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Octo Mac Quality Problems?

BWhaler

BWhaler

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Jan 8, 2003
3,789
6,250
It seems from friends who bought the Octo Mac and reading some of the posts here, that Apple is having some serious quality issues with the new Octo Macs.

EVERY friend who bought the Octo Mac returned it for repairs/refund for reasons ranging from:

1. Smell
2, No serial number (Dev machines)
3. Reception issues.

This is in addition to the problems reported here.

No of course, I know the typical excuses, only people who have problems post, etc., but it just seems like there are a high number of people with issues.

On a related note, what is going on with Apple's quality. The Macbooks, displays, etc., it just seems like Apple is having serious quality problems.

Thoughts?
 
BWhaler said:
It seems from friends who bought the Octo Mac and reading some of the posts here, that Apple is having some serious quality issues with the new Octo Macs.

EVERY friend who bought the Octo Mac returned it for repairs/refund for reasons ranging from:

1. Smell
2, No serial number (Dev machines)
3. Reception issues.
Click to expand...

smell? who returns the computer because of the smell? does it lack the new computer smell or does it smell like someone's feet? that's the strangest reason for returning a computer if ever i heard one.

concerning your post, i think every product has its share of problems. as long as the quality issues don't approach that of the xbox 360, i'm happy.
 
BWhaler said:
No of course, I know the typical excuses, only people who have problems post, etc., but it just seems like there are a high number of people with issues.
Click to expand...
Have you ever considered the idea that only a tiny number of people who are extremely satisfied with their machines would post such a thing in forums where subforums are labelled things like "Mac Basics and Help"? Meanwhile, people with issues would be unhappy that they bought a defective machine and would therefore would have a bigger incentive to post a thread in order to solve a problem? It's not an excuse, it's completely logical.

Meanwhile, I don't really see why dev machines should come with serial numbers, or why someone would have an issue with the smell. New car smell...new computer smell...new (anything) smell...unless it's pervasive and persistent, there really is no point to complaining about smell? :rolleyes:
 
Whilst 'smell' does seem one of the strangest reasons to return a machine, there obviously must be something out of the ordinary there before people are returning the computer due to it. Can anyone enhance on what this smell resembles?
 
They dont care, they dont have to... YET

I've been a decade-long mac user. I've got a G4 dual 533 that has been a faultless workhorse, and a Pismo that has been mostly the same. I've been real unimpressed with what I've read and seen with the Macbook Pro, though the last rev was purchased by my mom, and it seems mostly good, minus the fact that it runs hot when producing multimedia and I wont be buying one to edit video.
I've been stalling upgrading for a long time, but I'm finally having to get there because of CPU demand issues. These Intel-chip machines just seem buggy, I've seen some real weird stuff go on inside of heavy-duty multimedia ware on the Macbook Pro, and, oh yeah, I need to upgrade EVERYTHING. Apple needs to pull its head out and remember the multimedia producers. Now, I'll wait to get flamed by the paid mac geeks who will accuse me of being a stealth PC spy.
Oh yeah, what is with the 9-month old mac minis? Might as well go out and
get a dual 1.42 G4 at this point. At least I know what I'll get, something that apple has thrown out the window.
 
why return it if it just smells...

There IS some sort of smell issue with *some* of the newest mac pros, but definitely not all. I've only heard about a few cases, but here is my story:

I ordered a new octo (3.0) a day or so after they came out. Got it a week later. I opened it up and it worked very well, EXCEPT that it smelled like horrible burning plastic from the beginning, to the point where we put it in the garage because the smell made us nauseous. Believe me, you would call it remarkable. It was unlike any new computer or appliance smell ever; a phenomenon. Yes, we checked it for obvious burning parts, no we found nothing. It wasn't even running suspiciously hot. After a week of hoping it would "burn off", we called Apple.

Apple said: we've heard of a few other users having this problem, please send it back, we'll send you another one that hopefully doesn't smell. Everybody wins: I get another computer, they get to figure out exactly what is going on with one of the bad apples (ha ha). Of course I'm not thrilled at having gotten a stinko, but I'm more than happy with how they are dealing. Try that with your car dealership.

Steve
 
My Octo mac pro smelled like **** for the first few weeks... it seems to have faded a lot though, so its not as bad now.
 
Sounds like a plastic curing issue with some component or other inside it. I guess, if for whatever reason, you didn't want to return it, you should go to the store and purchase a few activated charcoal filters and set them next to it to suck in the odors.

The no serial number thing really surprises me. I don't understand how Apple's assembly plant made that slip.

Anyway, both of those things are obviously manufacturing issues that ought to get sorted out quickly. Apple should have a flawless launch, sure, but I'd give them a few weeks to straighten those out, and be shocked if they didn't go away.

The reception and noise/buzzing issues may possibly be more in the way of design or DFM and may take more effort.
 
Speed Issues with Ocot Mac

I replaced my dual core G5 with an octo Mac Pro. It is much slower than the G5. I timed Photoshop operations like opening a 900 MB CMYK file, converting to RGB, using Gaussian blur filter etc. Has anyone else had speed concerns like this? Anyone know why this is happening?

Thank you.
 
garymilgrom said:
I replaced my dual core G5 with an octo Mac Pro. It is much slower than the G5. I timed Photoshop operations like opening a 900 MB CMYK file, converting to RGB, using Gaussian blur filter etc. Has anyone else had speed concerns like this? Anyone know why this is happening?

Thank you.
Click to expand...


What version of photoshop?

Anything other than CS3 will not be intel native and would be running via rosetta.

The G5 would smoke it.
 
troll post

siurpeeman said:
smell? who returns the computer because of the smell? does it lack the new computer smell or does it smell like someone's feet? that's the strangest reason for returning a computer if ever i heard one.

concerning your post, i think every product has its share of problems. as long as the quality issues don't approach that of the xbox 360, i'm happy.
Click to expand...
I'm thinking this guy is just a Troll. None of it makes much sense, including the "smell" issue.

If Apple shipped a computer (or anything) without a serial number they would be in violation of US and International law. I don't see that happening at all and it would require so much of their typical assembly line processes to fail that it just boggles the mind.

Also, what are "reception issues?" :confused:

Does he mean shipping? How is that Apple's fault? Everyone knows they use UPS and that UPS sucks, but it's hardly the fault of the computer inside the box, or even the company that hired the sucky delivery company to deliver said computer.

There isn't much choice in the market for delivery (which is probably the root cause of UPS sucky-ness).
 
EVERY friend who bought the Octo Mac returned it for repairs/refund for reasons ranging from:

1. Smell
2, No serial number (Dev machines)
3. Reception issues.


some answers...

1. Smell- The octo 3.0 uses a a different themal compound ( Krytox/Liquid metal ) that appears is the source of the odd smell

2. No S/N- AASP's have have a utility called Blank Board Serializer that can do a one shot serialization of the motherboard to match the S/N tag on the case.

3. Reception issues- well this is both a design issue and in some cases antenna lead improperly connected. The lead issue is well documented elsewhere. The design is poor as the antennas sit in a bay on the underside of the machine.
 
Virgil-TB2 said:
I'm thinking this guy is just a Troll. None of it makes much sense, including the "smell" issue.
Click to expand...

No need to get hostile there.. It is a small but very weird issue. I know one unit that got sent back to apple because of the smell reek that the unit emitted. It about denied the persons working in the room. Limited issue,maybe. Real? Definately.

Virgil-TB2 said:
Also, what are "reception issues?" :confused:
Click to expand...

And 3 older MPs (06) that I have worked with,one of wich is mine, have utterly abysmal BT/Airport reception. 1 got sent to repairs twice,no improvement.
Didnt send mine back,resorted on the cable for net and BT mouse/keyboard issues was negated by wired keyboard and a wacom table.

So,those issues,as far as I see, are real. And the wireless issue is quite normal. Just look for this forum and you will find a lot of folks having the problems.

Or are they just trolls...Hmm?
 
bpd115 said:
What version of photoshop?

Anything other than CS3 will not be intel native and would be running via rosetta.

The G5 would smoke it.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply. This is with CS3. Some details:

Open 900MB file ... G5 - :16 secs. / MacPro - :34 secs.
Change CMYK to RGB ... G5 - 1:21 / MacPro - 1:52

But when I run the speed test from another thread I get this:
G5 - 1:13 / MacPro - :38

Finally, why is the speed inconsistent on both? On one test the octo Mac performed at :39, 1:31 and 1:52; while the G5 performed at :58, 1:05 and 1:21. I have all other apps turned off. Shouldn't PS function the same when processing the same action/filter/whatever?

Thank you. I have an appointment at the Mac Store where I bought the Mac Pro tomorrow. Any ideas on how to get the fastest machine possible welcome. Is a 4-proc with faster chips better than an 8-proc with slower ones etc.
 
garymilgrom

This has me worried. I am about to buy my first mac and I use photoshop/after effects/premiere (and now switching over to final cut) alot. If they are slower that is not a good sign.

Also this thread has me worried.....
 
Hmm, where is the serial number again? It's not in the usual "About this Mac" location. Should I call Apple? Also, when I got my computer, it said Alison Fargis's" Mac Pro........
 
Mercuric Oxide said:
Hmm, where is the serial number again? It's not in the usual "About this Mac" location. Should I call Apple? Also, when I got my computer, it said Alison Fargis's" Mac Pro........
Click to expand...


REFURB!!!!

Refurb board often/usually have the serial number wiped. As for the mac having a preexisting user name, that's just not right, it means the hard drive was not erased/reformatted/new OS install.
 
Mercuric Oxide said:
Hmm, where is the serial number again? It's not in the usual "About this Mac" location. Should I call Apple? Also, when I got my computer, it said Alison Fargis's" Mac Pro........
Click to expand...

yeah if you didnt buy a refurb thats really messed up id be angry after spending a ton of cash
 
If it being refurb/dev is the case, then I can certainly raise hell for them not giving me a brand new machine, and hopefully demand my money back while keeping the comp :D
 
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