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

Sorry pazuita I was being fececious.. kidding around.. I love mac, I wouldnt use anything else. I started my career on a mac and I plan to use them for the rest of my life, I wouldnt dare go near another windows machine unless I had to.. I just wish apple would get their crap together with all of these problems because every day I dont have my imac is another day I could have been editing one of my projects and learning new stuff... I've already made 3 payments on my 27 inch iMac and still do not have a working model... which is really really lame. and apple has not spoiled me... if anything they could have let me keep the defective computer until they sent the replacement ( So I didnt have to go without work for 2 and a half weeks ) instead of giving me an ipod to shut me up... but all in all I love the computer and I hope this one works...

The number is probably far less than 1%, the math isn't that difficult.

There are several who have posted here who are on their second, even third defective unit, but 5...... I guess it is possible, but I have been reading, and posting here since near the beginning, and most who posted here in the early days, are no longer here because their replacement units did not have the flickering issue.

Since they had no reason to complain, they did not come back to this forum.

I would like to express thanks to those who have returned, and stated that their replacements are free of the flicker, it does prove to us that Apple is working on the problem, and at least in some cases, has resolved the issue.

It has only been nine weeks since the flickering issue was first noticed, and only about four weeks since there were enough reports to indicate is was a fairly widespread, and random issue. Judging by the number of people who are reporting that they "appear" to have units either repaired, or replaced successfully, it would seem that Apple either has, or is very near to a final solution.

150+ pages of posts does not indicate a high percentage of problems, since many users, myself included, have posted multiple times. I alone am probably responsible for at least several pages out of the total.

Paul, I can tell you this. The folks that have had their Screen & screen cable replaced are not on here as much because their enjoying their perfect iMac. I've read through all these forums and been following since November. That is the only fix that works at this point in time. People keep swapping Video Cards out, but it is a waste of time. I'm almost positive replacing Screen & Cable should do the trick. There probably testing these new Screens as to not have another repair. I was hesitant about a repair but at this point in time a repair looks better than an iLemon replacement. Good Luck!

Dino
I shall be back here next week, hopefully with a big grin, reporting on the success of the repair

Yes Kurt, I could see that in your post. I feel the same way.

I complain about my flickering i7, but have to admit, even with the flickering, it is far above any other machine I have ever owned, or used, Mac, or Windows boxes, and for all intents and purposes, the flickering is only a cosmetic issue. It has no affect on data or any real performance that really matters.

We all have been spoiled by Apple, and we expect perfection.

The bottom line is that we will get perfection, it will just take a little longer this time.

BTW Kurt.......

I am currently on my second machine, also flickering.

Apple did allow me to keep the first machine until the second arrived, even allowed me plenty of time to transfer data between machines before shipping the old one back.

If worse comes to worse, insist on this if you do require another replacement. My current machine will be shipped back sometime around the 18th, I asked for the delay in shipping this unit back in order to possibly avoid getting another defective unit, and when this one ships back, it will only be after I receive the new one.

My only other option is going back to a 1Ghz G4. It was a refurb once owned by Adam, and Eve.

well ispoke too soon and im sure i had the dreaded filcker a few times over recent days!

so i called up and am going to an apple store to get it exchanged

im out of 14 day but they said i can

I am been waiting on the 21.5" OR the 27" iMac to start being delivered up to the quality that made Apple's reputation.

I stopped waiting and today. I found that MacConnection has $750 discounts on the last of the 24" iMacs. They have great displays (not LED backlit) and comparable specs to the entry 21'5" and 27" iMacs.

Maybe one of these in a few years!

"My only other option is going back to a 1Ghz G4. It was a refurb once owned by Adam, and Eve."

LOL

My only option is working on adam and eves macbook pro... and unfortunately I missed fedex so the computer was shipped back to fedex (which means more reckless shipping and being tossed around, leaving more chance of being defected) and I have to go pick it up tonight and I will be runnin the **** out of it to see if any flickering happens (that is if its not cracked, Doa, Distorted screen, or one of the many many other probems it could potentially have) and I will be back on here to let everyone know!

Good luck with the FedX monkeys.

Atlatnesltl,

Your fans should vary in speed. If you go back to pages 130 to 140 on this thread you'll find a number of people reporting their fans working properly. Not mine though, or yours it seems.

Apparently you can install, "iMac Fan Control preference pane", a third party thing I think. Don't know where you get it but it shouldn't be too hard to find. From my understanding it doesn't get along too well with Snow Leopard so you might want to wait until they iron out the conflicts.

But I'd give Apple a call first, and get the machine running the way it was intended.

Message was edited by: Cuenlain

I believe you can get SMC Fan Control on Version Tracker, however I would have second thoughts about running it.

It does alter the default settings on your fan speeds. Anything that alters those safety settings could potentially void any warranty if the fans failed from overuse caused by the application.
The application has in the past caused the default settings of the fan speeds to be reset on the root level, so that even when the application is deleted, the fan controls did not return to the original defaults.

If the fans are not functioning correctly, then there is a problem that Apple would want to know about prior to any damage done by overheating. They will take corrective action if it is necessary.

My fans rarely ever rise above the minimum settings, primarily because I keep the ambient temperature very low. so the increased rpm's are not necessary to properly cool the unit.

Update:
I received a call from apple this morning and was a little upbeat because I finally was making the issue official. To be honest with all of you it was a run of the mill waist of time other than just logging another compliant. First I get a nice woman rep on the phone which was going through the motions and I let her know that. When we finally finished I got transferred to the a senior tech rep. I must say that this guy was not articulate at all. He sounded like a high school senior waking up from a nap who was board to death. Everytime he told me to do something I could tell that he was reading it from somewhere. What a dissapointment. He sent me the files to capture data and another file called timing snoop. At the end he told me I had to run the extended hardware test and to e-mail hi the results. He further stated that all they could do is repair the machine because I did not buy it at Apple.

I told him thanks and did the extended check and e-mailed him the results, which of course there were no errors. In the e-mail I told him I was thankful and what a dissapointment this was.

I called my friend at B&H Video in Manhattan and asked him if he could check the system to see if they received any new machines with my specs. They have one in stock which he reserved for me. I then got on with customer service and they were extremely pleasant and issued me an RMA immediately. I have ten days to return the computer I have and pick up the new one. And he further stated that if there is something wrong with the new machine I have another 15 days to return that one.

I'm really dissapointed with Apple and i'm a long time user since 1994.

Sorry for the long post I really needed to vent but i'm happy I got it out the way..

I'll post an update as soon as I have one.

Rick.

I am currently stationed abroad in Germany and have decided to finally join the "iMac" community. I purchased my first Mac about a year and a half ago (MacBook Pro) and was taken aback at how user friendly it was! I have since longed for a desktop that could take me to the next level of my Mac experience - hence this recent purchase. I bought it yesterday at our Post Exchange in Ramstein and was absolutely appalled when, only after a mere 2 hours of run time, I noticed the same "flickering/tearing/shutoff" problems depicted here in this forum.

From what I gather, after some TEDIOUS reading here, the only solution is to return the defective device and "pray" that the next one will be free of flaws.

Have I understood you guys correctly?

Is there ANYONE out there who has only experienced the problem ONCE and never again or should I return this bad boy ASAP?

SlickRick, I'm the guy who got mine at B&H. I had it shipped. I live in Florida. PLEASE, let me know what week you get from B&H & how it goes. Different from your statement, the CR rep at B&H told me I only had to get my exchange officially approved by Jan 18th & THEN I could send it back. The more time I wait, I'm thinking better chance of a new batch. Let me know if my info is incorrect, since you know someone at B&H. B&H told me only 3 of my Model were retuned & only one out of the 3 because of a defect. He also said the last batch of my Model was received December 20th. My Model is: iMac NVidia 21.5. The Base Model. I hope you get lucky with the one your friend saved for you. Good Luck. But please let me know how you make out. I'm going to leave my email, but the moderators will block it. Please Let Me Know either way. Thank you in advance. I appreciate it!
email: dino1956<at>aim<dot>com
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