Display brightness / uneven problem

Question

Display brightness / uneven problem

Hi all,

I've never posted a message on here before so be kind!

I think I have a problem with my new macbooks screen and I was hoping for some advice before I get (another) exchange.

This is actually my third macbook, but, being a happy user of a Powerbook in the past Im still persevering throuhg teething problems! The first problem was faulty paint on a black macbook, the second a generally poor finish and cluster of dead pixels on a white, and now the replacement white macbook has another display problem. All I was wondering was do you guys agree?

What's wrong is that I don't feel that the brightness / backlight is even - on the bottom there are dark / dirty 'splodges'. I know LCD's are still not perfect, all that annoys me about this is that I'm convinced the screens were better on the other macbooks I had. However, I'm seeking opinions of people on here as like I said I do know LCD's are not perfect and if you guys think its OK then I'll not change it. EVERYTHING else about this macbook is perfect - heat, fit n finish, no dead pixels etc etc, just this bugger of a minor problem. However, I;d only say it is a problem if what I have is a screen thats out of spec. If this is generally what they are like then I'm happy. As I said I know LCD's are not perfect.

The pics attached accurately reflect what the screen is like (I've fiddled with my camera settings to make it match, as accurately as I can, to how it looks to me). I know the brightness fades towards the top sides - thats the camera, but what I'm really talking about is the dark areas along the bottom that spread towards the middle. Do you see dirty blotches as well? And are they below spec? Am I being overly picky?

Opinions from Mac veterans would be massively appreciated!

Thanks
http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/560/img1418jq1.jpg
http://img378.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img1406me1.jpg

MacBook 2ghz, Mac OS X (10.4)

Posted on Jul 16, 2006 3:09 PM

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Answer 1

Jul 16, 2006 4:06 PM in response to Jonny Rodwell

Hello...

I haven't noticed any uneven brightness or patches, but my screen does sometimes flicker between darker and brighter (it's just like when the screen dims slightly when it's been idle for a while, except 3 times a second!)

I don't know if that's any help.. probably not!

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Answer 2

Jul 16, 2006 7:52 PM in response to Jonny Rodwell

Mine's a bit like that at the light strip along the bottom (backlight bleeding?). I've come to the conclusion that you have accept a threshold of defects with these macbooks, they all seem to have some issues, some worse than others. Normally, I'd try for another one, but given how bad it could be, I'll stick with what I've got.

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Answer 3

rczig

Level 1

0 points

Jul 17, 2006 5:50 AM in response to Jonny Rodwell

I have a similar screen issue on my new Macbook. It appears as if there's a slight 'fold' in the lower left hand corner of the screen and a 'blotch' on the right side of the screen. in these areas the backlight is not even, but it's only really visible when viewed at an angle (it's almost impossible to see when viewed head on or when using the Macbook). Having never seen this on previous iBooks/Powerbooks, I wonder whether this is common for 'glossy displays'? Perhaps the gloss emphasizes any inconsistency in the backlighting?

Just a guess. I'm not returning mine (although I just bought it and there is also 1 stuck pixel) because it doesn't really bother me and I know the screen could be worse. And, as I mentioned, the gloss may just highlight any imperfections.

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Answer 4

Benedikt

Level 1

10 points

Jul 19, 2006 1:46 AM in response to Jonny Rodwell

My screen looked a lot like this ( http://img378.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img1406me1.jpg). A long bright small area at the bottom (which you usually don't notice because of the dock) and dark corners on bottem left and right. It bothered me a bit because my sisters MacBook didn't had these issues. When I noticed some kind of moire effect when changing the viewing angleslightly and one pixel died on the last day of my 14 day return period I called Apple Care and they offered me a replacement.

I would at least call Apple Care and see if they think it's a problem or not.

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Answer 5

Jul 19, 2006 9:22 AM in response to Benedikt

Mine doesn't moo, whine or overly hot, so I consider myself somewhat lucky. Don't want to blow that with a replacement that might do all the above, and have dead pixels ontop.

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Answer 6

Jul 19, 2006 3:42 PM in response to Jonny Rodwell

I have experienced a quite similar issue...

the top of my display is darker than the bottom (at a very noticeable level, especially when you know the problem...there is a kind of darker area at the top)

I don't know what I am supposed to do...Perhaps I should send it back to Apple but it would be very annoying...there is already so much personal data on my hard drive...Otherwise my MacBook is almost perfect!

If you can give me some advice...

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Answer 7

Jul 19, 2006 4:20 PM in response to darkshaman

Could ask them to replace the display, or swap your hard drive in if a replacement. As for me, I'm going to try to live with it and if it continues to bother me, contact them before the end of the warranty period.

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Answer 8

Sep 1, 2006 8:24 AM in response to Robert Drake1

Just thought I'd post and say my backlight seems to have the problem.

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Answer 9

Jul 9, 2007 3:09 AM in response to Jonny Rodwell

I have had four Macbooks and all of them have screen issues. The first three had the flickering issue whilst this one has an uneven backlight- dark smudges on the right and left side visible on light backgrounds. I think as you said uneveness is common with Macbooks and LCDs in particular be they laptops, monitors or TVs. LED displays like those on the Macbook pro are meant to stop backlight issues but many are complaining about uneven backlights on these. I think that many people just don't notice- where I work colleagues have laptop screens that I would say are appalling- low brightness, uneven backlighting, dead pixels- and they don't notice a thing. My advice enjoy the Macbook and if it gets to the stage it really bothers you get a new display under warranty.

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Answer 10

npydyuan

Level 1

23 points

Aug 24, 2007 6:58 AM in response to Jonny Rodwell

My Macbook's backlighting was uneven--not a LOT, but there was a darker zone near the bottom that was distracting. After reading several Genius Bar horror stories online, I was fully expecting a big argument as to whether the defect was "in spec" or not.... But, much to my delight, when I took it to the Apple Store in Milwaukee (Bayshore) yesterday, and described the issue, the "Genius" said, "Okay, we'll box it up and send it out and have that replaced." Of course, I have yet to see whether the replacement will prove any better, but so far my Apple support experience has been positive.

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