Black Spots/ Smudges/ Dust Problem with Apple Cinema Displays

my 24" cinema display from 2010 developed dust/ stains in the lower left corner of the display after about 1,5 years in use. see the attached picture. the problem is mostly seen in imacs. there is a long thread in the macroumors forum describing this problem and showing a not easy solution.http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1101370. i'm convinced that there is the same problem with some of the ACD like mine. probably the cause oft his problem is the sealing between display and backlight (see the description by oggy in the above linked thread) which allows that circulating air can bring dust between the two panels. it looks really like a design flaw. if you are in guaranty apple will change the panel. without guaranty no chance of help. but even the panel is changed the problem can occur again. but there are some hints that apple is investigating this problem. please post your experiences how apple is handling your case if you have the this problem.

Hi, I have tried shifting them around, and the problem does seem to follow the graphics card, despite all tests indicating they are both working properly. Any other arrangements will cause a grey screen to come down while starting up and say I need to restart the computer.
Changing the slots for the graphic cards, but keeping the display attached in the right place, would allow the computer to turn on but a window would come up saying that they weren't optimally configured (16x or 8x or 4x speeds). The best configuration remains the one I begun with (slots 1 and 4). The computer will only start properly with the display in slot 4, right hand side looking at the back of the display, and only when it's turned on will it allow me to attach the second monitor, again, only in slot 4, to the left side.
The same would work if the card was in slot 1, but it would tell me they weren't configured ideally so I put the card back in slot 4.
At this point, then (I have also just tried resetting the PRAM by pressing cmdoption+PR when restarting, but no changes) should I reconfigure the graphics card? (If yes, how do I do it?)
Thanks again, Valentina

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Wi-fi not working with Apple Cinema Display and Bluetooth-peripheral

Hello everyone.
I have a MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Late 2013), with OS X Yosemite 10.10.1. My problem is that when I use my macbook in closed-clamshell mode, the wi-fi connection becomes very slow and it regularly drops.
My external display is a Apple Cinema Display, 22-inch, model M8149. My mouse is the Apple Magic Mouse and my keyboard is the Apple Wireless Keyboard.
Thanks in advance for helping me.

Good day Brett,
I followed the suggested steps and for Wireless Diagnostics is all ok, but my connectivity problems are not solved.
I have made two report of the analysis. The first in "normal" mode is downloadable here. The second in closed-clamshell mode is downloadable here.
Could you tell me what is going on?
Thank you a lot

What is causing a sound problem with new Cinema Display 27 ?

My new 27 Cinema Display intermittently won't play sound when connected to my MB Pro. Restarting the computer doesn't fix it, and all the display audio settings are correct etc. Phoned Apple Support and the fix was to unplug the power from the back of the cinema display to reset the screen controller. This keeps happening - is this a software bug ? Hardware problem ? Is it fixable or something that is a legacy of the 24 inch cinema display problems ? I really like the screen size but don't want a display that I keep having to plug/unplug in order to watch hulu, play itunes etc. Apple won't declare my screen to be defective even though this has happened a few times but can't tell me how to fix the problem either. Am going to send it back for a refund - don't know whether a different display will have the same problem or if this is a generic cinema display defect. Thanks for any insight.

There are threads in this forum and MacRumors where numerous people are having this issue. When I contacted support they had me reload the software update and reset the power. I am encouraging everyone to contact Apple every time it happens so we can get a fix for the problem. It is the general consensus that this is a software issue that can be corrected if we can get Apple to work on it. I agree with you I expect my $1000 monitor to work properly all the time.

FireWire (and USB?) problems with 23" Cinema display

Hello.
Whenever my G5 wakes from sleep, I seem to have problems with FireWire devices attached to the Cinema Display (and, possibly, the USB ports also). Somehow, it seems that the "wake" signal is not transmitted to them.
Specifically:
a FireWire hard drive does not spin up (a USB drive connected to the back port does, as does a FW 800 drive also connected to my PowerMac). When I try to access it, then it finally spins up.
An EyeTV 200 device fails to connect (i.e., display TV or record shows) unless the Fi cable is unplugged and reattached.
This happens WHENEVER the Mac sleeps. However, if I attach those two devices directly to my PowerMac, they function just fine, using the same port the Cinema Display is attached to.
I don't have other comparable devices attached to the USB port of the Cinema Display, except (previously) for a Plextor ConvertX DVR (a USB 2 device), which exhibted the same problems as the EyeTV 200, which is why I tried swapping it with the FireWire-based EyeTV (unsuccessfully). So I have some evidence that the USB port has similar problems, but nothing conclusive.

Hey Scott
You are not alone. I'm beginning to think there is an issue with the power supplies of the 23" displays.
In my case, my computer is set to never sleep, while the display is set to sleep atfter 30 mins or so.
It appears that the computer won't wake up in these cases, but in fact what is happening is that the display won't wake up.
Multiple re-starts are sometimes necessary to get the display up and running again.
While your problem seems slightly different, I think that the two are related in that there is not enough power being delivered from the power supply for the monitor to both your USB and Firewire devices connected to your display.
I don't really have a solution as of yet.... aside from purchasing a new power supply from Apple... But, you are not exactly alone in your misery. Should I run across a fix for this aside from the power supply, I'll be glad to let you know.
Generally after HD's spin down, they usually don't spin up unless they are accessed. If you have any open files on your FW800, that may explain why it does spin up when you wake up your system.
One thing you can try, in the System Prefs, under Energy Saver, uncheck "Put HD's to sleep". This may cause all of them to spin up when you wake your system up.

Unable to use any Apple Cinema Displays with unplugged 2011 MBP

My older MBPs have worked with Apple Cinema Displays (I currently have a few year old one and a 2011 27" ACD) while unplugged. My new 15" MBP however needs to remain plugged in to allow waking (or prevent sleeping) when hooked up to the display in clamshell mode (computer is closed). Is this a bug, a problem with my configuration, or just the way it is?
Thanks for any replies.
Jeff

Jeff,
if you want your settings to be the same plugged in while not plugged in, you'll need to do so in energy saver preferences in system preferences.
once there, you can tell your computer how to act when on battery power or when plugged in. This means telling it to not sleep even when not plugged in, or visa versa.
if you're talking about using your MBP closed while using the ACD, all you need to do is close it, and move your mouse around. it'll wake up but your ACD will become the main display with your dock and toolbar.

Where can I purchase a Logic Board for a 24" Apple Cinema Display?

My 24" Cinema Display started to flicker and black out shortly after I purchased my most recent MacBook Pro. Apple felt that the issue was the MacBook Pro so they replaced it. The problem continued so they suggested I take the Cinema Display to the Genius Bar. The display was out of warranty and the Apple Genius felt the issue was a bad display even after I told him I smelt silicon burning just before it went out completely. He said that he could "depot" the unit and have it repaired for ~$600. Due to the high cost of repair, I chose to purchase a new Thunderbolt Display instead. Recently, I opened the old Cinema Display and found that the Logic Board is fried. I have ordered a new board from 2 different Web retailers. Both accepted the purchase as "in stock" but then stated they could not get the board from Apple. Where can I purchase the Logic Board for a 24" Apple Cinema Display?
Many thanks!

I was very interested to read this document. I think there is a problem with the Cinema Display and that it is frying the computer.
My husband bought each of us a macbook pro. His was hooked up to the cinema display. After about a year, his MBP started to suffer intermittent failures where it would suddenly shut off and have to be hard rebooted. After 2 years, the power or logic board on his MBP completely failed. He bought a new MBP and a Thunderbolt display, and I inherited his Cinema Display for use with my original MBP.
After one month of use with the cinema display, my MBP started to have the same problems. It has to be hard rebooted almost every time I disconnect or reconnect with the cinema display. I went to the Genius bar, and they confirmed that my MBP logic board needs to be replaced; I'm just holding out until spring break to take it back in, as they say it may take a week. Fortunately, I have AppleCare for my MBP.
Our cinema display is 3-4 years old, but it looks like, even though it appears to be working, I should probably get rid of it. I can't keep frying computers!
I'm posting this because I'm wondering how many others are experiencing this problem.

Apple Cinema Display 24-inch sleep problems with MacBook 13-inch?

Hey guys,
Occasionally, my MacBook (13-inch, 2009) when connected to my Apple Cinema Display 24-inch screen will not wake up from sleep mode - whether in clamshell mode, or not. Even if i unplug the Display from the Macbook, the MacBook will not wake up.
This can be very frustrating when it occurs because i have no choice but to give the MacBook a hard shut down.
Not sure whether I'm the only one with this problem, but if there is any solution to this issue it'll be greatly appreciated.
Cheers!

You might try running the MacBook in Safe Mode for a while to see if the problem still occurs when running safe. If the problem goes away while in safe mode, that would point to a problem in the configuration of your main account.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1455

Help! Strange Problem with 23" Apple Cinema Display and Wireless Internet

For some reason, Safari runs much much slower on my housemates new 23" Apple Cinema Display than just on his new Macbook. He is running Tiger. We use Airport Extreme for house-wide wireless, and he has an Airport Express to connect to his printer. Here is what he wrote:
"Last night, I was watching videos on ABC.com --- not a problem to watch on my laptop screen (new Macbook) - very fast. Then, after dinner, I plugged in my external screen (Apple Cinema Display), and it was so slow and wouldn't load. I unplugged the screen, and it was lighting fast again, so I watched the videos on my laptop screen. This morning, I was plugged into the external monitor and the Internet was slow to check my email. I unplugged the screen, and it's lightning fast now on my laptop screen.
Does this make any sense??? Why would my external monitor affect the Internet speed? "

I am having a similar problem as well. When I attach my 23" cinema display to my MacBook core 2 duo, my connection to the internet immediately stops working. I have tested this several times and it happens every time I connect the Cinema Display to my MacBook. When I disconnect the Cinema Display, my internet connection works perfectly again. I'm stumped as to why this happens.
I have tried several different searches on the forums, but have found no other threads besides this one. I'm I won't have to suck it up and pay the $50 for the call to AppleCare support.

Help with cleaning off a 23" Apple Cinema display HD

Ok guys, I work with LCD's for a living, but mine are a bit different than the Apple monitors (plus, this is my dime, not my companies..). So, I come home to find out our "house guest"'s kid was flinging gogurt all over the place. I look at my LCD's and sure enough, both have someone oily on them.
I cleaned the dell with no issues, but my 23" Apple Cinema Display HD, has a couple of marks that won't come off (I used water and a micro fiber cloth to clean it). It's like two little oily spots about the size of the tip of a finger, and one little line in the bottom right corner.
At work, normally we would use denatured alcohol to clean the LCD surface, but I'm quite familiar with the LCD's at work, and what is attached to the polarizer. My Apple display, I'm not so sure, so I don't want to use something on it that is going to damage the surface. Any recommendations? The areas that have the issue don't seem to have any display related problems.... They aren't finger clusters, and the polarizer doesn't look damaged.
thanks! And yes, the house guest was informed what this monitor costs to replace.... and I threatened to chop off fingers (kidding).

Apple say not to use alcohol or ammonia. Dilute some hand dishwashing liquid. Moisten a facial tissue with it, and rub gently. Then use several facial tissues moistened with just water to remove the detergent residue.

Can I use a 30" Apple Cinema display with a new 27" iMac?

I have a brand new iMac(27-inch, Late 2013), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8), i7 3.5 GHz, 32MB RAM, 4GB NVIDIA. I will soon be upgrading it to Mavericks, if that makes a difference. My understanding is that the resolution on it is 2560 x 1440.
I'm looking at buying a used 30" Apple Cinema display. I'd like to use it with my new iMac. The only advantage for me would be that the 30" screen is larger and things on it easier to see (or so I'm guessing).
I need to know if the 30" Cinema display would work with my new iMac, and if it would, as I'm guessing, give me a larger, easier-to-see screen.
I currently have my new iMac connected to my old mid-2010 iMac as a target display (that old iMac has a minidisplay port--no Thunderbolt), and that works great. I just want a larger screen.
I called Apple support, and the tech rep wasn't sure it would work. He seemed to think that the 30" Cinema displays were made with different connections. Some had minidisplay ports (which he thought would work), and some a cord built into them that provided some other type of connection (that I guess would not work as far as he knew).
Can anyone tell me if this would work? Would my new iMac and its video card support the 30" Cinema display? Would the result be as sharp and good-looking as my iMac's built-in 27" display, but only bigger (which is what I'm hoping for)? Any advice is appreciated.
I don't yet know many of the specifics of the 30" Cinema display I'm considering. I know it is about 3 years old. And here is a picture of the back of it:

Yes, you should be able use the 30" Cinema Display with your new iMac without problems. You'll need a mini-DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI adapter:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB571Z/A/mini-displayport-to-dual-link-dvi-ada pter
I haven't had the 30" myself to test so I don't know if there any caveats. Perhaps someone else here will have personal experience.
Regards.

Hello everyone, hoping for some help with my new Apple Cinema Display 20"

Hi everyone, I bought an Apple Cinema Display 20 inch LCD monitor, just about 3 weeks ago. I have two issues I am hoping to get some help with.
1) I am using the screen on a PC with Windows XP, and I was very disappointed at the lack of PC support. I have no on screen display (OSD), so I can't see what percentage I have my brightness set to, and I can't alter the colour or contrast of the display, etc. Luckily it defaulted to very good settings, but I would really like to be able to use the (fan made?) program called "WinACD". If I would be best asking somewhere else, please direct me there. If not, my problem is that I installed it added the "Controls" tab, but it just says, Virtual Control Panel "None Present". I have tried googling for an answer, and I have seen many suggestions, but none of them worked. I installed the WinACD driver without my USB lead plugged in, and someone said that was important. So I have tried uninstalling, rebooting, then reinstalling it again with the USB plugged in, and a device plugged in to my monitor to be sure. It didn't seem to help. I have actually done this process a few times, just to be sure. So I would really like to get that working if possible.
2) I am disappointed at the uniformity of the colour on the display. I have seen other people mention this (again, after a google search), and that someone seemed to think it is just an issue we have to deal with, with this generation of LCD monitors. Before I bought this screen, I had an NEC (20wgx2), and it had a very similar issue. Most of the time, you cannot see any problem at all, but if you display an entire screen with a dark (none prime) colour, like a dark blue green colour, you can see areas where it is slightly darker than others. It was more defined on the NEC screen, and that is why I returned it. I now bought this Apple Cinema Display, because it was the only good alternative to the NEC. (It has an 8bit S-IPS / AS-IPS panel, which was important to me). But the problem exists in this screen too. It isn't as bad thankfully, but it still exists... I have actually tried a third monitor just to be sure, and the problem existed very slightly in that one, so I think I am probably quite sensitive in that I can detect it.
It is most noticable to me, because I do everything on this PC. I work, I watch films, and I play games. 99% of the time, I cannot see this problem. But in some games (especially one)... the problem is quite noticeable. When you pan the view around, my eyes are drawn to the slight areas on my screen which are darker, and it ruins my enjoyment. To confirm it wasn't just the game, like I said, I can use a program to make the entire screen display one solid colour, and if you pick the right type of colour (anything that isn't a bright primary colour), I can see the problem - albeit fairly faintly.
I am pretty positive that it is not my graphics card or any other component of my PC, by the way, because everything is brand new and working perfectly, and the graphics card specifically, I have upgraded and yet the problem remains - even on the new card. Also, the areas that are darker, are different on this screen than on the other screens I have used.
So basically, I would like to register my disappointment at the lack of perfect uniformity on a screen which cost me £400 (over double what most 20 inch LCD screens cost), and I would like to know if anybody could possibly suggest a way to fix it?
It is upsetting, becuase although this problem exists on other screens too, this is, as far as I know, the most expensive 20" LCD monitor available today, and uses the best technology available too.
p.s. If anyone would like to use the program that lets you set your entire PC screen a specific colour, it is called "Dead Pixel Buddy", and it is a free piece of software, made by somebody to check for dead pixels. But I found it useful for other things too, including looking at how uniform the colour of the screen is. That's not to say I was specifically looking for this problem by the way... the problem cought my eye.
Thanks in advance!
Message was edited by: telelove

I've been talking about this on another forum too, and I made some pictures in photoshop to describe the problem. Here is what I posted on the other forum:
Yes, "brightness uniformity" definitely seems to be the best description of my issue.
Basically it just seems like there are very faint lines down the screen, that are slightly darker than the other areas on the screen. They aren't defined lines, and they aren't in a pattern. It's just slight areas that are darker, and the areas seem like narrow bands/lines. Usually you can't see it, but in some cases, it is quite noticeable. It is mainly when I'm playing a game. The slightly darker areas are not visible, and then when the image moves (because I am turning in a car, or turning a plane, or turning in a shooter etc.) the image moves, but these slightly darker areas stay still, and that makes them really stand out.
As for how it looks, I tried to make an example in photoshop:
Original Image:
http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/3045/td1ja9.jpg
Then imagine turning the car around a bend, and then it looks like this:
http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/959/td2hq7.jpg
It's those lines in the clouds. If you can tab between the two images, you can see the difference easily. Imagine seeing those lines appear, every single time you move in a game. (I haven't tested this in movies yet, but I am assuming it's the same).
It isn't very clear on a static image. But when the image moves, the darker areas stay in the same place and it draws your eyes towards them. It isn't terrible, but it is annoying, especially consider how much this screen cost.
Message was edited by: telelove

Can I use an old Apple Cinema Display with new Mac Mini?

Currently I have an early PowerMac G5 that I bought used recently. It came with an Apple Cinema Display (20", I think - resolution is 1680x1050). The Cinema Display does not have a separate power cord so it must be powered from the PowerMac. My question is this - would I be able to use this monitor with a new Mac Mini - would it be able to power it the same as the PowerMac is currently.
Thanks in advance for your help. This is the first Mac I have owned since a "Fat Mac" many years ago (one of those with the 9" black and white screen).

Are you sure you have a 20" CINEMA display? I have 2x 20" CINEMA displays and both have their own power cord (and power brick). Maybe yours is a STUDIO display??? IDK if STUDIO displays worked that way or not, I've never owned one. Anyways, I have a 20" CINEMA display connected to my new Mac mini (early 2009) via the MiniDVI>DVI adapter and it works fine but is powered through the power cord though. I too have a PowerMac G5 (quad) but my PowerMac cannot power the displays without them being plugged in via their power cords. I am thinking you must have a STUDIO display or maybe there was an earlier version of the CINEMA display that could work that way.... idk. Mine were purchased at the end of 2005 along with the PowerMac G5 (quad).

Using the Macbook with new LED Apple Cinema Display? Not a beginner's Q...

Hi - I'm sort of cross-posting this because I'm not getting any answers in the Apple Cinema Display Forum, so here goes. So far, no one - not even a tech guy at a local Apple Reseller - has been able to help, so I've got my fingers crossed.
I just got a 24" Apple LED Cinema Display and am using it with my 13" Aluminum Unibody Macbook. What I do is dock the Macbook (with closed screen) when at home with the big display and just use that. I enlarge program windows and arrange the layout (in different spaces) to take advantage of the large screen and resolution. So far so good.
But I'm a student and take my macbook with me to class. When I open it up, all the program windows are set as they were on the larger screen, which means some are out of view or simply not well-adjusted for the smaller and lower resolution of the Macbook. I manually adjust these and work on the Macbook that way.
But when I return home in the evening, I have to adjust them again once I 'dock' the Macbook. Kind of a pain if I'm doing this twice a day.
What I'd like to know is: is there a setting or group of settings that would do this automatically for me? A program? An AppleScript? Surely someone out there has had the same issues and has found a fix, if such a thing exists. Or is it just a fact of nature one deals with when working on two screens?
To preclude one response: yes, I know I can mirror the displays when I open the Macbook along with the LED Cinema Display. But this simply mirrors them using the lower resolution and dimensions of the Macbook screen. And that kind of negates having the larger, Cinema Display.
So - any thoughts? Solutions? How do you guys manage with this?
Thanks,
Jeff

I don't really have a solution for you but wanted to link you to a discussion on this very topic that took place last month on MacInTouch.
http://www.macintouch.com/readerreports/helpplease/topic3939.html#d24sep2009
The conclusion seemed to be that it is not an OS issue, it's an application issue. There really was no good answer but some good insight into why the problem exists and why it may not be something Apple can fix.

Is an Apple Cinema Display (ca 2005) Compatible with Mac Mini?

I have a 2005 Power Mac Dual G5/2.3 I took off-line last year. It used an Apple Cinema Display 20" that has it's own power supply "brick" and a cord with the monitor connection, a USB connection, and a FireWire connection. Is this display compatible with the latest Mac Mini? Thank you for any advice you may have.

That's correct, the link perfectly describes the Apple 20" Cinema Display I have. With the new Mac Minis requiring an HDMI cable to link to a display, the HDMI to DVI (female) adapter looks like the one I need. I found this on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Gino-Black-Female-Converter-Adapter/dp/B006Z8N60C/ref=sr_1 _18?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1371158207&sr=1-18&keywords=hdmi+to+dvi+adapter+ca ble
This adapter is an all-in-one plug with no cable linking the HDMI to the DVI ends. It looks like it might be too wide to plug in anything immediately adjacent to the HDMI socket on the Mac Mini due to the width of the adapter when the adapter is plugged in. However, I could get around this by purchasing an extension cable with HDMI male on one end and the HDMI female on the other if I had to.
However, one of the comments said that the DVI is video-only and that another cable is required for audio. Can I assume that plugging in either or both of the other connections (a USB and a FireWire) coming out of the 20" display will take care of audio?
That leads to another answer, but I'm confident that I'm almost there thanks to your help. Close enough to mark this as "solved". Thank you! Let me know if you have any further thoughts with regard to the audio though.

Apple Cinema Display 23" brightness issue while using with Microsoft Vista

Hello there,
I have the following issue and was wondering if someone has an idea what the reason is or what can I do to fix this:
I have a 23" Apple Cinema Display running with a MacPro 2,8 GHz. When I switch to PC using BootCamp 2.1 with Windows Vista Service Pack 1 32bit the screen becomes extremely dark.
At first, on the PC side, the display has the correct brightness but after two seconds it switches to a very low brightness setting.
When I go back to the Mac side the brightness setting on my Cinema Display has changed to the lowest point.
I also have a MacBookPro, with Microsoft XP installed also using BootCamp (I cannot find the version of this Boot Camp, but it is an earlier version) to change to PC. In XP, there is a driver installed that allows me to use a slider on the PC to control the monitor brightness. But with Vista this slider is nonexistent.
I already tried changing the graphic's card NVIDIA 8800 driver to see if I can manipulate the brightness on the monitor. I realized there is brigthness slider on the Nvidia driver, but when you make brighter, the colors just get messed up, and the brightness stays as dark as before.
We have lately upgraded to Snow Leopard and had installed Spyder on the Mac side to create a monitor profile for the Cinema Display. I already deleted the profile to see if there is a change. Nothing. I already went back in time on my PC (Restore Point), also nothing.
Could I download a driver for Vista, so that I have a brightness slider on the PC side, so that I can adequately change the brightness to its correct setting.
It is amazing how the lack of correct brightness in a monitor, can ruin your entire working day! Very frustrating!
It would be greatly appreciated if someone has a solution for this issue! Thanks a lot!
Emil

Okay, I came across a thread that implies there is a problem with using the Apple ADC-to-DVI adapter to attach the older "acrylic" 23" Cinema Display to a Mac Pro DVI graphics card. Basically, the workaround is to NOT use the USB part of the adapter (disconnect it).
1) In OS X, set the desired display brightness.
2) Disconnect the USB cable coming from the converter to the Mac.
3) Restart into Windows.
The brightness setting should now remain as it was under OS X.
Confirmed to work on my Mac Pro v1,1 (dual 2.66 Core 2 Duo) with nVidia GeForce 7300 GT video card running Windows 7 x64.
Link here: <http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=790910> for credit to resolution.
Of course, you lose the functionality of the 2-port built-in USB hub in the Cinema Display, but an external USB hub can make up for that.

Black Spots/ Smudges/ Dust Problem with Apple Cinema Displays

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