Blotches on screen.
- Thread starter gigapet
- Start date
bobw
The Late: SuperMacMod
You have the White Spot issue. This is from MacFixIt - 11/24/03;
For those who haven't been affected (some estimates from resellers peg the the number of defective screens at around 25 percent of shipping units), the "white spot" issue - where small blotches appear on the screen in generally specific areas - has generated serious concern for PowerBook G4 15" (FireWire 800) owners, and headaches for authorized Apple repair centers.
This page shows where the spots usually appear;
http://www.macfixit.com/images/whitespots.jpg
Possible causes Though heat was identified as a possible cause originally, most experts now agree that there is some sort of unnecessary pressure on the screen that is causing the spots.
Apple Response? Apple has yet to provide any official statement or documentation of the white spot issue. However, a good number of readers report that Apple has replaced their PowerBooks due to these spots, indicating that Apple is aware of the problem. In fact, two MacFixIt readers provided us with information about "internal" Apple Knowledge Base articles that were allegedly available to the public -- unintentionally -- a few weeks ago. Although we cannot verify their authenticity, one of the articles we were forwarded mentioned that "PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW 800) computers are being captured if the display pools or has white spots."
The new screens It appears that Apple has changed the screen architecture slightly on some of the replacement PowerBooks that are shipping to customers who were affected by the white spot issue.
Most reports indicate that the new display lid is somewhat heftier and can withstand more force without generating the traditional LCD "ripple" effect. Apple also appears to have included a new latching mechanism.
Some users (for no apparent reason) also report getting new hard drives in their repaired PowerBooks, or in some cases, completely new units.]
It is worth noting, however, that units are still shipping with the problem, and there is virtually no way to determine whether or not you have an affected PowerBook immediately. As stated previously, the problem can crop up after a few days, or a few months depending on unknown factors.
You may want to check the build date on the unit you are purchasing, but there is no definitive date past which no defective displays are included with the 15" PowerBook G4 (FireWire 800).
For those who haven't been affected (some estimates from resellers peg the the number of defective screens at around 25 percent of shipping units), the "white spot" issue - where small blotches appear on the screen in generally specific areas - has generated serious concern for PowerBook G4 15" (FireWire 800) owners, and headaches for authorized Apple repair centers.
This page shows where the spots usually appear;
http://www.macfixit.com/images/whitespots.jpg
Possible causes Though heat was identified as a possible cause originally, most experts now agree that there is some sort of unnecessary pressure on the screen that is causing the spots.
Apple Response? Apple has yet to provide any official statement or documentation of the white spot issue. However, a good number of readers report that Apple has replaced their PowerBooks due to these spots, indicating that Apple is aware of the problem. In fact, two MacFixIt readers provided us with information about "internal" Apple Knowledge Base articles that were allegedly available to the public -- unintentionally -- a few weeks ago. Although we cannot verify their authenticity, one of the articles we were forwarded mentioned that "PowerBook G4 (15-inch FW 800) computers are being captured if the display pools or has white spots."
The new screens It appears that Apple has changed the screen architecture slightly on some of the replacement PowerBooks that are shipping to customers who were affected by the white spot issue.
Most reports indicate that the new display lid is somewhat heftier and can withstand more force without generating the traditional LCD "ripple" effect. Apple also appears to have included a new latching mechanism.
Some users (for no apparent reason) also report getting new hard drives in their repaired PowerBooks, or in some cases, completely new units.]
It is worth noting, however, that units are still shipping with the problem, and there is virtually no way to determine whether or not you have an affected PowerBook immediately. As stated previously, the problem can crop up after a few days, or a few months depending on unknown factors.
You may want to check the build date on the unit you are purchasing, but there is no definitive date past which no defective displays are included with the 15" PowerBook G4 (FireWire 800).