just curious if the mba screen problem has been fixed?

[Maven1975]

Well what do you know, I got a screen with no lines!

I was at the mall yesterday evening and decided to poke my head into the local Apple store. The two MBA's on display in front of the store had lines. I decided to kill some time and tinker with the stuff inside the store when I stumbled upon a third MBA near the Genius bar.

I approached it to check for lines with little hope for improvement. However, I found it to be flawless like my Rev. A. Then I checked the spec's, 1.6 / 120GB!

Now.. you gonna think I am nuts, but I purchased a 1.86 (WK 46) and a 1.6 (WK 50) that night to examine things closer. Just as in the store, the 1.6 is flawless! The 1.86... well.. just crap.

Today, I had the screens swapped. I now have my 1.86 MBA back and am extremely pleased. The genuis bar said they were thankful that I pointed out this issue. Honestly, I think they are just happy the PIA is happy and out of the store.

No more yellow and or lines! There is still slight screen flicker, but this is also present on the new MBP I have and my friends new MB. Could this be from the introduction of LED and the way Apple's hardware is managing its power consumption?

P .00 6
B133EW03 V2
Color LCD


Now, off to list this MBP!

 

[LeonX]

Well what do you know, I got a screen with no lines!

However, I found it to be flawless like my Rev. A. Then I checked the spec's, 1.6 / 120GB!
Now.. you gonna think I am nuts, but I purchased a 1.86 (WK 46) and a 1.6 (WK 50) that night to examine things closer. Just as in the store, the 1.6 is flawless! The 1.86... well.. just crap.
Today, I had the screens swapped. I now have my 1.86 MBA back and am extremely pleased. The genuis bar said they were thankful that I pointed out this issue. Honestly, I think they are just happy the PIA is happy and out of the store.

P .00 6
B133EW03 V2
Color LCD


Now, off to list this MBP!

Well, thats what I was hoping for when I started the other thread about the display models. If thats true you are actually the first person who saw both good and bad units and its proven that its a screen issue. I hope you are right and keep my eye open for week 50 models with crisp screens. I would instantly get one! The only thing is that someone in the other thread mentioned that he got that panel as well and still got lines...

 

[justit]

However, I found it to be flawless like my Rev. A. Then I checked the spec's, 1.6 / 120GB!

Much respect for actually knowing the difference between a bad and good screen unlike much of the other noise in this thread.

 

[applenerd]

I Have Two Airs Side By Side And One Has Lines

Hi there,

Sadly I too have a week 44 model (1.86 SSD) and also have the lines problem.

My friend has an air (1.8 SSD) and his model does not exhibit the same problem. There is no recycled paper style texture (created by the grainy lines) visible in solid colours or elsewhere.

When compared side by side it is obvious there is a fault.

For those who think the fault is dependant on the user I hope this proves otherwise.

Someone on this thread said they swapped screens and this solved the problem. Has anyone else found this true?

I hoped Apple would have some input but Applecare said they had never heard of the problem. Think a refund and another Sony is the solution.

Regards,

 

[Lumpydog]

Today, I had the screens swapped.

How did you have that done? Did the Apple store actually take them apart and swap the physical screens? How long did it take?

 

[Maven1975]

How did you have that done? Did the Apple store actually take them apart and swap the physical screens? How long did it take?

This was the same store that had returned my two previous Air's. The manager was reluctant to sell me a 1.6, let alone a 1.6 and a 1.86 at the same time. I showed him the 1.6 on the sales floor and it seemed to finally spark his interests.

This is not a dig on anyone, but I felt the 4200 RPM drive unacceptable. I have been using SSD for the last year in my systems and have become jaded. I could have purchased a HD on eBay, but the price difference with the CPU upgrade is next to nothing. So, I was on a mission to get my 1.86 SSD!

I called the manager that same evening and told him that the 1.6 seemed to have an acceptable screen. He scheduled a genius bar appointment for the following day to take care of the issue.

On the way in, I purchased them a dozen cookies from the bakery in the mall. I felt that they were going the extra mile at this point and they appreciated the gesture.

The Genius and Manager were both shocked and impressed with the results. They have promised to forward the findings to the proper channels. The whole procedure took about an hour.

 

[justit]

I purchased them a dozen cookies

You're telling me a few cookies stand in the way of getting my 3rd MBA B screen replaced??

 

[Maven1975]

You're telling me a few cookies stand in the way of getting my 3rd MBA B screen replaced??

I know, it was kind of lame. But hey, they put up with me and thats no easy task.

FYI, The first part of the serial on the good 1.6 was W8850.

 

[shokunin]

I also have a 1.86/128ssd with lines...

The lines angle downwards from left to right. Annoying.

 

[Constantinos]

Just got today a week 50 MBA Rev. 2 from Apple Store in Westfield, London UK.

Have to report to fellow colleagues here that the screen is perfect the 4 finger swipes work and the machine flies. Did a migration of literally everything from my 'old' MBA Rev. 1 (settings, applications and more than 30 GB of documents and other files) in under 2 hrs using the migration assistant over an ad hoc computer to computer wireless network.

Congratulations Apple !

 

[nmook]

Just for an update, I stopped by the Apple Store at Tysons Corner, Virginia (one of the company's biggest stores).

They had a Week 50 1.6Ghz Rev. 2 MBA and a Week 43 1.8Ghz Rev. 2 MBA on display.

The Week 50 1.6Ghz DID HAVE the same line problem, although they were slightly fainter than the 1.8Ghz W43. So this problem has definitely not been fixed in all Week 50s.

One Apple Store employee couldn't see the lines at first, but acknowledged them once I had him stare at the screen a bit. He still said he could barely see them. Another Apple Store employee saw the lines immediately like myself and agreed they were annoying.

So I guess a lot depends on your eyes.

 

[nmook]

I also have a 1.86/128ssd with lines...

The lines angle downwards from left to right. Annoying.

This is the best image of the lines yet, good job catching them with the camera -- it's not an easy feat!!

 

[justit]

In this photo, the bands seem rather thick, mine are much thinner but follow the same type of pattern

 

[tubbymac]

I also have a 1.86/128ssd with lines...

The lines angle downwards from left to right. Annoying.

Wow, that is the first actual picture of the line problem I've seen. The one most of us are talking about is exactly this, where the lines do not fall on pixel boundaries. Amazing you were able to take a picture of it, as it's very difficult to get on camera.

The one I saw angled in the other direction, from right to left and the lines were slightly thinner. I wonder if the horizontal lines that others have posted pictures of that fall exactly on pixel boundaries is a different problem. Maybe there are two issues. The lines on pixels could be a panel defect and the ones not stuck to the pixels could be an interference/top coating defect.

 

[SummerBoy]

well..

I've got lines but I think i can live with it..

but if you are going to use it all day long or most of time, this is gonna be

tough..

 

[tubbymac]

Was browsing for Boxing Day sales today at the mall and passed by the Apple Store at Fairview Mall in Toronto, Canada. This was where I saw a Macbook Air rev B without the lines a while ago next to a rev A without the lines. They now have only the rev B models on display, one with the 1.6/120 hard drive and the other with the 1.8/128 ssd. Both units have the horizontal lines and the lines slant in a slightly downwards diagonal slope from left to right much like the last picture posted. Both had the flicker as well on the test pattern, but I didn't notice the flicker outside of the test pattern.

 

[LeonX]

Was browsing for Boxing Day sales today at the mall and passed by the Apple Store at Fairview Mall in Toronto, Canada. This was where I saw a Macbook Air rev B without the lines a while ago next to a rev A without the lines. They now have only the rev B models on display, one with the 1.6/120 hard drive and the other with the 1.8/128 ssd. Both units have the horizontal lines and the lines slant in a slightly downwards diagonal slope from left to right much like the last picture posted. Both had the flicker as well on the test pattern, but I didn't notice the flicker outside of the test pattern.

you didnt check for the display type and the build week, did you?

 

[ichigo11]

Went to the Westchester Mall in NY saw the new 1.6ghz MBA with perfect screen and the 1.8 next to it have the line issue.

Planning on going to the Apple store tomorrow or Monday see if they will replace my screen or let me exchange it for a new week 50 1.8ghz and see how that goes.

Does anyone know if I'm past my 14days return period can I still request them to exchange for a new MBA? Or will they just try to fix the problem on the old machine?

 

[justit]

new 1.6ghz MBA with perfect screen

Go for a screen replacement. Cross your fingers they keep that perfect screen on display when you bring yours in as it's your only argument to have it replaced. After dealing with 3 different stores that all have bad Rev B screens, the argument back from genius' is that "it's just built that way". Even with an older Rev A on display with a good screen will get you a "that was a different manufacturer" response and they are correct for saying that.

It's a highly subjective problem as some genius' can't tell the difference , so I seriously don't think they will get you a new machine after the 14 day return.

 

[McGilli]

How come now - people are saying the lines are on a slant?!? that has to be interference instead of a lcd build issue....

For the past 6 weeks no one ever mentioned a slant?

Is this a new lcd issue?

Either way whoever has one with issues - hope you get it taken care of soon....

some people on her have said that executive relations are looking into theirs etc - any news?

 

[justit]

How come now - people are saying the lines are on a slant?!? that has to be interference instead of a lcd build issue....

You're probably right with the interference as other have mentioned. It's not a pixel related problem. It's the same problem, very hard to describe but the slant is slight and it does bend a bit causing the dithering.

 

[tubbymac]

you didnt check for the display type and the build week, did you?

Nope I didn't think to check on those. Next time I pass by I'll record those numbers down.

 

[LeonX]

I wonder if anybody ordered an MBA online recently and got a week 50+ and can confirm that there are good units being shipped.

 

[mhobelsb]

i have have a week 51 revB. Still have lines and the flickering.

greetings

martin

 

[LeonX]

i have have a week 51 revB. Still have lines and the flickering.

greetings

martin

did you get the hd or the ssd version?
and what panel do you have? (you can check it with this terminal command:
ioreg -lw0 | grep IODisplayEDID | sed "/[^<]*</s///" | xxd -p -r | strings -6
)