Advice appreciated & more info on ACD line problem

[Forrest]

Uh, that's the way Apple drew the menu bar. Your screenshot matches all the Macs here running OSX 10.4.x It's been that way for years - and you're just noticing it now!

[prymsnap]

Forrest wrote:
Uh, that's the way Apple drew the menu bar. Your screenshot matches all the Macs here running OSX 10.4.x It's been that way for years - and you're just noticing it now!

I would be thrilled if that were the answer. But then why do I see it plainly during screen saver images?

[C(-)ris]

If it shows up on the screen shot it is a video card or logic board problem. But I think it is supposed to be there. My 10.4 box has the same thing.

[prymsnap]

C(-)ris wrote:
If it shows up on the screen shot it is a video card or logic board problem. But I think it is supposed to be there. My 10.4 box has the same thing.

I understand that logic of what you're saying. But then why does the line show up both when I have the MDD connected, and when the MacBook is connected?

Really, I'm not trying to be contrary. I'm just trying to figure this damn thing out.

[Gareth]

Since it seems the 10.4 menu bar is designed with that horizontal line (how weird), that explains why it shows up in a screenshot containing the menu bar, but not the solid orange Photoshop image screenshot. But you see it against the orange b/c it has been "burned-in" to the LCD.

I would recommend trying a "scrubber" screen saver (these alternate between black and white, or various shades of grays in assorted patterns). I used one called "LCD Scrub" to remove the outline of the PIP window on my monitor/TV. But in my case, I could move the PIP window a few pixels afterward. In your case, that line is still going to be on the menu bar to burn-in again (unless you upgrade to 10.5).

[prymsnap]

Thanks, Gareth! I will investigate "LCD Scrub" right away. Nothing would make me happier than getting to the bottom of this without having to wrangle a replacement or arguing with Apple.

[RE:up]

If you have a copy of Tech Tool Pro, go to the video tab and there you can throw up solid colors (no menu bar) with a mouse click.
I have Tiger on my system and the line in the menu bar is evident. My monitor is a Samsung CRT so my results may be different that yours, but when I put up the solid colors I see no evidence of the menu bar line burn in.

[Article Accelerator]

prymsnap wrote:
The line is very faint, running horizontally and can be best seen just to the right of the middle of the word "Help" on the Finder bar.

Completely normal.

(By the way, If it shows in a screenshot, it's not your monitor.)

I have an appointment with a Genius (we'll see about that) on Monday.

Cancel it.

[bwicklander]

LCDTest for Mac

http://lcdtest.en.softonic.com/mac

and it's free

Beware - it will show any dead pixels on your LCD - R.I.P.

[Bimwad]

That's the way it's supposed to appear.

The pixels in the top half of the menu bar are lighter than the bottom half to give it a slight 3D effect, with lighting from the top.

Enlarge the screenshot of the menubar and you'll see that "line" of demarcation isn't produced by the monitor.