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Screen Problems (24" iMac) From Which Production Plant?

My 24" iMac (2008) Had/Has A Screen Problem. My iMac Was/Is:

  • From China (W8).

    Votes: 13 44.8%

  • From Czech Republic (VM).

    Votes: 2 6.9%

  • From an Other Production Plant (Please Explain).

    Votes: 4 13.8%

  • Without Screen Problems, My iMac is From X (Please Explain In Forum).

    Votes: 15 51.7%
  • Total voters
    29
hadleydb said:
Does the Apple Store let you look at them turned on before you leave the store? I am about to buy one and Dead/Stuck Pixels are my worst nightmare.
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stuck pixels are the least of the iMacs screen problems. and no, they won't let you open box after box in the attempts to find the right one (AKA one without screen issues :rolleyes:)... but rest assured, they look great under the lighting of the apple store, most anyway... i wouldn't worry about dead pixels, if i were you i'd be more concerned with bleed out and color casts.
 
Darkroom said:
stuck pixels are the least of the iMacs screen problems. and no, they won't let you open box after box in the attempts to find the right one (AKA one without screen issues :rolleyes:)... but rest assured, they look great under the lighting of the apple store, most anyway... i wouldn't worry about dead pixels, if i were you i'd be more concerned with bleed out and color casts.
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Bleed out and color casts would be terrible. I agree with you on that. I can see their point in not opening box after box. But to pay $2000.00 plus for a computer and get one with all those problems that would suck. I feel bad for those of you who have had problems. I guess it is like gambling when you walk out with one. I will have to test my luck I guess. Every MacBook Pro and PowerBook I have ever owned have had pixel issues. So that was why I'm scared about those. They aren't a real issue, but they bug me to no end. Thanks for the advice and starting this thread for a heads up.
 
Darkroom said:
i can't remember reading any posts where someone had any problems with screen manufactured in the states either - it seems that the W8 is the ghetto plant that sends out most of the junk.
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My first was a QP (USA) with uneven backlighting left to right and stuck pixels in abundance. My Second is right as rain and it is also a QP.
 
hadleydb said:
Every MacBook Pro and PowerBook I have ever owned have had pixel issues.
Click to expand...

Wow! You might need to consult an exorcist or something, that sounds like a dark cloud you're under. :confused: I've had two iMacs, and 2 LCD panel replacements in my current one all without a single dead pixel. My Core Duo 20" did have a single stuck pixel I successfully massaged out though.
 
SaSaSushi said:
Wow! You might need to consult an exorcist or something, that sounds like a dark cloud you're under. :confused: I've had two iMacs, and 2 LCD panel replacements in my current one all without a single dead pixel. My Core Duo 20" did have a single stuck pixel I successfully massaged out though.
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yeah, i've actually never ever seen an mac with a stuck pixel before either, none of mine, none of my friends or family... actually, i think one friend had a single stuck pixel once, but it went away.

today when i was at the apple store, i saw a woman (i was eavesdropping) who is an illustrator, and she was so excited because she was buying a 30" ACD... big grin on her face, i could feel her excitement... i long for the days when the only thing a mac buyer had to worry about was the unlikely stuck pixel, and i fear the day the ACDs get updated to "better, more professional" displays.
 
Darkroom said:
today when i was at the apple store, i saw a woman (i was eavesdropping) who is an illustrator, and she was so excited because she was buying a 30" ACD... big grin on her face, i could feel her excitement... i long for the days when the only thing a mac buyer had to worry about was the unlikely stuck pixel, and i fear the day the ACDs get updated to "better, more professional" displays.
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That day has to be coming soon. What is it now, 3 years since the last ACD update?? Jobs must be planning something huge. I think my next Mac after this iMac will be a Mac Pro and a 30" ACD in 2010.

Gotta start saving now. :confused:
 
SaSaSushi said:
That day has to be coming soon. What is it now, 3 years since the last ACD update?? Jobs must be planning something huge. I think my next Mac after this iMac will be a Mac Pro and a 30" ACD in 2010.

Gotta start saving now. :confused:
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it's no surprise they haven't updated the ACD... apple is ALL about the iPhone now, and clearly, with the downgrading to cheap flawed panels in the new iMacs (and 6-bit TN in 20") Apple couldn't care less about quality computers anymore. they're your typical "buy low sell high" company, ... they sell premium priced computers with substandard quality and specs, and get away with it because their products look nicer than the competition (and OS X, but i'll leave that one out because i'm not happy with apple now). i will not be one bit surprised if the new ACDs have all the problems the new iMacs have, but apple will probably still keep the same price because they'll improve the physical design of them. that's really when the s*it will hit the fan
 
I have just ordered my first Mac after looking at them for the last 2.5 years (bought my first house w/ girlfriend in UK, which basically destroyed my cash flow for the last 2 years!) and I am praying that there is nothing wrong with the screen I get. It would be just my luck that after waiting for sooo long I would get a cr@ppy screen :(
 
adjones said:
I have just ordered my first Mac after looking at them for the last 2.5 years (bought my first house w/ girlfriend in UK, which basically destroyed my cash flow for the last 2 years!) and I am praying that there is nothing wrong with the screen I get. It would be just my luck that after waiting for sooo long I would get a cr@ppy screen :(
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If you can get hold of a VM820 (czech republic week 20) from one of the UK stores I think you may well be ok as I have experiance of 3 of those all with good screens. I would try to avoid a serial number starting with W (china) as they (in my experiance) had by far the worst screen issues and also cosmetic issues (dings and scratches).
 
dantay said:
If you can get hold of a VM820 (czech republic week 20) from one of the UK stores I think you may well be ok as I have experiance of 3 of those all with good screens. I would try to avoid a serial number starting with W (china) as they (in my experiance) had by far the worst screen issues and also cosmetic issues (dings and scratches).
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I got the perfect iMac after two replacements. The first ones were from China but this one is from the US (CA). It is QP week 18.

Hey Dantay, would you please post some pics of your 24th machine so I can check it against mine :D (you can send them on private if you want ;))
 
i just spent hours on the phone with apple care - the agent said he's going to try on monday to ship me a new iMac and have this one shipped back to them. which would be great, because i would probably receive a problem free screen from QP (USA) and wouldn't have to deal with the stupid Apple Store a million years away in Laval. *crossed fingers*

come on lucky number 4!! :p
 
Darkroom said:
i just spent hours on the phone with apple care - the agent said he's going to try on monday to ship me a new iMac and have this one shipped back to them. which would be great, because i would probably receive a problem free screen from QP (USA) and wouldn't have to deal with the stupid Apple Store a million years away in Laval. *crossed fingers*

come on lucky number 4!! :p
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Actually I got my QP from the store. I asked for it and the guy was :confused: "why the hell is this guy asking for a specific production number" :D
 
Got a Good One

I received a 3.06GHz CTO today with a gorgeous screen. I've been using it for almost six hours and so far haven't detected any unwanted gradients, backlight bleed, or dead/stuck pixels. Its S/N begins with QP824 (USA; 2008, Week 24).

I also have a 2.4GHz retail model from August 2007. It has a pretty good screen as well, although it does suffer from a bit of backlight bleed in the corners along with a very slight left-to-right brightness gradient. Neither problem was bothersome enough to my eyes to warrant an exchange. Its S/N begins with W8732 (China; 2007, Week 32).
 
SaSaSushi said:
Wow! You might need to consult an exorcist or something, that sounds like a dark cloud you're under. :confused: I've had two iMacs, and 2 LCD panel replacements in my current one all without a single dead pixel. My Core Duo 20" did have a single stuck pixel I successfully massaged out though.
Click to expand...

Yeah I need to think about it before I buy a Macbook or MBP again. But out of all the iMac's i've ever had I have never had a screen issue. So hopefully everything goes okay. I'm tossing the iMac around over a 4 core 2.8 Mac Pro. So the QP seems to be the magic build number?
 
How much of an issue is it?

How bad are the screens on the iMacs? I'm considering a purchase and I was wondering how noticeable these screen issues are.

How easy is it to fix the problems?

What makes these problems different from other PC monitors?
 
Well I'm happy to say I bought my new iMac last night. So far it looks fine. What is the best way to test for the screen problems? I can't see any dead/stuck pixels so far which I'm happy about. :D
 
New 24" 3.06Ghz iMac will be arriving from China probably Friday or Saturday.

First Mac I've owned with a LCD panel. Here's hoping everything goes smoothly.
:eek:
 
Purchased a refurb last week online form apple. No gradient but backlight bleed in all four corners and a half inch blue line in bottem right corner that comes and goes.

apple is exchanging the unit. If this 2nd refurb has issues, I may ask for a full refund.

i know good ones exist. we have a 2.4ghz 24 inch from February and a 2.8 from May at my workplace. they both have flawless screens (no gradient, no backlight bleed).

would I be better off replacing the unit or having it repaired? are my chances of getting a good screen better if I have apple authorized service center repair it? I hate idea of having a brand new unit repaired out of the box.

Now that I have seen a imac with a beautiful perfect screen like the ones at work, I will accept nothing less. Even from a refurb.

I would like to watch movies and tv from the unit and the backlight bleed on dark scenes and letterboxed images is an annoyance.
 
I was just wondering if the Order number (not the serial number) gave any indication as to where the machine was coming from?

My order number begins W860xxxxx. Would the W8 mean it comes from China?
 
adjones said:
I was just wondering if the Order number (not the serial number) gave any indication as to where the machine was coming from?

My order number begins W860xxxxx. Would the W8 mean it comes from China?
Click to expand...

I don't think so, I received a QP serial iMac and the order number was W37xxxxxx
 
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