lebungleski

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

Hello everyone.
This sounds like something of an epidemic... My Apple Cinema 23" HD Display (bought Dec. 2007) hasn't been turning on after a power outage hit our area last week.

The Computer and Display were OFF when the outage occurred. Everything was plugged into a surge suppressor. Everything ELSE plugged in to the suppressor is fine (including my Mac CPU)... but not the monitor.
It’s not dead-dead…. It’s a blank screen but there IS a morse-code flash on the LED (short-long-short). According to Apple Support’s LED Translation, it SHOULD be something to do with the power adaptor. The adaptor IS correct… a 90 watt… but just in case I bought ANOTHER 90w adaptor brick. I plugged the monitor to the new brick. THE RESULT WAS THE SAME.

I’ve tried power cycling, I’ve tried plugging it into different outlets, I’ve tried connecting to other computers. The same LED result remains.

And, yes, of course, I’ve got no Apple Support, and from what I read in similar posts, outside-the-warranty repairs could hit around $400. I REFUSE!

For now I have a Samsung monitor from Costco. It’s not bad, but it’s not the Apple monitor with its awesome color-fidelity.

I've read some other posts with the same problem (LED blink code and all) elsewhere but haven't got a solid answer.
I wonder… has anyone else incurring this same problem (with the same LED flashing deal) tried to use a 150-WATT adaptor brick? I would try this myself, but I’m currently financially unable (and personally unwilling) to throw more cash at this problem unless I know it’ll fix it.

Mac OS X (10.5.7)

Posted on Jul 18, 2009 7:03 PM

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

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  • by robin2468,

    robin2468 robin2468 Jun 4, 2012 7:49 PM in response to dportis47
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 4, 2012 7:49 PM in response to dportis47

    Hi Folks,   To reply to the "how long will it (jacobean fix) last" questions.   My 23" monitor (supplied with a 90W brick) worked with the 150W brick, but Apple would not/could not sell me one.    SO - I used the Jacobean fix mid November (2011) -  Monitor still going strong as well as all USB and firewire ports at back. I must admit, I still think Apple should address this issue. There has to be a cheeper solution than a replacement monitor for A$900.00. Many thanks to all the contributors to this forum.

  • by dportis47,

    dportis47 dportis47 Jun 4, 2012 8:13 PM in response to robin2468
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Jun 4, 2012 8:13 PM in response to robin2468

    I did the paper trick and it worked! I'm happy now!

  • by carolyn_21617,

    carolyn_21617 carolyn_21617 Jun 5, 2012 6:02 AM in response to robin2468
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 5, 2012 6:02 AM in response to robin2468

    My paper fix has worked since April of last year! I did have to redo it once, but it's working like a charm. Shame Apple has never addressed this. Now that I'm sure all are way out of warranty, I doubt we'll see it happen. It's the only Apple product I've ever been disappointed with. Even my original iBook is still working.

  • by Drew Reece (Re:co),

    Drew Reece (Re:co) Drew Reece (Re:co) Jun 5, 2012 6:26 AM in response to dportis47
    Level 2 (310 points)
    Jun 5, 2012 6:26 AM in response to dportis47

    I'm sure you all understand the possible issues with the 'pin block hack'. Be careful not to block the wrong pins (as the connector is inserted), because it cause the other pins to become overloaded since they are carrying the 24V at more than 3 Amps.

     

    If you are willing to open the display up take a look at my blog, it may help to diagnose the fault if it is the same issue (linked on page 18 of this thread). A1082 on ehmac.ca should get the credit for the fix I used.

     

    Only the 30 inch display was sold until 2010, the others were stopped in '08 and '09, so all of these Aluminium bezel displays are out of warranty & probably extended Applecare coverage. I think they have lived beyond the period any court would see as being 'fit for purpose'.

     

    Good luck.

  • by Cubanero,

    Cubanero Cubanero Jun 21, 2012 8:16 AM in response to lebungleski
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jun 21, 2012 8:16 AM in response to lebungleski

    Paper trick works for me. I hope to last .I was trying to sell the screen for 50$ and luckily found this post today !

  • by Northcroft,

    Northcroft Northcroft Jun 21, 2012 9:00 AM in response to Cubanero
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 21, 2012 9:00 AM in response to Cubanero

    It worked for me too - on a 23" screen.  I could not get it to work with a bit of paper - too fiddly and weak - but I did get it to work with a 1mm x 30mm strip cut from a transparent plastic cup, folded into a W shape, and fitted as others have described.

     

    It has been working for 2 months now.

     

    I am keeping my fingers crossed!

  • by chrisross,

    chrisross chrisross Jun 27, 2012 8:55 PM in response to lebungleski
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 27, 2012 8:55 PM in response to lebungleski

    Hello all,

     

    another dead cinema display.  Mine is blank, no flashing lights, shows 24V at the brick when tested with a multimeter.  When it is plugged in the video card seems to recognise there is something there.  This is based on the fact that when I have a second monitor plugged into the video card, it only works when the apple display is not connected.

     

    I've tried to contact Apple by phone to avoid having to make a genius bar appointment to determine the cost in Australia of the exchange fix.  But of course they wont tell me! 

     

    Has anyone in OZ found out recently the cost of the exchange repair?  Mine is 4 yrs old so still not classed as vinatge so theoretically I can get an exchange repair.

     

    thanks in advance,

     

    Chris

  • by MacBook Ghost,

    MacBook Ghost MacBook Ghost Jun 28, 2012 12:15 PM in response to lebungleski
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 28, 2012 12:15 PM in response to lebungleski

    Paper fix worked great. 

    For any who find this thread in the future.

     

    DON'T USE TAPE.

     

    I tried making a piece of plastic out of tape folded just small enough to cover the middle pin, but when I jammed the plug in (the tape was kinda thick), it smashed it all over the place and it took me over half an hour to scrape it all out of both ends of the plug because the smashing exposed the adhesive on the tape and made it stick to everything.  What I eventually did was just to stick a W shaped paper in the power brick end (female) and it worked great. 

    If you feel like paper doesn't insulate enough, try plastic or tape, but be warned about the tape.

     

    This is how I placed the paper.  I used the paper you get when you get a rebate check on the part of the check you tear off, so it was a bit thicker than normal copy paper.

    PaperFix23InchHDDisplay.png

  • by jmaa,

    jmaa jmaa Jul 15, 2012 7:15 AM in response to MacBook Ghost
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Jul 15, 2012 7:15 AM in response to MacBook Ghost

    Thanks, jakobeon - you fixed my cinema display. Got it used a while ago, and I've moved it around a couple times before, but today I got the short-long-short -issue. I cut a thin slice of tape and put it on the plug to one side at the middle pin location, then folded it inside the plug, pushing it in just a bit with tweezers. Then I just connected, and the display woke up like it was never broken.

     

    Thanks again!

  • by Chris Dumlao,

    Chris Dumlao Chris Dumlao Aug 7, 2012 8:47 PM in response to lebungleski
    Level 1 (145 points)
    Aug 7, 2012 8:47 PM in response to lebungleski

    this fix worked for me too! i used electrical tape. took me a couple of tries, but eventually it worked. is this just a temporary fix?

  • by MacBook Ghost,

    MacBook Ghost MacBook Ghost Aug 7, 2012 8:56 PM in response to Chris Dumlao
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 7, 2012 8:56 PM in response to Chris Dumlao

    Still working for me.  Although, I did have to replace it once when I unplugged it and it ripped up the paper.

  • by earlyzee,

    earlyzee earlyzee Aug 22, 2012 8:01 AM in response to lebungleski
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Aug 22, 2012 8:01 AM in response to lebungleski

    I have the original 23" Cinema Display -- the one with a plastic frame around the LED screen -- whose AC adapter got lost in shipping. There are replacements available, both new and used, but none of them seem to include the DC cable that goes from the brick to the back of the display. The power adapter is an A1097. Does anyone know where I might locate that cable, or know a part number for it? (Apple can't help with either question.) I think its connectors are the same 5-contact plugs some of you have been fiddling with in this discussion.

     

    Thanks.

  • by Drew Reece (Re:co),

    Drew Reece (Re:co) Drew Reece (Re:co) Aug 22, 2012 8:26 AM in response to earlyzee
    Level 2 (310 points)
    Aug 22, 2012 8:26 AM in response to earlyzee

    earlyzee wrote:

     

    There are replacements available, both new and used, but none of them seem to include the DC cable that goes from the brick to the back of the display.

     

     

    They wouldn't include that as a separate cable, on the Apple 23" cinema display it is fixed to the back of the screen, and cannot be removed.

    I don't know what you mean by the 'plastic frame around the LED screen' on a 23" display, Apple only made 23" displays in Aluminium, there is plastic on the edges, but that is not really worth mentioning. Download mactracker.ca & check the model is correct. It sounds like you may have an older display, possibly with one of these supplies?

    http://www.applemacparts.co.uk/store/peripheral-other-apple-cinema-display-inch- dvi-adc-power-adapter-round-p-69679.html

  • by earlyzee,

    earlyzee earlyzee Aug 22, 2012 9:04 AM in response to Drew Reece (Re:co)
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Aug 22, 2012 9:04 AM in response to Drew Reece (Re:co)

    Apple did make a 23" all-plastic Cinema Display. Here's the spec sheet:

    http://support.apple.com/kb/SP77

     

    Its power adapter is square and 90 watts (even though the spec sheet says 70 watts), and although it may not have carried the A1097 product number at the time (even Apple is not sure!) it is functionally and physically identical to it. The "out" cable from it has a plug at each end which matches the plugs used on the brick-end of the newer aluminum-series cables. It is not hard wired to the display.

  • by earlyzee,

    earlyzee earlyzee Aug 22, 2012 9:27 AM in response to Drew Reece (Re:co)
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Aug 22, 2012 9:27 AM in response to Drew Reece (Re:co)

    And thank you for the tip about Mactracker, Drew. It looks great.

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