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

Jul 5, 2010 5:22 AM in response to lebungleski

Hello everyone,

I too work in a company where we have lots of these ACDs (20"). They're connected to PowerMac G5's and Mac Pro's underneath the tables. Now someone brought her MBP and wanted to connect the ACD to it. She disconnected all the cables, including power, moved the cables onto the desk and plugged everything back in - and there we were, short-long-short.

The block-middle-pin trick worked fine here. Thanks for sharing this. We bought these ACDs for 520 EUR back then, a repair would cost 500 EUR. LOL. I guess they just change it for a refurbished one and the process of refurbishing is applying some clear coating to the middle pin. 0,01 worth of a solution, 499,99 profit. Yay.

Jul 21, 2010 6:10 PM in response to Gusson

Hey I have the same problem only I have a 150 watt and then lost power and I get the short-long-short blinking light. When you guys say cover the center pin what do you mean? I have DVI connections and there are lot's of pins.

Jul 30, 2010 6:16 PM in response to jakobeon

Your my new hero Jakobeon. I had the same problem as everyone else after moving my monitors carefully to another location. This problem is ridiculous. Show some love Apple...

I used a slice of plastic cup I trimmed out with an x-acto and a sharp pair of scissors to cover the ole ground pin. Worked like a charm on the first try. My plastic cup now dribbles on my shirt when i drink out of it. Dang it. Another problem to fix. Never ends.... Thanks again Jakobeon the Jenious.

Aug 5, 2010 11:36 PM in response to jakobeon

jakobeon... YOU DA MAN!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

My symptoms were exactly the same as everyone in this thread. I was busy with painting my house outside for a couple of weaks, plus it was extremely hot inside so I decided to power off everything. When I came back only one monitor would work, the other was black with the LED flashing "short, long, short"

I must say this fix was very frustrating for me; I am now a very happy camper... It took me about a 1/2hr or more of trial and error, but well worth the time and headache when your faced with a $150.00 to $400.00 In the end it was a VERY SMALL, single piece of paper in the "W" shape (I left it pretty long too so that I could hold on to it while pushing the cord into the brick) pressed very gently into place. ...and WOW!! I STILL CANT BELIEVE IT!!

Aug 16, 2010 4:37 PM in response to lebungleski

Another satisfied center-pin blocker! Thanks to the many helpful fellow sufferers who have posted before on this topic. After a 1-minute power outage last week left me with a dark screen and short-long-short code on the 23" HD monitor, I tried replacing the 90W power brick, to no avail, then did what I should've done in the first place and located this thread. After watching the video posted earlier, I fashioned a little V-shaped piece of plastic to block the offending ground connection in the power cable from the brick to the monitor, and, Voila! Video has returned and I can get back to serious work on my G5 Powermac. At least this problem, however stupid in its under-engineered origin, had a simple solution!

Aug 19, 2010 4:48 PM in response to lebungleski

Two days ago I encountered the same problem as so many here: my two-year-old Cinema Display (23") stays black and LED shows the "short-long-short" code.
After finding this discussion, I tried the pin-blocking workaround and what shall I say, it works like a charm! Even though, with that as a backup in mind, I brought the display to the Apple dealer, where I bought it and explained my problem to them. Since I was always satisfied with them, I hoped they would for example offer a free 150w power adapter as an accommodating arrangement. They admitted that this is a problem they have heard about, but since it's not stated as a quality fail by Apple, they can't do anything about it, except selling me a new power adapter for 150 swiss francs. No thanks! Shame on you, Apple!

As I said, the pin-blocking trick works perfect. Although I'm a bit concerned, because no one seems to be able to explain, what it really does. And long-term experiences don't seem to exist.

Maybe a tip for some of you:
Instead of an ordinary paper I cut the small strip out of the sticky part of a Post-it note. Stays much better in place when you poke it into the plug!

ventrj

Level 1

0 points

Aug 24, 2010 2:23 PM in response to lebungleski

I have the same issues with the short long short blink from the ACD, so I tried the middle pin trick and that did not work. I then took it into apple and they tested it with another 90w power supply and it did the same thing and did not work. The computer does recognize that the monitor is hooked up and you can drag things to it but the screen is black. Does anyone else have this problem or know what it could be ? Apple wanted 400 to repair it.

ventrj

Level 1

0 points

Aug 24, 2010 3:22 PM in response to scheibenreiter

I asked the guy if he would test it with a 130w he said it would not make a difference even after i told him that fixed the issue for a lot of people on the forum. I wish i new someone with a 130w around me to test it with or some place i could buy one and take it back if it does not work.

Message was edited by: ventrj

Aug 24, 2010 3:49 PM in response to ventrj

I assume the apple guy just did not have a 150w adapter around and was not motivated enough to order one, so he just claimed it won't make a difference. Stupid situation for you. Just hope, you find a way to try it with such an adapter.
Did you try the middle pin trick several times?

don113

Level 1

0 points

Aug 25, 2010 3:24 AM in response to lebungleski

Exactly the same problem Today !

One of my 3 23" cinema display failed after power cut... same short-long-short code... I tried everyting possible switching bricks and cables between the 3 screens/computers, but no way to make it work...

I just Fixed it by blocking middle pin with masking tape.

!!! THANKS SO MUCH FOT THAT BRILLIANT TRICKS !!!

ventrj

Level 1

0 points

Aug 25, 2010 8:56 AM in response to ventrj

So i started taking apart the monitor today and when i got the side with the power button off i noticed that the cable that connects the power buttons to the display had broken off would this give the short long short light flash also ?

Aug 26, 2010 11:58 PM in response to lebungleski

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! The block pin trick works!

We had a minor flood in the office which set off the circuit breakers. After everything was cleared we put the power back on and one of my 23" ACD just kept blinking at me. Tried swapping adaptors but no luck. Finally saw this thread and figured why not give it a try.

Aug 29, 2010 12:48 PM in response to lebungleski

Ok, why has Apple not responded to this issue of the 23" black screen of Death Display
They offer no answers to a fix or why the problem happen. There is enough of people on here complaining about it. I got no help what so ever at the Apple store. just told to have it sent in to have it fix, or I could buy a new display, which is not a matte srceen, which i need to do my graphics on( more true the color it will print out)
i tried the fixes they have on here, and i can seem to get the blocking the middle pin to work. And to get a hold of a 150w to test that one is not happening. I even asked the genius guy to get a 150w to hook up my display to see if it would work. But he said he couldnt do that, it is not made for that screen. So now i have a $1000 piece of computer hardware sitting on my desk that i can't use, unless i send it to be fix, which will cost me more then $350.
Apple should help us with this problem

Sep 2, 2010 1:12 PM in response to lebungleski

Same here. Blinking lights. First time 2 years ago under warranty. Was replaced free of charge with another unit. Now this past weekend happened again. The lazy "Genius" Judith didn't have clue. Suggested I pay 450 GBP to swap it for a whole new unit. Didn't even want to open and test it. Very frustrated. She had no clue on the trick to try the larger power supply.
I'll try the paper trick next on my own.
This puts a dent in my opinion of Apple. I paid over 800 EURs for this 23 inch Cinema Display just over 2 years ago. I should have to eat a 400 GBP repair.
Thanks for all the help Apple!

DrStupid

Level 1

4 points

Sep 7, 2010 12:33 PM in response to Dick Lenham

So as of a couple of days ago I have the same issue. 23" ACD with MacPro working fine for 3.5 years. I accidentally killed the power, the MacPro booted fine, the ACD is dead with an intermittent flashing LED - I assume the pattern mentioned above, I need to check.

It was a perfect monitor so I'm not at all inclined to replace it, I will try the pin-covering trick.

But Apple, if you ever read this, I'm disappointed that such an expensive display should exhibit an obvious design fault.

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