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2011 MBP Radeon 6750M graphics glitch [video]

N

Neil1138

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 21, 2008
165
0
2011 15" MBP: 2.2GHz, HR AG, 128GB SSD.

I noticed this the other day while moving around windows. If the 6750 graphic card is in use, it will make the top of windows experience this kind of tearing/trailing effect. I'm not sure if this is a defect in just my machine or a widespread glitch. Anyone care to try this out and confirm?

To replicate: Turn off Automatic graphics switching and grab your window and move it around at the top of the screen. For me, it only happens at the very top of the screen (around the toolbar/bookmarks bar area in safari for example). The faster you move the window, the worse it gets. It's something that's really hard to capture on camera so you'll just have to replicate the circumstances and see if you notice the symptoms I'm mentioning.

Notice the glitch only happens at the very top of the screen. You'll see me shift the window down and move it around but the glitch will stay at the top of the screen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYC4MG_nn44

I'm not sure what could be to blame here. Graphics card drivers? The card itself? It seems that the issue gets worse under load. I mean, when you are on a site like youtube watching videos, the glitch is pretty bad. Whereas if you are on google's homepage, the issue is barely noticeable. I am running the most up to date software (10.6.7 update that came out yesterday).

Thank you for any help.
 
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If everything is ok and the glitch only appears when you move near that part of the screen, it's more likely that it's a driver problem rather than a hardware problem. I have a similar tearing effect in Windows which is likely due to a driver problem of some sort but nothing in OS X.
 
iLog.Genius said:
If everything is ok and the glitch only appears when you move near that part of the screen, it's more likely that it's a driver problem rather than a hardware problem. I have a similar tearing effect in Windows which is likely due to a driver problem of some sort but nothing in OS X.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. Let's hope you are correct!

Does anybody care to test my issue? It will take no more than 15 seconds <3
 
The fact it's isolated to a specific area would make me think it's the monitor or video cable. Either way I see a trip to Apple in your future.
 
I see the same thing. It's as if the only area affected is at a horizontal strip at the top of the screen. Honestly, though, I didn't even notice it before I saw your post and tested it out. I wont be making a trip to Apple for this.
 
My 15" 2011 does the same. No idea how you even spotted this in the first place, but I would bet anything its a driver issue. It literally occurs nowhere else, and occurs across multiple machines. At least it's virtually unnoticeable until the drivers are improved.
 
deadwulfe said:
I see the same thing. It's as if the only area affected is at a horizontal strip at the top of the screen. Honestly, though, I didn't even notice it before I saw your post and tested it out. I wont be making a trip to Apple for this.
Click to expand...

I definitely share the same sentiment

frankieboy said:
Try safe booting, then testing for the problem.
Click to expand...

Good idea, thank you

allupons said:
My 15" 2011 does the same. No idea how you even spotted this in the first place, but I would bet anything its a driver issue. It literally occurs nowhere else, and occurs across multiple machines. At least it's virtually unnoticeable until the drivers are improved.
Click to expand...

I agree.

I did some more testing, here's what I've found that leads me to believe this is software related:

I have a 27" ACD. I had the mbp open and was moving the window, the glitch was occurring. I connected the mbp to the cinema display and instantly the problem went away (on both the mbp screen and I can't even replicate it on the cinema display when I drag the window over). I've tried all combinations of displays (making the mbp the main, making the acd the main, and mirroring, none will produce the issue). I'm not sure what happens graphics wise whenever the cinema display is connected but I cannot replicate the issue while the ACD is connected. Of course normally the mbp will switch to discrete graphics when an ACD is connected but I'm running discrete graphics all the time to diagnose this. Therefore there shouldn't be any hardware switching going on, at least not that I'm aware of.

Also forgot to mention: I had downloaded a screen capture software to show you guys rather than the iphone video. The glitch did not show up on that video capture. I mean I saw it happening while recording, but when I played the capture video back, it looked 100% normal. Thoughts on this?

So to recall:

  • The anomaly shows up only on the very top edge of the screen. Almost like there's a lag area at the top of the screen.
  • It only occurs when the discrete graphics card is in use (Radeon 6750M)
  • When an ACD is connected, the anomaly disappears altogether.

I'm thinking it's all software related at this point. Any insight? I've tried to provide all of the information I can. I know the issue seems trivial but I'm interested in finding a resolution or at least pinpointing the root of the issue.
 
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MacBook Pro 17" ant I' ve the same "Problem". If this is the only issue for the next 14 days certainly will not ask for a replacement for this problem: without your topic I would not have ever noticed!
 
I definitely noticed this problem while moving a Google Chrome browser window around on my 2.2 w/ 6750m.
Seems like it went away after the 10.6.7 update... but perhaps I just haven't noticed it.
I wish Apple would update drivers faster :D Where is 10.6.8?
 
Yeah, I noticed the issue the first few days I bought mine, before 10.6.7.
One interesting thing I've noticed though, is that when I had the Menu Bar as transparent, it went totally invisible once, then got weird text across it and was garbled, until I switched off transparency again.
I noticed it under both 10.6.6 and 10.6.7. I think it may have to do with drivers also, or possibly a weird interaction with Steam.. (I'm totally shocked at what a crapjob Steam's mac interface is).

Owen
 
Same issue on my 2011 2.2 15" MBPro. I noticed it when I made videos fullscreen in VLC. It's like the top 1/10th of the screen lags behind the rest when horizontal motion happens.

Hopefully a software fix is coming soon!
 
Apple called me back a few days ago. Mentioned that the engineers are aware of the issue. That's about it
 
They can not reproduce it they say

I sent my Macbook pro in for repair for the same issue. Tearing at the top of the screen and distortion only at that strip across the top. They have my mbp now. However, apple care requested that I contact them. As they have been unable to reproduce the graphics issue I have been having. I gave them instruction on how to reproduce it. So I am waiting to hear back from them. Though at this time they say that there is nothing wrong with my macbook pro. I know that the screen issue I have been experiencing is not normal, nor is it subtle. I hope that they can repair the problem. The engineers who have been working on my device have not acknowledged that their is a widespread issue. The free Desktop manager app is the easiest and fastest way to reproduce the distortion. However, it does not cause it.

If you have this graphics problem you should all speak up.
I have the 2.2 i7 mbp 2011
 
You can have them try something in VLC if you have it installed. That's where I see it most clearly. When the video has a semi-fast pan you will see the screen tear at the top right where the glitch is.
 
Oh, that's terrible! Return your macbook pro 13" at once and demand a replacement on the spot!
 
Just to check-in here, I'm having the exact same problem with my 15" 2011 MBP (2.3GHz, 8GB RAM). I use an external 1080p display, and the tearing effect along the top becomes very apparent during a panning shot of a film. I'm not noticing any tearing when moving a window pane side to side quickly, so I believe this is software/driver related, rather than a hardware fault.
I Thought it might be related to my output settings with the external display, and interestingly, if I change the refresh rate to 24Hz the tearing stops... But then obviously at 24Hz, smooth motion becomes a problem.

**UPDATE** Actually, I take it back - I'm also noticing it with moving a window pane side to side. My busy desktop wallpaper was making it less apparent... CRAP!
 
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tylerpenn said:
Same issue on my 2011 2.2 15" MBPro. I noticed it when I made videos fullscreen in VLC. It's like the top 1/10th of the screen lags behind the rest when horizontal motion happens.

Hopefully a software fix is coming soon!
Click to expand...

Same. I noticed it last night while watching video via VLC output to my 46" 1080P LCD TV while the MBP was in clamshell mode. The top of the screen suffered the tearing effect and was VERY noticeable during a quick pan of the camera or other sideways motion. I was instantly annoyed, which lead me to find this thread. Sounds like a common problem.

Any more updates on this? Contacting Apple if I get a chance tomorrow.
 
I tried this on both a Core i5 non SB and a Core i7 SB I have at my desk.

The top of the i5 shows a bit of almost a lag in the UI when you move a window. If you look closely at the Google bar in safari when you move the window fast enough part of the Goole bar cuts off as if the window is moving and almost leaving the elements behind. Similar to pulling a table cloth from under a table setting.

In the Core i7 it just looks as though this problem is a bit amplified, but I have to move the windows REALLY fast to really see it, it looks almost like it's the UI not updating fast enough for the movement. I can almost see the Back button coming off of the Safari window, then quickly catching up.

Lag essentially, what with the new GPU seems to be exaggerated.
 
Any fix update?

I am also facing this issue and for me its more noticable using google chrome.

Is there any fix updates from the OP or any Apple reponses to this issue? This sounds very software related. I have a i7 2.3 SB.
 
Same issue on mine. I had noticed it a couple of weeks ago, and thought it was Safari's issue. I hadn't noticed that it only happened with the discrete graphics.
 
I have this issue but it's not very noticeable. I see it more with scrolling when my twitter app feed is in the top left corner. No issues besides that.
 
LOL funny... I saw this thread a few weeks ago, and was JUST thinking it was annoying as hell, while I watched videos in iPhoto from my trip to Zion Natl Park this weekend.
Does anyone know whether this is a video card issue, or likely a driver issue that can get fixed with software update at some point?

Thanks,
Owen
 
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