New iMac 27inch screen flickering/tearing/shutoff

I just installed today 2 brand new 27 inch iMac. I've got the same flickering problem for both of them. It is easily reproducible, by just activating the screen saver arabesque or activating TimeMachine. Could you please test that on your iMac and let me know.

Message was edited by: mactoubib

I can't reproduce it by turning on the screensaver, nor can I when I turn on Time Machine. But I definitely got the problem on my 27" iMac - even got the problem, where the top bar moves 2/3 of the screen down.

Just thought I'd pipe in on this. I was setting up a new demonstration unit yesterday at a reseller and this problem occurred nonstop upon first boot up. I had it plugged in a power strip with a 2 macbook pro's as well. I then put the 27" in a new power strip on its own with its own outlet with nothing else plugged into it and this problem hasn't reoccurred once. Apparently in this case, a component inside the new iMac is sensitive to power---We had no problems plugging our previous 24" iMac into the strip with the other macbook pro's. Not sure if this will help out or not, but its at least something to try.

Happened again this morning after screen saver was on. This is the third time. I am just logging it on this forum for my (and our sake).

I tried the diagnostics after this time and did the extended(holding D key down right after you start up. It took about an hour and found nothing wrong with hardware. Issue has not occured since then. I will have my flip HD cam ready to take some video next time it happens.

I have exactly the same problem. My problem is that the display seems to have this glitch. It happens mostly when I switch on after the display has been asleep for a while. Apple do not know what the problem is as I am on to them almost every day.

Please keep me informed on how you solve this problem as it is driving me up the wall.

I got my new Mac yesterday and all was fine at first.

I then left it switched on over night and when I woke it from sleep this morning the screen started jumping up and down and displayed horizontal lines at the top and bottom.

I turned it off for a while and it went away, but going by the other posts here, I presume it will come back. I will keep you all posted, and I will be calling Apple today!

I'm Having the same problem. My screen looks like this, mosty after using Final Cut Pro. Oh, Man, I don't want to send back a brand new machine, come on!

http://bildr.no/view/517344

wow, nasty!!! i returned mine for the peace of mind, it was painful, but at least i have my money back. its a matter of time (i predict before Xmas) that Apple would say/do something. i'd recommend you do the same, unless you dont have another machine.

Worst case would be a HW problem, that you need to bring in your iMac for repair/replacement, or best case that they release a SW patch to fix some driver issue. my 2 cents.

The issue happened for the fourth time over the past 5 days this morning. Here is a video of it happening over roughly five minutes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jWlepBzVMs

Now, has there been any official response to this by Apple? I'm getting pretty frustrated about the whole situation.

Apple, is this a hardware or software problem?? Please, at the least let us know it "exists" and we are not crazy.

I don't know if this could help, but perhaps someone could give it a try.

I have same issues on a MacPro and a Samsung TFT.

I used SwitchResX to set my resolution to a "reduced blanking" set.

Try to set your resolution under 60.00 hz. I used 59.99 hz and my black screen and
my flickering disapears.

My screen (iMac 27") is fine UNTIL I go into a more graphics intense process. If I go into PhotoBooth, turn on some effects .. then BAM, there go the flickers. Flickers (plus screen going black intermittently) continue until restart, even if I quit the 'offending' program (PhotoBooth).

Definately seems like graphic card issue. Apple rushed these things out to beat the 10/22 Win7 date and missed some Quality Control issues. I have been in computers for 25 years .. This is TOO BIG, too widespread, for Apple NOT to have seen in testing.

seems very frightening....hope they could fix it in the next software update9if it's a software issue)...

I am just keeping my finger crossed for my Core i7...

Yep, I have a new 27 incher and the same things are happening to me.

The first thing I noticed was a single white line going from the top to the bottom of the screen as I shut down... noticeable on the blue screen. And it went black a couple of times. I had a couple of other problems so phoned up... the other problems were sorted but I was told they had to take the mac in for repair to see to the line.

I refused and asked for a new one and so that has been arranged... however the mac is now flickering and going black quite often just as you describe. I think I might phone up and ask for the new mac to be shipped in a couple of months so that I can be sure they have this sorted.

Oh, should have said, this is without using any software at all, just the desktop flickers and goes black.

Message was edited by: Goldfrog Oh, should have said, this is without using any software at all, just the desktop flickers and goes black.

Message was edited by: Goldfrog

Adding this having read page 2! I went through the procedures of taking out cables, trning odff for 15 seconds, holding down the alt cmd p and r etc and the same things are happening after. So it must be a hardware problem. And why would some people get a hardware problem and some people get a software problem of the same thing?

Mine was fine for the first week now, but tonight it suddenly started doing this, and quite often so, i get about 3 to 5 of the pixel-garbage flickers per minute and the blackout every 5-10 minutes :/
Guess I'll be calling AppleCare tomorrow

I have the same flickering problem the moment I turned on the computer for the first time. The screen goes black for a microsecond at times as well. It has been intermittent. Apple support asked me to reset the PRAM? press: option + command + P+R to reset once computer power turned back on after unplugging/replugging power cord. I will have to wait and see if this solves the flicker problem. So far so good, but only time will tell. It wasn't flickering this evening before I called Apple. The problem was very bad last night. It seems many people have experience the same problem. This is my first MAC. Not a great first confidence building experience, but they are good on the phone.