Apple Cinema 30-inch Buttons Stuck/Not Working

[jedijoe]

I use a MacBook Pro (17-inch, June 2009) with the display, and when I my connect the display it occasionally dims on it own. The HUD shows the display dimming and none of the buttons seem to work. I double/triple checked the settings in System Preferences, and the buttons aren't disabled.

It only happens occasionally, so I fear if I pack it all up and take it to my local Apple Store, its not going to happen there, and nothing will happen. Anybody ever experience anything like this?

 

[IC3D]

I use a MacBook Pro (17-inch, June 2009) with the display, and when I my connect the display it occasionally dims on it own. The HUD shows the display dimming and none of the buttons seem to work. I double/triple checked the settings in System Preferences, and the buttons aren't disabled.

It only happens occasionally, so I fear if I pack it all up and take it to my local Apple Store, its not going to happen there, and nothing will happen. Anybody ever experience anything like this?

Get it replaced via apple care.

 

[ventro]

On a related note, I wish the cinema displays had ambient light sensors and adjusted their brightness automatically.

 

[jedijoe]

Get it replaced via apple care.

Luckily I upped the AppleCare from 1yr to 3yrs just 2 months ago (originally bought it in January).. I guess I will have to call Apple Care's 1-800 number and see how that goes.. probably not until after the holiday though. Another giant pain with an Apple product. I miss the days of my PowerBook G4 and Powermac G5 where nothing ever went wrong, but is another story

On a related note, I wish the cinema displays had ambient light sensors and adjusted their brightness automatically.

lol. that would do me no good, since my display is calibrated for printing and changing brightness would mean re-calibration...

 

[IC3D]

Luckily I upped the AppleCare from 1yr to 3yrs just 2 months ago (originally bought it in January).. I guess I will have to call Apple Care's 1-800 number and see how that goes.. probably not until after the holiday though. Another giant pain with an Apple product. I miss the days of my PowerBook G4 and Powermac G5 where nothing ever went wrong, but is another story

Glad you upgraded that. These 30's aren't the cheapest things on the floor.

 

[MacTech68]

NOTE: Clutching at straws here but,

Check that the USB cable from the display is connected to your MacBook Pro.

In EnergySaver Preference Panel, under the "Options" tab, check if the "Reduce brightness of Display before sleep" (or similar) is ticked. It should be unticked if you want to prevent the behaviour.

Note that there are two groups of settings for EnergySaver Preferences depending on the current power source (Battery or AC Adapter).

Try setting up a new user account (an Admin user) to see if the problem occurs there.

Try changing the button disable options in Display Preferences to the opposite of what you desire, restart and check that the change occurred in Display Preferences and then change then back to your desired setting and restart again (verify that the options have changed once again).

Good luck.
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[jedijoe]

NOTE: Clutching at straws here but,

Check that the USB cable from the display is connected to your MacBook Pro.

In EnergySaver Preference Panel, under the "Options" tab, check if the "Reduce brightness of Display before sleep" (or similar) is ticked. It should be unticked if you want to prevent the behaviour.

Note that there are two groups of settings for EnergySaver Preferences depending on the current power source (Battery or AC Adapter).

Try setting up a new user account (an Admin user) to see if the problem occurs there.

Try changing the button disable options in Display Preferences to the opposite of what you desire, restart and check that the change occurred in Display Preferences and then change then back to your desired setting and restart again (verify that the options have changed once again).

Good luck.

I've tried all 3 USB ports and with the mini-displayport to dual-link dvi adapter, if the usb isn't connected, the display doesn't turn on at all. it requires the usb connection for normal operation.

Also, as I stated earlier, I have calibrated displays, which changing brightness would make calibration meaningless, so I've had those options unchecked for as long as I owned the display.

But all that is sort meaningless, since the display doesn't just dim a little, the HUD brightness overlay dialog shows up, and I can see the brightness level going down from full brightness to 0, as if I were pressing the buttons on the side. Though now, the actual buttons do not respond to my touch anymore...

I should keep a video camera near the display and when it starts happening record it... argh. what lengths one must go through to prove their $1700 investment is defective.

 

[MacTech68]

I've tried all 3 USB ports and with the mini-displayport to dual-link dvi adapter, if the usb isn't connected, the display doesn't turn on at all. it requires the usb connection for normal operation.

Also, as I stated earlier, I have calibrated displays, which changing brightness would make calibration meaningless, so I've had those options unchecked for as long as I owned the display.

But all that is sort meaningless, since the display doesn't just dim a little, the HUD brightness overlay dialog shows up, and I can see the brightness level going down from full brightness to 0, as if I were pressing the buttons on the side. Though now, the actual buttons do not respond to my touch anymore...

I should keep a video camera near the display and when it starts happening record it... argh. what lengths one must go through to prove their $1700 investment is defective.

I understand the frustration. From a tech's point of view, intermittent faults are the worst.

I assume you tried the other suggestions I made. Like I said, I'm clutching at straws on a product I've not used nor have access to.

Since the brightness overlay shows up, does the built in display also dim to zero?

Are there any HID devices that could be sending the command? (Keyboard Mouse) connected? Try checking the normal behaviour of the brightness buttons on the built-in or external (USB or Bluetooth if used) keyboard. If they seem unresponsive or too sensitive, the keyboard might be sending the keypress intermittently.

Finally, and I only suggest this since this actually resolved a problem once over the phone. Ensure there's nothing resting on any keyboard that could be pressing the button. Yes, this is a true story, but I'm not suggesting you haven't checked.

I'm only offering these suggestions as a tech and these would be all the things I'd look at first if this problem turned up in my workshop. I'm certainly not guaranteeing a fix, but you never know.

EDIT: in no way am I suggesting that your display ISN'T faulty.
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[jedijoe]

I understand the frustration. From a tech's point of view, intermittent faults are the worst.

Since the brightness overlay shows up, does the built in display also dim to zero?

Not sure, I always use it in clam-shell mode with the display lid closed...

Are there any HID devices that could be sending the command? (Keyboard Mouse) connected? Try checking the normal behaviour of the brightness buttons on the built-in or external (USB or Bluetooth if used) keyboard. If they seem unresponsive or too sensitive, the keyboard might be sending the keypress intermittently.

I am using a newer apple aluminum keyboard with the brightness controls on it, and sometimes I try and compete with it using the keyboard. I'll holding down the brightness up button and the brightness will go back-and-forth.

but next time it happens, i'm going just try and disconnect the external keyboard and see what happens. good suggestion. thanks.

 

[MacTech68]

Not sure, I always use it in clam-shell mode with the display lid closed...



I am using a newer apple aluminum keyboard with the brightness controls on it, and sometimes I try and compete with it using the keyboard. I'll holding down the brightness up button and the brightness will go back-and-forth.

but next time it happens, i'm going just try and disconnect the external keyboard and see what happens. good suggestion. thanks.

Cool. I also wonder if in clam-shell mode, the internal keyboard might be getting just enough pressure to activate those buttons. There isn't really a simple way to test this, other than (when the MacBookPro's display is closed) placing a small amount of pressure on the closed lid to see if that activates the brightness change. If it does, there may be a clearance issue between the keyboard and display housing. Is there any history of the MacBookPro having a module replaced?
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[jedijoe]

Cool. I also wonder if in clam-shell mode, the internal keyboard might be getting just enough pressure to activate those buttons. There isn't really a simple way to test this, other than (when the MacBookPro's display is closed) placing a small amount of pressure on the closed lid to see if that activates the brightness change. If it does, there may be a clearance issue between the keyboard and display housing. Is there any history of the MacBookPro having a module replaced?

Well this is my home setup, at work I use the same laptop in clam-shell mode with a 24" LED Cinema Display and it never happened with that setup. And this setup, it happens at least once every month (or more depending on how lucky I am)

Plus since the buttons on the side of the 30-inch go in-and-out, right now they are not working at all, it also is intermittent, leads me to believe something is wrong with the display buttons, like they are getting shorted-out or something weird.

 

[MacTech68]

Well this is my home setup, at work I use the same laptop in clam-shell mode with a 24" LED Cinema Display and it never happened with that setup. And this setup, it happens at least once every month (or more depending on how lucky I am)

Plus since the buttons on the side of the 30-inch go in-and-out, right now they are not working at all, it also is intermittent, leads me to believe something is wrong with the display buttons, like they are getting shorted-out or something weird.

Ahhh... Indeed it could simply be a failure of the button board in the display. Again, simply observations of an old tech, living near the ocean, or evaporative air conditioning doesn't help over time though I wouldn't normally expect this failure on such a relatively "young" display.

Let's hope the intermittent nature of it becomes more frequent as this helps immensely in diagnosis! (Or perhaps I should say, let's hope the problem NEVER re-occurs!)

Good luck!
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