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Apple Releases Graphics Firmware Update for 17" Unibody MacBook Pro
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My first Unibody MBP 17" had the "matrix" pattern randomly coming and going in the display, as well as ferocious flickering/blinking and sometimes pink vertical lines. A replacement solved it and I've never seen it again.
My first 15" Unibody MBP locked up with a black screen anytime I tried to use the 9600M GT for any game or 3D application. Replacing the computer solved that as well.
My first 15" Unibody MBP locked up with a black screen anytime I tried to use the 9600M GT for any game or 3D application. Replacing the computer solved that as well.
Hmm, I have no problem at all with my 30" ACD when it's plugged into my 2007 model 17" MacBook Pro, only when I plug it into my brand new 17" Unibody. I think it has something to do with a faulty adapter or a flawed transition to the MiniDP standard. To think we had to wait months for this adapter, then pay $99 for it...
Agreed... Couldn't have put it better myself. Hell of a lot better than the whitebooks. At least, in my humble...
Hanns-G Monitors
I have a HANNS-G monitor as well as a 17" MBP from early 2008. The monitor has had strange flickering and weird lines in the past when hooked up to the MBP. The problem is, for me, easily correctable by wiggling the DVI-HDMI cable I use to connect the MBP with the HANNS-G at the MBP end of the cable
I think that the problem is either caused by a bad cable, or a bad DVI connector in the MBP. Since the problem is so easily fixed just by slightly moving the DVI cable when it's connected to the MBP, I haven't investigated the issue further.
I have attached two JPG images of what it looks like. The one with the pinkish lines is exactly the distortion and fuzziness that occurs with my MBP when the connection is not good. The other is when it looks ok. Keep in mind that the shaded horizontal lines are just because of screen refreshing being captured by the iPhone's camera and are not something that I normally see.
Of course, my situation is not the only situation out there, but hopefully this information will help.
Best Regards,
Eric
I have a HANNS-G monitor as well as a 17" MBP from early 2008. The monitor has had strange flickering and weird lines in the past when hooked up to the MBP. The problem is, for me, easily correctable by wiggling the DVI-HDMI cable I use to connect the MBP with the HANNS-G at the MBP end of the cable
I think that the problem is either caused by a bad cable, or a bad DVI connector in the MBP. Since the problem is so easily fixed just by slightly moving the DVI cable when it's connected to the MBP, I haven't investigated the issue further.
I have attached two JPG images of what it looks like. The one with the pinkish lines is exactly the distortion and fuzziness that occurs with my MBP when the connection is not good. The other is when it looks ok. Keep in mind that the shaded horizontal lines are just because of screen refreshing being captured by the iPhone's camera and are not something that I normally see.
Of course, my situation is not the only situation out there, but hopefully this information will help.
Best Regards,
Eric
Attachments
NVidia Chip issues and heat
Hi there,
Just as a little note about these display issues. If these issues are only arising when the video chips are being stressed at high heat, these issues could be heat related.
As such, an effective experiment, before updating the firmware (which could be designed to lower performance and thus heat), you could try running SMCFanControl.
By using SMCFanControl prior to starting heavy usage (e.g. video-intensive gaming, etc.) and manually increasing the fan speed to the maximum of 6000rpms prior to then, you would have an effective way to keep the internal temperature down and monitor the video stability while this happens. (In fact, prior to encoding a DVD from my collection, or running City of Heroes, I always crank up the fans so that I can proactively keep the heat down and system lifespan up).
At 6000 rpm, the fans will be LOUD, but this would tell us for certain if this is a heat issue.
Best Regards,
Eric
Hi there,
Just as a little note about these display issues. If these issues are only arising when the video chips are being stressed at high heat, these issues could be heat related.
As such, an effective experiment, before updating the firmware (which could be designed to lower performance and thus heat), you could try running SMCFanControl.
By using SMCFanControl prior to starting heavy usage (e.g. video-intensive gaming, etc.) and manually increasing the fan speed to the maximum of 6000rpms prior to then, you would have an effective way to keep the internal temperature down and monitor the video stability while this happens. (In fact, prior to encoding a DVD from my collection, or running City of Heroes, I always crank up the fans so that I can proactively keep the heat down and system lifespan up).
At 6000 rpm, the fans will be LOUD, but this would tell us for certain if this is a heat issue.
Best Regards,
Eric
