LCD gradient test

[czachorski]

Yeah, I agree. Which is why I'm still on the fence. However, I have yet to see one in person that was perfect, but everyone's idea of it varies.

Perfect is a dangerous word. This post makes it sounds like you are thinking of buying, but your 1st one made me think you just wanted to rag on it. If you are thinking about buying it, get it. There have been several threads themed of "who is happy with their screen" and they all went several multiple pages with many many very good screen shots. This is not a systematic problem, but it is real - you are just drawing into small odds of getting a bad one.

My observations from this forum is that there is a lot of bias towards the problems, but the reality is closer to my experience. I was worried before I ordered after reading this very forum, and I volunteered to be a "random sample" for all the doom and gloomers - no bias in my sample, because I had not received it yet.

Judge for yourself, I won't use the word perfect, but I will say that I am happy with the performance:


Full Screen:

Left and Right Edges Side by Side:

 

[czachorski]

good luck. it´s probably not going to happen.
I have had a total of three 24in machines shipped to me via apple bto and all of them suffered from the gradient / tint issue. two machines were complete rubbish - absolutely laughable, with the right side of the screen not beeing able to display any white whatsoever. I have a review of the AL Imacs by
c´t magazin (heise.co.uk for English readers) and they clearly spell out the issue. the review is in German (that´s where I live) but you can rut it through babelfish to get the picture. Good screens are a rarity with the Al Imacs. If you absolutely need OS X wait and see what Apple does with the Pros and ACDs.

I'm sorry but there just no evidence so support your claim. Even your situation of 3 bad ones is plausible with a small percentage of bad ones - some people are going to have terrible luck and draw on 5 or 10% odds and crap out 2,3 or even 4 times in a row. I feel terrible for people like you, and I understand why you are claiming that they are all bad, after your experience, but it just is not true, nor is it true that it is as widespread as you are making it out to be.

 

[rpeters83]

Perfect is a dangerous word. This post makes it sounds like you are thinking of buying, but your 1st one made me think you just wanted to rag on it. If you are thinking about buying it, get it. There have been several threads themed of "who is happy with their screen" and they all went several multiple pages with many many very good screen shots. This is not a systematic problem, but it is real - you are just drawing into small odds of getting a bad one.

My observations from this forum is that there is a lot of bias towards the problems, but the reality is closer to my experience. I was worried before I ordered after reading this very forum, and I volunteered to be a "random sample" for all the doom and gloomers - no bias in my sample, because I had not received it yet.

Judge for yourself, I won't use the word perfect, but I will say that I am happy with the performance:


Full Screen:

Left and Right Edges Side by Side:

I meant I was on the fence about exchanging mine. Who knows, maybe I'll just keep trying until I get one better.

BTW, can you tell me which build week yours is? Thanks.

 

[czachorski]

I meant I was on the fence about exchanging mine. Who knows, maybe I'll just keep trying until I get one better.

BTW, can you tell me which build week yours is? Thanks.

How do you do that?

 

[cxc]

How do you do that?

pull up your serial number. it´s the 3rd and 4th digit, or so.
man, I did go out to find a good screen but none of the retailers had a single one.
It´s definitely an issue. Apple is being silent about it bc what should they do?
As long as the Mac doesn´t burn down the house it´s in perfect order for them.

 

[czachorski]

pull up your serial number. it´s the 3rd and 4th digit, or so.
man, I did go out to find a good screen but none of the retailers had a single one.
It´s definitely an issue. Apple is being silent about it bc what should they do?
As long as the Mac doesn´t burn down the house it´s in perfect order for them.

My wife and I were just looking at the image on the screen, and you're eyes can trick you depending on where you are standing due to viewing issue angles. She thought the right looked slightly darker, and I thought the left did, even though we know the screen is good and that a straight on photo in the dark shows evenness, and normal daily use there is no noticeable gradient. When you start starring at something under scrutiny, even your eyes and brain play tricks on you (as has been demonstrated with optical illusions over the years - see below). Even photos of nearly perfect screens can be taken under conditions that make it look poor. For fun, I took a photo of my white wall a while back and posted it here, and it had a gradient. There is a lot more in play here than just the screen, including the viewing angles, lighting conditions in the shop, lighting conditions when photos are taken, the camera itself etc.

Serial starts with W8742Ou......so does that mean its week 42?


Stare at this bugger for a while, and you will convince yourself there are grey spots in between the dark squares, where there are not:

 

[SaSaSushi]

pull up your serial number. it´s the 3rd and 4th digit, or so.
man, I did go out to find a good screen but none of the retailers had a single one.
It´s definitely an issue. Apple is being silent about it bc what should they do?
As long as the Mac doesn´t burn down the house it´s in perfect order for them.

It's not a matter of what Apple "should" do. All due respect to your fine German magazine if this was as widespread a problem as they (and you) claim Apple would be forced to respond officially.

 

[SaSaSushi]

How do you do that?

This app is great for all the details you could want to know about your Mac:

http://www.coconut-flavour.com/coconutidentitycard/index.html

 

[SaSaSushi]

Listen, I'm not going to waste my time on you or get into some forum pissing-contest, but lighten up and stop following my every move.

The hard data I was referring to was the Tom's article. There was one more I had open on my work computer if you'd like to wait until monday to get it to do. Would that make you happy, sweetie?

I hope you'll pardon me for saying so but you don't come across as very intelligent.

I already responded to the Tom's Hardware article in one of your other dozen threads about gradients.

I can appreciate your romantic advances but sorry, I'm married (to a woman).

I've already told you what would make me happy is if you stop spouting disinformation in 12 threads a day about the same nonsense. Your ridiculous BS theories with absolutely no data to support them like 'non-gradient iMacs are a rarity' are dangerous.

 

[rpeters83]

It's not a matter of what Apple "should" do. All due respect to your fine German magazine if this was as widespread a problem as they (and you) claim Apple would be forced to respond officially.

For what it's worth, the apple rep I met with today said apple was "restricting" shipments of the ALU imacs (I tried to get an exchange but they had none!). Perhaps they are trying to remedy the problem, albeit silently.

 

[SaSaSushi]

My wife and I were just looking at the image on the screen, and you're eyes can trick you depending on where you are standing due to viewing issue angles. She thought the right looked slightly darker, and I thought the left did, even though we know the screen is good and that a straight on photo in the dark shows evenness, and normal daily use there is no noticeable gradient. When you start starring at something under scrutiny, even your eyes and brain play tricks on you (as has been demonstrated with optical illusions over the years - see below). Even photos of nearly perfect screens can be taken under conditions that make it look poor. For fun, I took a photo of my white wall a while back and posted it here, and it had a gradient. There is a lot more in play here than just the screen, including the viewing angles, lighting conditions in the shop, lighting conditions when photos are taken, the camera itself etc.

It's an excellent point. I noticed the same exact thing on my own screen with the gradient test images. Just adjusting the viewing angle slightly makes you start seeing things.

 

[SaSaSushi]

For what it's worth, the apple rep I met with today said apple was "restricting" shipments of the ALU imacs (I tried to get an exchange but they had none!). Perhaps they are trying to remedy the problem, albeit silently.

Perhaps the guy is just tiring of you showing up 3 times a day to exchange your iMac and is blowing you off. Have you given that any consideration?

A quick check of the online Apple Store here in Japan where I bought my own iMac still shows the "ships within 24 hours" on the standard 24" model.

Considering your track record in here in "news" and fact reporting you'll pardon me if I'm a bit skeptical.

 

[rpeters83]

I hope you'll pardon me for saying so but you don't come across as very intelligent.

I already responded to the Tom's Hardware article in one of your other dozen threads about gradients.

I can appreciate your romantic advances but sorry, I'm married (to a woman).

I've already told you what would make me happy is if you stop spouting disinformation in 12 threads a day about the same nonsense. Your ridiculous BS theories with absolutely no data to support them like 'non-gradient iMacs are a rarity' are dangerous.

Wow. A personal attack now? Damn, man, lighten up. I'm not the only one posting about these screens. The only data I have to go on are the one's I've seen in person and an Apple rep agreeing with me.

Now can we stop this already? I truley don't care what you say or how you feel about my posts. I'm seeking information, not friendships.

 

[rpeters83]

Perhaps the guy is just tiring of you showing up 3 times a day to exchange your iMac and is blowing you off. Have you given that any consideration?

A quick check of the online Apple Store here in Japan where I bought my own iMac still shows the "ships within 24 hours" on the standard 24" model.

Considering your track record in here in "news" and fact reporting you'll pardon me if I'm a bit skeptical.

I only mentioned about his article once...

And I have only been to that store once since I got it almost 2 weeks ago...

As for shipping, I'm going by what the rep told me, that's all.

 

[czachorski]

Wow. A personal attack now? Damn, man, lighten up. I'm not the only one posting about these screens. The only data I have to go on are the one's I've seen in person and an Apple rep agreeing with me.

Now can we stop this already? I truley don't care what you say or how you feel about my posts. I'm seeking information, not friendships.

Human nature tends to want to see patterns and trends in things. It is reasonable for you to conclude from your own experience and a few trips to the store with bad iMacs that they are all bad. But that doesn't make it so. There are other very real possibilities in play. Hang around here long enough and you will see it play out. I have seen it in just the last few months.

If you keep that in mind, and make posts with a more open mind towards potential angles on the situation, you will get better data from your efforts here.

My own theory is that the screen gradient issue is absolutely real, and isolated, but there have been batches of entire Apple stores with bad ones, and stories of people getting 3-4 bad ones in a row. These are also very plausible occurrences, even if the incidence rate is relatively low. As a matter of fact, due to the things like the potential for a bad batch to go through and end up at the same store, and the laws of probability, it would be unusual if there were not stories like this, even with the incidence rate low. Try to keep that in mind, and know that an on-line forum is going to be a magnet for reporting such things (the tails of the probability distribution).

 

[rpeters83]

Human nature tends to want to see patterns and trends in things. It is reasonable for you to conclude from your own experience and few trips to the store with bad iMacs that they are all bad. But that doesn't make it so. There are other very real possibilities in play. Hang around here long enough and you will see it play out. I have seen it in just the last few months.

If you keep that in mind, and make posts with a more open mind towards potential angles on the situation, you will get better data from your efforts here.

My own theory is that the screen gradient issue is absolutely real, and isolated, but there have been batches of entire Apple stores with bad ones, and stories of people getting 3-4 bad ones in a row. These are also very plausible occurrences, even if the incidence rate is relatively low. As a matter of fact, due to the things like the potential for a bad batch to go through and end up at the same store, and the laws of probability, it would be unusual if there were not stories like this, even with the incidence rate low. Try to keep that in mind, and know that an on-line forum is going to be a magnet for reporting such things.

And I completely agree with you. I apologize if it made me seem like I was judging every imac to have a bad screen - but only the ones I've seen personally.

Obviously if it was serious matter, Apple would do something about it. And, they may be at this point from talking with the rep today.

Maybe I'm just disgruntled; this is only my second mac and my first macbook even had screen problems on its third exchange.

 

[czachorski]

And I completely agree with you. I apologize if it made me seem like I was judging every imac to have a bad screen - but only the ones I've seen personally.

Obviously if it was serious matter, Apple would do something about it. And, they may be at this point from talking with the rep today.

Maybe I'm just disgruntled; this is only my second mac and my first macbook even had screen problems on its third exchange.

I don't blame you a bit for being disgruntled - and that is a kind word given the situation. If I were you, I would be angry as hell after getting that many bad ones.

There were a lot of posts around here in July/Aug/Sept on the bad screens, and they seemed to die off about the time I got mine in Mid-October. That is about the time that a bunch of threads started to surface around here with a bunch of reports on good screens. If mine is week 42 from the serial number, perhaps that suggests that Apple fixed the problem or at least greatly improved upon it around that time. I would try again.

Is it possible to go to a store, and open the unit up and test it before you take it home?

 

[rpeters83]

I don't blame you a bit for being disgruntled - and that is a kind word given the situation. If I were you, I would be angry as hell after getting that many bad ones.

There were a lot of posts around here in July/Aug/Sept on the bad screens, and they seemed to die off about the time I got mine in Mid-October. That is about the time that a bunch of threads started to surface around here with a bunch of reports on good screens. If mine is week 42 from the serial number, perhaps that suggests that Apple fixed the problem or at least greatly improved upon it around that time. I would try again.

Is it possible to go to a store, and open the unit up and test it before you take it home?

Not really at compusa; where i got it from. I tried to once but they guy simply said he "assured" me it would be good. Plus there was a long line

Also, I doubt my store will even have anymore, since they said they were sold out and not getting much in.

 

[czachorski]

Not really at compusa; where i got it from. I tried to once but they guy simply said he "assured" me it would be good. Plus there was a long line

Also, I doubt my store will even have anymore, since they said they were sold out and not getting much in.

The Apple reps in the CompUSA's tend to be really cool, in my experience. If you told one about your woes, I bet you could either get them to open it up in the store for you, or let you come back and exchange it if you are unlucky again. Heck, if done in the right tact, you could probably get the rep to really become your advocate. You deserve a good screen!

 

[Bobioden]

Yeah, I agree. Which is why I'm still on the fence. However, I have yet to see one in person that was perfect, but everyone's idea of it varies.

Maybe a Dell is more suited for you.

 

[rpeters83]

Maybe a Dell is more suited for you.

hell no! i was a PC user since i was 8 and i'm not going now that vista's out there.

though in my experience, they have been very reliable machines.

 

[SaSaSushi]

Wow. A personal attack now? Damn, man, lighten up. I'm not the only one posting about these screens. The only data I have to go on are the one's I've seen in person and an Apple rep agreeing with me.

Now can we stop this already? I truley don't care what you say or how you feel about my posts. I'm seeking information, not friendships.

It wasn't a "personal attack" so much as bewilderment over how someone could make so many contradictory statements.

As for the "seeking friendships" thing it was obviously in response to your sarcastic use of "sweetie".

As for "stopping this already" I'm all for it.

 

[SaSaSushi]

I only mentioned about his article once...

And I have only been to that store once since I got it almost 2 weeks ago...

As for shipping, I'm going by what the rep told me, that's all.

Have you considered returning the CompUSA purchased machine and taking your business directly to an Apple Store where they might let you open up and examine a machine prior to purchase?

 

[rpeters83]

It wasn't a "personal attack" so much as bewilderment over how someone could make so many contradictory statements.

As for the "seeking friendships" thing it was obviously in response to your sarcastic use of "sweetie".

As for "stopping this already" I'm all for it.

Good.

 

[rpeters83]

Have you considered returning the CompUSA purchased machine and taking your business directly to an Apple Store where they might let you open up and examine a machine prior to purchase?

What sold me at compusa was the 12 months 0% interest. i also just bought a new car last month so i don't have all the money in the world at the moment.

However, I may still do that. Do they offer financing?