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

I am curious to know whether the tearing is in OSX and in Bootcamp XP, Vista etc. I guess if it were hardware it would be on both OS's?

I thought I'd turn my fans down to half to save some life in them. I did and about 2 hours later my screen began to freak in horizontal gray lines across the whole viewing area and finally ended up to where the bottom three inches of the display moved to the top of the computer. So to move the mouse to the Dock I'd have to go down so far until the mouse popped out of the top of the computer. I turned my fans back up all the way and switched to sleep and right back off. Been fine since.

I'd still like to know the procedure to sending this back.

However, as a few others here have already noted, I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you, because Apple does not normally bow to end user pressure. It is not a part of their high and mighty style.

Hi Warren Beasley,

You're the best writer here in this thread. Your comments are just excellent. I know, that you have not much hope, that Aplle will respond us, but I ask you to write for us an Email to Apple.

... and Dino, you're the best soldier here. Could you ask them for us some questions, when they respond tomorrow.

I would do all this things, but my English is not good enough.

No problem if you say no. Maybe I'm to enthusiastic. Sorry for that

It is probably a good time for another "brief" summary for those who are new to this forum, and do not take the time to read previous posts.

The issue, at least for the overwhelming majority, is not heat or temperature related, nor is it a software issue.

There is little if anything that the user can do to cure this problem, although making sure you have all updates, particularly the firmware update done is a first step. The firmware update does resolve the issue for many users, but not all.

Putting the display to sleep briefly, then awakening does as much good to resolve the issue as restarting, or zapping PRAM, although it is only a temporary fix.

Apple's solutions also indicate that it is a hardware problem, and they are offering either repairs, or replacements with little discussion.

More and more of the early posters from this forum are beginning to state that they have either received repairs, or replacements without issue, and the problem, for them has been corrected.

The most effective solution seems to be in the replacement of the display, and the cable connecting the display to the graphics card.

Some are still receiving defective units as replacements, and several have posted that even the Apple reps have suggested repairs instead of replacements since they do not know how many defective units may still be in the system.

The number of faulty units seems to have peaked between weeks 45, and 50, and is now declining in numbers.

It would seem that repairs to existing units is the best option, provided that those repairs are done properly, by authorized reps who are aware of the problem, and replace at least those two defective parts.

The overwhelming majority of replacements are good, however, you still take the risk of receiving one of the defective models that is still in the system if you choose a replacement.

If you have a defective unit, contact Apple, get a case number, and arrange either a repair, or replacement, whichever best suits your options.

Have I missed anything?

Hi pazuita,

very good comment, but be honest ... you are from the Apple-Team.

Sure I will. Make a list of Questions. I have my own also. And I'm one of the only ones here who has the 21,5 w/NVidia, so they can't say Video Card or just 27". Make me a list of like 4 questions & I'll reword them if needed. I have no communication barrier with any of you on here. Your English is most definitely better than my Typing Skills, that's for sure!

As many here have indicated, replacing the LCD panel and cable seems to repair the defect discussed. Keep in mind that there are four cables connecting the screen to the Logic Board and its components:

- DisplayPort cable
- Temperature sensorb cable
- LED backlight cable, and
- LED backlight sync cable


"iFix it" has a tear down of an iMac 27", an interesting read found here:

http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/iMac-Intel-27-Inch/1236/1

Steph

Huh! I've noticed that the shipment time for the iMacs 27 in some countries in Europe went back to two weeks. They had changed this to 1 week on the 8 of January and now they're back to 2 weeks???...

Also, the guy from the imac.squeaked.com site received his third iMac with a very yellow screen(he put a link to some picts of the screen). Very disappointed!!:
http://imac.squeaked.com/yellow_tinge.php

I've been waiting months to make up my mind and buy this machine but I won't do that soon. I've been putting a lot of time and efford reading this thread everyday but I give up for now. I'll be back in February or whenever Apple makes an announcement.

This is ridiculous!

Good luck to all of you!

citrus101 wrote:
Hi Warren Beasley,

You're the best writer here in this thread. Your comments are just excellent. I know, that you have not much hope, that Aplle will respond us, but I ask you to write for us an Email to Apple.

Hello Again Citrus,

Thank-you for your kind words. However, I am only one of a number of posters in this thread who possess good writing skills.

Concerning writing a letter to Apple, I honestly feel that it is absolutely unnecessary to take such action; the reason being that Apple is undoubtedly already fully aware of what is being said in this thread, as well as in related threads.

Furthermore, as I have noted before, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that Apple already has at least one or more people monitoring this thread, and possibly posting in it as well.

If Apple wishes to respond to the questions and comments which have been generated in this thread, they will be here tomorrow; if not, then there really isn't much that any of us can do about it.

Personally, I will continue to read this thread, as I have been doing every day.

Yea Dino, cool!!! Thank you so much.

Let 's see now what Warren Beasley is saying.

THANK YOU

O.k. Warren, so we will see tomorrow, if they will be here or not. I agree to you, that they read everything here.

Apple!!! We are here tomorrow!

i have to say, i dont think they'll be here! would love to be proved wrong though!

also i think id miss this thread as i read it every day.

what time is the "meeting" on for us brits tomorrow? if im at work ill be out on site but get an email on my iphone if somethings posted

Thanks Stephanie. Very good & useful information.

sparkie, it's worth a shot. I mean what have we got to lose.

I do have an Apple Tshirt, but no, not a team member.

I did at one time work for Apple, about a decade ago, actually collected a couple of paychecks from them.

Back before CompUSA closed it's doors in my area, I was one of the reps that did in store demos a couple of weekends a year, just to fill in for the Sr Rep.

I have done tech support for local Apple users for years, but only as a hobby. Not much of a career in that line of work since only a very small minority of Apple users ever require any tech support. Less than 1%. (snicker)