@MrBlahBlah: Really? Maybe it's a motherboard issue. My laptop has never experienced any issues with its Nvidia GPU (8600m).

xecutiv

Could this be why I get intermittent video on my 30" Cinema Display? Anyone? Bueller?

buyrihn

@xecutiv: So you're saying I should've blamed Dell here? Nice try, asshole.

matt buchanan

@Eruanno: As far as I know it affects laptop chips far more than standalone graphics cards. But try updating your BIOS and firmware to be on the safe side.

Nintenboy01

@xecutiv: it is nVidia's fault. They were their chips. By your logic, every computer manufacturer that purchased their chips is at fault.

MrBlahBlah

@xecutiv:

I give you a C- for effort. You form was weak and you're delivery was weaker.

Malfoy

Ugh, screw you NVidia. ATi, where art thou?

Kaiser-Machead's LEGO WALL-E

This Nvidia hoopla could be a great blessing for poor old ATI/AMD.

Nintenboy01

Hm, and my stationary computer has a 8600 GT too... well, it hasn't failed me yet!
Although one of the fans inside of it did sound a little off-pitch the other day... O.o

Eruanno

* Distorted or scrambled video on the computer screen
* No video on the computer screen (or external display) even though the computer is on

YES, that's mine. I'm demanding a replacement, I've had over three major hardware issues now and this is getting ridiculous.

MBPro

I love how the author of this post blames Nvidia for the problem... how fanboy-ish. Don't you think that Apple should have made absolutely certain that their product had fully functioning parts before selling it? And I thought Mac's were so cool because they are all guaranteed to work on the hardware that Apple forces you to use. Hmm...

xecutiv

Is that why I've had uh ... I don't really know how to describe it but the display turns all funky with blocks of color? Lol... That sounds so dumb.

MBPro

No word on the Sony front. Running a GeForce 8400GT as well.

OMG! Ponies!

@alohrey: Can't we get some bannage around here on blogwhores?

dingus

My Mac Book Pro Works fine since Aug 07. ^_^

I still think they should have used ATI. I would love to have a 5.1 digital surround through DVI like they do on their 3870 (Have two in my tower). I mean the MBR is suppose to be a production machine or entertainment machine right? Why not have surround and with ATI better graphics IMHO.

However for the NVIDIA card in my MBP, it seems to be kicking ass for only 128mb.

Eavangel

Glad mine's the older version with an ATI chipset.
Adam [www.hdupdate.com]

alohrey

Alright, so there goes another company admitting how faulty the chipsets are. Now it's time to hear it from the rest. I still have my ASUS F3SV, which continues to work thankfully.

xAnarChisTx

Yeah, my MBP vid card crapped out about 3 months ago -- no video at all. On the plus side, Apple was extremely efficient -- I called them on a Friday afternoon, the empty shipping box arrived Monday, I sent it back the same day, and had the computer with a new mother board on Thursday (they also replaced my LCD because I had a group of dead pixels that was annoying me -- but that's unrelated to the video card).

I think Apple's "investigation" probably involved looking at the number of returns.

A bit of advice: I use an external monitor/keyboard, and when on the go I put my MBP in a Marware sleeve inside my bag. The day my computer died, I closed the lid before unplugging the USB on my desk. Thus, when I did unplug the USB, the computer would have woken up (USB changes wakes from sleep). Being in a hurry, I shoved it in the sleeve in my bag -- so at least for a short time, the computer was on, in the sleeve, inside the bag = very hot. The video card would have already been hot from driving my external monitor. So, moral of the story: always disconnect the USB _before_ you close the lid.

automandc

Is this the same issue as not waking up when the display goes to sleep?

jacksonwhole

Nvidia has had a multitude of problems with similar notebook graphic cards and some desktop variations. Don't blame Apple.

Chewbenator

@xecutiv: I actually can see your point -- to a point. Frankly, manufacturers do not make much in their hardware products these days since there are companies making nearly all of the various components. So, by the logic that this is Nvidia's fault, none of the issues that have ever come up with laptops would be the main manufacturers fault.

However, where your argument loses every scrap of credibility is that, despite Nvidia's problem, Apple has taken responsibility and will fix all the laptops with this problem.

So, regardless of who is at fault, Apple is the one that is doing the right thing and deserving of praise.

Monty

@Malfoy: It's "your" not "you're." That means your point is moot, noob. gg

xecutiv

Yeah....Numerous issues here. Looks like I'll be driving to an Apple Store sometime in the near future.

bbkj1211

@dingus: it's called a signature. If you find any of my comments to be off topic, inacurate, or irrelevant to the topic please let me know, otherwise I am simply commenting on the giz posts.

alohrey

@Eruanno: its more of a problem in laptop(mobile GPU cards) because

1) its constructed smaller = more heat output per area, easier to overheat(rumor is that card base is inconsistent, more expansion+shrinking = cracked card... higher temp increases this chance)
2) different dye material, as said above, constructed differently from the desktop PCI cards

taking_this_easy

@matthew_k:
Admitting the problem is the hard part :p
Most people will only have a laptop for 2-4 years anyways. I will probably be keeping my MBP for only another year or so (bought mine a year ago) and then perhaps i'll sell it. If the video craps out on them, i don't think apple would have fixed it even if it was within the two years :(

Eavangel

I had a problem about a month or so back with my graphics card. Don't know if it was the nvidia or not. Didn't check it before I took it in. Display wouldn't turn on when the computer did, so I took it in for service.

Interestingly, after I got it back, the computer didn't recognize the battery, so I had to take it back AGAIN.

I agree with Matthew_K. Especially given that they're only admitting this almost a year and a half after the first models with the faulty chips got on the market, a two year replacement promise is a pretty douche move.

I'm becoming less and less impressed with Apple. The day I can edit video on entirely open source software is the day I move to Linux permanently.

OCEntertainment

@dingus: I agree completely! Read more about this type of abuse at:
www.blogwhores.com

Toshie

Hmm...I've got this chipset in my newish mbp... no problems...yet?

cpthook

Wow, quality move Apple. Admit you made a faulty notebook, but only fix it if it breaks within two years.

matthew_k

@OMG! Ponies!:
I guess at least HP somewhat admitted issues with the Nvida chips on some laptops but I know I haven't heard of anything on my newer HP DV2700 with the 8400GT

Perhaps sony feels that if the chip does fail, you can revert down to your GMA950 and be happy with just using it as a computer and not for games?

awdark

@alohrey: if its a signature, why didn't it come up when you replied?

Jon B.

I'm not saying a word, don't wanna jinx it!!!! MBP SFSG

Faslane66

i dont know about you guys, but im waiting until that october 14th announcement before i send mine in. maybe the apple fairy will be good to me this year :-)

musicmonkey34

i really hope my MBP doesn't get affected by this. I have the 8600M GT and I purchased it in about August of '07. No problems yet tho...(crosses fingers).

ianboon

@Jon B.: because I can include a signature whenever I choose to. It's called CTRL-C CTRL-V you should try it sometime.

alohrey

@matthew_k: I don't even think they've been using nVidia chipsets for barely a year. And with this kind of problem, it's not gonna wait too long to break.

metalgear08

@Jon B.: A HA!

metalgear08

Looks like the inquirer was right.

again.

RamV10

@xecutiv: Actually, yours is. Bye.

matt buchanan

So far so good. Does it help that I keep my laptop screen off most of the time? It's mainly running an external 24" and only use the actual lappy screen when I'm on the road which is rare. Don't know if I'm taxing the graphics card more by always running a higher res monitor, or if keeping the lappy screen off helps the card any.
anyone know? silly question...anyone who knows wanna tell me?
BTW by "screen off" I mean brightness to '0'

kahri

i got a 17" MBP 3 weeks ago... i have noticed when playing world of warcraft with the graphics turned all the way up, after about 30 mins, video starts stuttering, FPS drop from 50 to about 12. WEAK!

silence04

@jacksonwhole: No that usually has to do exclusively with the Logic Board itself, or the Reed Switch that should be tripped when the MacBook is opened/closed. Usually this can be taken care of if under warranty. Test it out a bit to see if you can come up with a surefire way to replicate the problem, and take it to an A.S.P. near you.

JYHASH

@buyrihn: Possibly. Do you have it conected to a MBP? If you do, and the video card is acting up, it'll output wrong to the external display. Take it in to an authorized service provider and they'll repair it as long as it falls within the REP.

~JYH

JYHASH

My MBP stopped showing any video at all a few months back.
It was funny because I could still turn it on and launch my apps using quicksilver and listen to my music, but that stops being fun after 5 mins.

I shipped it out it for repair since it was still under warranty for only two more days!(lucky me)
It was returned to me within the week , but I was never informed about the cause of the problem.
I'm guessing it was the graphics card after reading this.
It's good to know im covered for at least one more year if the card craps out again.

Noks415

@kahri: The graphics card is used either way (attached LCD or External monitor), so regardless of how you use your Macbook Pro, if your Graphics Card fails, it'll affect any type of video output.

So just keep an eye on it, if it starts to have display issues, come in to your local A.S.P.

~JYH

JYHASH

@alohrey: I thought sigs died along with USENET.

dingus

@JYHASH: thanks.

kahri

Hello,

We already returned two 17" MBP's. They both fried themselves completely after installing 10.5.5. You could get into target mode for a little bit and then the logic board just totally ate itself. Completely dead. Pretty impressive, nVIDIA!

We now steer towards the ATI chips for everything. They seem to work better for the core graphics apps we use anyhow.

Take those suckers back.

Best,

C

cepheusfilms

I just got my MBP 2.4 back from the local Apple Store on Sunday. I had to perform a restart after installing something - the computer rebooted with no video. Resetting PRAM/NVRAM/Open Firmware - nothing (but the startup chime and HD spinning up). External monitor - nothing.

Took it to the Apple Store and they said it would be a few day delay as they were no longer in stock of the motherboard - all of their stock was used up in current repairs. When I asked if this was due to the Nvidia problems, they said "No, that's the current generation" (which has the same exact chip). They fixed it for free - although the normal motherboard repair price is $1250.

Looks like Apple made a terrible decision when they decided NOT to upgrade the graphics chip during the last refresh...

JacquesAss

And don't I know it. Had my entire logic board ripped out 10 days after the computer was out of the 1 year warranty. Although I did buy Apple care after dropping the thing a few times...

I know many of you have no problems with it right now. But trust me, one of these days, the computer will just up and die on you. Thus, imagine my surprise when it wouldn't turn on one morning, and I had a client meeting in 3 hours.

My advice? If its not broken. Break it. Load up Crysis, and just have the computer run it 10 hours a day when your in bed. Do it for a good 2 weeks and get your logic board ripped out. Well..at least thats what I'd do.

NeoXY

My MacBook Pro's video died last Thursday, weirdly enough. AppleCare had me covered, though the repair took days longer than originally promised.

palestrinajeff

Um..so where are all the apple haters?

Apple once again takes care of its customers. Biatch all you want about how much they charge. If you go to them with a problem they make it right...usually better than right.

Yeah i hear people biatching about bad apple service...but that is simply people who are out to bash. Everytime ive been to an apple store or had to have a service done...they are nothing but nice and helpful.

bud-strange

This announcement puts me in a difficult position. I had an issue with external monitors when I first got my MBP (got it around May/June of this year; had issues with my school's projectors). Should I try and get Apple to repair/replace it now instead of waiting for it to die? Its my only computer ATM, and I don't really want to be without it if I don't have to, but I would rather have it fixed soon instead of just waiting for it to die on me.

GumbyX

@xecutiv: It is nVidia's fault on this case.
But I know how you feel.

Specially on this: "Mac's were so cool because they are all guaranteed to work on the hardware that Apple forces you to use."

I don't think the topic has anything wrong though...
But some Apple fanboys will have to shut up after this.

Bokusatsu_Tenshi

I haven't had any problems recently. I hope nothing comes up soon...

TheMurderer

@Eavangel: Hey! That's when I bought mine! WHEEE!

TheMurderer

Bought mine in june 07, gets hot as hades but i bought a cooling pad. So its all good.

-kXj-

@Toshie: Literal lol. Thanks for that.

QWERTYthon

What's disturbing is that if rumors are true, Apple is using Nvidia chipsets for its new MacBooks !!

Wdeal

I'm so glad everything is straightened out! <3 I love Apple computers, but they're quite stingy when it comes to refunds.. like with my faulty charger!

lifefood

@jacksonwhole: WAIT, what do you mean? I've had mine (display) seem to take a bit to come back on after I hit the spacebar or power button after putting it into sleep, then taking it back outta sleep a few secs to a minute later (Like if I forget and need to wake it back-up.....is this the same or is it just not fully asleep and I'm trying to wake to soon? Thoughts? Sometimes it's like a full 45 secs to a minute before I can wake it back up, seems like it used to be much faster than that...???????

Much appreciated

Faslane66

@bbkj1211: sucks!!! but always fun to go post PhotoBooth pinched photos and stupid shit on all the desktop pics while waiting around ;-)

Faslane66

@MBPro: That cause people are dumb and you have to "spell things out sometimes" not saying you, just in general ;-)

Faslane66

@alohrey: WAIT, did you post this from iPhone? Dude, if so, you have COPY AND PASTE!!!!! LOL ;-)

Don't sweat it, people just need to bitch about stuff, if they don't like it, don't click it! It's not like you posted a f-ing banner or something!! LMAO!!!

Faslane66