ATI RADEON X1900 XT GRAPHICS CARDS, MACS, APPLE

[Anonymous]

Yesterday Apple replaced the following:

Both of the above graphics cards in my MAC PRO (I have a card for each monitor), and

the same graphics card and cover in my MACBOOK PRO.

These were replaced because of a known problem in the card when running high end graphics programs such as ArchiCAD.

Had I not had the Extended Care, would have cost me close to $2,200; but as I do have the Extended Care, cost 0.

If anyone else has had the experience of what looks like an attempt at modern art take over their screen while in the 3d window, and has the above card, this is the problem. there was a problem in the manufacture of "certain" ATI cards and Apple has chosen to replace them. On my computer, that is 2.5 years old, they have has replaced 5 graphics cards.

[Thomas Holm]

OK, I've read it. It's a proposed settlement in a class-action suit, concerning those in the US who bought almost any ATI graphics card no later than March 2006, claiming they were not "HDCP ready or otherwise conforming to High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection" specs.

I don't believe lack of HDCP copy protection has anything to do with this thread's subject, other than the fact that if almost all of ATI's production was flawed in one way at that time, it could be in some other too. Meaning if they're crooks, they're crooks?

'Our' issue concerns that ATI cards generally (I've no idea of the limits) are vulnerable to an OpenGL overload issue when operating high-end graphics programs within Apple's MacOSXLeopard. Leopard was released in late 2007, long after the period the suit concerns. The vulnerable cards were sold even longer (we bought the 8-core MacPro less than two months ago). They were AFAIK all built-in or bundled with Apple computers.

So my reply is: -So what?

[Anonymous]

Hi, have been so busy and did not check back here for a few weeks.

In answer to someone's question "so what"...I mentioned all information to Apple when I called their support line, everything I had been told by Graphisoft and/or read in Mac World..."so what" happened is that Apple agreed to replace all my graphics cards, which included a new logic board on my laptop and the cover on said laptop. So <what>I saved close to $2,200.00 in costs because of my Apple Care Protection, and the above information.

So What?

[Thomas Holm]

Quite interesting. In short, Apple's support people's ignorance about this OpenGL/Leopard ATI issue goes to the extent that they don't even realize that the class action suit about HDCP has no connection with it - so they shell up!

No offence meant, but I think your luck is in the class of Gladstone Gander's!

Sadly, I don't think this will do us other OpenGL-fault-stricken any good.

On the other hand, I haven't seen the issue in 10.5.7 yet. They may have got their act together at last!