gradient problems ...funny texture in screen

Question

gradient problems ...funny texture in screen

I just received my new macbook the other day.
The screen seems to have a texture pattern in the display.
I am assuming this is a inherent thing in the glossy display.
The main issue i am having is the color saturation and gradient problems.
I have been using an imac for the last couple of years, and have only started to use leapord for the first time on the macbook. I though apple intentionally desaturated...but in fact, it seems like the screen has a dull saturation.
I am always seeing un smooth gradients and a lot of dithering. In fact, it's almost in everything. I have read things on the internet about 6bit displays and such but never got any real facts.
I have heard of people getting the display replaced because of this issue.
I am not sure if it is common in all macbooks or just some.
Any info would be awesome.
TIA,

ADAM

macbook 2.2dualcore white, Mac OS X (10.5.1)

Posted on Jan 25, 2008 11:24 PM

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Answer 1

Jan 28, 2008 7:28 PM in response to mrgonzo muppet

I am noticing the same thing on my new macbook. It is very noticable if i tilt the screen back and look up the screen from the bottom.

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Answer 2

Jan 28, 2008 8:22 PM in response to Richard Spangler

Thanks for your reply,
I have a few different problems with my screen.
The back of the laptop screen is being illuminated by the lcd,especially around the edges.... It is not as bright as the illuminated apple logo, but is pretty strong.
I've talked to many friends that have mac books and have never seen this issue. I am sending my macbook back and they are sending me another one for that reason.

I also looked at many macbooks just the other day. I looked at numerous friends macbooks and even went to best buy to compare their screens with mine. The screens on those macbooks are far better. Two issues, first, the gradients are really bad. They are not near as noticeable on other macbook screens. Sometimes you have to tilt the screen to notice it, but on my macbook, not very far. It is almost impossible to do graphics work on it. The best I can describe this....it reminds me of a PC that is missing a graphics driver (lots of dithering on subtle color changes.)

Second, the screen has a very light texture being displayed on the screen, kind of a micro check pattern. Again, this is not noticeable on other macbook screens (I originally though it might be on all "glossy" screen).

All in all, Apple is doing the right thing and letting me get it replaced with another. I hope that this macbook I am sending back just had a defective screen...and it's not apple changing the screens on them. If they are in fact changing the screens, then i have to say that they are inferior to the old ones....( and your paying the same price). If the macbook I get in the mail a few days has the same problem, I will, unfortunately, have to return it for a FULL refund. The laptop will not be suitable for the work I do.

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Answer 3

Jan 28, 2008 9:18 PM in response to mrgonzo muppet

My MacBook has an LG-Philips screen that has 18 bis of resolution (as do many other notebook PC LCD screens). That, of course, is 262,000 colors. Dithering is used to make the apparent colors smoother, but in some situations color banding is obvious. My MacBook is the "late 2006" version and was puchased in May2007. Other model screens could be different.

I'd rate my MacBook's display as OK, but I've seen better looking displays on other notebook PCs. I've tinkered a lot but I haven't been able to set up a gamma correction curve that really makes me happy.

Bill

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Answer 4

Jan 29, 2008 10:59 AM in response to impulse_telecom

I notice the gradient pattern when I tilt the screen back and look from the bottom up like on tha Apple.com page. I was upset at first but then I noticed the same thing on all of the thinkpads here it work. I don't think any of the laptop screens are higher then 18 bit. My Macbook screen looks great but doesnt have much of a viewing angle. these seems to be the case for glossy screens vs matte. I personaly like matte screens better but no choice unless you get a MBP then you have to deal with the poor wifi.

I wonder if the air will have a 8bit screen for 24 bit color?

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Answer 5

Jan 29, 2008 11:35 AM in response to Richard Spangler

Thanks for all your responses.
I did ask about the Air on a chat with Apple. They replied that the information was not posted.
I expect some gradients in the screens becuase of the 18bit. However, comparing my Macbook to many others (many friends that have macbooks, and even a current model at bestbuy) I would say my screen is twice as bad.
I am pretty sure that this is a defect. I am shipping it out today, and hope to receive a good one in a few days.
Apple has provided me pretty good customer service. They are paying for shipping cost etc.
I will keep everyone posted.
thanks again for all the answers.

adam

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Answer 6

Mar 2, 2008 3:09 PM in response to mrgonzo muppet

Here are some photos I took of the dithering issue. It's really bad on my brand-new MacBook 2.4 GHz, but it's almost unnoticeable on the previous generation MacBook we also have. When I went to the Apple Store today, most MacBooks had this problem and others didn't, even though they were the same machines.

http://homepage.mac.com/mlostracco/MacBook/

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Answer 7

Mar 2, 2008 4:04 PM in response to Marc Lostracco1

I want to add that I've since noticed that the transparency is much more significant than our PowerBook and other previous-gen MacBook, and that sometimes the stuff that shows through the pulldown menu is blurry, while other times it's sharp (as in the images I posted above). When it's sharp, which is most of the time for me, it's really irritating to see what's going on since I can see text clearly underneath.

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Answer 8

Mar 10, 2008 9:54 PM in response to mrgonzo muppet

I purchased my first Mac (a black Macbook) recently only to find that the internal microphone was defective (loud chirping noises). After returning it and buying a new one, i have to deal with this display problem. I am very frustrated and would probably just return it and not replace it with another Mac, but I've already migrated a lot of my files to a timemachine backup on a time capsule, so I'd like to try to make this work.

Has this issue been resolved? Has Apple even acknowledged it exists?

I don't mind a paying a premium for hardware as long as the quality of the hardware justifies it. So far my Apple experience has been very disappointing.

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Answer 9

JMowery

Level 1

0 points

Mar 11, 2008 4:08 AM in response to mattkillion

For 1,500 bucks, I think we ALL expect this stuff to work. If I get my MacBook tomorrow and it has any of these issues (beeping, screen problems, isight dead), I will give one chance to replace. If it is still messed up, I'll take my business elsewhere.

It is a shame when 1,500 dollars can't get you a non-defective product. As a technology journalist, I am going to be taking notes of these problems, and I will report on them if need be.

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Answer 10

JMowery

Level 1

0 points

Mar 11, 2008 4:16 AM in response to Marc Lostracco1

Marc... what is the best way to replicate this issue? I want to check this as soon as my MacBook arrives. Also, please let me know of any other issues you might have had.

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Answer 11

Mar 12, 2008 11:37 AM in response to JMowery

It's mostly visible in transparency areas overtop of greys and gradients, and especially if you tilt the MacBook back from you (so you're looking at the screen from a low angle). Open Safari, for example, so that the grey header bar is near the top of the screen, and then click one of the menubar items and look at the transparency.

Normally (in 10.5), you should only see slight transparency underneath and it should be blurry and smooth. On my MacBook, I get the telltale "checkerboard" dither pattern that you see in the shots at http://homepage.mac.com/mlostracco/MacBook/

On the other MacBook at home, there is slight dithering, but it's barely noticeable and only at an angle. On the new MacBook, it's visible straight-on, but extremely noticeable at a slight angle. When I put the last-gen MacBook beside it and do the exact same thing, the new MacBook looks way worse. The transparency isn't as dense either, and both are running the same version of the OS. Also, sometimes the stuff visible underneath is sharp (see the pics), and sometimes it's blurry like it's supposed to be.

Like I said, most of the new MacBooks in the Apple Store had this issue, but others of the exact same model didn't. Replacing it with another boxed model would likely give me a new one with the same problem, but I also don't want to let the AppleCare warranty and replacement period run out because someone says it's "normal," and I don't think I want if I want it if that's what the screen is supposed to be like. It's not very useful for portable photo/design/Photoshop work.

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Answer 12

Wubi Hua

Level 1

0 points

Mar 13, 2008 12:16 PM in response to mrgonzo muppet

same issue here. got a new macbook black today. is this a hardware problem (display) or can it be fixed with a software update? what does apple say?

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Answer 13

dringkor

Level 1

55 points

Mar 13, 2008 12:41 PM in response to Wubi Hua

My White 2.2GHz Macbook has the gradient problem with the funny texture in the screen. I just took it to the Apple store today, and their Macbook in the store looked MUCH better in a side-by-side comparison. The Genius didn't seem to have familiarity with the problem, so after some diagnostics (booting from an external hard drive to eliminate a software problem, and hooking my Macbook to an external display to eliminate a graphics card problem) decided that indeed my LCD does need to be replaced. It should be back in a week...

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Answer 14

Wubi Hua

Level 1

0 points

Mar 13, 2008 4:38 PM in response to mrgonzo muppet

Really strange. But can transparency issues be related to the display? For me it looks like a driver problem. We will see...

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Answer 15

dringkor

Level 1

55 points

Mar 13, 2008 7:38 PM in response to Wubi Hua

The problem doesn't manifest itself solely in transparent areas such as window shadows. It's evident in areas of a solid color -- an area of supposedly solid light gray will have little check patterns for example -- but it's easier to see in areas like window shadows that are supposed to go from darker to lighter smoothly.

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