Wednesday, February 1st 2017

LG UltraFine 5K Monitor Plagued by Rookie Design Flaw

There's "big" trouble for LG, which scored exclusivity on Apple Store for its UltraFine 5K monitor. A critical flaw in the monitor's design makes it intolerant to electromagnetic interference from devices as inconspicuous as home Wi-Fi routers. Apparently, the designers of the display forgot to give proper EM (electromagnetic) shielding for its electronics. When placed within 2 meters of a Wi-Fi router, the display begins to flicker, and when brought closer, the display even blanks out.

As an immediate workaround, LG advised customers to keep the display at least 2 meters away from a Wi-Fi router. Something like this could be tricky in a postmodern workspace such as a studio, where multiple MacPro workstations wired to such 5K displays are connected to the Internet over commercial Wi-Fi, with powerful >9 dBi antennae designed to spread signal to the far reaches of the office. LG maintains in a statement that this issue does not affect its other monitors.
Source: ArsTechnica
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32 Comments on LG UltraFine 5K Monitor Plagued by Rookie Design Flaw

#1
dj-electric
Simply put DOA for a huge chunk of users.
gg, LG
Posted on Reply
#3
Ubersonic
Well at least you will know you're getting a text when your screen starts flashing XD
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#4
Folterknecht
It's a feature.

"Check your wifi signal strength with our new monitors!"
Posted on Reply
#6
ShurikN
As an immediate workaround, LG advised customers to keep the display at least 2 meters away from a Wi-Fi router
Gee LG, how many engineers were needed to come with this ingenious workaround.
Posted on Reply
#7
koaschten
Reminds me of the iPhone Antennagate...

"You are holding it wrong" :D
Posted on Reply
#8
Ferrum Master
Tin foil hat would help here...

But... seriously... such an error? It's bonkers... especially considering the price...
Posted on Reply
#9
Caring1
Sounds like they will have to recall all the monitors already distributed and retro fit EMS to them
Posted on Reply
#10
DeathtoGnomes
Ferrum MasterTin foil hat would help here...

But... seriously... such an error? It's bonkers... especially considering the price...
I was thinking you get a free roll of aluminum foil with every monitor purchase. :banghead::rockout:
Posted on Reply
#11
Chaitanya
Ferrum MasterTin foil hat would help here...

But... seriously... such an error? It's bonkers... especially considering the price...
Its a LG monitor, they always sell crap for expensive monitors and cut corners in design. Would much rather get an Asus ProArt or Dell Ultrasharp monitor using that same LG panel over LG badged crap.
Posted on Reply
#12
ZoneDymo
so when can I get my 5k monitor Faraday Cage cover?
Posted on Reply
#13
EarthDog
Oops...

How about a recall...?
Posted on Reply
#15
ironwolf
ShurikNGee LG, how many engineers were needed to come with this ingenious workaround.
Two. One to suggest the workaround and the second to mock the first for actually making such a derp derp workaround. :laugh:
Posted on Reply
#16
Nergal
LG UltraFail 5K Monitor
Posted on Reply
#17
newtekie1
Semi-Retired Folder
For a $1,000 monitor, it is kind of sad that they couldn't spend the extra $1 per monitor on proper EM shielding.
bugMwahaha, blaming the monitor for MacBook resets, cursor and other graphics glitches. Yup, those are genuine Mac users.
The way that Macs interface with displays, I can actually believe the display is causing the computer to lock up. They talk to each other a lot more than the old VGA days where you just put out s video signal and hoped the monitor would display it.
Posted on Reply
#18
Steevo
bugMwahaha, blaming the monitor for MacBook resets, cursor and other graphics glitches. Yup, those are genuine Mac users.
I fully appreciate how they all stroke their egos with shit anyone can buy. "My 13 inch macbook PRO with touch bar" why not tell everyone what homeopathic BS you shoved up your arse after your coffee cleanse and slimming wrap session.

Macfags. Just tie their hands so they can't talk.
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#20
dwade
Most PC monitors are merely junks. They never put their best stuff in them. All the goodies are only found in TVs. Good thing HDMI 2.1 is coming so good riddance overpriced pc monitors.
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#21
Brusfantomet
newtekie1For a $1,000 monitor, it is kind of sad that they couldn't spend the extra $1 per monitor on proper EM shielding.



The way that Macs interface with displays, I can actually believe the display is causing the computer to lock up. They talk to each other a lot more than the old VGA days where you just put out s video signal and hoped the monitor would display it.
One could argue that having this communication fail resulting in a complete computer failure is a design fault of the Mac. It could also be that since the electronics are having trouble to output the picture its not unthinkable that it also might do the communication to the mac out of spec causing the problem.
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#22
bug
newtekie1For a $1,000 monitor, it is kind of sad that they couldn't spend the extra $1 per monitor on proper EM shielding.



The way that Macs interface with displays, I can actually believe the display is causing the computer to lock up. They talk to each other a lot more than the old VGA days where you just put out s video signal and hoped the monitor would display it.
I'd be really surprised if the MacBook talks anything but DisplayPort. Probably HDMI, too, but not at 5k res.
Posted on Reply
#23
Easy Rhino
Linux Advocate
How in the world is something like that missed during manufacturing? Or did the engineers miss it? WTF...
Posted on Reply
#24
Prima.Vera
Easy RhinoHow in the world is something like that missed during manufacturing? Or did the engineers miss it? WTF...
Mediocre testing and quality check. Seems to be a recent trend to cut corners for Korean manufacturers.
Posted on Reply
#25
bug
Easy RhinoHow in the world is something like that missed during manufacturing? Or did the engineers miss it? WTF...
I don't think it was missed as much as it was assumed shielding won't be needed in the real world.
Plus, I'm pretty sure most of testing is not done on the finished product, but with the panel connected to some interfaces that send commands directly to it. Testing on the thing put together is probably 10% of what happens during product development.
Still inexcusable for the asking $$$.
Posted on Reply
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