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30" Cinema Display won't light up

Sean4000

Sean4000

Suspended
Original poster
Aug 11, 2010
95
27
Hey guys,

I have a 30" Apple Cinema Display that won't light up. The panel is detected properly by the OS but will not display an image.

I was manufactured in January of 2008 and is out of warranty.

As far as what I've done, I have opened the panel and changed all caps on the inverter board. Nothing.

I'm in the process of changing the caps on the main board.
 
I have run the monitor with and without the USB/fire wire cables plugged it. I have no image on the panel.

Should I be seeing an image on screen when the LCD is powered on but not plugged into a computer? Is DVD-D THAT important to the monitor even lighting up?

Would anybody be able to give me the pin out specs on the 14pin cable running from the mainboard to the inverter board?
 
I no longer have the monitor, but as I recall, there is no activity on the monitor without a video signal, not even the power LED lights up.

Mine on a couple of occasions refused to display an image when the USB or FireWire cables were simply plugged in ... unplugging them instantly restored the image. Resetting all the power related items resolved this strange issue (I even tried a new power supply with no change ... it was a fluke that I discovered it worked when the I/O cables were unplugged).
 
I have changed out all of the capacitors on the main board and inverter board.

So far I'm wondering if the inverter board is being driven by the main board at all. That's why I need the pin out voltages of the 14 pin cable running between those two devices. (416A Y8Z)

I have it plugged into my turbo workstation that has dual DVD-D connectors. The resolution is correct and the monitor settings can be changed and configured but the screen is completely black.
 
If anyone has a working 30" Cinema Display can you please tell me what is on screen when you power it off, unplug everything but power, and then turn it back on? I'm trying to see if there is a "no signal" message or any other indication that the monitor is working.
 
Hey, yes I have. This darn panel just won't light up. The computer detects it and I can adjust settings but the panel is completely black.
 
Can you see any image on it if you shine a bright flashlight on it in an area you would expect to have image? Perhaps the backlight power supply is not working to power up the fluorescent light tubes, causing no image to be seen even though the display panel is working normally.
 
There is no image on the screen at all. I shines a high powered light on the TFT and still nothing. I'm wondering which of the three circuit boards is at fault. I've changed all capacitors on every board so it's ready for electrical flow but i suppose it's another piece. I'm still looking for the pin out of the cable between the main board and inverter board. That way I can meter the ends to see just what is coming across.
 
I have purchased another cinema display with a busted screen off ebay. When it comes in I'm going to swap parts and hopefully that will solve the issue. The new panel is fully functioning except for the enormous crack in the front. Can't wait to see which part is the problematic one.

Hopefully this ordeal helps anyone else in a similar situation.
 
leave usb/firewire from monitor disconnected?

FWIW - I was having the same problem and I think I found a workable solution. Not sure if it is random and/or whether it will continue to work....

Gear:
30" LCD Cinema display with 150w power adapter (Connector coming out of display as USB, firewire, DVI, and power to connect to power brick.)

Macbook Air (1.8 ghz i5), most recent version available I believe

Display works when:

- mini-dvi and USB are connected to Macbook Air inputs
- power and DVI are connected AND display's Firewire/USB connectors are left DISCONNECTED
 
30" ACD with Power, working USB and FW, but no video

Hello,

I have the same display and I cannot get video on my screen even though my Mac Pro is recognizing the display - Apple store checked it and says it'll cost me $500+ to get it fix stating that it's the LCD.... I don't believe it.

Has anyone found the issue and solution by any chance? Thank you!

----------
Sean4000 said:
I have purchased another cinema display with a busted screen off ebay. When it comes in I'm going to swap parts and hopefully that will solve the issue. The new panel is fully functioning except for the enormous crack in the front. Can't wait to see which part is the problematic one.

Hopefully this ordeal helps anyone else in a similar situation.
Click to expand...

Hi Sean... I have the same display with the same issue: powers on, ports work fine, Mac Pro recognizes the display, but no video.

were you able to swap parts and figure out what is wrong?
 
Yes I did fix the monitor. It was the control board all along. Keep in mind I also changed the capacitors on the inverter board for good measure.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Apple-30-Ci...Monitor_Replacement_Parts&hash=item3f278268c3

Sorry for the delay, the site didn't let me know I was quoted.

thegr8john said:
Hello,

I have the same display and I cannot get video on my screen even though my Mac Pro is recognizing the display - Apple store checked it and says it'll cost me $500+ to get it fix stating that it's the LCD.... I don't believe it.

Has anyone found the issue and solution by any chance? Thank you!

----------



Hi Sean... I have the same display with the same issue: powers on, ports work fine, Mac Pro recognizes the display, but no video.

were you able to swap parts and figure out what is wrong?
Click to expand...
 
Same here - MacPro 6 Core 2013 and Cinema Display 30"

Worked well in low resolution while installing OSX, after switching to 2560x1600 all OK until restart.
Shows three states coincidentally:
a grey glowing screen
moving colored blocks
a normal screen

Solution:
The D500 graphics in my MacPro 6 Core 2013 has this three states to talk to the monitor.
It choses what it likes after reboot.
Use the shortcut to get the screen in sleep mode to switch modes until a normal screen displays
CTRL + SHIFT + EJECT
 
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Just in case anyone is still viewing this thread regarding non-functional Cinema Displays, here is what worked for me. I experienced this problem sporadically for about a year, with a Mac Pro (black trashcan style). I tried swapping out cords, resetting PRAM and all the other stuff the pros tell you to do. Eventually, the monitor would always turn back on, though I couldn't figure out why. I noticed that the problem occurred most often after long periods of continuous use, and occasionally when there were brief power outages due to lightning. In any case, what finally worked was quite simple. When the monitor goes dark, just shut down the Mac, disconnect power to the Cinema Display, and leave everything off for a half hour or so. Then plug the monitor back in, restart the Mac, and bingo — display is back to normal. So far, this has worked successfully each time the monitor has crapped out. Keeping my fingers crossed.
 
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JakeFantom said:
Just in case anyone is still viewing this thread regarding non-functional Cinema Displays, here is what worked for me. I experienced this problem sporadically for about a year, with a Mac Pro (black trashcan style). I tried swapping out cords, resetting PRAM and all the other stuff the pros tell you to do. Eventually, the monitor would always turn back on, though I couldn't figure out why. I noticed that the problem occurred most often after long periods of continuous use, and occasionally when there were brief power outages due to lightning. In any case, what finally worked was quite simple. When the monitor goes dark, just shut down the Mac, disconnect power to the Cinema Display, and leave everything off for a half hour or so. Then plug the monitor back in, restart the Mac, and bingo — display is back to normal. So far, this has worked successfully each time the monitor has crapped out. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Click to expand...

This sounds exactly like the intermittent errors I have had with my display. I've thought of taking it in for repair, but every time it magically "repaired itself". I love my 30" Cinema Display that I bought years ago on eBay (it has a scratch that I don't notice at all). So I've disconnected it from power and will try again tomorrow morning. I'm pretty sure that will "fix it".

And yes, we had storms with lightning and a power outage that lasted several hours last night.
 
Update 2: Since my last edit, I've continued to have similar problems. I completely unplugged it after each use, and after period of time, it would eventually work again. If the monitor worked, as long as I prevented the computer from going to sleep, it would keep working. Once it went to sleep it was a crapshoot whether it would work again and for how long it needed to be completely unplugged for it to work again. I decided I would take one shot at replacing the cheapest thing to replace- the power supply. I ordered a used 90w apple Cinema Display power supply from eBay for about $25. So far- it's working. I've left the monitor plugged in since I got it and it's worked through several sleep/wake cycles. Also, now when the computer is off, the sleep light on the monitor stays lit (like it's supposed to). Before, once it went off during sleep or when the computer was off, it was toast until another unplugging cycle. I'm in $50 for this monitor + replacement power supply combo so far, but I don't think I'll be spending more money on it if this tanks. Still- you have to love the look of this era of apple hardware. It just looks good sitting there- I hope it keeps working.

Update: I left it completely unplugged for 24 hours and it worked again this morning. Started it up without USB (or firewire, obvs) attached. We'll see how long it lasts.

I've been having similar issues with a 23" Cinema Display I recently purchased off of FB marketplace. It worked great for three days. Left it off 5 days (but plugged in) while I was on a trip, but my 2017 27" iMac could not get the screen to work when I got home. Just like everyone else- iMac recognized the display, the display turned off it's led power light after boot, but no display. Once I got it to come back on after switching to mirror mode and back. It seems to work again if I unplug the monitor from the power supply and the supply from the power and let it sit overnight. If it works in the morning, it will turn on and off with the iMac for most of the day, but usually gives out again later. Today (after two days of that pattern) I could get no image at all. I'm really disappointed- as old it is, its still a great display. I'm actually still using an older Dell 20" version of the same panel that I bought back in the day because I could not afford the apple version. It's dimmer and does not render thin text as well but is still working. This feels like a software issue to me, but it could easily be hardware internal to the monitor. I also do not believe it's a backlight issue for the same reasons as previous posters. I'd love to take a chance on another from marketplace (they can be really affordable), but I'm afraid this will happen again.
 
Last edited:
I'm REALLY Pissed I didn't see this sooner. I wasted maybe around $60 ordering the inverter & main logic board parts trying to avoid taking out the Time Controller when I had no choice but to remove it. But I finally ordered it. I couldn't find the exact part number but now its just the waiting game over the next few days. Atleast I'll be able to sell the parts out again.

I bought a used 30inch display off of Facebook marketplace in perfect condition, original owner, for $40. Just even having this thing on my desk is so heartwarming & iconic. It feels honestly bigger than I would have ever imagined & I'm so happy.
 
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darthgamer64 said:
I'm REALLY Pissed I didn't see this sooner. I wasted maybe around $60 ordering the inverter & main logic board parts trying to avoid taking out the Time Controller when I had no choice but to remove it. But I finally ordered it. I couldn't find the exact part number but now its just the waiting game over the next few days. Atleast I'll be able to sell the parts out again.

I bought a used 30inch display off of Facebook marketplace in perfect condition, original owner, for $40. Just even having this thing on my desk is so heartwarming & iconic. It feels honestly bigger than I would have ever imagined & I'm so happy.
Click to expand...
Nice find! At that price you can afford to buy some parts. These aluminum monitors really look good.
 
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