Does anyone have photos of a good ACD 23"?

I need some technical help from users with good ACD 23" screens. I need to see some photos of good ACD 23" screens so that I can decide if it's worth returning my bad screen again for another replacement or not...

I've been following these threads since August 04 hoping that Apple will solve the ACD 23" color problems described and shown on this page:

http://DreamLight.com/insights/bugs/hd23.html

I'd like to have my replacement unit either repaired or replaced again, but don't want to waste my time returning it again if it won't help.

At this point I've seen a few posts from users who claim to have "good" ACD 23" screens. So far though, I have not seen any photos that bear out those claims. I'd like to see photos of "good" ACD 23" screens (23" only, that's the one with the worst color consistency) showing a solid white and solid gray desktop so that I could see for myself if there really are any "good" ACD 23" screens out there yet...

I can't simply rely on any verbal descriptions from anyone else because different users have different color sensitivity and different color needs. Something that looks great to one user may not look so great to another user who may need more consistent color.

I'm sure that a stereo that sounds fine to me may not sound so great to a professional musician... and I'm sure that such a professional musician wouldn't rely on other's descriptions of such a stereo, he'd want to hear it for himself...

One example of why this ACD 23" causes problems for me is that if the Photoshop tool palette is on the left side of my monitor in it's default location, and I put white into the color chip, it looks like light yellow rather than white. Something on the left of my monitor looks warmer than it is and something near the center looks cooler than it is... All this can wreak havok when you are working with subtle color, if you can't rely on what you see...

So, if you have a good ACD 23" (23 inch only, that's the one with the worse color problems) and would like to show it, please take at least two digital photos of it. One with a solid white desktop and one with a solid medium gray desktop like the photos referenced above. Post them on your web page and post a link here. That way we can all judge for ourselves if any of the ACD 23" screens have good enough color for our own purposes...

Thanks,
-MikeS

PS. Please stick to the specific technical subject of this thread without drifting off into any marketing issues or flame wars or this thread will probably be deleted just like the previous one was... I really just want to see some photos of a good ACD 23" in order to decide if I should return my existing bad ACD 23"... I'm sure it would give a lot of us on this forum some hope as well...

Posted on Mar 11, 2005 3:37 PM

79 replies

Apr 25, 2005 9:34 AM in response to Björn Herrmann

Hi Bjoern,

Thanks for the post. So far, I agree with you... I have not yet seen any examples or technical photos of a truly good ACD 23" and my hope to see such photos (and be able to get a good replacement) is diminishing daily... The verbal stories of good ACD 23's that I've seen are sort of like big foot stories... without photographic proof, they are nothing more than stories... 😉

Were you able to return the ACD 23"? And how long did you have it... I bought mine last summer and have been rather patiently waiting (as patiently as I can), hoping for Apple to address the issues (and see proof of such here on the forums). At this point they haven't even acknowledged the issues, never mind fixed them...

If I can't get this one repaired/replaced to my satisfaction, I may want to just return it to get a different brand... I'm rather soured on Apple's monitors now after this fiasco... Unfortunately, I'm beginning to fear that I'm just going to be stuck with this poor monitor... If that's the case, I'll have to live with this one until I can finally buy a different brand, and move this monitor onto one of our less used systems...

-MikeS

Apr 25, 2005 10:01 AM in response to Michael Scaramozzino

Hi Mike,

I was not able to return it so I sold it to someone who did not care about the colour. Of course I lost a few hundred this way but I didn't want to sell it on eBay only to have the buyer go crazy about returning it to me...
I had the first one for 1 day and immediately returned it for a replacement. Then I had no display for several weeks as replacement by replacement went by. After around 1-2 weeks with number 4 I decided to get a 30". And after another 2-3 weeks with the bigger one I sold the 23".
So I think I "had" the display for around 2-3 months.

I believe that you just should go and talk to Apple directly. After all I made the experience that they are obliging to their loyal customers who bought a lot of their stuff in the past and want to keep it that way in the future!

Björn

Apr 25, 2005 12:49 PM in response to Björn Herrmann

Bjoern,

I think you nailed it: no 23" display is perfect, nor will or can it ever be, because some of the (dis-)colouring seems to be built into the panel itself. Even though I'm quite happy with mine, I have to admit to occasionally checking with the notorious "iTunes test", and be less than happy to see the blueish lines almost disappear into nothingness.

You wouldn't happen to have a pic of your 23" and 30" together, would you? I'm sort of thinking about getting 2 20" (home-office and office-office 🙂 ... or maybe even the gorgeous 30".

May 3, 2005 8:31 AM in response to Michael Scaramozzino

I just recently purchased a HP 23" LCD. Only after doing tons of research on the four major brands of 23" displays, and after seeing the reviews and user comments on the Apple display, I decided to go with the HP. And I will tell you right now I have not been disappointed. I'm a 3D artist and I needed something that would show accurate colors. I have run it through many tests and benchmarks, and so far have found nothing wrong with mine. After reading this thread though I actually feel bad for one of my friends who just purchased 2 of the Apple 23" LCDs. I warned him about some of the issues that it has, but his conclusion is if he has to, he will exchange them. I dont think he has read any of these discussions. Well, hopefully he will get some that dont show those issues as bad as some others.

May 3, 2005 8:47 AM in response to Eric nope

Hi Eric,

Would you be able to post some pictures of your HP 23" LCD showing a solid white and a solid gray desktop, so that we could compare them to the ACD 23" LCD's that we have?

Thanks,
-MikeS

May 10, 2005 1:35 AM in response to Michael Scaramozzino

Hello,
I'm pretty happy with this 23" ACD. At work I use a NEC Diamondtron SB 22" CRT that I like also. Check out the .jpg's in my public folder on iDisk. From the menu bar click and scroll "Go" to "iDisk" and to "Other User's Public Folder". Type in yam iyam and check out two photos that are pretty small for those with a dial up connection. Try out Pixel Check on Version Tracker. This freeware is a good LCD utility that will show any dead pixels and reveal any anomolies.

May 10, 2005 1:38 PM in response to Mark Yamamoto1

Hi Mark,

Thanks for posting the photos...

I don't see any of the pink problems in either photo... that's good!

The white photo doesn't look too bad. The right side is a little darker but I don't really see the typical dingy yellow edges that most of them show.

The gray photo however does still show the darker/bluish vertical band just left of center, though it appears wider than I'm used to seeing.

But two out of three ain't bad... at least it's better than zero out of three... 😉

How long have you had this display (and how much have you used it so far) and what are the first five digits of the serial number (under the base)?

-MikeS

May 10, 2005 8:32 PM in response to Michael Scaramozzino

I just bought it about a week ago and sure it's a recent serial number. I haven't calibrated it yet. Will probabaly buy EyeOne with ProfileMaker software. I work in a prepress lab and back my toning images with the numbers, so if a tint is present I can use the eyedropper/info to see thru it.
You know that Monster cable makes a plasma/lcd conditioner. I wonder if that product can help with color inconsistencies. They run $300. HDTV viewer's swear by them. I've got my monitor running thru a APC back-ups.
Anyway good luck.

May 15, 2005 1:07 PM in response to Michael Scaramozzino

Mike, The serial number starts wtih 2A509 in reference to the photos on my .mac account yamiyam .

Dan-o

Level 2

403 points

May 19, 2005 10:53 AM in response to Mark Yamamoto1

...reported good results in a different thread, although, he apparently had a stuck pixel in the middle of his screen. Oh, the torment of being a 23" ACD user. Anyway I think he's saying he got it replaced with another screen that exhibits no obvious problems but no indication yet what serial code.

One question: can you determine the serial code that's relevant to this discussion from the sticker on the box or do you have to plug it in?

May 19, 2005 10:57 AM in response to Dan-o

Do they have any photos, so we can judge for ourselves?

-MikeS

Dan-o

Level 2

403 points

May 22, 2005 7:14 PM in response to Michael Scaramozzino

It seems the replacement screens still have the yellowish / fading edges problem. No dice but maybe new screens on the horizon?

Jun 16, 2005 1:41 PM in response to Dan-o

You can use the serial number on the box, or on the bottom of the base, they are the same...

-MikeS

Jun 16, 2005 2:12 PM in response to Eric nope

Hi Eric,

Did you look at the Dell UltraShartp 2450 FPW before buying your HP? That is the monitor I am considering because to the ACD 23" problems. I've heard it is a little bright but displays consistent, even colors.

Drew Harty

Jun 28, 2005 10:47 AM in response to Michael Scaramozzino

I've seen a few recent reports of good ACD 23" screens from some of the early users who had previously returned bad ACD 23" screens.

This is great news!

Would anybody who has finally received a "good" ACD 23" that had previously returned a "bad" ACD 23" screen be able to post some photos of the new screen showing solid white and solid gray desktops?

I'm running out of time on my warranty and want to try to get mine returned/repaired one more time before giving up entirely on it...

Thanks,
-MikeS

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Does anyone have photos of a good ACD 23"?