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Jan Sampermans

Q: New iMac 27inch screen flickering/tearing/shutoff

I have been experiencing some problems with the all new iMac 27inch display.
At non-fixed intervals i will get one of the following:

Screen distortion/flicker somewhere random in the screen (feels like it is more in the lower part) that looks like a horizontal bar of about 2-3inches just popping in and out of the screen.

Screen will go completely black for a second and then come back on. Sometimes 2-3 times in a row.

Somebody else already made some video-clips about these problems, I am experiencing exactly the same behaviour.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjOxlxVz5Os
http://gallery.me.com/larzy#100025

Just to not that in the course of writing this post my screen has flickered 13 times and has gone black 2 times.

iMac 27inch 3Ghz 4GB 1TB ATI 4670, Mac OS X (10.6.1)

Posted on Oct 27, 2009 3:56 AM

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Q: New iMac 27inch screen flickering/tearing/shutoff

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  • by PeterBreis0807,

    PeterBreis0807 PeterBreis0807 Nov 15, 2009 8:38 PM in response to Schwa72
    Level 8 (35,830 points)
    Mac OS X
    Nov 15, 2009 8:38 PM in response to Schwa72
    Schwa72 wrote:
    My early-2009 24" iMac has been flawless...but Apple's had lots of time to get the kinks worked out of that model!


    Well at least my replacement unit has been flawless, if you ignore the glare from the too bright backlighting and the reflections off the screen.

    Peter
  • by freakmax,

    freakmax freakmax Nov 15, 2009 10:45 PM in response to Jan Sampermans
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 15, 2009 10:45 PM in response to Jan Sampermans
    I bought the new imac 27" last friday.
    I got the screen flickering issue as well.
    I went back to my local shop and they replaced it for me.
    It's been 3 days with no flickering or any problems.

    Hope no more flickering.
  • by Eisenzahn,

    Eisenzahn Eisenzahn Nov 16, 2009 1:52 AM in response to Jan Sampermans
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 16, 2009 1:52 AM in response to Jan Sampermans
    Hi folks, here is a summary of my experiences with this issue.

    After doing the PRAM reset with 10.6.1 the flickering disappeared for about a day. Then I installed 10.6.2 and the flickering came back after 45 min running it. Then I reinstalled the OS from the DVD, installed the 10.6.2 update and performed the PRAM reset unfortunately about two hours later the flickering with blackouts appeared again.
    But, without doing anything special, the issue disappeared after an hour. Since than (2 days) the computer runs without problems (I shut down the computer every night).
    My 14-day return period will end on Wednesday...
  • by fredpontes,

    fredpontes fredpontes Nov 16, 2009 3:48 AM in response to Eisenzahn
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 16, 2009 3:48 AM in response to Eisenzahn
    Hi folks
    After having the problem for some days, doing the resets,confirming the drivers and installing the last update the problem continued. I called today Apple asking what to do and they told me that they knewed the problem (what was a surprise for me) and it was due to a Graphic Card assembling problem. They proposed me to exchange the imac in the store I bought it or send it to technical repair. Of course I will opt for the first solution.
    According to what they said today, it seems that we should waste more time trying to find a software solution, because it is hardware.
    I will let you know about my next imac.
    regards
    f
  • by canyonblue,

    canyonblue canyonblue Nov 16, 2009 5:53 AM in response to Gable31
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 16, 2009 5:53 AM in response to Gable31
    clearly, clearly now i believe this IS a hardware issue. not all, not even a majority of 27 inch macs are having this issue. now in the past similar hardware issues could be fixed by a firmware or software workaround but that is no guarantee with apple being silent on the issue for now. the choices as i see it are return the computer now and get a new one, one of the ones without the issue... or hope that apple finds a workaround with software sometime in the future with the alternative then being a hardware repair to your existing computer.
  • by freakmax,

    freakmax freakmax Nov 16, 2009 7:08 AM in response to Jan Sampermans
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 16, 2009 7:08 AM in response to Jan Sampermans
    OMG the flickering problem is back again.
    GOsh
  • by Tim Sodhi,

    Tim Sodhi Tim Sodhi Nov 16, 2009 9:00 AM in response to Jan Sampermans
    Level 1 (9 points)
    iPhone
    Nov 16, 2009 9:00 AM in response to Jan Sampermans
    Glad I came to read here to read some real-life experiences from fellow users. I am going to hold off on purchasing my Core i7 iMac till Apple solves this issue. What a bummer.
  • by maquelle,

    maquelle maquelle Nov 16, 2009 10:27 AM in response to Tim Sodhi
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 16, 2009 10:27 AM in response to Tim Sodhi
    I ask the replacement of my iMac last friday (today was the 14th day).
    I think I will receive it this week and today I received an email which says the dispatch is scheduled for 30/11/2009.
    Moreover I saw that shipping is within 7-10 business days on french store.

    Does it mean this is a hardware problem and they delayed my order to send me a new iMac without flickering problem ?
  • by Schwa72,

    Schwa72 Schwa72 Nov 16, 2009 10:45 AM in response to maquelle
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Nov 16, 2009 10:45 AM in response to maquelle
    Grasping at straws here, but here's what System Profiler is showing as my ATI Radeon HD 4850's ROM and EFI Driver versions (Apple menu > About This Mac > More Info > expand Hardware > select Graphics/Displays):

    ROM Revision: 113-B9110C-394
    EFI Driver Version: 01.00.367

    I still haven't seen the flickering issue on my 27" iMac (knock on wood, fingers crossed). It'd be interesting for those who are having the flicker to post their ROM and driver revision numbers. If you do post, make sure you also mention which video card you have so we can compare apples to apples.
  • by maquelle,

    maquelle maquelle Nov 16, 2009 11:11 AM in response to Schwa72
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 16, 2009 11:11 AM in response to Schwa72
    ATI Radeon 4670
    ROM Revision: 113-B8030F-253
    EFI Driver Version: 01.00.367

    Got the flickering problem...
  • by freakmax,

    freakmax freakmax Nov 16, 2009 11:12 AM in response to Jan Sampermans
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 16, 2009 11:12 AM in response to Jan Sampermans
    Here is mine.

    ATI Radeon HD 4670:

    ROM Revision: 113-B8030F-253
    EFI Driver Version: 01.00.367
  • by tennisbold,

    tennisbold tennisbold Nov 16, 2009 2:55 PM in response to Schwa72
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 16, 2009 2:55 PM in response to Schwa72
    I got the flickering problem. Some days the problem occurs a whole lot more frequent than others without changing my work routines with the computer.

    Graphics card details:

    ATI Radeon HD 4670
    ROM Revision: 113-B8030F-253
    EFI Driver Version: 01.00.367
  • by MarkyJ,

    MarkyJ MarkyJ Nov 16, 2009 2:59 PM in response to Schwa72
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 16, 2009 2:59 PM in response to Schwa72
    ATI Radeon HD 4670
    ROM Revision: 113-B8030F-253
    EFI Driver Version: 01.00.367

    Haven't seen the flickering for a week since the re-install and 10.6.2 upgrade. (But getting very nervous!!!)
  • by MCKravMaga,

    MCKravMaga MCKravMaga Nov 16, 2009 3:20 PM in response to UCLAMacConvert
    Level 1 (55 points)
    Nov 16, 2009 3:20 PM in response to UCLAMacConvert
    I'm with you. I will hold off on my i7 purchase until this problem is ACKNOWLEDGED and RESOLVED. $2500 is a terrible thing to waste...
  • by Bill P.,

    Bill P. Bill P. Nov 16, 2009 3:38 PM in response to Jan Sampermans
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 16, 2009 3:38 PM in response to Jan Sampermans
    Here is mine with the 4850 chipset:

    ROM Revision: 113-B9110C-394
    EFI Driver Version: 01.00.367

    The problem is really bad this afternoon. It seems worse, by far, while it is cold from a recent boot after a long rest.
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