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Ibjr

macrumors 6502a
Jun 29, 2002
513
21
Eastern seaboard
I agree with PDE (if I can agree, it more seems like what he's saying is fact). I haven't had as many computer as him though, only three MacBooks and one MacBook Pro, and all have been defective. I'm going to get a new MacBook Pro soon, hopefully issue free, but honestly, I don't expect it.

Same thing. Two macbooks. One had to be sent in for a replacement, the new one came in with a bad backlight buzz (but my dad cant hear the inverter so i am not sending it in). The other macbook had the buzz from the magsafe. I tried to get apple to fix it but they said I had to bring it to an Apple store (6 hours away) otherwise, if their engineer didn't hear the problem I would be charged. That was insane, my isight camera records the sound and i can play it back.

If it wasn't for OSX I wouldn't buy an Apple.
 

mayoko185

macrumors member
Jun 15, 2007
82
0
Wow I watched those you tube videos a flicker would drive me nuts... not trying to gloat but im so glad I got a seemingly perfect MBP. My mamma always said I was lucky :p
 

zoran

macrumors 601
Jun 30, 2005
4,708
122
Same thing. Two macbooks. One had to be sent in for a replacement, the new one came in with a bad backlight buzz (but my dad cant hear the inverter so i am not sending it in). The other macbook had the buzz from the magsafe. I tried to get apple to fix it but they said I had to bring it to an Apple store (6 hours away) otherwise, if their engineer didn't hear the problem I would be charged. That was insane, my isight camera records the sound and i can play it back.

If it wasn't for OSX I wouldn't buy an Apple.
why dont u post somewhere the probs that the macbook has if u say u can hear the buzz from the isight cam! so we can all understand the problems...
 

iW00t

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Nov 7, 2006
3,286
0
Defenders of Apple Guild
I noticed it only happens when it is on AC.

Strange thing is it is connected to a high quality UPS which provides filtered power. I can live with it though, but it does take a chink off its perfection. :eek:
 

PDE

macrumors 68020
Nov 16, 2005
2,482
13
I noticed it only happens when it is on AC.

Strange thing is it is connected to a high quality UPS which provides filtered power. I can live with it though, but it does take a chink off its perfection. :eek:


the one I opened in the store flicked even when on battery. The genius who finally saw the flicker thought it would go away by itself with time....but I wonder...

Anyway, as long as it doesn't annoy you all the time, I think it's a good idea to keep it. Perhaps Apple will be able to fix this via firmware/software update.
 

zoran

macrumors 601
Jun 30, 2005
4,708
122
flickering only occurs on gray backgrounds? i dont get it, no where else??
 

MRU

macrumors Penryn
Aug 23, 2005
25,368
8,948
a better place
URGH...

I guess I cannot gloat anymore. On certain solid coloured backgrounds I noticed a slight flickering of the screen when it is on like 50% brightness....

There is a controller chip at the back of the screen which governs the backlight. Sounds like yours is on the fritz. We had a macbook do this twice. At first they replaced the screen but forgot the controller...
 

Iceduck

macrumors member
Nov 23, 2004
30
0
There is a controller chip at the back of the screen which governs the backlight. Sounds like yours is on the fritz. We had a macbook do this twice. At first they replaced the screen but forgot the controller...

That is not the issue. This problem is due to the frequency which the LEDs blink with in order to simulate lower brightness levels. Apple just has to increase the frequency with a firmware update.
 

PDE

macrumors 68020
Nov 16, 2005
2,482
13
There is a controller chip at the back of the screen which governs the backlight. Sounds like yours is on the fritz. We had a macbook do this twice. At first they replaced the screen but forgot the controller...

Just curious - was it a macbook or macbook pro? My girlfriend's white macbook has a flickering screen and it is in for repair now. They are going to replace the inverter and inverter cable - is there another chip there that should be replaced?

Apparently the new LED MBPs do not have an inverter ?

Btw, the flickering on the SR MBPs is very different from that on my gf's macbook - it's much more of fast flickering that occurs everywhere on the display, whereas her macbook is more of slow, dimming and brightening of the screen.
 

giganten

macrumors 6502a
Jan 23, 2006
602
0
That is not the issue. This problem is due to the frequency which the LEDs blink with in order to simulate lower brightness levels. Apple just has to increase the frequency with a firmware update.

Is this true?
My SR MBP screen is "flickering" or it looks like it update or the frequency of picture is to slow or something. On lower brightness.

And one other question when I move a window say safari the text in the window get blurry and I get like a shadow of the window too, is this some kind of effect?
 

jmilliron

macrumors newbie
Jun 21, 2007
24
0
Someone on another forum said he got rid of his flickering by disabling the auto ambient light brightness adjustment setting.

Worth a try.
 

Iceduck

macrumors member
Nov 23, 2004
30
0
Someone on another forum said he got rid of his flickering by disabling the auto ambient light brightness adjustment setting.

Worth a try.

That will not change anything. As I said before, this is due to the frequency of the LED. Disabling ALS will not change this.
 

giganten

macrumors 6502a
Jan 23, 2006
602
0
That will not change anything. As I said before, this is due to the frequency of the LED. Disabling ALS will not change this.

It got better when i did disable the auto ambient light brightness adjustment setting.
 

zoran

macrumors 601
Jun 30, 2005
4,708
122
It got better when i did disable the auto ambient light brightness adjustment setting.
These solutions are just to patch things up, they arenot real "certified apple" solutions.
Does Apple say something officially about the flickering problem the led displays have or is this not a problem, im confused!
 

PDE

macrumors 68020
Nov 16, 2005
2,482
13
These solutions are just to patch things up, they arenot real "certified apple" solutions.
Does Apple say something officially about the flickering problem the led displays have or is this not a problem, im confused!

It usually takes Apple quite some time before they fix these things. When I opened my Apple store SR MBP, the screen was flickering immediately. I didn't even bother creating an account and just brought it downstairs to the guy who had helped me earlier. He stared at it and couldn't see anything. Then he got three of his friends to look at it and they didn't see anything either and just shook their heads. Finally, a former genius came by, looked at it and immediately saw the flicker. The point is: unless they take it seriously, this can take time to sort out. To me, the flicker was very obvious (and I had had one SR MBP before that didn't flicker so I could compare), but to them, in the regular apple store light, it was not apaprent. It may have had to do with ligthing because I opened it in darker area and they looked at it in a typical apple store light. Anyway....it's only problem if you a) have it and b) like to/have to use your display at a lower brightness setting.
 

giganten

macrumors 6502a
Jan 23, 2006
602
0
the screen is still flickering but not so much after i did disable the auto ambient light. But when i turn the brightness setting up then I cant see it.
I hope apple fix this fast..
 

zoran

macrumors 601
Jun 30, 2005
4,708
122
the screen is still flickering but not so much after i did disable the auto ambient light. But when i turn the brightness setting up then I cant see it.
I hope apple fix this fast..
but have they accepted this officially as a fault?
 

zoran

macrumors 601
Jun 30, 2005
4,708
122
No, no official acknowledgement of this.
Then it just might not be a prob, or Apple cant aknowledge it now, because they are all working for Lepard, no time left to fix the problem.
Therefore i must think that Leopard might just wait for xmas!!! :D
 

Iceduck

macrumors member
Nov 23, 2004
30
0
No, no official acknowledgement of this.

I called AppleCare, and one of their reps will investigate whether or not we can expect a software fix (he also didn't think it would help to send in the computer for repair). Haven't heard from him yet, but will be sure to let everyone know when I do.
 

FireArse

macrumors 6502a
Oct 29, 2004
900
110
Faults

is this flickering a standalone problem or is it seen as the "led display fault"?

I think the majority of these flickering screens suffer from faulty inverter boards, not the actual LCD panels.

F
 

PDE

macrumors 68020
Nov 16, 2005
2,482
13
I think the majority of these flickering screens suffer from faulty inverter boards, not the actual LCD panels.

F

I read somewhere that there are LED-lit displays don't have inverters. Is that correct? Unfortunately I can't remember where I saw this info.
 
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