swapnonil

Q: Greyish Smudge marks behind the glass screen.

I have a 21.5 iMac bought in November 2009.

There appears to be numerous greyish smudge marks behind the glass screen on the top left hand corner.

It was not apparent to me at first, but after I started using OMMWriter it became easily visible. I also tried placing a neutral white background like TextEdit and it was easily visible even then.

I have cleaned the screen on numerous occasions and it has not had any effect.

What should I do?

These spots are quite disturbing.

iMac 21.5, November 2009, Mac OS X (10.6.2)

Posted on Jan 15, 2010 10:55 AM

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Q: Greyish Smudge marks behind the glass screen.

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  • by bertp_imac,

    bertp_imac bertp_imac Jul 1, 2012 8:54 AM in response to iSayuSay
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 1, 2012 8:54 AM in response to iSayuSay

    Yeah I am not going to pay €600 euros for a replacement...Thats BS.

     

    I just hate the fact that this is a well known issue and Apple just wont accept this problem.

     

    Obviously I am not the only one and there are many iMacs 'infected'

  • by iSayuSay,

    iSayuSay iSayuSay Jul 1, 2012 9:01 AM in response to bertp_imac
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 1, 2012 9:01 AM in response to bertp_imac

    Well yeah the screen replacement cost is outrageous when we out of warranty. But I think you're a bit out of options. You don't get the screen replaced means you can't sell it for a good price, nor you can enjoy using your iMac as it was when it's new.

     

    Maybe you could try contact Apple online support for alternatives, some people do get lucky and get their iMac screen replaced for free out of warranty. You can keep trying.

     

    I personally have my screen replaced twice within the first year, and I believe it would return again in a couple of months. It would be a tiring regular replacement for the next 2 years.

     

    Since when did you realize your screen have smudge? You waited for so long, or surprsingly noticed it's there? I noticed the smudges within 4-5 months of ownership.

  • by bertp_imac,

    bertp_imac bertp_imac Jul 1, 2012 9:43 AM in response to iSayuSay
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 1, 2012 9:43 AM in response to iSayuSay

    About the selling part, wait and see I guess, at normal use it is noticable but not annoying. Especially on dark backgrounds it is very hard to see, at lighter backgrounds it's not possible to not see it...

     

    Will try to contact Apple online support..

     

    I saw the smudge for the first time about a month ago while I was working on a photoshop document and looked at it full screen, did some search work at google and found out what my problem was.. To bad I didn't noticed it earlier...

     

    (sorry if my english isnt flawless, its because im dutch)

  • by Iain MacDonald1,

    Iain MacDonald1 Iain MacDonald1 Jul 1, 2012 9:48 AM in response to bertp_imac
    Level 2 (409 points)
    iPad
    Jul 1, 2012 9:48 AM in response to bertp_imac

    Has anyone who has had a panel replaced had the issue come back? If so, after what sort of timeframe?

     

    @bertp

     

    I'd really try one last time with Apple - ask to speak to the first person's supervisor / manager, and ask them to look up 'LCD panel contamination' and maybe point to the later posts on this thread firmly but politely stating that it seems that internally Apple are acknowledging the issue and appear to be replacing faulty panels even out of warranty.

  • by bertp_imac,

    bertp_imac bertp_imac Jul 1, 2012 10:00 AM in response to Iain MacDonald1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 1, 2012 10:00 AM in response to Iain MacDonald1

    @lain

     

    Will try to fix it with the reseller where the iMac is bought, if that isnt working the next step is contacting Apple NL.

     

    There is a law in the Netherlands that gives consumers a standard 2 year warranty on products with an expected lifetime of 5 years (like an iMac). The first two years all repairs will be done for free or almost free. After the two years costs coming with a repair will be split for the reseller and the other half for the consumer.

     

    Offcourse the law describing this has far more details, this is just a very short summary.

     

    Do you have any evidence of Apple acknowledging the issue?

  • by Noblin,

    Noblin Noblin Jul 1, 2012 10:19 AM in response to Iain MacDonald1
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Jul 1, 2012 10:19 AM in response to Iain MacDonald1

    Yes. Here's why, heat. I run a 3rd party fan controller an I forgot to turn it on while playing a full screen game. Once the internal temperature gets to around 160°F you will start doing permanent damage to the screen that causes though streaks. Use a free program called SMCfan controller and just jack the fans to Mac an leave them on 100% of the time. It may be loud but it's better than a trashed screen. If the glass in the front of you iMac is warm to the touch it is too hot and you are risking damage to the screen.

  • by bertp_imac,

    bertp_imac bertp_imac Jul 1, 2012 10:26 AM in response to Noblin
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 1, 2012 10:26 AM in response to Noblin

    My iMac inst hot at all. Im using SMCfan controller, and at the lowest setting the temperature is around 35°C/95°F. Im still thinking that the issue is being caused by dust thats inside the LCD and its a design error by Apple.

  • by igs,

    igs igs Jul 1, 2012 1:48 PM in response to bertp_imac
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 1, 2012 1:48 PM in response to bertp_imac

    I have a late 2009 21.5" iMac and have just started to see "smudges on my screen", but I am not sure it is the same problem that you guys are seeing.

     

    The marks are certainly grey but close up they look like thin tree (fractal) patterns.

    These are definitely in the LCD because if I remeve the front glass they are still there.

    To me (an ex-physicist) and my Bio-Chem daughter these look like crystal patterns, and we are expecting these to be the start  of crystal breakdown which will get progreessively worse.

     

    Is this what you guys are seeing?

     

    igs

  • by Omek,

    Omek Omek Jul 1, 2012 2:03 PM in response to bertp_imac
    Level 1 (1 points)
    Jul 1, 2012 2:03 PM in response to bertp_imac

    I'm convinced this is absolutely not a dust or environmental issue. If you read much earlier comments, people actually got in touch with their computer repair friends and asked about this iMac issue. They stated it has to do with the heat of the unit actually bursting cells in the LCD. The LCD is not properly shielded and it is way too close to the the rest of the heat-emitting hardware. And it is all stuffed in a very small space.

     

    The only way to fix the issue is to totally redesign the iMac. It won't matter if you have Applecare or not. It will eventually expire, and you will no longer get free screen replacements. Apple hasn't officially acknowledged the problem. They have only blamed users for placing their machines in bad environments. This has been debunked by several Mac owners on these boards who have absolutely pristine office spaces. I implore people to please stay away from iMacs until Apple re-designs the hardware. I wish they will offer some sort of trade-in when they release new models, but I have a feeling most of us who bought these iMacs will just be stuck with bad machines. There are actions taking place online. I have to say actions, because if you say anything else, Apple with delete your comment. Just google it.

     

    I've emailed several media tech sites, and I still haven't gotten any response. Please contact these blogs and request that they cover this story. Gizmodo covered the yellow screen issue a few years back, but they and others are completely ignoring the grey-smudge issue.

  • by judithblades,

    judithblades judithblades Jul 2, 2012 9:52 PM in response to swapnonil
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 2, 2012 9:52 PM in response to swapnonil

    just contacted the Australian New Zealand support and they have never heard of it...plus they can't find any mention of it globally within the Apple support network..I said quite a few people have recently had their screens replaced gratis but they won't support mine to be done. The guy said see if you can get it cheaper by vying the retail sellers off against one another THEN (about online comments re the issue) "you never know what people make up on the threads...internt etc"

     

    then today I get a request to fill in survey about ustomer support...

     

    grrrrr..rrrrowwwffff

  • by Daoakley,

    Daoakley Daoakley Jul 3, 2012 5:42 AM in response to swapnonil
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 3, 2012 5:42 AM in response to swapnonil

    Quick summary: I had the notorious grey smudges and brought my iMac into an Apple store. They confirmed the issue and replaced the computer with a new one. I am still under my 1 year manufacturer warranty. This all took place two weeks ago.

     

    Specs: 2011 iMac 27/2.7QC/2X2GB/1TB/6770M

     

    Details:

    I purchased my iMac in August 2011. Note that as of this posting I am still under the 1 year manufacturer warranty. A few months ago I started noticing the grey smudges that are so accurately described in the thread. I was hesitant about bringing my iMac to the Apple store, because I was afraid they wouldn’t be any help and I would end up getting put off. Lucky for me, the nearest Apple store is within walking distance of my place. So I finally made the genius bar appointment and brought it in. After being met with, I described the problem and the iMac was taken into the back. After a bit the rep came back out and said they see what I am talking about and they think the “Pixels are dying”, I said okay… (There was no point in arguing with him, I think its dust but I really can’t say definitively what it is or why it is.) The rep went into the back room again and when he came back he started asking when I bought the computer. I told him the exact date and he pointed out that it is under the 1 year warranty so they should be able to fix it for free. He left again and when he came back he started asking very specifically “When did you first notice this issue”, I was hesitant to just blurt out an estimate, because in situations like this there is normally a right and wrong answer. I said that I can’t be sure exactly when I first saw it, because for a while I was mistaking it for a smudge on the glass. I asked him why the exact time I first saw it was important. He said that if I saw it within the first four months of buying they would have to replace the whole computer, if I saw it after that, they would send it in for repair. Hearing that, I responded by saying that it was definitely within the first four months, but I am not sure of the exact day. He didn’t have a problem with that, and said regardless, this is not the first time they have seen this issue  and that Apple is interested in ‘Capturing’ the computers that are displaying the problem for further examination. I ended up bringing my computer back home before turning it in, so that I could take a full backup and write zero’s to the HD. When I brought it back they swapped it out for a new, still in the box iMac 27/2.7QC. I even got a new mouse and keyboard out of it as I had not turned mine in. In order to corroborate this story, I am considering uploading a copy of my genius bar receipt, and a work order receipt that I made the rep write up stating that they were going to replace the machine.  If anyone is interested let me know.

  • by azRieL_ThaNe,

    azRieL_ThaNe azRieL_ThaNe Jul 3, 2012 5:55 AM in response to Daoakley
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Jul 3, 2012 5:55 AM in response to Daoakley

    where are you located dude? I hope that kind customer service is available in my country too.

  • by Daoakley,

    Daoakley Daoakley Jul 3, 2012 5:59 AM in response to azRieL_ThaNe
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 3, 2012 5:59 AM in response to azRieL_ThaNe

    I am located in USA, Arlington, Va. I went to the Pentagon City Apple Store for the service.

  • by bertp_imac,

    bertp_imac bertp_imac Jul 3, 2012 5:59 AM in response to Daoakley
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 3, 2012 5:59 AM in response to Daoakley

    I wish I noticed it earlier, I lost my year warranty because I just didnt saw it.

     

    Now, 14 months after buying the iMac im stuck with a 'broken' machine

     

    Location, The Netherlands

  • by Daoakley,

    Daoakley Daoakley Jul 3, 2012 6:00 AM in response to bertp_imac
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 3, 2012 6:00 AM in response to bertp_imac

    There is a youtube video floating in this thread somewhere that shows you how to fix it yourself. But it looks pretty difficult.

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