Q: No brightness control for Cinema Display

Now this is weird... it just stopped working after 20 mins.   I did nothing hardware related in between, in just stopped.

System Profiler reported the monitor usb active when I plugged it in, but now it does not show it.

I guess it must be bad hardware after all.  Oh well.

Found this solution:  I have an older 23" Cinema Display, a G5 Quad Core and am running Maverick.  Come to find out the Maverick and Cinema Display are not compatible (per Apple), so no brightness controls available.  Screen went irreversably dim after using Windows 7 (Boot Camp, partioned hard drive).  Even on OSX.  Nothing worked to fix problem.  Fortunately, I also have a newer MacBook Pro.  To get Cinema Display back up to desired brightness, I connected the Cinema Display to the MacBook Pro via Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter (and the USB plug), mirrored the two displays, and adjusted the brightness on Cinema Display through the MacBook Pro.  Then unplugged from MacBook Pro, and repluggged in my G5.  Started the G5 ... and brightness is back.

NOTE:  Still cannot adjust brightness, so set it to your most desired level when re-establishing on other computer.

Was going to try a reboot, but Instead I quit messing with things and let my two screens energy save off for the night. The next day after waking the MBP with Thunderbolt and LED displays, I reopened the systems preferences to take one more look at the controls, The LED Cinema panel now also had an available brightness slider where it did not previously last night.

So I recommend a reboot or a sleep/wake cycle.

The only thing I could think of was attaching my HD 23" Cinema display to my old PBG4, I set the brightness at 80% then I swapped the connection back over to my Mac Book Air 2013. All the while my AC HD was plugged into my ADC to DVI box. The trick worked, I now have my set brightness at a decent all around level and it stays after I reboot and sleep. I guess if the power goes off to the ADC to DVI box I would have to repeat this. My super slueth brain thinks there might be some payoff by copying old display prefs panel from snow leopard or lion, worth a shot. Its kind of silly to me that this display which is nearly perfect would be dropped like it has. But such is progress and I'll save up for a LED Cinema display.

HA!! I just fixed this and it. There is a third white USB cord, that I never plug in, that comes with the LED screen to hook up your MBP. I use the adapter that has a green light plugged into the back of my MBP, as well the small one that enables the LED screen.

I plugged the extra white "usb plug" into one of the USB ports on my MBP, opened system preference/display and it worked. I now have the option to adjust my brightness slider.

I do have to perform this action every time....but it works every time....for now!

As gilletty wrote, USB from from the Cinema Display into MBP was the trick.  Thank you gilletty!

Thanks gilletty, this worked for me too.

Many, many and again many thanks for this suggestion

Thanks for this.

It worked..

Option 1:

Just plug in the power + display + sound then you can control the LED Cinema display brightness through F1 to F2.

Option 2:

Just plug in the power + display ONLY then you can control the Macbook screen brightness through F1 to F2.

Hope this helps..

Simple. Thank you

It's really wonderful that so many folks are willing to come here and help with advice.  Still, I can't help but thinking that Apple is doing something wrong if there needs to be a whole thread, with scores of entries, describing how to change the flipping BRIGHTNESS on the monitor.  For a company that prides itself (or used to) on "intuitive" products, you would think this would not require so much discussion.

Just to add my "fix" to the list. I've got a 20" plastic bezel A1038 Cinema Display from 2003 attached to my new MacBook Pro. It worked but I couldn't adjust the brightness. I also have an older 2007 white macbook running 10.5, so I hooked the display to it, and cranked the brightness up to the max. When I attached it back to my MacBook Pro the brightness was still at the max.

This solved my problem. You are a genius (bar)! Thank you! I was on the verge of returning my monitor.

this was a great solution i ended up using ScreenDimmer app instead but had great results! Thanks