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Horizontal Lines in New Powerbooks

Does it look like this: https://forums.macrumors.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=33933&d=1130818514

Because mine (and others in the store) looked exactly like that.
Seeing 'dots' (squares) is of course acceptable; that's the resolution of the LCD. But these lines are artifacts on a length-scale larger than the claimed LCD resolution. This is not acceptable considering the price of the machine IMHO.

Fireburst said:
Not complacent at all. It isn't an issue as far as I am concerned. If you move close to any LCD screen you will see lines and dots. Like I said some must be worse than others because AFAIK my PB is fine for graphics work.
Click to expand...
 
Well, I can't 100% rule out drivers because my Ubuntu live CD was borked,but the fact that the lines are present while running the Apple hardware test (as well as the parts of the Ubuntu installer that ran before the CD bombed) lead me to think that it's not software.

Oh, and, um...don't ask me how I determined this, but I've determined that I don't have a loose adapter connection to the video card
:)

Also, I had the lines swirling when connecting to an external CRT...bands of horizontal lines radiating out from the center-top and center-bottom of the CRT screen.

Bad batch of video cards/logic board maybe? I'll hold off on returning mine until a definitive solution is confirmed by Apple (if it's this widespread, I'm banking on a recall like the G3 Ibook logic boards were)-I don't play with images at the per pixel level, and it's not interfering with DVD watching or any other tasks I typically do.
 
What is it with apple and the powerbook logic boards??? Another batch of dud ones is appauling.

My powerbook shipped today and for the first time - i'm not actually looking forward to recieving my new apple product.

Apple online Ireland (Education store dept), claim to have no knoweldge of this and did a lot to reasure me, i.e if it does happen with my powerbook I can have a refund.... But at the end of the day, you don't order new hardware with the ever pesent lingering fear that its going to be shagged when you get it.

Dell would'nt deem that acceptable with their cheapo laptops, so why should apple with a laptop costing twice the pc equivilant????

ARghhhhhhhhhh :mad:
 
They are either lying or incompetent

MacRumorUser said:
Apple online Ireland (Education store dept), claim to have no knoweldge of this and did a lot to reasure me,
Click to expand...
 
But at the end of the day, you don't order new hardware with the ever pesent lingering fear that its going to be shagged when you get it.
Click to expand...

I hear you. Mine is getting here today. I have my fingers crossed.
 
jeffcorbets said:
So someone who seems to be from Apple is now asking for the first five digits off of serial numbers from people who have posted complaints in Apple's Discussion Forums. The two threads are also locked now.
Click to expand...

What's interesting is that looking at that guy's previous posts, he'd earlier said:

Yes I'm sure that Apple would argue the horizontal lines are 'within spec'. But clearly the display is of rather poor quality. I have thought about trying to get a refund and possibly getting the older model at a cheaper price, but I'm getting attached to the extra pixels :) I'm going to try to be optimistic that Apple will produce a fix for this >1GB kernel_task issue soon.
Click to expand...

He also mades some posts about screen flickering saying he was kicking himself for buying a rev A. Which just seems weird coming from an Apple rep, I guess.
 
No that's me! I'm not from Apple.
I just want to know if the issue has been fixed, so I can go out and buy a new PowerBook. From my own research, I noticed that at least weeks 40-41 produced faulty screens, however now we have reports of PowerBooks with perfect screens. If there is a clear pattern in the serial numbers, I can check the stock at the Apple store without opening the box.

jeffcorbets said:
So someone who seems to be from Apple is now asking for the first five digits off of serial numbers from people who have posted complaints in Apple's Discussion Forums. The two threads are also locked now.

The biggest piece of news is that the guy claims there were two weeks of screens with issues... weeks 40 and 41.

http://discussions.info.apple.com/webx?14@988.K9RoacFaUa2.0@.68bd725d

~Jeff Corbets
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huh...that's odd they locked the thread over at Apple...something must be up as I didn't see anything getting off track in that thread.
 
Maybe I was out of line asking for (partial) serial numbers?

VisualForces said:
huh...that's odd they locked the thread over at Apple...something must be up as I didn't see anything getting off track in that thread.
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More screen experience...

Hmmm... this is interesting, I ordered mine the day after they were released, so I'm pretty sure I'd fit into this crowd.

In terms of the line appearance, I'm starting to be able to notice them in light grey backgrounds at an increased distance (not just when my nose is right up there) - not pleasant... It isn't an issue if I'm just using it for Word, Safari, Mail, et.al... But when magnifying things in Illustrator it becomes more of a problem...

One thing that I will say about the new screen is that the black outlines of each pixel are far less visible than on either of: the old 1.5 15"PB(at work), and an iMac G4 17" (at work). I realise that the new screen res is higher than both of these, but it shouldn't affect pixel size that much - so this is surprising to me - Indeed, at first I couldn't see the black outlines of each pixel at all. Maybe this is why the new screens are brighter? Less black?

Basically, if the bright line issue can be solved - this display will be amazing.

jeffcorbets said:
So someone who seems to be from Apple is now asking for the first five digits off of serial numbers from people who have posted complaints in Apple's Discussion Forums. The two threads are also locked now.

The biggest piece of news is that the guy claims there were two weeks of screens with issues... weeks 40 and 41.

http://discussions.info.apple.com/webx?14@988.K9RoacFaUa2.0@.68bd725d

~Jeff Corbets
Click to expand...
 
Well, my repair status was changed to "Hold - need more info". I called Apple to see what info they needed, and they told me they couldn't reproduce the problem!!! I placed a folder full of images and a text file explaining EXACTLY how to reproduce it RIGHT in the middle of the desktop. I told them an engineer probably wouldn't notice it, but I'm sure one of their graphic designers would. They're basically saying this is normal for this screen. So I just told them if that's the case, to give me my money back. They're going back to the engineers now and will supposedly call me in 24-48 hours. :rolleyes:

The wait continues...but it's not looking good. :(
 
I also called today the service in Europe(Germany) and I explained the same problem to them, he took some notes and then he asked me to call again later from home when I seat in front of the PB, because he needs to do some "further examinations" whatever they could be.

I will insist that there needs to be done something, such a display quality is not acceptable in a 2000 euro device...

How can be that my 2.5 years old 12" PB has got a better display than the newest one?!? :mad:


VisualForces said:
Well, my repair status was changed to "Hold - need more info". I called Apple to see what info they needed, and they told me they couldn't reproduce the problem!!! I placed a folder full of images and a text file explaining EXACTLY how to reproduce it RIGHT in the middle of the desktop. I told them an engineer probably wouldn't notice it, but I'm sure one of their graphic designers would. They're basically saying this is normal for this screen. So I just told them if that's the case, to give me my money back. They're going back to the engineers now and will supposedly call me in 24-48 hours. :rolleyes:

The wait continues...but it's not looking good. :(
Click to expand...
 
By checking serial numbers of affected machines I have seen (digits 4 and 5). Apple may of course still be producing defective screens. That is why I wanted to collect more statistics. I wanted to know what the week of manufacture was for the perfect screens that users have been reporting.

DrizztG said:
So where did you get that it was week 40 & 41 that have faulty displays?
Click to expand...
 
Mine is W85446, week 46? and I got it last week. Which cannot be, we're in WW45 right now :confused:

mactim said:
By checking serial numbers of affected machines I have seen (digits 4 and 5). Apple may of course still be producing defective screens. That is why I wanted to collect more statistics.
Click to expand...
 
I started a new thread in response to mactim's serial number query on the Apple site. People may want to jump on with their info before it gets locked as well...

It would seem to be reasonable for affected users to consolidate information about the books, so if there is a bad batch of hardware, we would expedite things if all the affected laptops were made in the same plant or within a certain time (ideally both).

Mine is W8542 (week42?)...hmm...maybe all the affected ones came from Shanghai?

A partial list of potential birthplaces is...

# F: Fremont, California, USA
# CK: Cork, Ireland
# SG or E: Singapore
# UV: Taiwan
# QT: Taiwan (Quanta Factory)
# W8: Shanghai China
# PT: Korea
 
No yours was built in week 44 (digits 4 and 5). Do you have the horizontal line issue?
BTW: W8 = Shanghai China, 5 = 2005, 44 = build week, the rest = your part number for that week

EDIT: Sorry, I didn't read your earlier post; it seems you DO have the problem.
Well it looks like Apple have been churning out bad screens for FIVE weeks (40-44) !
No wonder they want this to be 'within specs'...

kingstontown said:
Mine is W85446, week 46? and I got it last week. Which cannot be, we're in WW45 right now :confused:
Click to expand...
 
Visual,
Get your money back now, while you still can. Apple are almost certain to tell you this is within specs, since so many have been produced like this and it seems many users just don't care.
You may have a case for a refund purely on the basis of the delay Apple are having trying to find your issue (impact on your private business etc).
Tell them you need a refund ASAP so you can 'go out and buy another straightaway'.


VisualForces said:
Well, my repair status was changed to "Hold - need more info". I called Apple to see what info they needed, and they told me they couldn't reproduce the problem!!! I placed a folder full of images and a text file explaining EXACTLY how to reproduce it RIGHT in the middle of the desktop. I told them an engineer probably wouldn't notice it, but I'm sure one of their graphic designers would. They're basically saying this is normal for this screen. So I just told them if that's the case, to give me my money back. They're going back to the engineers now and will supposedly call me in 24-48 hours. :rolleyes:

The wait continues...but it's not looking good. :(
Click to expand...
 
Mine is week 42 - Production number 88XX (within this week) Shangai Factory W8 and I'm one of the few that don't see this as an issue. My screen looks bling-bling;)
 
Looks like it's been censored already! :)

wildcard said:
I started a new thread in response to mactim's serial number query on the Apple site. People may want to jump on with their info before it gets locked as well...

It would seem to be reasonable for affected users to consolidate information about the books, so if there is a bad batch of hardware, we would expedite things if all the affected laptops were made in the same plant or within a certain time (ideally both).

Mine is W8542 (week42?)...hmm...maybe all the affected ones came from Shanghai?

A partial list of potential birthplaces is...

# F: Fremont, California, USA
# CK: Cork, Ireland
# SG or E: Singapore
# UV: Taiwan
# QT: Taiwan (Quanta Factory)
# W8: Shanghai China
# PT: Korea
Click to expand...
 
Does "don't see this as an issue" mean you don't have the issue? Or you have it and you don't mind? Many users certainly have it but don't seem to mind.

tribe3 said:
Mine is week 42 - Production number 88XX (within this week) Shangai Factory W8 and I'm one of the few that don't see this as an issue. My screen looks bling-bling;)
Click to expand...
 
mactim said:
Does "don't see this as an issue" mean you don't have the issue? Or you have it and you don't mind? Many users certainly have it but don't seem to mind.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure I don't have it. I did some measurbations like blown Illustrator graphics to 6400%, also Photoshop CS pictures to crazy zoom ranges and I don't see the "lines". I do see a very fine, but hardly noticeable texture like fabric in the light blue desktop picture, not in other pictures or backgrounds.
 
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