Mostly Video/Display Issues - 2010 MBP 13"

[psigeek]

Hello everyone,

usually I can sort most issues and using Macs don't really have any but I'm stuck on this one and Applecare, being Sunday, is only accepting phone calls about iPhone at present.

I have a brand new 2010 MacBook Pro 13" (2.66 GHz - yes I know I'm a sucker for the extra MHz) and am having some strange issues with video and the display.

Firstly I intermittently get this...

...whilst watching a video in full screen. At first I thought it was the file, but it happens with numerous files (not DVD though) and whether played in QT or VLC or Front Row. That picture was taken in Front Row and please excuse the iPhone shot but I couldn't make Grab work.

Now I'm sure these files are fine as they ALL worked flawlessly with my iBook G4 14", which I moved on from. They are just TV episodes of shows and mostly AVI. The Mac itself is up-to-date of Apple Software and only has VLC and Perian installed from stock standard.

Second when watching a movie or other video in Front Row the screen will still dim and eventually sleep. This is also an intermittent thing.

Thirdly when opening new tabs or windows in Safari the new page is occasionally garbled (such as multicoloured from a broken LCD garbled) for a second before clearing to the new tab/window.

Fourthly the backlit keyboard will occasionally fade out as it has done now, whilst I am typing. Using the F5 or F6 keys brings up the 'backlit keyboard icon' but it has a symbol of a circle with a line through as if to say 'no can't do that'.

Also I started the machine today after shutting down normally last night to find that it had decided I was not connected to WiFi and that I should share my internet connection over the WiFi instead. This involved me switching it off and restarting the WiFi to fix.


I apologise for the number of issues I've posted here. It's the intermittent nature I'm struggling with. I have had a trawl through these forums (which I actually lurk on most days) and through the Apple Support but no real joy. I notice the i5/7 have had issues but not really the C2D. Any help would be appreciated. Is the machine faulty? Sad really as 5 years with the iBook and not a single problem occurred, it's just too slow for things now.

Thanks for listening.

psigeek.

PS The keyboard backlight is back!

 

[alpal20002000]

For the first issue: I'm not 100 percent sure, might be the graphics card?

For the second: Go to system preferences - energy saver - and see what you have checked off there. Also, go to system preferences - display- there's a screen dimming option there as well.

Third: Yup, sounds like the graphics card.

For the fourth: The keyboard adjusts and is only on when needed. I hav tried to put mine on as well and gotten the line through it, this happens in the day time when the backlit keys are not necessary.

Fifth: Might have been a one time hiccup, hard to tell.

 

[psigeek]

Hi and thanks for your reply and suggestions.

I'm aware of the settings to adjust when the screen turns off. However, I watch EyeTV on the Mac with no problems in full screen and BBC iPlayer without the screen ever dimming or switching off. Front Row seems to be ok sometimes, but others I have to keep hold of the Apple Remote to keep the screen alive.

Thanks for the note about the keyboard. I'm sure this is the first time it's happened though in the six weeks I've had it. It's not dimming and lighting on its own now and I'm in a bright room. Little bit at a loss.

Any other replies on this one? Could the graphics chip really be a dud?

 

[psigeek]

Cheeky bump?