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

Godheval wrote:
I can also confirm that the second patch seems to have done the trick.

Ditto here. So far haven't seen the light flickering that I usually. Could this really be 'it'?

If i have understand, he only said first patch didn't work and he doesn't applied the second patch yet.

Dicebier wrote:
Ive been an Apple customer for many many years....although the occasional surprise refresh happens.... Expect a Macbook Pro, Mac Pro , iPhone update before another iMac refresh....based on history it will probably go down like that....just my observation.

Staying at recent rumors, new Mac Pro should arrive by the end of march ( http://www.macrumors.com/2009/12/15/details-of-core-i7-970x-gulftown-mac-pro-pro cessors-leaked/ ).

Anyway a useful site for who doesn't know what to do (buy a mac pro instead of imac, wait for the next imac, ...) i think this site could be useful:
http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/

I think, Apple finally found the fix. We should close this thread and transfer our discussions to the yellow tinge thread.

Dino, pazuita, Warren, sparkie from laaandaaan, Nexus600, Rick Lang, Brian_1338, skullcat, Jacques, tallturtle, p.hugo, Sierputowski, Christine, Dennis, Ettore, ... what are you thinking?

Thank you all for your answers. My question was STUPID!!! We have already more than three negative reports and we don't know what will happen in the next ten days. You're absolutely right, when you say "WE HAVE TO WAIT".

We need feedbacks, feedbacks, feedbacks.

So after one night of having applied the latest firmware update, I have not seen any flickering.. Hopefully the results will hold up. If the problem shows up again I will certainly post in this thread to update you folks. Hopefully, I won't have to post in this thread again. Good luck to the rest of you!

-j

I finally received my iMac the day before yesterday. I have not had any flickering and my display seems perfect. I'm a first time Mac user. I used Update last night and received the last update option, but decided not to use it as all is well. I also still haven't checked where I can disable Sleep and Screen Saver (energy saving options) so the computer wouldn't shut off. I guess I will wait.

Maryarena wrote:
I finally received my iMac the day before yesterday. I have not had any flickering and my display seems perfect. I'm a first time Mac user. I used Update last night and received the last update option, but decided not to use it as all is well. I also still haven't checked where I can disable Sleep and Screen Saver (energy saving options) so the computer wouldn't shut off. I guess I will wait.

Hello Maryarena,

Unless you have changed your Dock configuration, you will find an app icon in it which has three gears on it. That is the "System Preferences" application. If for some reason the "System Preferences" icon is no longer in your Dock, then you will find the program in your "Applications" folder.

After clicking once on the app's Dock icon -- or double-clicking the actual program icon in the "Applications" folder -- you will see a preferences pane called "Energy Saver".

Click on the "Energy Saver" pane once to bring up its window. You will see two slider settings, as well as a list of five check box options below it.

Personally, as I have noted before, I believe that Apple knows what are the best settings for these machines, so that they will last as long as possible, and work as efficiently as possible. As such, I have left the sliders at their default values on my 27" 2.8 GHz Quad Core i7 iMac.

Regarding the five lower options, I have the first four checked.

Oh, BTW, if you wish to change your actual wallpaper/desktop background, or enable/disable your screensaver, or choose a different screensaver, on the main System Preferences window, you will find another Prefs Pane called "Desktop & Screen Saver". I am sure that you will figure it out.

Personally, I don't use a screensaver, and have mine disabled. There are those people who believe that using screensavers with LCD panels is a bad idea. They claim that it wears them out quicker. Not being a techno guy myself, I honestly don't know if this is true or not.

Message was edited by: Warren Beasley

Message was edited by: Warren Beasley

Be Happy! At least they are trying for you guys over & over again. Be thankful you didn't buy a 21.5" screen, or else you'd have no Firmware Update to even try.

Warren,

Do we really have to worry about the life of the LCD?? Given Moore's Law, won't the useful life of the processors, chipsets and associated operating software become obsolete much sooner than the LCD crapping out?

molinero wrote:
Warren,

Do we really have to worry about the life of the LCD?? Given Moore's Law, won't the useful life of the processors, chipsets and associated operating software become obsolete much sooner than the LCD crapping out?

Well, you tell me . . .

Thus far, on these brand new machines, we've had screen flickering, screen blackouts, screen-tearing, doc and menu-jumping and yellow tinge.

All of these issues are in some way directly or indirectly associated with the LCD panel.

Given the very bad footing on which these LCD's have started, you tell me which is more likely to crap out first. Isn't it obvious?

Changed "is going to crap out" to "is more likely to crap out".

Warren,
I don't know...with regard to the obviously defective 27" displays. We are getting off the thread subject here, but I was referring to use/non-use of screensavers affecting the lifespan of an otherwise good LCD. I believe, based on LCD manufacturer's hype, a "good" LCD panel should last for at least 8-10 years. By that time I will surely be ready for a new iMac ... or whatever we will be using for computing and entertainment by then.
P.S. I have never had an LCD die.

It's finally arrived. All 27 inches. The serial number indicates year 2010, week 05. The box is in pristine condition. The inside appears untouched by unforeseen forces that inexplicably wreak havoc. I will begin to put it through the paces later tonight after work. Hopefully I won't have a sad tale of woe and dismay to share.

molinero wrote:
Warren,
I believe, based on LCD manufacturer's hype, a "good" LCD panel should last for at least 8-10 years. By that time I will surely be ready for a new iMac ... or whatever we will be using for computing and entertainment by then.
P.S. I have never had an LCD die.

Well, in my case, based on what the main tech guy at our local AAR told me a while back, I had reservations about even purchasing an all-in-one iMac.

To help you to better understand my position, consider that I have two 10-year-old G4 mini-towers sitting here right next to my new dazzling iMac. One is used primarily for downloading files from the web, while the other runs a BBS and web server.

These G4 mini-towers were built to last, but at ten years old, they are pretty much on their last leg now, and I've had a number of problems with them in recent months.

Well, when I first started contemplating purchasing a new computer, this same Apple tech guy -- who I've known for over ten years now, and who knows his stuff -- shocked me when he told me that I should not expect an iMac to last more than about five years, and certainly less time than my G4's.

While it is true that I paid considerably less for my new iMac than I paid for these G4's ten years ago, and while it is also true that the G4's can in no way compare to this iMac, nevertheless, as I said, I was quite shocked by his statement.

I would have gone for a Mac Pro and an accompanying Apple LCD display, but I don't need that much power, and quite frankly, it was out of my budget.

I certainly hope that this iMac will outlive my friend's expectations by many years. I will certainly take the best of care of it.

We shall see.

Ettore dn wrote:

Dicebier wrote:
Ive been an Apple customer for many many years....although the occasional surprise refresh happens.... Expect a Macbook Pro, Mac Pro , iPhone update before another iMac refresh....based on history it will probably go down like that....just my observation.

Staying at recent rumors, new Mac Pro should arrive by the end of march ( http://www.macrumors.com/2009/12/15/details-of-core-i7-970x-gulftown-mac-pro-pro cessors-leaked/ ).

Anyway a useful site for who doesn't know what to do (buy a mac pro instead of imac, wait for the next imac, ...) i think this site could be useful:
http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/

New IMac is here already - "Old" iMac + 2 firmware updates

Yeah. That's why my feelings atm are "wait for the new iMac (late 2010?) and hope they change the LCD screen or improve the assembling process of it".