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

I've been watching this discussion since it started, as an early orderer of an i7, and couldn't help but allow myself to start panicking about my decision, despite logic arguing otherwise. As completely frustrating as I can only imagine it must be to receive a faulty computer (especially one as spendy and aesthetically pleasing as the new iMacs!), it's somewhat ridiculous to generalize the problems mentioned here and elsewhere to ALL of the new iMacs. These are complaint forums, not places where people come to extoll their wonderful new iMacs.

The majority, the people with the iMacs who DO work, are too busy playing with, testing, and generally drooling over them to be sitting here bragging about it! And yet I keep reading people freaking out that "nobody has had a good computer here!!!" (even though there have actually been others who report their fully functioning computers). Of course, it doesn't help to have tools like blueburmuda stirring up the pot with his Chicken Little rhetoric...I've never heard anyone feel so insecure as to have to toot their own horn repeatedly on a DISCUSSION forum! Good luck with your vast wealth and purchased popularity (no doubt the uncle living in a van down by the river)...

Anywho, while this is obviously not an isolated faulty computer (and Apple is somewhat remiss in not making some sort of acknowledgement), it's also not a widespred epidemic, and people should act (and purchase) according to their comfort zone. After having migrated my old system to it, I'm happily zipping along with making and ripping videos, manipulating photos, etc, without any issues thus far. And the computer actually survived the post-fedex delivery and subsequent parcel post delivery via USPS to my FPO address! Best of luck to you all, here's to hoping for a good outcome, eventually!

canyonblue wrote:
my apple order showed a ship date of dec 2 and a delivery of dec 5 i believe but it shipped nov 24 instead with no warning and arrived nov 27.

Short question: was your replacement iMac showing up like a normal order in the apple store? I ask because I shall get a new one but I can only see the order of the first (faulty) iMac in the store. Is there a delay until it shows up?

Hello. I received 2 weeks ago an iMac 27" i7 and last days I noticed two times that the screen flickered and occasionally went black for a second. I also have the yellow tint problem so I am going to call Apple (I bought it on the online Store). Do they ask to replicate the problem? And how can I replicate the flickering issue??? Thanks.

julen wrote:
Do they ask to replicate the problem? And how can I replicate the flickering issue??? Thanks.

I think there is nobody out there who was able to reproduce the flickering by will until now. So it's random and that makes it quite hard to reproduce.
Anyhow, it seems that Apple is quite open for an exchange without havin to prove it. In worst case you may give it back until beginning of January and get your cash back. I told Apple in Norway to do so when if they are not willing to give me an exchange iMac. It helped

Seems like the issue is getting a bit more coverage around the world. Perhaps Apple will make some comment soon and address the issue - we live in hope.
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies-archive.cfm/1311129.html
http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/gadgets/3102465/Flickering-screens-plague-new- iMacs

i7 W8946

No flicker screen issues since startup 5 days ago and continuous running.
10 dead pixels on iSight, so it's going back.

Just got my i7 yesterday (W8947) - it worked like a charm all day yesterday...started using it today and I experienced my first flicker and black out. I restarted and has not recurred yet.

I am really upset that they aren't holding shipments until they know this issue is completely resolved.

If you call Apple and order a replacement do they ship it right away or wait for you to pack up your existing unit and ship it back?

Jason Warnke wrote:

If you call Apple and order a replacement do they ship it right away or wait for you to pack up your existing unit and ship it back?

You can request, as I did, an advance replacement, which allows you to keep the old one until the new one arrives. The new one should be an expedited BTO from China so there will be whatever the current 'ships by' time lag to wait. This is what Apple sends you:

"Upon receipt of your e-mail agreement we will release your replacement into production to be prepared and shipped to you. Once the replacement is delivered to you we will allow 5 business days before we instruct Apple's designated carrier, TNT, to contact you to organise and collect the product identified above. Once collected the product is returned to Apple's warehouse, verified and booked in. There is no further obligation on you once this is completed."

My new one is due on Monday. I'm still using the old one and will continue to do so until I receive a faultless machine.

thanks pors,

In my case the flickering is really a random issue, I noticed twice since I received my iMac 12 days ago, but it is also true I only use it 3 hours a day or so. Machine restart helped to solve the problem but besides this I do have the yellow tinge problem too. I can be without the iMac some days (or even weeks) but I what I really want is the quality of the machine I have paid for.

By the way, is true the problem may be caused because of the power supply unit? Is this something confirmed in the community?

julen wrote:

By the way, is true the problem may be caused because of the power supply unit? Is this something confirmed in the community?

There has been no confirmation of any cause to these problems - everything continues to be speculation.

Hello again Simon.

And that is precisely why Steve Jobs -- or someone big from Apple -- needs to come out and make a public, no-spin statement regarding all of these issues. We all want facts, and not just unsubstantiated speculation. Continuing to remain silent, or whitewashing the issue will not suffice. We all deserve better than the current silent treatment. These next 4-8 weeks are going to be very agonizing for me. Yes, that is how long our AAR said it will take for my i7 unit to arrive. It's really a bummer having to go through an AAR, as we do here.

Message was edited by: Warren Beasley

Warren Beasley wrote:

These next 4-8 weeks are going to be very agonizing for me. Yes, that is how long our AAR said it will take for my i7 unit to arrive. It's really a bummer having to go through an AAR, as we do here.

That is a long time Warren. You don't mention where you are though. Why are you unable to order from Apple directly?

Simon, ever since I've been a dedicated Mac user -- circa July 1990 -- Apple has refused to ship directly to us here. We are a U.S. territory outside of the continental U.S.A.; but Apple -- and many other American companies -- treat us as if we are a foreign country.

As a result, they force us to go through our one local AAR; and as I have been learning recently, when it comes to orders and shipments, it seems that AAR's are on the very bottom of Apple's priority list.

Our AAR said I may possibly see my unit by the end of December -- maybe not. With all of these problems which have arisen since I finalized my order over two weeks ago -- not to mention the Christmas slowdown -- I suspect that I may be looking at a January arrival date at the soonest. By then, I will have ground my teeth down to the gums!

If my unit eventually arrives damaged or defective, I will not only have no teeth left, but they are going to have to commit me as well.

It is hard to remain positive after reading so many negative accounts -- including replacement units being just as defective as the original orders.

...and here's another:
http://news.softpedia.com/news/New-Model-iMacs-Have-Screen-Issues-128331.shtml

Maybe Apple will be forced to break their deafening silence soon.

Hey Paul_31

I strongly agree with you. At least they should let us know that they acknowledge it.

Anyhow here is another poor soul.

Received my iMac on Thursday W8947.

i7 with 2 tb hard drive and 8 gig of ram. Very pleased with it, incredibly fast and silent like a stone.

But today the flickering/blacking out started.

I'm in the UK so I will have to wait until Monday to be able to call them..

Good luck to all of you guys out there.

Man I'm upset! Apple should sort this out nicely otherwise I can see a lot of reasons for trying out Windows 7 of wonders... on a PC that is.

Cheers