New Macbook Pro LED Backlighting Problem..

Well I bought my lovely Macbook Pro about a month ago. Was forced to return it because the bottom of the screen had yellowing and a line across it.

Today I went back to the Apple store because my second now has the same issue. I sat there and talked to the store manager about this issue, and it seems to be pretty common.

I then sat there an unboxed, tested and looked over ( I brought the test image with me) an additional 3 brand new Macbook Pros in addition to the two I already had, all 5 had the problem. The manager was going to let me sit there and unbox the entire store room of Macbook Pros until I found one with a decent screen, but after 3 I gave up. The customer service at this Apple store was by far and away second to none. However I couldn't rightfully unbox 20 I would lose my mind.

By far and away the worst were the Samsung screens, the only one that came close to being "normal" was the LG which I have at the moment, but is still effected by the yellowing.


Has anyone else on this forum has this problem? I'm speaking to someone at the Apple facility in California about this first thing tomorrow and could use some input.

If you haven't already seen it, I'm also including a test image in this post.



Be sure to make sure it is maximized to the entire screen, is the bottom box yellowish and the top white for you as well?

I know the difference between dark spots and yellowing, maybe my vision is better than the majority of peoples...

 

your picture isnt showing anything, its all grey for me...
ok i understand now,,, its a test image to see if theres "yellowing"....

 

See also;

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=343219

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=313239

 

I've been through 3 Samsung screens with the yellowing issue before I finally received my LG which looks perfect.

 

Maybe I have horrible eyesight because I have a Samsung screen from production week 22 and cannot notice any yellowing. Or maybe I just got lucky.

 

Considering laptops for a while but now need to get one soon because my dad is taking back his sz.

Been following this thread and the thread links. Great info!

Hopefully I will get my cc approved soon and I might shoot for a MBP hopefully with a 9c66 screen.

Keep up the updates and info!

 

Nope, mine looks fine. I've never heard this problem outside the forums.

 

Mine has a rather faint yellow tint to it at the bottom. I guess it doesn't bother me enough though. >.>

 

Just uncovered some information whilst doing some research. Here are the following LCD codes/ manufacturers that Apple uses for the LED backlit 15.4" Macbook Pro.


9c67= LG
9c68= Samsung
9c6D= Chi Mei Optronics (CMO)
9c66= AU Optronics (AUO)

Samsung is by far the worst and most if not all their screens have the yellowing problem. LG seems to be 50/50 some have it bad some don't at all really. CMO and AUO seem to be the rarer of the four and at this point look to have the lowest occurance of the yellowing issue. Ofcourse not to say they are uneffected, but most likely will not have it.

 

I have a Samsung with no issues, thankfully.

 

9c66 screen here, no issues.

 

How can you tell which screen do you have?

 

Go into Preferences> Display> Click the Color Tab> Open the default color profile then scroll down to where it will say something like Apple Hardware ID...then compare your code to the four posted.

Pretty sure thats how I'm in Vista right now so thats based on my memory.

 

Nope, couldn't find it..

 

Yeah, System Preferences, Displays, then click the colour tab, Open Profile, then scroll down to the bottom one on the list which says "Apple Display make and model information" and it will be listed there as Model: 00000xxxx or something. Check the last four numbers.

 

On a side note I spoke to a chief executive consumer affairs spokesperson for Apple at their Cupertino California facility. She said that this is a known defect and they are working with the display manufacturers at this time to resolve it. I personally have two options at this point.

1.) Keep my laptop now, and wait 6+? months till they figure out the problem, then send it in to be taken apart and have the screen replaced, rendering me notebookless for god knows how long. Also possibly encountering additional problems from sending it out and being worked on.

2.) Go back to the Apple store for a third time, and sit there opening as many Macbook Pros as needed until I can find one without the problem, which is what I am going to do.

I told her, wouldn't it just make more sense to custom order one with the same specs and to put a note in for a specific screen?
Apparently that is out of the realm of possibilities. I will say that Apples customer service espescially at the store is impressive and I am grateful it is such. However a consumer shouldn't have to go through so much trouble after spending $2,650 on a notebook because of manufacturing problems and lack of quality control.

Thus, today I'm going back to the Apple store today (a two hour roundtrip) with hopes that the 6th Macbook Pro will have a decent screen.

If not I am sitting there and opening as many Macbook Pros as possible and testing them until I get one without the defective yellowing issue.

Wish me luck


I'll keep everyone posted as to how it turns out.

 

Okay so I got 9C67, that means I've got LG. Is that bad or good?

 

Revolution when and where did you get yours?

I an wondering if all the new MPBs w/ Leopard have the 9c66.

 

It's neither, all depends on if your screen has the yellowing problem. LG has a much lower rate of having it than Samsung, but only you can find out by running the test image... Some people have it and it doesn't even bother them..

All the new MBPs w/ Leopard do not have the 9c66 unfortunately. All four I tested at the Apple store came with Leopard and were all effected by the yellowing problem. (1 LG & 3 Samsung)

I didn't get a chance to go today but I will be going tomorrow (Wednesday)

 

Got mine at Next Byte in Adelaide on the 26th of October. It had Tiger preinstalled, I upgraded to Leopard last week with the $12 thing on the website.

Edit: Just realised that you might not all know that Adelaide is in Australia

 

Thanks so much for the update guys!

Got my cc but the limit is too low! WTF!.....guess its b/c I'm a student Anyways still working out the credit issue.

Keep up the good work guys, the info is much appreciated.

 

I have the 9C67. The model info is clearly shown if you scroll down to line # 13.

 

Well I thought I would let everyone know how my trip to the Apple store went today.

I couldn't make it earlier in the week but I did go today, and I'm glad I did.

As soon as I got there I tested 10 15.4" Macbook Pros all of which had the problem. Luckily for me they ran out of stock so I couldn't test anymore. The store manager also happend to be there.

He was eager to see why I had opened up a total of now 17 Macbook Pros over the past two weeks. Thus I booted up number 17, registered it, and logged in. I ran the test image I brought and sure enough he saw the yellow bottom and line across the screen.

I managed to trade up for a new 17" Macbook Pro.... A bigger screen and NO YELLOWING OR LINES!!!!

After going through literally 17 Macbook Pros (15.4" models) I couldn't take it anymore.

Good luck to everyone

 

I've got the Samsung (9C68) screen and I notice no yellowing. Lucky me?

Manufacturer Date: C2110E00

Good to hear you finally got an MBP to be proud of.

 

Hah thanks Coyote, after going through 17 units I couldn't take it any longer. I was just lucky that the Apple store employees were so nice. One inparticular helped me exchange and open each of them.

I'm pretty sure they were all quite happy when I left the store however. They now have better knowledge of the LED backlight problem though and hopefully it will be fixed asap. Apple has 17 units comming back to them from me alone....I kinda miss the portability of the 15.4" form factor, but I definitely couldn't go through any more. I was starting to lose my mind.


This screen is perfect, however on a side note does anyone know of that program that will tell me the maker of the LCD and where it was made? Ive been alittle curious as to whom the maker of this 17" panel is but I don't recognize the code: 9C72

 

My dell's samsung screen looks fine