Technician coming to home to replace 27" screen?

[ejosepha]

I have a screen yellow issue, with grey bar and buzzing noise when brightness is lowered. Apple has offered to send a technician to my home to replace the screen and do whatever is necessary. I am wondering if this has been a successful way to solve the problem or would I be better off with them sending me a newer built Imac? It seems that certainly my place is not a sterile or dust free environment, and if the new screen is the same or worse, where am I? But perhaps this is the safest way to get a good screen.
On the other hand, if I ask for a newly built machine, then if it is worse I could just stay put with the Imac I have.
Has anyone had successful outcomes with one method over the other. Replacement screen worked on at home, or just a stab at a new computer?
Thanks

 

[akm3]

I work in the medical industry so you remarking your environment isn't 'sterile' made me chuckle.

It seems you would be less likely to have damage by shipping it twice and having a tech replace the LCD versus carefully replacing it in your house. As you said, your house might be more dusty than the service center, but maybe not. Clean it really well and use an air filtration unit or something to help.

 

[ejosepha]

Wouldn't be shipping it twice.

In one case tech comes and replaces screen and tries to repair. In other I would just ask them to ship a new model, then after if it is an improvement, I would ship them my first Imac back. If no improvement, or worse, I would just ship them the second one back.
I just want to know which is likelier to give me an improved computer screen and lessening buzzing noise. Are the panels they are using to replace panels fixing these numerous issues?
I have tried to read through a few forums, and the jury seems to be out on which track to go on. Would like to hear of some firsthand experiences in either method.

 

[plasticphyte]

I have a screen yellow issue, with grey bar and buzzing noise when brightness is lowered. Apple has offered to send a technician to my home to replace the screen and do whatever is necessary. I am wondering if this has been a successful way to solve the problem or would I be better off with them sending me a newer built Imac? It seems that certainly my place is not a sterile or dust free environment...
<snip>

Hate to burst the bubble, but Apple stores and repair centres aren't 'sterile' or dust free environments either.

There are numerous threads in this forum regarding replacement/repair experiences, suffice to say, you just have to wait and see if the repair works, and if it doesn't keep on lodging faults/complaints/whatever until it does, or you want your money back or Apple decide to replace it.

 

[ejosepha]

They will offer to replace the Imac.

My question is whether getting a completely new computer gives me a better chance at an improved computer than letting a tech come to my home and replace the screen and maybe the HD, which grumbles when seeking and writing.

 

[StarTzar]

My question is whether getting a completely new computer gives me a better chance at an improved computer than letting a tech come to my home and replace the screen and maybe the HD, which grumbles when seeking and writing.

I have gone the exchange route. I am on my sixth iMac and it still has some yellow tinge but not as bad as the previous 5. I have decided to keep this one because I got tired of lugging in the iMac to the MacStore for an exchange.

Screen replacement or full exchange: either way, I doubt very much that you will end up with a non yellow tinged screen.

The best upgrade for any iMac is AppleCare...

 

[Stan Mikulenka]

Hi,
"...and maybe the HD, which grumbles when seeking and writing."

A lots of Mac users complain about this problem.
If you want to get rid of this, don't use any of the "new, improved" HDs, like Seagate's PowerTrim "power saving", Hitachi Green "eco-friendly" or WD GreenPower and/or InteliPower hard drives.
These HDs are designed to park their heads in predetermined time periods which we users usually have no option to change.
This is the problem with trying to save the (miniscule) energy which amounts to not that a great deal for us users...

 

[ejosepha]

Screen replacement or exchange for new computer?

This is my real concern. My HD is a 1TB WD Caviar Black. If I knew that the replacment screens were the real fix, I would have the tech come and repair the computer. My only dilemma is that I am not interested in doing multiple exchanges. Once the tech replaces the screen, if it isn't any better I am stuck with it, or need to continue interfacing with Apple on this. If I ask for a newly built model, I can compare the two. If it is better I keep it and send back the older Imac. If it is worse, then I send back the newer Imac and just stay with what I've got.
I have no problem letting Apple swap out the screen. I just want to know that the success rate is decent for all of this trouble.

 

[plasticphyte]

Stop worrying about what to do & what the success rate is & just let the guy replace the monitor - if we all fluffed about like you are we'd have long been extinct because we spent too much time worrying if we should shoot the T-Rex with Bow'n'Arrow 1.0 (tried and works ok but could be better) or with 2.0 (new fangled but untested).

The new screen will either fix the problem, or won't.
At best the issue is then solved (re yellow tint), at worst you've had someone working on your computer for however long it takes and have to chase the issue up further (which if you've searched the forums at all you'll have noticed that some users have had up to 6 or 7 replacements before being satisfied or giving up).
If you want someone to put it all into a pretty graph, do it yourself.

 

[ejosepha]

This will be a one time fix.

The reason I bring up the subject is not out of worry. If swapped out screens work, great. If I am going to role the dice, as you refer to 6 or 7 exchanges, then I will simply ask for a newly built model, and just send back either my original Imac or the newer one.
You might have time to chase up a chain 6 or 7 times, but I don't unfortunately.
But thanks for the input.
Looking for firsthand experiences with either method.

 

[plasticphyte]

<snip>
Looking for firsthand experiences with either method.

Like I said, have a search of the forums, there have been a few (lots) posting about the exchange/return/refund experience and a few have had theirs repaired.

 

[ejosepha]

Repaired meaning swapped out display.

It looks rather spotty whether changed displays result in a 'repair' of the issue. I talked with Apple and my contact there, who I have dealt with in the past with other computers I have bought, says that changing the display is not necessarily a guarantee that the issues will disappear. He has advised me to wait for the next Snow Leopard update, which is due soon, and if there is no improvement they will be happy to send someone out to change the display or make any other necessary repairs. There are no pixels dead on the display I have and he advised me first to give the next update a chance.
I asked him what chances there were that the grey bar on the bottom of the screen could be repaired through an update. No guarantees, but he still advised me to wait before we start opening up this Imac.

 

[cryer]

What happened?

So what happened? Did you get a repair or replacement? If repair, did it work?

 

[ejosepha]

repair or replacement-neither

I was told by an Apple consultant who I trust to wait for the OS update (which I just downloaded and it improved nothing with these issues) before asking for a repair and display replacement. I have hesitated because though there is a grey shadowy bar across the bottom (not really noticeable given the dock, etc.) and it is warmer yellow on the bottom (which is spread out in a way which is rather subtle compared to some photos I've seen) there are no dead pixels, which I would really like to avoid.
The HD is grumbles, which from what I have read is very often the case. The buzzing sound which kicks in when brightness is lowered is almost not audible though it certainly shouldn't be there.
I see that some people are still getting yellow tinted displays into week 24 build, though the traffic is much smaller on the threads.
I have tried to find out myself whether replaced displays have done the trick. No real answer yet. I know that my contact at Apple was frank enough with me to warn against changing parts too soon with a possibility of no real gain, or ending up worse off.
I was wrong in thinking I could get a complete replacement. I was finally told that only after repairs were attempted to no avail would a complete replacement be in order.