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TiDual · Jun 5, 2006, 04:16 AM

Ok ... I've pretty much fallen in love with my "Pismo 2" ... black MacBook with 2GB and 120GB. Moving "up" from a 1.25GHz Powerbook. My aging eyes fing the screen a little tough, but I appreciate the more compact form factor, and how it generally feels less fragile. I love the keyboard ... very diff from the powerbook, but very relaxing to type on. The button, in constrast, doesn't always register a press and feels "rubbery". The black does seem to pick up prints, but after a few days, I somehow don't notice that so much. It runs warm, but no worse that the PB, and much better than the MBPs. Airport reception is fantastic. For my "working environments" the display is great.

One complaint. When I run on battery the display is a little dimmer of course (it's set to do that in the Energy panel). But after a few minutes, if I'm reading something, and not touching the keyboard/trackpad, it dims again ... I can't find anywhere to change this function, and it's quite annoying. My PB never did this "secondary" dimming. Note: I've "unchecked" the "dim before going to sleep" box, of course.

One other thing ... my MacBook feels like it "vibrating" most of the time (not actually moving, of course, but the kind of feeling you get if you touch an appliance, like a frigde, which often has a slight 60hz vibration). There's no noise, ot whine, but I guess the fan may be on (if so, it's very quiet!). Anyone else notice this?

All in all, though, a fantastic machine. I may look at the MBP when the merom appears, but only if there's a case redesign so that it feels as robust as the MB.

michaelb · Jun 5, 2006, 04:28 AM

Originally Posted by TiDual

One complaint. When I run on battery the display is a little dimmer of course (it's set to do that in the Energy panel). But after a few minutes, if I'm reading something, and not touching the keyboard/trackpad, it dims again ... I can't find anywhere to change this function, and it's quite annoying. My PB never did this "secondary" dimming. Note: I've "unchecked" the "dim before going to sleep" box, of course.

I think that's an OS X bug. I reported it via Apple's bug reporter form soon after I got my iMac Core Duo, and received a reply that it was a known issue.

It seems like it still hasn't been fixed. Maybe in 10.4.7.

If it's really bugging you, you can go to the Terminal and type:

[FONT="Courier New"]sudo pmset halfdim 0[/FONT]

Originally Posted by TiDual

One other thing ... my MacBook feels like it "vibrating" most of the time (not actually moving, of course, but the kind of feeling you get if you touch an appliance, like a frigde, which often has a slight 60hz vibration). There's no noise, ot whine, but I guess the fan may be on (if so, it's very quiet!). Anyone else notice this?.

That's the hard drive, which is located directly under the right palm rest. (It's possible the 120GB you custom configured has a tiny bit more vibration than other drives.)

Agree the MacBook is a fantastic machine!

TiDual · Jun 5, 2006, 04:36 AM

Originally Posted by michaelb

I think that's an OS X bug. I reported it via Apple's bug reporter form soon after I got my iMac Core Duo, and received a reply that it was a known issue.

It seems like it still hasn't been fixed. Maybe in 10.4.7.

If it's really bugging you, you can go to the Terminal and type:

[FONT="Courier New"]sudo pmset halfdim 0[/FONT]

That's the hard drive, which is located directly under the right palm rest. (It's possible the 120GB you custom configured has a tiny bit more vibration than other drives.)

Agree the MacBook is a fantastic machine!

Hey, thanks for the dimming tip.

As for the vibration ... you might be right, though the vibration is pretty wide spread across the machine (if anything, the left vibrates more than the right), and it is constant (e.g. I'm getting it even when the drive must have spun-down, I think)

DeathMan · Jun 5, 2006, 04:45 AM

This is too obvious, and let me apologize in advance, but could you have a dvd in there?

TiDual · Jun 5, 2006, 04:49 AM

Originally Posted by DeathMan

This is too obvious, and let me apologize in advance, but could you have a dvd in there?

No worries

... but no, there's no DVD. Also, to emphasis, the slight vibration (more like how a
50Hz hum "feels") is there even if the machine has been sitting totally idle for a while, doing nothing.

SeSawaya · Jun 5, 2006, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by TiDual

No worries

... but no, there's no DVD. Also, to emphasis, the slight vibration (more like how a
50Hz hum "feels") is there even if the machine has been sitting totally idle for a while, doing nothing.

that would be an earthquake

eltrut · Jun 5, 2006, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by DeathMan

This is too obvious, and let me apologize in advance, but could you have a dvd in there?

Or any CD, at that...

Xmas2Dump · Jun 5, 2006, 01:56 PM

My macbook doesn't do this, but I felt it on several of the machines at the local Apple Store. I can see how it can get annoying. I have no idea why some machines do that- I tried finding the source and its definitely not just the cdrom/harddrive..

Pat · Jun 5, 2006, 06:26 PM

Mine seems to have the vibration depending on the type of surface I have it setting on.

Pat

Paradise · Jun 10, 2006, 09:20 PM

One other thing ... my MacBook feels like it "vibrating" most of the time (not actually moving, of course, but the kind of feeling you get if you touch an appliance, like a frigde, which often has a slight 60hz vibration). There's no noise, ot whine, but I guess the fan may be on (if so, it's very quiet!). Anyone else notice this?

I want to "second" your HD vibration problem. It's not the fans as this problem exists even at start up when the processors are cold. You are correct in that it is very annoying.

HarriganC · Jun 10, 2006, 09:31 PM

I have none of the vibration mentioned, what hard drives to you guys have? I have the 80Gig.

Paradise · Jun 10, 2006, 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by HarriganC

I have none of the vibration mentioned, what hard drives to you guys have? I have the 80Gig.

I have the Fujitsu 60gig. I've done some searching on other boards and this have been found in other MB. But, like yourself, is not consistent with everyone. Some have even gone to the Apple stores and felt the vibration on some of the demo models. I knew I should've waited for the Rev. B models.

However, I must say that it is a great machine other than the vibration. I had the mooing the first night, but it went away. and my process (via CoreDualTemp) brings me only to an 85 degree max reading. (by the way, someone mentioned copying the chess program and having both applications running on computer vs. computer to get the processors up to Max power). Any way, I'm a little bummed. Maybe I should wrap my MB in a big rubber band to absorb the vibrations!

HarriganC · Jun 10, 2006, 10:03 PM

Originally Posted by mauiboy

I have the Fujitsu 60gig. I've done some searching on other boards and this have been found in other MB. But, like yourself, is not consistent with everyone. Some have even gone to the Apple stores and felt the vibration on some of the demo models. I knew I should've waited for the Rev. B models.

However, I must say that it is a great machine other than the vibration. I had the mooing the first night, but it went away. and my process (via CoreDualTemp) brings me only to an 85 degree max reading. (by the way, someone mentioned copying the chess program and having both applications running on computer vs. computer to get the processors up to Max power). Any way, I'm a little bummed. Maybe I should wrap my MB in a big rubber band to absorb the vibrations!

Weird, I bet it's something stupid too, something not tight enough, or too tight and not perfectly flush, it seems that it would have to be the Hard disk, because if it were fans you would hear a bad bearing or rubbing, I would think, and the optical drive isn't spinning w/o a disk.

Mine is a fujitsu as well just an 80gig, in my previous apple notebooks I have always had fujitsus, ::knocking on desk::, yes it is real wood, and had good luck.

Paradise · Jun 10, 2006, 10:35 PM

I've had a Pismo and a 12 inch ibook. Never felt anything like this. I've put 3 sheets of paper under the Macbook to absorb the vibration and it seems to work. But, it shouldn't be this way.

HarriganC · Jun 10, 2006, 10:45 PM

Are you sure you didn't buy a "MacDaddyBook", special edition, including a velvet trim, available at your local adult bookstore. ahahha, hopefully, it'll get figured out, as I could see it being annoying.

Paradise · Jun 10, 2006, 11:15 PM

Just don't know if its worth sending it back..........I've read on other boards that they all vibrate some. One guy went to an Apple store to check it out.

HarriganC · Jun 10, 2006, 11:17 PM

Seriously, I don't really know if I am just numb to it, but mine, my friends, and the 2 at compUSA don't vibrate, weird.

Paradise · Jun 11, 2006, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by HarriganC

Seriously, I don't really know if I am just numb to it, but mine, my friends, and the 2 at compUSA don't vibrate, weird.

Are the ones you tested at CompUSA sitting on anything that might absorb vibration? Mine sits on a hard wooden desk.

Also, is it normal for the HD to spin constantly?

Hi I'm Ben · Jun 11, 2006, 04:46 PM

Originally Posted by mauiboy

Are the ones you tested at CompUSA sitting on anything that might absorb vibration? Mine sits on a hard wooden desk.

Also, is it normal for the HD to spin constantly?

Not unless you're listening to music or something.