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Horizontal Lines in New Powerbooks
- Thread starter VisualForces
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BigMäc
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Just sent back my 2nd PowerBook, a new one is on its way.
Both had the horizontal lines and a serial beginning with W8548. Also the speakers on them made noise when no sound was playing and the battery didn't really fit.
I'm worried that the new one will have the same issues. Could I be lucky this time because they don't test them before selling or do they really have that poor quality standards?
Both had the horizontal lines and a serial beginning with W8548. Also the speakers on them made noise when no sound was playing and the battery didn't really fit.
I'm worried that the new one will have the same issues. Could I be lucky this time because they don't test them before selling or do they really have that poor quality standards?
larsi said:
What was it that you found from that site? The link doesn't seem to take you to the direct page, and I don't think I can find what you're looking at.
MacFan26 said:
He was pointing out that ATI released ATI Displays 4.5.7 (12/14/05)
ATI redirects you to the default Customer Care page from links.
It's listed in 'Most Recent Topics', or just do a search for it.
This whole horizontal-lines issue on the 15" PB is driving me insane!!! 
I still haven't received mine from Amazon but agree that I've read far too much about the line issue, and it makes me want to refuse delivery on Monday and buy a 12" iBook instead.
But then it's too tempting to see if the display is flawed or not...but roughly, 9 out of 10 people that have commented here have the line issue...
But if I accept it I'm afraid I might keep a defective $2000 dollar laptop 'cause I'll fall in love with it...being my first portable.
My girlfriend tells me I've read far too much into it, and that's why I feel that I don't even want the PB anymore...if only I hadn't known about the damn issue!
And I was thinking about selling my 5-month-old iMac to replace with this PB. If I buy the iBook, I'll want to keep the iMac 'cause I'm afraid the iBook will be a toy.
But then will I use 2 computers?
This sucks.
NO idea on what to do.
Suggestions?
I still haven't received mine from Amazon but agree that I've read far too much about the line issue, and it makes me want to refuse delivery on Monday and buy a 12" iBook instead.
But then it's too tempting to see if the display is flawed or not...but roughly, 9 out of 10 people that have commented here have the line issue...
But if I accept it I'm afraid I might keep a defective $2000 dollar laptop 'cause I'll fall in love with it...being my first portable.
My girlfriend tells me I've read far too much into it, and that's why I feel that I don't even want the PB anymore...if only I hadn't known about the damn issue!
And I was thinking about selling my 5-month-old iMac to replace with this PB. If I buy the iBook, I'll want to keep the iMac 'cause I'm afraid the iBook will be a toy.
But then will I use 2 computers?
This sucks.
NO idea on what to do.
Suggestions?
ortuno2k said:This whole horizontal-lines issue on the 15" PB is driving me insane!!!
I still haven't received mine from Amazon but agree that I've read far too much about the line issue, and it makes me want to refuse delivery on Monday and buy a 12" iBook instead.
But then it's too tempting to see if the display is flawed or not...but roughly, 9 out of 10 people that have commented here have the line issue...
But if I accept it I'm afraid I might keep a defective $2000 dollar laptop 'cause I'll fall in love with it...being my first portable.
My girlfriend tells me I've read far too much into it, and that's why I feel that I don't even want the PB anymore...if only I hadn't known about the damn issue!
And I was thinking about selling my 5-month-old iMac to replace with this PB. If I buy the iBook, I'll want to keep the iMac 'cause I'm afraid the iBook will be a toy.
But then will I use 2 computers?
This sucks.
NO idea on what to do.
Suggestions?
If you live near an Apple store, don't open the box when you get it! Just check them out in person first, and if it looks annoying, send it back. Otherwise you'll probably be pretty happy. Maybe just keep your iMac a bit and wait for something better to come out.
MacFan26 said:
Why take it to an Apple Store? I bought the PB from Amazon...
And if it has the lines I'm returning for refund...or exchange.
I don't know yet.
Sorry, I didn't mean take it to the Apple Store, I just meant look at the machines they have at the Apple Store since they'll probably have the lines, and then you won't have to deal with opening the box.ortuno2k said:Why take it to an Apple Store? I bought the PB from Amazon...
And if it has the lines I'm returning for refund...or exchange.
I don't know yet.
I got my 15" PowerBook back from service yesterday and they had replaced the LCD screen. Yes the lines are still there but they are much fainter now.
Meyvn said:
That's easy, cos they have the iPod, which is selling like hotcakes, and they can afford to turn around and piss on mac users' heads if they feel like it.
The liney PBs are there, and there they are, whether or not you like it, some idiot is gonna buy and accept it. Apple seems to be targetting the lowest denominator nowadays, just look for yourself. The balance here is not between power and quality, but between cost and profit.. you see, if they could save even $0.10 by getting an LCD with lines (nevermind the lines) it will work out to quite a hefty bit of coin when the units number in the millions.
Morn said:Wonder... if you could get a second hand LCD from ebay and put one of the old 15" screens in it.
Theoretically, you should at LEAST be able to put the entire screen enclosure in place of the old one, if not ONLY the LCD. It may take some hack to do it, but probably not. I'm sure if this problem continues, some one or other will come up with a an aftermarket replacement screen that we can put on. It'll probably just take a good while, and be expensive as ass. When it does happen, of course, we'll find out for SURE if it's just a bad LCD or if it's firmware/software.
generik said:
Here's the difference between the two of our philosophies: you are assuming that Apple assumes that their professional-level customers will not notice a significant flaw with a display, at least not enough to make a stink about it. Obviously, Apple is out to make as much money as they can. However, they have traditionally accomplished this by means of paying attention to quality and detail. Their philosophy has TRADITIONALLY been: "get quality, and pay out the ass for it." They want to make money by attracting people who are capable of spending a lot of it. They don't want to make money by counting dimes. If there was such a significant flaw with a display itself and Apple knew about it when they purchased them for use in the Powerbooks, they would have simply gone with a different display, and if that display cost more, they could simply charge us a bit more. You forget that the displays don't cost them nearly as much as they do us, and the difference for them in price between a ****** one and a nice one would not be that large. They could pass the cost onto their consumers with a small change in price. The bottom line is: there is absolutely no reason that Apple would have plotted this decision BEFOREHAND, knowingly screwing their professional customers, when for 10$ more a unit which would not cost THEM anything in the long run, they could have not done it.
Morn said:Wonder... if you could get a second hand LCD from ebay and put one of the old 15" screens in it.
it makes no sense!
What's one of the new things about this PB? The screen!
So why buy another screen to put on the same powerbook they had on their last revision.
Plus, paying top dollars for such a machine like that, what you're saying shouldn't even be an option or even thought. It has to come flawless from the factory and period.
If you think that, then I suggest getting the model prior to this one.
No lines
Bought my daughter a 15" PowerBook for an x-mas present. Its a W85 week 47 book with 1G RAM, 7200 RPM HD, that was ordered at the end of November. We powered it up for the first time yesterday and I have to say there are no lines--the display is absolutely perfect.
Bought my daughter a 15" PowerBook for an x-mas present. Its a W85 week 47 book with 1G RAM, 7200 RPM HD, that was ordered at the end of November. We powered it up for the first time yesterday and I have to say there are no lines--the display is absolutely perfect.
Meyvn said:
I absolutely agree. Apple didn't choose a cheap screen for the 17" and they wouldn't have done that for the 15" either. I obviously don't know what happened, but there is of course the possibility that whoever made the purchasing decision did not notice the lines either - or that the final product delivered to apple was not what was shown. The bottom line is that because it's a non-standard screen, Apple probably doesn't have immediate alternatives and they obviously don't want to stop production.
I think eventually we will see a solution from Apple, but I doubt it will be that soon.
I choose to disagree, there are numerous products with flaws, such as the early Powermac G5s that freezes after a couple hours... all the time. It is even a documented flaw IRRC! Did Apple issue a recall for it?
Of course not.
Likewise if Apple will ever fix the 15" PB, it will do so silently and just roll it into future production, hence removing the need to issue fixes for existing affected units. In fact i doubt they will even do this at all! Product returns due to this screens issue is probably less than 1%. Contrary to what some pros may believe, pros do not matter much to Apple's grand scheme of things nowadays. Let's see.. how much does Apple make from real pro users? Hmm.. I don't know, probably a minority.. how about the average joes who like to think of themselves as pro users and buy into Powermacs and Powerbooks? Wow, that's a huge market.
For every 1 user of MR there are probably 100 out there looking at PBs in places like Bestbuy or Fry's.. gawking over the shiny Apple gear and salivating. Apple doesn't care. Period. Let's get over it.
Of course not.
Likewise if Apple will ever fix the 15" PB, it will do so silently and just roll it into future production, hence removing the need to issue fixes for existing affected units. In fact i doubt they will even do this at all! Product returns due to this screens issue is probably less than 1%. Contrary to what some pros may believe, pros do not matter much to Apple's grand scheme of things nowadays. Let's see.. how much does Apple make from real pro users? Hmm.. I don't know, probably a minority.. how about the average joes who like to think of themselves as pro users and buy into Powermacs and Powerbooks? Wow, that's a huge market.
For every 1 user of MR there are probably 100 out there looking at PBs in places like Bestbuy or Fry's.. gawking over the shiny Apple gear and salivating. Apple doesn't care. Period. Let's get over it.
I got a case number from Apple care for line problem
yes I called apple care India and they gave me a case number for line problem.
but I am not sure that they accept this as a problem and can fix it properly or not after visiting their service centre.
If apple wants to repair it silently, they may put new LCD which quility is perpect lineless for my new power book 15" 1.67
Somehow.....I am goint to try it with little hope because I experieced how apple company treat customer in bad way.
As you know , new powerbook 1.67 is my first Mac powerbook in my life.
They gave me very much bad impression through happening.
As a Korean, I hope Apple care India do their best.. I hope...
From K
yes I called apple care India and they gave me a case number for line problem.
but I am not sure that they accept this as a problem and can fix it properly or not after visiting their service centre.
If apple wants to repair it silently, they may put new LCD which quility is perpect lineless for my new power book 15" 1.67
Somehow.....I am goint to try it with little hope because I experieced how apple company treat customer in bad way.
As you know , new powerbook 1.67 is my first Mac powerbook in my life.
They gave me very much bad impression through happening.
As a Korean, I hope Apple care India do their best.. I hope...
From K
netb0y said:
Hehe, that's mean
At work we have one and I've asked a few people to look at it, "stick your nose up close and tell me if there are lines," I say.
Some people see them, other think I'm crazy and paranoid, but most of the people I ask say they are the actual pixel formation and don't see it as a display flaw.
They say the normal user doesn't sit 2 inches away from the computer's screen (true) and under normal conditions the lines aren't noticeable -- at least not so much.
I see the lines, but at this point I don't know if it's supposed to look like that or my brain is already trained to see them.
I'm dying 'till my PB gets here Monday...I'll see then if I suffer from the same.
1, Many people already said that they had their powerbook replaced, or they are waiting for their 2nd or 3rd one, just wondering, where did the first one go? Been repacked and sold as new?
2, To those who were told LCD been replaced but lines are still there, was it really replaced?
Don't buy 12". It just sucks in different way. The screen is pinky part on part of LCD, and after you quit a game, there is no white colour on LCD, was dark yellow for about 20 mins.
I must make a decision that whether I should sell it before I have to buy apple care or buy apple care and live with it. If apple wanna hear a switch story, I am sure I can give them mine.
2, To those who were told LCD been replaced but lines are still there, was it really replaced?
ortuno2k said:This whole horizontal-lines issue on the 15" PB is driving me insane!!!
I still haven't received mine from Amazon but agree that I've read far too much about the line issue, and it makes me want to refuse delivery on Monday and buy a 12" iBook instead.
But then it's too tempting to see if the display is flawed or not...but roughly, 9 out of 10 people that have commented here have the line issue...
But if I accept it I'm afraid I might keep a defective $2000 dollar laptop 'cause I'll fall in love with it...being my first portable.
My girlfriend tells me I've read far too much into it, and that's why I feel that I don't even want the PB anymore...if only I hadn't known about the damn issue!
And I was thinking about selling my 5-month-old iMac to replace with this PB. If I buy the iBook, I'll want to keep the iMac 'cause I'm afraid the iBook will be a toy.
But then will I use 2 computers?
This sucks.
NO idea on what to do.
Suggestions?
Don't buy 12". It just sucks in different way. The screen is pinky part on part of LCD, and after you quit a game, there is no white colour on LCD, was dark yellow for about 20 mins.
I must make a decision that whether I should sell it before I have to buy apple care or buy apple care and live with it. If apple wanna hear a switch story, I am sure I can give them mine.
xinxin said:
Yes, this is something that I have always wondered too. With all these returns I don't mind buying a liney PB at a discount, after all it IS a flaw.
I guess they just spray some iKlear on it, give it a few wipes, and put it into a new box. Nobody will know.