just curious if the mba screen problem has been fixed?

[echo44]

close to 5000

well we are getting close to 5000 views on this thread
and we still have not had a single post from someone
who has or had a macbook air with lines get the problem fixed
or has had a replacement that does not have theses lines.
That makes it possible that all units are effected and some people
may not see the lines even if they are really there.
This wouldn't surprise me. same thing occurs with refresh rate
if the refresh rate is set incorrectly on a monitor i can see them
flickering where as some people standing right next to me do not
perceive the flickering.
What is disturbing is apple's lack of addressing this problem!
My last apple with any type of defect was a cube that developed the cracks
I didn't even care since it was just a subtle cosmetic issue and never returned it or complained but if you remember the sales of the cube were dismal in part
to the wide spread media coverage of the problem. As a significant stock holder in Apple I cringe when Apple doesn't adequately address these types of issues. It doesn't take much for a company to loose its shine. The way I see it 2 of the last three models of laptops are unusable. The mac book air for many has a defect resulting in lines in the screen. The macbook alu
screen is so washed out and viewing angle is very limited. IMO both of these models took a step back in screen quality and that is not a good sign for Apple. It will not be an issue if Apple addresses the problems and corrects them. Until that time I will stick to my two year old macbook pro
which is built like a tank and has been running close to 24 x7 since i bought the beast. I can not remember a single freeze the only time it gets shut down is when i do a restart to load software updates.

 

[queshy]

Just go back and buy it at a different store (from a different batch or something).

The reason why no one has addressed it is because few people suffer from this problem. Although I 100% believe you have this issue (never put a defective machine past Apple...), it's just not common. The MacBook Air really is one of Apple's least troubled laptops. Give it back and try again. Eventually you will get a flawless one.

 

[justit]

Eventually you will get a flawless one.

That's a bit simplistic don't you think?

I've gone to several stores and I am on my 3rd one about to be returned. The "few people" you mention actually notice the problem as it may be very subtle to the masses. It's not a crack in the case you can send to flickr and have everyone notice, just like the Rev A core shutdowns weren't consistent enough to have a product recall yet it's widely accepted that it did effect a significant chunk of MBAs in circulation.

And so goes the screen issues, as we're one of the first wave of people trying to respond to the problem so that hopefully others won't need to "Just go back and buy it at a different store"

 

[ninjadex]

... The MacBook Air really is one of Apple's least troubled laptops. Give it back and try again. Eventually you will get a flawless one ...

Not necessarily a significant feat. Apple only currently makes 5 different books. So unless every Air is flawless, this doesn't really fly.

Also, Apple has seen the issue first hand, and said it was within spec. So they are not going to endlessly exchange/swap for you. With that said, they will be replacing my screen at some point under Applecare, because this definitely is a defect.

 

[alphaxono]

I was trying to find other places for updates on the display of the Air and found two interesting pages.

Looks like many other had this issue loooooong before we did.

Funny thing (or not so funny) is that it seems like the nvidia chip was the culprit:

http://www.notebookforums.com/thread139322.html
http://www.nocrash.com/ncbbs/msgs/157.shtml

 

[Ironic]

Some member today did get new MBA and neither had lines, guess that good news.

 

[sychee]

The lines are still there! Well, will it be possible for individual update(s) to arrive even after Apple releases this last OSX update ?

 

[tommi80]

Some member today did get new MBA and neither had lines, guess that good news.

mhm.. that sounds good.. but they could also have had luck.

So, any new MBAs shipped with lines out there?

 

[h1d]

So, how's 10.5.6? (They even improved on the Chess stability!)

 

[alphaxono]

Here is another mention of the line issue and this time its in a ZDNet review:

http://www.zdnet.com.au/reviews/har...-GeForce-9400M-/0,2000065761,339293840,00.htm

 

[echo44]

"should be noted that our review sample exhibited the "grey line" issue that has troubled some units of the recent MacBook Air, as has been discussed on Apple's own support forums and MacRumors."
From zdnet review

I am convinced all models have the lines and some people are not sensitive to see them lucky them!
I revisted the local apple store on my previous visit they had the an old air side by side with the new air and the old air screen was much nicer!
now they have two new airs both have the lines! In fact yet to see
a unit without the lines. Until this problem is fixed unless your not sensitive to the lines I would stare clear of this model. I checked out again the mac book pro the screen was flawless except for the amount of glossyness
I think i would rather have the glossy , extra power and weight rather than the defective lighter macbook air for the same price.

 

[justit]

I am convinced all models have the lines and some people are not sensitive to see them lucky them!

These grey lines take up 40-50% of the screen. Most people don't know the difference between 720p vs. 1080p, they can't see that 720p is half the resolution offered by 1080p.

 

[justit]

It's now officially under the bad bullet points

Will this begin to get the ball rolling?

 

[jtmav]

These grey lines take up 40-50% of the screen. Most people don't know the difference between 720p vs. 1080p, they can't see that 720p is half the resolution offered by 1080p.

Huh? I got to tell you, I know the difference between 720p and 1080p and I also don't see the lines on my Rev B. I have tried all the different suggested settings and they're just not there. I was an early adopter of DLP Hi Def technology and am sensitive to what is called "the rainbow effect" so I don't think I am as oblivious as is being implied. Is there any chance that some of these screens are just fine? These forums are frequented by people extremely interested and, at times, very critical of the various topics discussed. I think it's a considerable leap to say "all" these screens are defective and some owners just don't see them. The way they are being described it sounds impossible NOT to see them.
YMMV
JTMav

 

[The Toddfather]

I am convinced all models have the lines and some people are not sensitive to see them lucky them!...

Saying the lines are on every MBA is as stupid as saying they are not on any.

 

[justit]

I think it's a considerable leap to say "all" these screens are defective
JTMav

Yes I agree, so why does your post quote me?

I'm simply making the point that some people can't tell the difference. I've gone through 3 MBAs and they all varied in intensity. To all those without lines: great, but many can't tell the difference either way (hence 720p vs 1080p).

 

[echo44]

I base my assumption and it is only an assumption on the observation from both this thread and the one on apple web site. So far no one who has seen the lines has had a replacement without the lines or has found at the store a
unit without the lines on display! I returned my first unit which had lines.
Since than I have seen a total of 5 units in chicago and chicago area on display
all have had the lines. So including the one i returned that would be 6 units.
Of course that is a small sample size but again the kicker is no one who has identified the lines has found a unit without the lines. It is possible those people exist and just haven't posted on these threads but it is also possible and seemingly somewhat more plausable that the problem may affect most if not all units. It seems very strange that if there were units that were not affected, one of us who have had a defective unit would have received a good unit as a replacement don't you think? Just common sense logic.

 

[nmook]

It seems very strange that if there were units that were not affected, one of us who have had a defective unit would have received a good unit as a replacement don't you think? Just common sense logic.

Agreed. I think it's far more likely that some people just aren't in the right environment or simply can't see them. However, you're not going to convince them of that (would you like to be told you can't see or hear something other people can?), so it's not even worth discussing really.

The fact that we can all agree upon is that at the very least, many MacBook Airs have the screen problem and nobody has received a replacement without lines. So hopefully Apple will resolve the issue as it continues to get reported more.

 

[justit]

Color Profile reduces grey lines?

Hooked up my 50" 1080p and the MBA is a champ, ran cool, no stutter and no fan noise. I noticed OSX added a new "Panasonic-TV" icc color profile. I decided to use it on MBA. Now is it just me or does it diminish (not eliminate) the lines? Please confirm if this profile somewhat helps anyone.

 

[mhnajjar]

Screen model 00009C9A
Production: week 50


@

 

[LeonX]

Hi -
because so many people stated they dont have lines I dared ordering a MBA, although I had seen them already on a display model. Yep, the new MBA has lines, too. No surprise. As I said before it's definetely a problem with the plastic layer on the display rather than with the panel itself. (I explained the physics about it in an old thread). Its a very subtle problem and other people around here couldnt see the problem until I told them. You need obviously to know what to look for and actually focus on the layer ON the screen. I am disappointed though because as always when you play lottery you hope to win even if chances are 1:1000000. I do believe that every single unit with a 9C9A display is affected (i dont want to argue about that) and that many people dont really care or even notice. But I still think there is hope that Apple switches to another panel especially since someone mentioned she got a 9C90 in another thread. I hope this is no type and we will see more of them down the road. Right now my unit (week 48) is getting back and to sweeten the wait I will take a Macbook from my employer...

 

[ninjadex]

Agreed. I think it's far more likely that some people just aren't in the right environment or simply can't see them. However, you're not going to convince them of that (would you like to be told you can't see or hear something other people can?), so it's not even worth discussing really.

The fact that we can all agree upon is that at the very least, many MacBook Airs have the screen problem and nobody has received a replacement without lines. So hopefully Apple will resolve the issue as it continues to get reported more.

This is what makes me worry that nothing ever will be done about the problem.

 

[alphaxono]

I got a call from Apple Support. They told me that they are keeping my MBA and sending it to Engineering and that I would have to wait for a couple of weeks to get another one. So I opted for getting my money back.

So basically they still don't know what the hell is going on.

Even though the MBA is a beautiful machine...i will prob. get a Thinkpad X301, X200s or Sony Z21 now.....Better hardware but sucky design and sucky software...but my eyes will thank me for it in the long run

Good luck to the rest of you...Let me when the problem is fixed!

Merry Christmas

 

[h1d]

Jobs not showing up at MacWorld, they basically have just a few QA testers who just look at the product for a few seconds and say 'OK' to go mass production, and what's going on with Apple now?

 

[davnee]

Agreed. I think it's far more likely that some people just aren't in the right environment or simply can't see them. However, you're not going to convince them of that (would you like to be told you can't see or hear something other people can?), so it's not even worth discussing really.

Put me in the camp that believes this problem afflicts every air. I've yet to see an air without lines, although the sample size is admittedly small, but what I did notice was that the lines were of varying intensity in each instance. My guess is that on some machines the phenomenon is faint enough that it is not noticeable to users with either poor vision or who are unaware of the defect and therefore don't focus on it.

Also, my administrative assistant spoke to the Apple rep for our university this week about getting my refund, and he admitted that the air had been causing them lots of problems - mine was definitely not the first return he'd encountered.

Of course, it does not really matter in the end if the lines problem affects all, most, or many airs. At a minimum we now know it affects many, and that means substantial financial losses to Apple for having to scrap and replace so many machines. Hopefully that will get their attention. In the meantime, I'm getting my money back and buying a macbook, which means less money in Apple's pocket.