Level 1

2 points

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

353 replies

jhames

Level 1

5 points

Aug 14, 2009 7:00 PM in response to lebungleski

i'm not so sure about buying a used 23" anymore... decided to do some research on this display to see if it had any problems before i made the purchase, and I'm glad i did. has anyone searched and found problems with people using 150w over time?

Aug 25, 2009 9:13 AM in response to thepikey

Had the same problem (posted in a similar thread). Used my 23" for 2+ years on my iMac without problems. Upgraded several weeks ago to Mac Pro with 30" cinema plus my 23" as 2nd monitor. When I plugged the 23" into the new system, got the same short-long-short LED codes.
Read the support information from Apple where they indicate that the 150w PS is compatable with the 20, 23 and 30" cinema displays. Bought one of these and the monitor fired right up and has since been working fine.

So far so good...

Matt

lefter

Level 1

0 points

Sep 3, 2009 7:47 AM in response to lebungleski

Hi all!

As mentioned on the title of this topic *I HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM* with my 23" Cinema Display...

Before the failure, the monitor *WAS IN PERFECT CONDITION* (trust me when I comment this, my whole life is in front of a monitor)

*THE PROBLEM SHOWED UP THE DAY I MOVED THE MONITOR TO AN OTHER OFFICE* (???). Please note that *I TOOK EXTRA CARE WHEN I MOVED THE MONITOR*, besides, when something costs around 1K you owe to.

*I TRIED AN 150W ADAPTER ON IT AND WORKED FINE!!!* Just like before.

But since *IT WAS UNDER GUARANTY* I sent it to the local distributor who eventually *REPLACED IT WITH A "NEW" ONE*, which after remarks from my side it turned out it wasn't "new" but re-manufactured by Apple (off course, he guarantied me the parts in it, where brand new and had 0 hours of usage).

In my question to the technical representative of Apple *"WHAT WAS WRONG WITH MY MONITOR"*, he answered me that *THE INVERTER WAS FAULT*.

After that I questioned him *"WHY MY MONITOR MANAGED TO WORK WITH THE 150W ADAPTER?"*, he answered me that *THE EXTRA CHARGE OF THE 150W ADAPTER WAS ABLE TO "EXCITE" SUCCESSFULLY THE FAULTY INVERTER IN ORDER TO WORK* and that *IT WAS A MATTER OF MONTHS FOR THE MONITOR TO FAIL AGAIN*.

That's my story... I hope it may help some of you... Personally I can't have an opinion on the matter, since I'm not a technician. The only thing on which I can comment is that *A 1K MONITOR SHOULD BE WAY MORE DURABLE AND TOLERANT WHEN YOU TRANSFER IT AROUND (if that cause the problem of course)*

Sep 3, 2009 10:02 PM in response to lebungleski

I have two Cinema HD displays that both went bad one with short-short-long and the other recently with short-long-short. The short-short-long would power up but half the screen would go dim. The top half of the CCFL would cut out. The code from Apple says bad backlight. The other with short-long-short would not power up with the 90w power supply. I decided to make one that works from two bad ones. I opened both-not very hard to do of you don't have a fear of it, and moving some aluminum-my guess would be on the short-long-short display the control board went bad. So from the monitor that had the bad backlight circuit (likely the inverter board) I took the control board out of it and swapped it out into the display with the good backlight but confused control board. Well after about half an hour of work, I fired it up and boom its working again! The control board may have just needed a 150W power supply who knows. The swap made one good working monitor and the other one broken with short-long-short control board and short-short-long inverter board.

Yay, I least I have one and its long out of warranty. What is sad in all of this? My 20" ACD late 2003 era purchased with the first gen MP G5 is still rocking it and much better in image quality. These LG displays are pure junk, too bad there's no way to get a refund on crap. I don't mind spending the money on good quality products but the Aluminum 23" Cinema HD is the worst.

Sep 22, 2009 8:48 AM in response to Michael Pitogo

Way to go with the backlight repair! By the way, I was under the impression that 2003 era Apple 20" Cinema Displays were made by LG-Philips. See the Anandtech article... http://www.anandtech.com/displays/showdoc.aspx?i=2400

kdal

Level 1

0 points

Dec 8, 2009 1:29 PM in response to lebungleski

Same issue with 23 inch display. Just returned from Apple Store to hear how much they would charge ($425) for repair which is just not going to happen. Ought Apple
to have a response to this issue given number of posts? What is the problem inside these monitors?

Jan 4, 2010 9:51 AM in response to lebungleski

This same issue just popped up for me after the holiday break. I had a 150W adapter on hand, but in my case, the monitor keeps flashing the short long short code. Frustrating, as this monitor was unplugged from all power over the break, and has lived its life plugged into a pure sine wave UPS!

Anirog

Level 2

175 points

Jan 7, 2010 8:35 AM in response to DOOMocrat

Same issue here too with my 20" display, only 3 years old, tried using a new 65w power adapter, no joy, I'm waiting for a 150w power adapter to arrive bought from ebay, hope this works even though it may only be a quick fix.

Jan 9, 2010 6:54 PM in response to Anirog

After reading all of the posts about this same problem it seems like Apple might look at this as a problem warrantying a recall. I am having the exact same issue with one of my two 23" Cinema Displays. They are both connected to a UPS in a controlled professional video post-production facility. After coming back from the holidays, I hit the power button on the Mac Pro and only one monitor came on. . . short. . . long . . . short flashes on the other. I too tried the power adapter from the other monitor, no luck. Tried connecting to my MacBook Pro, no luck. These monitors are 16 months old, and no, I did not opt for Applecare.

I will always own Apple machines, but it looks like I am looking much closer at Dell U2410 monitors! Three year warranty with "No-Dead Pixel" guarantee. I must also point out that they are 40% less expensive and use a newer version of the IPS panel. Not nearly as sexy looking. . . but they have a great personality!

Jan 12, 2010 12:54 AM in response to lebungleski

hey all,

this same problem just happened to me this weekend too. made a stop to the genius bar, and they tried out the 150w adapter, which worked. but they suspect this is just a short term fix. does anyone who has been using the 150w have any longer term experience? is the $100 investment a good one?

also, what are proper channels with some real efficacy to bring this up to powers that be at apple? what a crock for pretty pricey display, if there's no support for this known problem... much appreciated everyone!

johng

Jan 12, 2010 6:19 AM in response to orbitalharvest

I took my faulty 23" Cinema Display to the local Genius Bar last night, and after reading everyone's posts, I asked the tech to connect a 150W power adapter. . . and it worked. He said that he had never seen this issue, but after I told him how many people were having the same issue, he looked to see if there was any sort of recall. Unfortunately not. For what is to be considered a "Premium Panel" monitor, there is not a "Premium Guarantee" of workmanship for the "Premium Price" we are paying. Now the question is, do I sink $150 into a temporary fix, or do I go ahead and buy a pair of Dell 24" U2410 monitors with a 3 year warranty and dead pixel guarantee.

Goose815

Level 1

5 points

Jan 18, 2010 10:49 AM in response to lebungleski

Hi Everybody, I've got the same issue here. On the phone with Apple right now. There putting me through to customer relations. I suggest everybody with this issue call right away. Go through tech support and tell them your problem and then get with customer relations. I'll post when I get finished with them.

Chris

Goose815

Level 1

5 points

Jan 18, 2010 11:39 AM in response to Goose815

Just finished the phone call with Apple. They're going to repair it free. No Charge.... Gratis.....
So just call tech support and get to customer relations. They gave me a new case number and I'm dropping it off at the Apple store. Let me know how it goes for everyone.
BTW.... be very nice on the phone.

Chris

jakobeon

Level 1

0 points

Jan 18, 2010 12:18 PM in response to lebungleski

For those of you who don't want to spend +$100 on a 150W adapter may want to give this a try:

It turns out the middle pin in the power connector is a ground. When it read an incorrect voltage it makes the displays inverter turn off to protect the unit. One way to circumvent this is to cover the middle pin in the cord going from the monitor to the power brick. I used a piece of paper in the shape of a "W" covering just the middle pin. I double folded a piece of paper and folded it over the plug and down into the connector and then gently pushed the plug into the power brick. Once i did this the monitor popped on and all was good in the world...

Jan 19, 2010 10:55 AM in response to Goose815

So I am trying to contact Apple support, and it is asking me to pay for a Pay Per Incident for $49 in order to get in touch with support. Did you have to do this in order to call? Any suggestions? Thanks.

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