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

Hi Apple-Techs,

here comes what never happens before:

We all meet here in this thread
Jan 13, 2010
11:00 AM
to hear what you can tell us. We don't expect a wonder. All we want to know is what you can say until now to all these problems. It would be fantastic for us. Please show us, that you're the great company we believe in.

Hello all! I just received my i7 27'' iMac on the 7th of January 2010. After unpacking i first revised the graphics ROM revision which said 113-B9110C-425. According to Apple Support this iMac already has the firmware update already installed. Oh, well lucky me, I thought, no flickering problems to deal with... Well two days went by with no problems at all. All of a sudden i noticed a slight flicker about 1 inch width horizontally on the screen, then another one on the upper half of the screen then another one on the bottom. Then the screen went black for about half a second every 20 seconds. This lasted until I turned the iMac off and rebooted. No problems after that on this day. But... a day after the wohle thing just started again... So even the new arrival iMacs seem to be affected! Where did quality ensurance go? Wasn't Mr. Jobs so keen on selling only perfect products to customers some time ago?

Sparkie, Any Yellow Tinge? Mine is week 45 but I have 21.5" NVidia.

Sorry to hear that! What Week Number is it?

For the sake of adding another datapoint, here's an update on my situation.

Saturday I called Apple support about my flickering week 46 iMac 27" i5. They scheduled an appointment that afternoon at my local Apple store. Upon arriving, he looked at it for all of 30 seconds, opened up some log in the console and swapped it out for a a new one. The new one is a week 46 also. Here are my observations on the new machine over the first two days:

1) No flickering yet. I'll be monitoring this closely, especially over the next 14 days.

2) The screen has no dead pixels, but exhibits a small amount of yellow tinge on the bottom third. Whether it's enough to warrant a return, I'm not sure yet. There is also a small amount of backlight bleed on the lower right corner. These flaws were all the more noticeable because the returned iMac had a nearly perfect screen (save two dead pixels).

3) The HD in this new machine (WD) is noticeably quieter than the returned iMac. The old one wasn't loud per se, but it would make a easily noticeable clicking sound on sleeping or waking up and the HD writing sounds was louder. The new iMac is whisper quiet, even when waking or going to sleep.

imac 27" w8002 just unboxed.

no yellow tinge, a couple of stuck pixel in screen and isight (really not noticable) and no flickering so far... a nearly perfect machine, crossing fingers.

just one thing... the temps in istat pro are normal, but the top is very hot. what about your imacs???

well im not too sure to be honest, its the most acceptable of the 3 thats for sure!

i think theres a slight bottom right tint, but im not too sure as the more i look at it the more i start thinking im seeing things. i certainly wouldnt have noticed had i not known about these probs!!

mc fly: it will be hot up top, heat rises and thats the only air escape for the heat within it.

Jon Abbott wrote:
As for the thread usefulness, I think it is helpful to hear the experiences everyone else is having. Not just with flickering but the whole process of repairing or exchanging it. That way we all have a broader understanding of how Apple is handling the issue, as well as whether or not the repairs or replacement units are solving the problem.

I likewise do not feel that this thread has become useless. While I haven't participated much lately -- mainly because I don't have anything new to say, other than my continued dissatisfaction with the way that Apple has been handling these issues -- I have read, and continue to read, every single post from the very first one.

While there has been a lot of repetition lately -- particularly from people who haven't read the thread from the very beginning -- as well as some unnecessary bickering and saber-rattling, nevertheless, the thread has provided us all with a lot of useful information regarding how people are being treated by Apple, how far along Apple may be to fixing these problems, etc.

Furthermore, some people just need a place to vent, and to know that they are not alone with their problematic iMacs. This thread provides such a place. Misery loves company, and we are all the company to each other.

But most importantly, by keeping this thread alive, we are helping to keep the pressure on Apple. As long as we remain in their face, they will continue to feel obligated to do something to correct these issues.

The real danger -- and it has cropped up here already -- is that some people have already become too forgiving towards Apple, and too accepting of some of these defects. We have seen some folks here state that they are willing to accept the yellow tinge, since, according to them, it isn't so bad.

Well, that may be okay for some of you, but personally, I didn't pay over $3,000 for a defective machine. When my i7 iMac finally arrives -- it's been over two months now -- I expect a perfect machine, and no less.

Apple undoubtedly has some of their employees following this thread. Perhaps a few have even posted undercover. Who knows. But my point is, to become accepting of these issues is self-defeating, and it serves no good purpose. If Apple determines that we are becoming battle-weary here, they may feel even more motivated to continue to try to hide these problems under the carpet.

Do any of you here really want that to happen? I most certainly don't.

Super comment. Thank you!!!

Hello Maude,

I am so glad to hear that the situation has turned to your favor. What you reported in your first post seemed so uncharacteristic of Apple, and I was rather shocked by the way that they initially treated you, particularly because you are blind. Most people here probably know that for years now, Apple has gone out of its way to make their machines user-friendly, particularly for people with disabilities, such as through "Universal Access".

Again, I am glad that you are now receiving the attention and assistance that you require. We have a few disabilities in our own family, and I have other friends who likewise suffer from chronic disabilities, so I fully understand what it is like to be in your situation.

And just so you know, as a fellow Mac user of many years, if I lived in your city, I wouldn't hesitate to come over and help you to get that machine replaced.

its refreshing to read a comment like that warren!

unfortunately theres not many in this world who'd bother to help people out nowadays!

im pleased apple are helping you out too maude!

You know all of these problems are why I have not already exchanged my 21.5 NVidia Week 45 Slight Yellow/Intermittent Flicker, since I got it on December 25th. I have No Dead Pixels on iSight or Screen. No Hard Drive Noise, No Screen Bleed, No Screen Noise, (as Quiet as my Mac Mini). I would hate to get a replacement that has different Problems or more Problems than I have now. This is definitely an issue of Quality Control when you have so many possibilities of something being wrong. I can kind of understand the Screen Flicker & Yellow Tinge. OK. 2 issues. But Dead Pixels, Hard Drive Noise & all these other Nightmares are just plain unacceptable. So I keep playing the waiting game waiting for Apple to get it's act together. There are just too many defect possibilities to end up with. How can the same people on this forum have bad luck over & over again? I could see maybe 2 in a row, but 3-5 defective units to the same person, is ridiculous. With all these defective units out there, with each one having different & the same issues, it seems getting a perfect iMac IS like winning the Lottery. Apple is a very smart company. Surely they have figured all this out already. Stop using your Loyal Apple Community, to be Guinea Pigs in weeding out your defective products. Enough is Enough already. Do SOMETHING! Or at least SAY SOMETHING!

"I would hate to get a replacement that has different Problems or more Problems than I have now"

I totally agree. But let's be honest, this is getting quite pathetic is it? I mean I am still estonished how this STILL is the case. What is Apple doing? Are they sleeping? Are they always so stubborn to admit that they have serious issues with things?

I am a person who is getting refunded anytime soon, and this STILL ****** me off to much. Can't imagine what all those guys with flaws must be feeling.

Would I like to sit together with Jobs in one room and explain him, in a friendly manner, that this is NOT they way how you threat a community.

Warren, it's nice to know there are still good & caring people in this world. Glad to know you. Even if it is only on a Forum.

citrus101, Great Idea! Unfortunately I'm sure Apple Techs are specifically warned not to give out information, especially on a forum, until Apple officially makes a statement. Which could be never! They may just end up sweeping this under the rug until the problem fizzles out & they start making good iMacs again. These defective ones will eventually disappear out of circulation & Apple can make believe this all never happened. It's very sad! This is the same company I have been bragging to all my PC User friends about for 3 years now. Everywhere I go, I talk about the Mac & what it is capable of. I'm sure we all have to some degree.