So, this is a bit of an odd question. I’ve used Macs for 15 years, personally and professionally. I caught COVID in 2022 and again in 2024, and unfortunately it introduced a ton of health problems, including long COVID and autoimmune. One of the most frustrating symptoms has been the new onset of visual issues, which has made me sensitive to certain LED lighting that invisibly flickers using PWM, as well as visible flashing lights.
I was using an 2019 iMac on Mojave for music production and video editing (my job), but a reinfection in 2024 made that device unusable. Thus has begun a year-long journey trying to find a Mac that I can use, amidst endless doctors appointments trying to address my health.
And yes, before anyone suggests it, I have been to more doctors than I can count and spent more money trying to address all of this - no one knows anything. The best answer they have is that it is likely neurological in basis and caused by COVID. Others also have these issues.
The only device I have had success using is my iPhone 13 on iOS 15.6.1. It gives no symptoms and I can use it all day. I can also use a family member’s iPhone 13 on iOS 18 with minimal issues, though it isn’t as comfortable. These were both manufactured in 2021. I tried several iPhone 13’s manufactured in 2023 and they cause issues. So it seems that the PWM frequency and modulation of the 2021 iPhone 13’s is better than the 2023 models, despite being the same phone. I also believe software is playing a role by introducing different color processing algorithms like dithering, as iOS 16 and 17 on that same family member’s phone was problematic for me, but 18 seems better.
Now to my question: I recently purchased a brand new, sealed 2022 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro Touchbar. It came pre-loaded with MacOS Ventura 13.2.1. It is the most tolerable I have tried of all the Macs (and I’ve tried virtually every single one - including 3 other 13-inch M2’s, this one had the best feeling screen) but still caused pretty severe neurological and visual side effects, which makes me suspect FRC from the panel as I disabled GPU dithering with the program Stillcolor. I’d like to test various versions of MacOS from Monterey through Tahoe to see if I can find a version that uses minimal dithering, or try to pinpoint just what might be the biggest trigger for me. But I’d like to be able to backup this version of Ventura and the firmware that goes along with it, seeing as you cannot access 13.2.1 without a DFU restore.
Is a Time Machine backup to an external hard drive sufficient for this? I have never attempted such a thing because I never had to, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I have a lot of theories as to what could be going on, but I won’t know until I test them.
Thanks to anyone who has read this far and I appreciate any advice on how to go about this.
I was using an 2019 iMac on Mojave for music production and video editing (my job), but a reinfection in 2024 made that device unusable. Thus has begun a year-long journey trying to find a Mac that I can use, amidst endless doctors appointments trying to address my health.
And yes, before anyone suggests it, I have been to more doctors than I can count and spent more money trying to address all of this - no one knows anything. The best answer they have is that it is likely neurological in basis and caused by COVID. Others also have these issues.
The only device I have had success using is my iPhone 13 on iOS 15.6.1. It gives no symptoms and I can use it all day. I can also use a family member’s iPhone 13 on iOS 18 with minimal issues, though it isn’t as comfortable. These were both manufactured in 2021. I tried several iPhone 13’s manufactured in 2023 and they cause issues. So it seems that the PWM frequency and modulation of the 2021 iPhone 13’s is better than the 2023 models, despite being the same phone. I also believe software is playing a role by introducing different color processing algorithms like dithering, as iOS 16 and 17 on that same family member’s phone was problematic for me, but 18 seems better.
Now to my question: I recently purchased a brand new, sealed 2022 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro Touchbar. It came pre-loaded with MacOS Ventura 13.2.1. It is the most tolerable I have tried of all the Macs (and I’ve tried virtually every single one - including 3 other 13-inch M2’s, this one had the best feeling screen) but still caused pretty severe neurological and visual side effects, which makes me suspect FRC from the panel as I disabled GPU dithering with the program Stillcolor. I’d like to test various versions of MacOS from Monterey through Tahoe to see if I can find a version that uses minimal dithering, or try to pinpoint just what might be the biggest trigger for me. But I’d like to be able to backup this version of Ventura and the firmware that goes along with it, seeing as you cannot access 13.2.1 without a DFU restore.
Is a Time Machine backup to an external hard drive sufficient for this? I have never attempted such a thing because I never had to, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I have a lot of theories as to what could be going on, but I won’t know until I test them.
Thanks to anyone who has read this far and I appreciate any advice on how to go about this.
