Colored vertical lines on PB 17" display

Replies to Marcus and MalG

Marcus Griffin wrote:
MY W85 Powerbook got the yellow line of death just last night. I'm not very happy about it, obviously. I'm a life long Mac user and this is the first machine that's given me this much trouble.

How old is your PowerBook and when did you buy it? I know what you mean, I'm certainly feeling a little trepidation for the first time ever about getting another Apple laptop (me & my family have owned about 14 Macs over the years, + Newtons, all on my recommendation). Would you email me (see my forum profile), I need to get the ear of someone at Apple too, I have an idea of how, I'd like to hear your ideas too.

MalG wrote:
I'm not sure if I'm experiencing this problem yet (knock on wood) but I have a Powerbook G4 and my serial number does start with W85 and I've been having display problems recently where the screen gets streaky with colors for no reason at all. Is this how the lines start? And if so how much does it cost to repair

Are the lines appearing and then staying there forever-more? If you're not sure if you're having this same problem...uhm, I guess email me (go read my forum profile), there are sites with photos of what the problem looks like, they're collecting solution ideas together, etc. As for cost of repair, if you read through this thread you can see various estimates, but I don't recall the various amounts.

MalG wrote:
I'm also experiencing random sleep cycles with my mac and I figure that will cost a pretty penny to fix so I'm starting to wonder if I should just start saving up for a new mac rather than try and fix its sleeping problems and wait for the display to go.

You should probably post about the sleep problem in the appropriate forum, who knows, maybe it's as simple as grabbing the right software patch.

Got my computer back today, after turning it in on AppleCare-fix. They (www.macoteket.se) changed out the entire display. Now everything seem ok (knock on wood).
2 weeks turnarond and fixed for no charge. Feels OK.

/ E

I have the vertical lines issue AND my powerbook randomly puts itself to sleep too....it drives me insane!! I don't know what in the world it could be.

thanks I will look into the matter and check out the ibook forum

I also have this issue on my PBG4 1.67 17". Serial Number is in the W85 series. The issue started almost a year ago now with one purple vertical line just off center. It was then joined by others at either edge. The first line must have been a little lonely, as it built up a group of its own and is now a about 3/4" wide. I've actually seen lines appear while not touching this unit -- flickering into existence, then back out and then back in to stay. I'm up to 15 in addition to however many lines are in the 3/4" area of the screen.

I work with laptop support in the industry, so my first thought with the first line was a grim understanding that I should have bought the Apple Care but didn't. I had saved quite awhile to be able to afford this, and when spending so much money didn't think I should have to spend an additional 10% of the purchase price to be assured of good product quality. In fact, through 2 other powerbooks and several desktop machines, I never had any issues to cause me to doubt the quality of any Apple product.

After finding so many sharing this issue, and sharing it on a similar series, it seems more of a bad lot of product, rather than an unfortunate defect, so I am also hoping that someone may be looking to take further steps. What is the best number to contact to get a case established on this with Apple? I still want to believe the best of Apple.

I work with kids and am always asked by parents and students alike what they should buy. Quite a few families, friends, students, etc. have bought Apple on my recommendation, and I want to be able to keep recommending them. Right now, that's hard to do... I really can't afford to try any repair options and am living with it. (When it comes down to it, my powerbook still has more horsepower than many of my friends' and coworkers' laptop or desktop machines.) At the moment, though, it's a very noticeable issue, and none of the students seeing it are led to think they want an Apple to take to college -- nor do the parents see it and think that they want one for their Jr / Sr high student.

This is getting a bit lengthy but wanted to at least add that I'm in the club too... and would like to know how better to address this officially with Apple -- even if it's not being officially recognized.

Thanks!

--Ken

+>it seems more of a bad lot of product, rather than an unfortunate defect, so I am also hoping that someone may be looking to take further steps. What is the best number to contact to get a case established on this with Apple? I still want to believe the best of Apple.<+

Ken. I posted earlier to a similar question but my reply appeared deep in this thread. I will have some in-depth info to share with everyone sometime this week. Hopefully good info. However, I don't want to post until I have complete and accurate information.

Soon. Hang in there!

Marcus

although i haven't posted here for a while (see my time/defect count charts posted earlier here) i'm still watching this topic.
since i switched to a 17" mbp a few months ago, the rate of new dead VLs on my pbg4 has -of course- significantly slowed down.

i'm happy to get more information here on how to get apple do something for their loyal customers.

Thanks, Marcus! I'll keep an eye out. Thanks for all your posts and help on this!

--Ken

update..."and then there were..." 12 vertical lines!

<Edited by Moderator>

Kenlan, thanks for your post...it reminds me also that I preach the goodness of Apple to family and friends and others who have also bought Apple products based on my enthusiasm. I love their products and would never go back to using a Windoze based PC. It is a sad state when Apple can do whatever they want and I/we still love them and will continue to buy their products...now that has to be the ultimate in a marketing organizations measure of success!

Unfortunately for Apple, this kind of treatment does have a limited shelf-life and there will come a day when they won't be able to ignore this type of problem.

Unfortunate for us in the VL club, this may be a rare Apple quality problem so statistically we may very well be well down in the "noise" and may not be an example that points to a downward trend in overall Apple quality so there might be a time when quality problems pile up. You see the good and bad in that one? We in VL club won't get satisfaction but future buys are not likely to suffer same/other quality problems.

But the silver lining for Apple is since this may be (is?) a rare quality problem, they could make some real PR hay by replacing ALL of the VL club's LCDs and show the world (and the market place) that they stand on principle and will bend to support even an uncommon/unlikely/out-of-warranty problem for their devoted and loyal customers. Let's also not forget that in light of Apple's revenue numbers, the cost for them to satisfy its customers is also in the "noise".

Come on Apple, do the right thang for all the peeps!

<Edited by Moderator>

I just repaired my G4 powerbook because it got more and more stripes. At the end half the display was just total black.
Replace the video card and display. Now three weeks later the story starts all over again.
Spend $ 800,-.

Can someone help?

twillem

Well, folks, the hosts here at the Apple discussion group have decided to delete my posts on how to get resolution for the W85 Powerbooks affected by the colored lines issue.

If you want the info please email me (address is available in my profile) and i'll pass it along to you since they obviously don't want the info posted publicly.

Marcus

update..."and then there..." 16 vertical lines!

Very nice, postive conversation and I am hopeful that there will be a resolution to this problem. The person I spoke to was very polite and very interested in pursuing this problem. She is going to contact engineering about how well known this problem is within engineering and what solutions are available. I really hope not just for myself but for everyone with this problem that Apple will replace the defective LCD with what is obviously a lemon batch out of Shanghai in the spring of 2005.

The person I spoke to said that she would keep me posted on the progress and I will then update this thread with any news.

<Edited by Moderator>

hmmm, I wonder Marcus if others like myself having used your information, have caused the removal of your post(s)? Probably.

I posted just previous to this one on how I was received by Apple and they appear to be interested in resolving my issue at least. I do hope they go the extra small step in expense and do it for everyone with the W85 VL issue.

I will keep this thread informed on my progress. Thanks again Marcus for your previous posts.

<Edited by Moderator>