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Faint "mesh" pattern on moving images?

mcdj

mcdj

macrumors G3
Original poster
Jul 10, 2007
8,972
4,225
NYC
I'm noticing a very subtle mesh or lattice patter forming on my screen when viewing a video or even dragging icons or scrolling a screen. It happens for instance, when move my mouse around the dock and the icons magnify. They get this pattern over them...very hard to see, but it's there. (13" MBP BTW)

I don't recall seeing it on my previous 13" aluminum. Anyone know what it is? Is it just the dot matrix pattern inherent in the screen? I have no other issues with the screen. And this isn't even really an issue, just more of an annoyance.

Thanks.
 
I also see this pattern on my 13" MBP. I used to think it was some dithering effect the panel was doing, but not I'm not so sure. So please, if anyone has an explanation, I would also very much like to hear it.

Here's a fun test you can try. Place your head close to the screen and slide it (your head, no the screen :p) from side to side. Keep an eye on something dark gray, like for example a Firefox tab. See the same mesh pattern...?

Very strange. :confused:
 
The more I read about 6 bit dithering, the more I think this is what I'm seeing. Apparently there is some serious math and visual trickery going on to get the color depth and gamut of the new 13" MBP screen.
 
:0!
I'm actually not crazy! I've seen it for the longest while and it's bothered me for the longest while as well!
This latest mbp line has so many issues...
 
Apple didn't mess with the refresh rate to boost battery life, notebook displays have a slow refresh rate. And all MacBook Pro displays are 8-bit, not 6-bit. No dithering involved.
 
I'm also very surprised more people don't see this. The strange pattern was one of the first things I noticed about the screen. :confused:

Anyway, I started a thread at the official Apple discussions forum and also posted two pictures of the pattern there. The link is at end of this paragraph. Feel free to come by and join the "fun"... so far the thread has not gathered much interest. I also tried booting an Ubuntu Live CD and the pattern was still visible, so it's definitely a hardware issue. Also I noticed that on my 13" MBP the pattern is way more pronounced in top half of the screen. At very bottom I can hardly see it at all.

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2121176

And here are the pictures:

http://picasaweb.google.com/hesunana/MacBookPro

So umm, anyone experiencing this issue have an Apple Store nearby? :) It would be really interesting to hear what the geniuses say. I would do this myself, but there are no Apple Stores in my country and no Apple resellers or service providers within 150 miles. Yes, I live in the middle of nowhere. *sigh*
 
Actually, I think that Apple uses LED screens, which have an incredibly high refresh rate and a much higher gamut/brightness with no time to warm up. So, LCD is Liquid Crystal Display, while LED is Light Emitting Diode. Like mini light bulbs. Not sure if that helps.
 
MacBook Pro displays do indeed have leds, but they are used as a light source (backlight). Other than that, it's just a standard LCD screen.
 
i cant believe i have found this! i thought i was going crazy after recieving my replacement macbook pro 13" i noticed the pixels but only when i move my head and mainly on greys.. i know its bieng overly picky but im glad to see im not the only one with a keen eye :p

is this a common issue? ..or is it even an issue at all? i have an external display so does not bother me too much but i imagine if the macbook pro is your main display they it would!

my screen is perfectly even and from what i have found it looks like a software issue rather than hardware as people are getting varying examples of this whilst running windows via bootcamp...

also can anyone confirm the 13" macbook pro are 6bit panels? or 8bit?
 
This is just an artifact due to the type of LCD technology used in these particular screens, not because its bad/defective. It just means its of the cheaper variety. What you are seeing is dithering (6-bit Panel).
 
bdr420 said:
This is just an artifact due to the type of LCD technology used in these particular screens, not because its bad/defective. It just means its of the cheaper variety. What you are seeing is dithering (6-bit Panel).
Click to expand...

ok thanks.. and does the 15 inch have a 6bit panel and dithering
 
my late 2008 15" has dithering, but its not terrible. I think it is pretty uncommon to have a 8-bit TN lcd.
I don't really notice a pattern while dragging things, but if i look real close at the black-level test here and crank my brightness i can see dithering patterns.
 
Just to chime in... my new MacBook Pro has the same issue... it seems to be worse on the left side.

I have a sneaky plan though.

My brother said he'd trade his 13" MacBook for my 13" MacBook Pro. Hehe. His screen doesn't display this problem and it's almost the same computer anyways... sooooo.... hehehehe.

Yes, I realize how picky I am.
 
I brought mine into an apple store last weekend. The Genius took it in for repairs (suggesting the logic board, rather than the lcd be replaced). I got my mbp13 back today (with a new logic board), and the screen was still doing the mesh pattern. I noticed it happens to about 50% of the mbps they have on the floor regardless of the model (some 15's did it as well). The Genius from the week before acknowledged that it wasn't fixed but tried to tell me that there was nothing I could do if some of the models on the floor had the same issue.

I ended up speaking to the manager who said I could either return my mbp with her permission even though I bought it in July (but I'd have to return the printer and iPod touch which I no longer have) or I could have them order replacement lcds and repair it in-store.

The genius I had ended up ordering 3 lcd panels in the hopes that one would satisfy the annoying and disgruntled customer he was dealing with (me). We shall see what comes this when they replace my lcd this coming week...
 
I'm amazed this is affecting all MBP models - I thought it was just the 15" anti-glare!

If Apple is offering to replace and exchange displays/laptops to rectify this problem, then maybe it is more widespread than they let it off to be..
 
Go to tinyurl.com/yamcyms
if you try to move the browser window and you see a distinct pattern, then your macbook is defective. To some extent, all the current macbooks (I tested this on every laptop in the store) have trouble properly refreshing images. iMacs do not have this problem and display absolutely no ghosting when the image is moved. Some laptop (or rather laptop lcd screens) produce extremely weird patterns.
I now have a fixed screen, courtesy of apple, as my previous screen displayed a purple striped image whenever I moved the browser window. Reaally weird.
 
I have learned to just live with this "defect" and I'll tell you why.

I looked at not only MacBook Pro displays... but my trusty 3 year old Apple Cinema Display does the same thing, but I never noticed it before because I don't sit as close to it as a laptop. Also, the LCD displays at work do it (on the same side too... weird) and the iMac displays do it too.

I also looked at various PC displays and other standalone LCD displays and those too also had the same meshing when moving windows around.

I think it just might be the way LCD technology is. I barely notice it anymore and if I don't think about it, I don't see it. It's kind of a mind game really.

Just try not to think about it.
 
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