Macbook, weird colors when tilting screen

[johnming]

Hi all,

I'm having a weird problem with my 2nd generation MacBook. When I tilt the screen back there are certain angles at which certain tones of grey on the display show as this bright cyan color for a moment and then go away when I change the angle. Has this happened to anyone else?

Thanks.

 

[Xander562]

Do you mean when you view it from the far right or far left. Or when you are viewing it straight on from the front and are moving the screen on it's hinge?


Pictures would also be helpful.

 

[mckyvlle]

You are probably talking about the viewing angle of the LCD. MacBooks have LCDs with rather poor viewing angles. Search around the forums, this problem has been mentioned many times.

 

[johnming]

It's not a viewing angle issue. For instance I am in front of the display and I tilt the display back. At certain points when tilting it the screen flickers cyan. It's very noticeable at any angle and almost looks like a graphical glitch in the OS, but it happens in Windows and Linux too so it's obviously not a software issue.

The display did not always do this; it started happening one day and has gotten worse and worse. I have looked on the Internet and on these boards and have yet to find someone with the same problem.

Edit: another point to note: If I have the display tilted at an angle which produces the weird colors and I change the contrast, the colors on the screen which are affected change. It always seems to be different shades of gray since you can see certain colors in a white to black gradient change to cyan. It's very strange.

 

[CyberMac]

It's not a viewing angle issue. For instance I am in front of the display and I tilt the display back. At certain points when tilting it the screen flickers cyan. It's very noticeable at any angle and almost looks like a graphical glitch in the OS, but it happens in Windows and Linux too so it's obviously not a software issue.

The display did not always do this; it started happening one day and has gotten worse and worse. I have looked on the Internet and on these boards and have yet to find someone with the same problem.

Edit: another point to note: If I have the display tilted at an angle which produces the weird colors and I change the contrast, the colors on the screen which are affected change. It always seems to be different shades of gray since you can see certain colors in a white to black gradient change to cyan. It's very strange.

Hey johnming,

I have the very same problem. It's more like a mechanical problem. I am just on the phone with the Apple support, and they have never heard of this before. Duuh. Ah well... I'll get back to ya, when I know more.

Cheers


Alright... talked to support. They have actually never encountered this before. Well, most likely since screens appear to mess up AFTER the warranty. *LOL* Mine was only 3 days overdue and they will make an exception so at least this will be the first documented case. They said it sounds very much like a mechanical issue, for tilting the screen forward restores the screen... at times at least.

Well, take care

C.

 

[applecupcakes]

This definitely sounds like a mechanical problem! I haven't ever had the same problem exactly, but I have in the past had issues with the display of other Windows' laptops, where over time something just seemed to come loose or otherwise mess up, and I would get lines down the screen, or it would flicker... same type of idea. Hopefully you're still under warranty/have Applecare! Good luck!

 

[johnming]

CyberMac,

This problem started to happen for me a few weeks after my warranty expired. I'm not ready to cry 'scam!' though as I did have to have the display fixed once before (under warranty) and I honestly find it hard to believe Apple could technically 'rig' the display to start malfunctioning at a specific time.

One possible source of this problem could be the connector from the motherboard to the display. If there is a short in it or it is somehow out of place it could cause the display to show these weird colors instead of the actual assets on the screen.

Thanks all.

 

[CyberMac]

CyberMac,

This problem started to happen for me a few weeks after my warranty expired. I'm not ready to cry 'scam!' though as I did have to have the display fixed once before (under warranty) and I honestly find it hard to believe Apple could technically 'rig' the display to start malfunctioning at a specific time.

One possible source of this problem could be the connector from the motherboard to the display. If there is a short in it or it is somehow out of place it could cause the display to show these weird colors instead of the actual assets on the screen.

Thanks all.

Heya johnming,

Oh, no, I don't think they "rigged" it somehow, I just mean it's so typical that things mess up just when the warranty expires. I had a watch that did it after the day of expiery, a washing machine and a freezer at work. Murphy's law is just too damn accurate at times... maybe we need to add it to the forces of Nature.

It could also be that the point of attachment to the screen from all the bending up and down has gotten some break of some sort, or something moved out of place. Since your screen is working, I don't think they would have to change the entire screen.

Good luck and hope you'll get it fixed.

C.


PS: I can keep you updated with what they say about mine once I get it back.

 

[CyberMac]

Hey johnming,

Me again... I have spoken to a great Apple lover friend of mine. He took a swift look at my screen and said that it is the cable to the screen (matrix-cable directly translated from Swedish) which is often situated (let's see if I got this right) on the left hand side (if you face the laptop and screen) of the 'hinge' between the screen and keyboard. Now, most people who close their laptops are right handed and close it very often by pulling the side closest to the right hand, which means there will always be extra torsion/force on that cable and it breaks. This was according to my friend a very common problem in the iBooks, and it is also a common problem in PC screen because they open up even more than Mac-screen. So he said, the way to avoid it is that always when opening and closing the screen, do it in the middle of the screen so the force will be evenly distributed over the two 'hinges'.

The problem is though, that once this little cable is damaged the whole screen needs to be replaced for it will only progress to the worse.

I hope this helps.

Take care

C.

 

[AppleLover14]

I hate to say it, but there might be a small virus on your computer. When mine started doing this, my malware said there were threats detected. I still have to find these threats, while I have all the files I created that day in quarantine. Hope you the best of luck.

 

[DeltaMac]

Please notice that this thread is nearly 10 years old, and the OP has not returned since posting 10 years ago.
A "virus" is highly unlikely to cause a physical issue with the display connection.
The plastic MacBooks from that time could easily have problems with the display cable, which passes through the hinge area, and actually has a connection inside the hinge, where the backlight board is located. I have to take my 2008 MacBook apart to reseat that connection every year or two. In fact, I generally use my Macbook on a desk, almost never close the lid to help prevent that issue. (Not caused by a "virus")