Q: Apple Cinema Display 23" - Blank Screen, "short-long-short" LED code

Blocking the middle pin with a sliver of paper as suggested absolutely works. I did it in one shot and my monitor is working again. I too was thinking that $450 for repairs was simply not going to happen and had gone to both the Apple store and Tekserve in NY which is an Apple specialist. I pretty much had counted my monitor as future landfill but this solved the issue and everything is working as intended.

My 23" Cinema Display arrived from Ebay today, supposedly in working order. I saw the short-long-short, and then found this thread. Thanks a million for the middle pin trick. I now have a great addition to my MacBookPro for < $300.

"Holy freaking #%&^kebob!"

That's what my husband said when his monitor started up again. Thank you thank you thank you Jakobeon, you're brilliant. We just fixed a $1000 monitor with a sliver of paper. I can't believe it.

Husband was freaking out and had Genius bar appoint for three days hence. I think he should keep it just to chew them out and say "Why did you want me to drag the whole freaking monitor down here when a strip off a Safeway receipt will fix it for FREE???"

I have two 20-inch ACD showed the same problem after accidently removed the power connector while the machines were on.

Covering the middle pin works on one unit, but the other one has a bad 65W power adapter. I tried it with a 90W from a 23-inch ACD and it worked.

Thanks for this valuable thread tho.

To Other Subscribers/Followers of This Topic -
.
This same basic issue has been noted & discussed in the Apple Discussion Forums
(as well as on several other sites) under a variety Topic Headings or Subject Descriptors:
- Screen Does Not Turn On
- 23" Cinema Display Went Off
- Is My 23" Aluminum ACD Dead ?
- 23" Cinema Display - Black Screen
- 30" Apple Cinema Display: short-long-short power light
- Apple Cinema Display 23" : BLANK Screen, "short-long-short" LED code
.
--SUMMARY --
The problem has been reported from as early as _at least_ 2008.
The problem has been noted to occur across _several models_.
Problem was often noted following unplugging–then reconnecting the display ... but not always
There are some minor variations in symptoms: e.g.- with blinking LED --vs-- without blinking LED
With a few exceptions, MOST of the postings & reports essentially relate to the *_same basic problem_*.
However, the precise cause of the problem has as yet not been identified... much less a reliable solution.
.
Is the problem with .... the plug ? .... the Power Adapter ? ..... or on the Display's video board ?
Nobody seems to have identified where the failure occurs yet.
.
.
I hate to just gripe and complain AND since it appears Apple is not likely to clarify the situation.
I am curious what ( +if anything+ ) we may learn from the collective experience of the many affected ACD users.
I'm not quite sure the best way to compile or tally this information, but ....
.
Of users who:
- bought new/replacement *90W adaptors* HOW MANY: Resolved problem? Problem reoccurred?
- bought new/replacement *150W adaptors* HOW MANY: Resolved problem? Problem reoccurred?
- wrapped plug's ground-wire: How many resolved problem? How many reoccurred?
Are there ANY other "fixes or repairs" attempted that had reasonable success ?
.
.
For me, ACD 23" M9178LL/A - A1082 - had blinking LED earlier, now nothing
- replacement 90W brick - no solution
- replacement 150W brick - not attempted
- insulating plug ground-wire - no solution
.

Hi all,

Epidemic indeed. A power outage in the area killed our Cinema HD in a similar way. The white led blinks short-long-short. Following the advice in the thread, I think I have to replace my 90W power adapter with a 150W one. Problem is that they don't seem to be sold via the Apple Store - any alternatives? More complicated: I bought the monitor in the US 3 years ago. I now live in the UK. Any suggestions (retailers, alternative power adapters, etc.)

Thanks,
Peter

Could somebody post the url for the tube video on the fix?

So I came here after my 23 in ACD was D.E.A.D. upon returning home and trying to plug in my MacBook..... read all this stuff, but also just followed my wife's advice (she is a programmer/analyst who also has to mess with hardware because of the nature of her applications support work). She said "just unplug everything for awhile, then plug it back in." It worked. The key is "for awhile" because when I originally tried that, I would just unplug and replug. This time I let it sit for about 30 or 45 minutes while I worked off the laptop and read this thread.

Now I am up and running again ....

Yup same here:
ACD 23 inches of 2,5 years old, had the short-long-short error a while back after moving it an office away and fixed it with a strip of paper like everyone else.
But then a power outage occured (screen was on) and when i powered up my mac the screen was black, and *no led warnings* like before at all..

Tried unplugging it, replacing the strip of paper etc etc, but no result.
Right now i unplugged everything and am gonna let it rest for a while, then plug it back in with a new piece of paper/plastic and PRAY it works.

This is just outrageous!

Hi all,

got my ACD HD 23" today after it was simply unplugged at its last place of work. Plugged it at my place, DEAD. Then, I read this post, tried jakebeon's middle connector trick and .... here we go ... up and running again !
So, add me to the "the paper did the job"-list

THX JAKEBEOM !

The only thing I'm not sure about is the heating wires that ATLship mentioned. Has anybody experienced the same problem ?

THX AGAIN,
dimgi.

Count me in among the amazed (and happy!). My 20" Cinema Display had the dreaded short-long-short and no image symptoms, and I was thinking of driving it to a distant Apple store for diagnosis since I didn't want to buy a new power supply without certainty that was the problem.

But after checking this thread, and inserting a tiny wedge of paper, voila! Works as well as ever—hope it stays that way.

Thank you for the paper tip, the vid, the pic.... I had a power surge, same problem, SOS blinking light. I was freaked, there isn't much landscape for photoshop etc. on a 15" laptop, but found this forum before I went into total panic. I used paper, great success on the first try.

I read it was finicky, hard to plug it in without the paper slipping, so I used a little orange postit note, cut a 1.5 mm sliver off the sticky end, folded it lightly in two, sticky side out. Then I slipped in into the plug, covering the middle pin, folded the paper back over the outside of the plug... pretty stable. I plugged it in and presto! First try - whoot! 2007, 20" Apple Cinema Display lit up like a Christmas tree.

Thought I'd say thank you and share the postit note trick, because it was painless, worked like a charm.

THANK YOU JAKOBEON!! And Matimac for the video and pix.
Had the same problem as everyone else with my 20". After 3 65W adapters (thinking that the Asian bricks were to blame) I used the paper trick and it finally works.
This is a temporary fix. I am calling Apple today to report the problem to see what they can do for me.
I would be happy with a replacement 150W, but I would think that a major discount on a newer display seems in order.
Will report.

I'm having the same problem with my 23" Cinema Display connected to my PowerPC G5 when I moved it to another room. I've read every post and watched the YouTube video.

But I don't understand about the power connector that is described with the "W" fix. See the link below for the type of connector that I have which plugs into a PowerPC G5. If anyone has input for this type of connector I would GREATLY appreciate it. THANKS!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/37569076@N03/sets/72157625459406839/

I'm unclear about the power connector that you're describing with the "W" fix. See the link below for the type of connector that I have which plugs into a PowerPC G5. Do you have any idea how it applies to this type of connector? THANKS!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/37569076@N03/sets/72157625459406839/