol
- Start date
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No worries, I'm glad to hear that not all 27" iMacs are affected.
My post title was based on Apple's very own conclusions, after testing all their 27" iMacs they assured me that they all had the same problem and initially concluded that the problem was software. They have now revised their conclusion to faulty video cards so it makes sense that not all of them have the same problem.
I'm talking about the pattern bleed in the blue and gray square here, the yellowing corners, flickering square and other issues are display related and most likely have nothing to do with the video card.
To those who do see the pattern bleed in the blue and / or gray square, I'd recommend hitting Apple for a new video card. Apple said something about the faulty video cards not being able to display millions of colors and defaulting to thousands... I'm not sure that makes sense to me and could just be the opinion of one Genius. No one should accept a visibly faulty video card in any case.
The only way to force Apple to be more careful about their QA is to make it so that it's less profitable to have to repair the faulty computers. By accepting faulty computers we confirm to Apple that they can make more profit by reducing the quality of their products and repairing the faulty units (sometimes replacing the faulty parts with faulty parts from previous repairs) than they would by producing quality units from the start.
Thanks to everyone for testing their screen.
My post title was based on Apple's very own conclusions, after testing all their 27" iMacs they assured me that they all had the same problem and initially concluded that the problem was software. They have now revised their conclusion to faulty video cards so it makes sense that not all of them have the same problem.
I'm talking about the pattern bleed in the blue and gray square here, the yellowing corners, flickering square and other issues are display related and most likely have nothing to do with the video card.
To those who do see the pattern bleed in the blue and / or gray square, I'd recommend hitting Apple for a new video card. Apple said something about the faulty video cards not being able to display millions of colors and defaulting to thousands... I'm not sure that makes sense to me and could just be the opinion of one Genius. No one should accept a visibly faulty video card in any case.
The only way to force Apple to be more careful about their QA is to make it so that it's less profitable to have to repair the faulty computers. By accepting faulty computers we confirm to Apple that they can make more profit by reducing the quality of their products and repairing the faulty units (sometimes replacing the faulty parts with faulty parts from previous repairs) than they would by producing quality units from the start.
Thanks to everyone for testing their screen.
On the converse side, this thread was very helpful to me, and it provides me a reason to get a replacement.
Yes, I see it only when used as a desktop picture. Could this be a problem with something having to do with blowing the picture up (stretching) for the desktop, instead graphics card problem? Since it works fine when view in Preview. I have 2009 i5 iMac. Did the graphics card replacement work?
After opening it in Preview set the zoom ratio to "Actual Size" by hitting Command-0. The pattern will show just like when you set it as your desktop image. You might have to enlarge the window to show more of the surrounding pattern as this is what causes the pattern bleed.
I tried moving it in Preview and oh WOW my screen went haywire. Everything was flickering and wow if I was an Epileptic things would be different.
I have slight yellow tinge on the bottom right and the blue pattern flickers for me but why can't I tell the flickering normally?
My iMac i7 screen is just fine. Ignore this B S and buy and enjoy a new iMac now. 
I just purchased my iMac i7 very recently. Received it September 29th from Fed Ex at 5 pm.
So far no problems and I love my very fast, quiet machine.
Threads like these are probably created on purpose by PC loving Trolls.
Think about that point of view for a minute. Mac rumors Forums = Best place to troll new Apple buyers. So far it seems to be working.
Guess what? I bought one and the machine is amazing. No problems here.
I just purchased my iMac i7 very recently. Received it September 29th from Fed Ex at 5 pm.
So far no problems and I love my very fast, quiet machine.
Threads like these are probably created on purpose by PC loving Trolls.
Think about that point of view for a minute. Mac rumors Forums = Best place to troll new Apple buyers. So far it seems to be working.
Guess what? I bought one and the machine is amazing. No problems here.
Here is a pic of my display, you can see that the top side is more blue from the bottom.
http://files.macit.co.il/263377a_forum_01.jpg
http://files.macit.co.il/263377a_forum_01.jpg
This pattern bleeding issue has nothing to do with the graphics card. I had exactly the same issue with my 20" Aluminium Cinema Display quite a few years back and was able to reproduce this issue on every single 20" or 23" ACD i got my hands on. And this was with quite a few different Macs: PM G4/Nvidia Graphics, PM G5/Nvidia Graphics, PowerBook G4/Ati Graphics, MacBook Pro/Nvidia Graphics...
And yes, my current iMac 27" has it too, but it's not as bad as it was on my Cinema Display. It's only barely visible and that might be the reason some people report they don't have it. You have to know what to look for...
In my opinion this issue has something to do with the design of the IPS panels used in Cinema Displays and iMacs as I was never able to reproduce the issue with PVA or TN panels.
I would think twice about having the graphics card replaced. It most probably won't change anything.
Here's a test picture that should show the issue across the entire screen. Don't open it if you're faint hearted...
And yes, my current iMac 27" has it too, but it's not as bad as it was on my Cinema Display. It's only barely visible and that might be the reason some people report they don't have it. You have to know what to look for...
In my opinion this issue has something to do with the design of the IPS panels used in Cinema Displays and iMacs as I was never able to reproduce the issue with PVA or TN panels.
I would think twice about having the graphics card replaced. It most probably won't change anything.
Here's a test picture that should show the issue across the entire screen. Don't open it if you're faint hearted...
Attachments
You won't believe it !
Let us know how is your replacement. Cheers[/QUOTE]
The third one came with FedEx one the morning and go back to Apple with UPS in the afternoon. The iMac came with dead pixels on the screen! Unbelievable! I finally accepted they send me a 4th one, this is the last try. They even do not give me any compensation and the customer service agent was quiet not very nice with me, like if I was suppose to just "live with" a faulty iMac and pay full price! I send a letter to Apple head office Branch of customer service. See what will be the answer
Let us know how is your replacement. Cheers[/QUOTE]
The third one came with FedEx one the morning and go back to Apple with UPS in the afternoon. The iMac came with dead pixels on the screen! Unbelievable! I finally accepted they send me a 4th one, this is the last try. They even do not give me any compensation and the customer service agent was quiet not very nice with me, like if I was suppose to just "live with" a faulty iMac and pay full price! I send a letter to Apple head office Branch of customer service. See what will be the answer
You may have better results from a Dell U2711 display then, if you still want to go 27". It's similar to the Apple display, besides not using LED backlighting, but then again, not getting yellow tinges either, since the LED backlighting is causing that. Otherwise, as for pro-grade stuff supporting the Adobe RGB color gamut, affordable and quality simply doesn't go together. The display would cost as much as a 21" iMac.
i5 2.8GHz and 5750 here
yellow is not serious, but i can see flicker and pattern.
btw the i can feel the pattern even when i see movies.
yellow is not serious, but i can see flicker and pattern.
btw the i can feel the pattern even when i see movies.
D'Illusion was simply expressing the irony of the guy a few posts up complaining how annoying these type of threads are, but yet still reading thru it and taking the time to post his opposition.
On a side note, I'll be picking up a 27" in the next few weeks, and plan on returning it until I get one that is 100% perfection. If I'm shelling out 2 grand, I expect no less.
--rob
It would be ironic if I had actually started this thread, a thread that states ALL 27" iMacs have this problem. No I wouldn't bother checking that out would I, having just bought a 27" iMac on the refresh day. The first page of this iMac section at the time of my reply had more than ten of the same "ohh the 27 has problems" threads, overkill much?D'Illusion was simply expressing the irony of the guy a few posts up complaining how annoying these type of threads are, but yet still reading thru it and taking the time to post his opposition.
On a side note, I'll be picking up a 27" in the next few weeks, and plan on returning it until I get one that is 100% perfection. If I'm shelling out 2 grand, I expect no less.
--rob
If you believe the hype of the internet you will never get a decent or usable 27" iMac, I look forward to your new thread about how your new 27" iMac is not good enough, lets just hope that your understanding of a defective product is better than your understanding or irony.
well to share my experience, just to let those who have a good imac on the first set. It may even make those who at their 3 change of imac happy.
My case it was 5 sets.
Week 31 sets. one week 26. First one week 31.
27 inch 3.2ghz i3
First one i brought from a shop and did not test it what so ever, i did notice that the screen is yellow, compare to my macbook pro. and as i investigate futher my screen is actually about 5% yellower on the left. Brighter on the right, yellow on the left. That does not borders me much until a dead pixel show up. Then i realize my imac vibrates quite a bit, went to several shops and the display sets has no such problem.
As i was editing my photos for work, i realize that i could not accept the misconception that i did not clean out the white properly, on photoshop, i keep checking if i have left out certain background with a gradient. And with that dead pixel. i decided to go and get an exchange.
At the shop. First exchange.
First week 31 set, terrible screen, a blob affecting about 15 pixels in the middle of the screen and a scratch on the inside of the screen. The sales guy then prepare another imac.
Second set week 31
This one was peculiar, it could not even start up.
So here comes the third set.
Third set week 26
I told the sales person why dun give me one that is beyond week 31, to be safe. he told me this one should be fine. And there we open up this set, and immediately we discover that the bluetooth is DEAD.
I was giving up and decided to just take my original mac home, its getting tiring and frustrating.
Fourth set week 31
Sales manager took out what he claim is the last available set in the store at the moment.
Perfect screen, No Yellow, Zero dead pixel, Zero vibration. Been using it since yesterday running several apps, no hangs and it is snappier then my first imac.
My believe is week 31 is a whole bad batch, maybe they do have new stocks beyond week 31 but they knew the 31s are problematic, thus they will try as best to make me settle with a week 31 imac.
This one is finally perfect.
I did do the test as provided in this thread, yes the grey box flickers and i see checked patterns in the blue box.
Nevertheless, i finally got my perfect imac, after 5 exchange.
Could you guys pls share your week of production as a reference to see if it's a batch problem, where this whole week 31, everyone in the factory is having a bad day.
so here is my saga with imac. I love this machine, still do, but something is definitely wrong with the production. with so many rejected sets, i dun believe they will all be turn in to refurbish sets, aat least in my country, singapore, we hardly see 27 inch imacs on refurbish. What is scary is they will repackage them and sell as new again.
My case it was 5 sets.
Week 31 sets. one week 26. First one week 31.
27 inch 3.2ghz i3
First one i brought from a shop and did not test it what so ever, i did notice that the screen is yellow, compare to my macbook pro. and as i investigate futher my screen is actually about 5% yellower on the left. Brighter on the right, yellow on the left. That does not borders me much until a dead pixel show up. Then i realize my imac vibrates quite a bit, went to several shops and the display sets has no such problem.
As i was editing my photos for work, i realize that i could not accept the misconception that i did not clean out the white properly, on photoshop, i keep checking if i have left out certain background with a gradient. And with that dead pixel. i decided to go and get an exchange.
At the shop. First exchange.
First week 31 set, terrible screen, a blob affecting about 15 pixels in the middle of the screen and a scratch on the inside of the screen. The sales guy then prepare another imac.
Second set week 31
This one was peculiar, it could not even start up.
So here comes the third set.
Third set week 26
I told the sales person why dun give me one that is beyond week 31, to be safe. he told me this one should be fine. And there we open up this set, and immediately we discover that the bluetooth is DEAD.
I was giving up and decided to just take my original mac home, its getting tiring and frustrating.
Fourth set week 31
Sales manager took out what he claim is the last available set in the store at the moment.
Perfect screen, No Yellow, Zero dead pixel, Zero vibration. Been using it since yesterday running several apps, no hangs and it is snappier then my first imac.
My believe is week 31 is a whole bad batch, maybe they do have new stocks beyond week 31 but they knew the 31s are problematic, thus they will try as best to make me settle with a week 31 imac.
This one is finally perfect.
I did do the test as provided in this thread, yes the grey box flickers and i see checked patterns in the blue box.
Nevertheless, i finally got my perfect imac, after 5 exchange.
Could you guys pls share your week of production as a reference to see if it's a batch problem, where this whole week 31, everyone in the factory is having a bad day.
so here is my saga with imac. I love this machine, still do, but something is definitely wrong with the production. with so many rejected sets, i dun believe they will all be turn in to refurbish sets, aat least in my country, singapore, we hardly see 27 inch imacs on refurbish. What is scary is they will repackage them and sell as new again.
Test image for 27" iMac display
You can try your 27" iMac display also with this http://www.fine.sk/imactest.jpg. It is the same picture, but in JPG, only 2Mb. You can try this also at Apple store, if there is internet connection on their 27" iMac and see, if it is everything OK.
You can try your 27" iMac display also with this http://www.fine.sk/imactest.jpg. It is the same picture, but in JPG, only 2Mb. You can try this also at Apple store, if there is internet connection on their 27" iMac and see, if it is everything OK.
Update!
OP here.
After escalating the issue to engineering and being unable to repair the issue OR provide a unit that shows no pattern bleed, Apple is refunding me. That's all they could offer. The way it sounded, they are doing their best to prevent a recall.
So I'm still baffled by those who say they don't see it. I believe it, but everyone at Apple is able to reproduce this problem on all 27" units of that model.
So I'm still going to go check a few stores to see if I can't find a unit that doesn't do that... I might resort to a 21"... or a laptop and a Cinema Display...
OP here.
After escalating the issue to engineering and being unable to repair the issue OR provide a unit that shows no pattern bleed, Apple is refunding me. That's all they could offer. The way it sounded, they are doing their best to prevent a recall.
So I'm still baffled by those who say they don't see it. I believe it, but everyone at Apple is able to reproduce this problem on all 27" units of that model.
So I'm still going to go check a few stores to see if I can't find a unit that doesn't do that... I might resort to a 21"... or a laptop and a Cinema Display...
I'm away from a Mac right now (slumming it on a Lenovo pc with a cheap NEC EA241WM LCD) but on opening the larger image I could see some sort of flicker here. Sure, this machine is only running at 1920x1200 but I am fairly certain that if the flicker you're seeing is the same as the one I'm seeing, it would appear to be at least partly an optical illusion. The eye is easily tricked by such things.
One other thing that it could be (and, again, I haven't tried this on my i7 but will do) is that perhaps it's some kind of moire or Newton's rings effect between the panel and the glass?
Guessing of course, but large dotted or speckled areas can do this to the human eye...
One other thing that it could be (and, again, I haven't tried this on my i7 but will do) is that perhaps it's some kind of moire or Newton's rings effect between the panel and the glass?
Guessing of course, but large dotted or speckled areas can do this to the human eye...
I imagine this is a result of how the panel used in the 27" works. I very much doubt that it's the graphics card, especially if you can plug in an external display that uses a different panel and not get the problem.
The issues here are no different to the many other issues that affect this and other panels given different patterns, gradients, etc. For example, a lot of LCD panels (including the iMac one) can display a "shimmering" effect on*large areas of certain colours if you look closely Mac OS X's default "blue" background color seen at shutdown seems to trigger it on this machine.
Me? I see the issues the OP describes on my 27" iMac. However, this is the first time I've seen them, ever, and I don't work with pictures like that. The issue doesn't affect me, so I don't care.
The issues here are no different to the many other issues that affect this and other panels given different patterns, gradients, etc. For example, a lot of LCD panels (including the iMac one) can display a "shimmering" effect on*large areas of certain colours if you look closely Mac OS X's default "blue" background color seen at shutdown seems to trigger it on this machine.
Me? I see the issues the OP describes on my 27" iMac. However, this is the first time I've seen them, ever, and I don't work with pictures like that. The issue doesn't affect me, so I don't care.
