30-inch Cinema Display flashing

Saturday, April 14th, 2012…. Problem might be solved now?

I have exactly the same problem, with a 30" display I bought in mid 2009 which is really driving me crazy. Randomly, at some time, it starts to switch off and on, 4-5 times a second, so the display is flashing. Most often, it happens in the first 5 minutes after I switched the display on in the morning, but sometimes it takes hours until this behavior occurs. The power on/off-switch on the side of the display also does not work during this, it´s just dead. I´m worried because if it switches on and off for hours, the display could seriously be damaged. The only way to solve the problem is to unplug the power connector that connects the display with the power supply, and plug it in again.... then it works again, until it happens the next time. In my case, it happens about 1-2 times every day. Also, when the displays is switched off (for example before going to bed), it sometimes switched itself on again over night, and starts switching on/off a thousand times until in the morning when I see it. Therefore, since several years now, I always pull the power cord every time I leave the computer for more than an hour. I also found two videos on Youtube where people showed the problem: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srCMKHPXNgY , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh-e95A03cw

I have two of these 30” displays, the other one is about 3 years older, and it is working fine. I tried to narrow down the problem a bit, because I have two of them. I am quite sure that it is not a power supply problem, because if I swap the two power supplies from my two 30" displays, the problem remains at the same display (it´s identical 150 watt original Apple power supplies). It´s also not a problem with the computer or the graphics card, because over the years I had two different computers and two different graphics cards (one ATI, and NVidia), and it´s always been the same display that had the problem. I also never used any USB or Firewire devices with the displays, so these are also not the reason. So it must be the display itself, or the cable attached to it.

Well, so far, I could live with it ... I know that Apple charges horrendous costs if I send in a display, and my display is out of warranty, so I just plug the power cord every time it happens, and it´s okay because it is the cheapest solution. However, yesterday, the display switched on and off once again, but it looked differently... switching on and off was slower than usual (usually it is 4-5 times a second, now just one time a second). So I repeated the everyday-procedure and pulled the power connector again that connects the display with the power supply, and - for the first time - it was so FU**ING HOT that I burned my finger when I touched it! So, here´s definitely a danger that something can start burning! Therefore, I honestly recommend that everybody with such a problematic display like mine better not leave the power supply connected if unattended!

After this happened yesterday, I first decided to send in my 30" for repair because of fire danger, although I do not even know if they still have the spare parts for it now in 2012. However, before sending it in, I decided to disassemble the display to take a look inside, for example if I can see an exploded capacitor or similar that might be the reason for the problem and that can be fixed by a specialist. I only found one website that shows how to open the Apple Cinema display, here is the link: http://www.ignition-project.com/articles/2008/01/31/the-apple-cinema-display-sag a-part-2-take-apart-guide . However, I do not really recommend that you open it: on the inside, the 30” display is completely full of electronics (at least my one, it´s much more electronics than can be seen on the images on the website where only a third of the chassis is filled with electronics, I assume there are different versions of the 30” display - mine is completely crammed with electronics, and also the screws to open the chassis are at different locations).

I further tried to narrow down the cause of the problem. In another thread, I read something about erratic behavior of the power switch. Maybe the on/off-switch on the right side is the reason why display switches on and off? I found one related topic regarding a 30” cinema display where a user has a problem with the power switch ( https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2443325 ), and another one regarding a 20” cinema display ( https://discussions.apple.com/thread/558702 ). Therefore, I removed the bezels on the right side from both 30” displays in order to swap them, in order to see if the problem moves to the other display. The touch buttons are integrated into the bezel, and connected with a cable and a connector to the rest of the display. The bezels are removed by using a knife, sticking the knife into the small gap between the white bezel and the top of the chassis, and then removing the bezel from top to down (it is glued, you need some power, however, you really got to do this carefully because the white bezel is made of plastic and it can easily break – I broke mine in the middle part and I now have a crack there!). You can see it in the link given above how to remove the bezel. After that, I swapped the two bezels of the two displays, so I have the on/off switches of both displays swapped.

It has now worked for 8 hours without problems, but something else got me really confused now: on BOTH displays, the on/off switches to turn on/off the displays BOTH now do not work anymore (see beginning, also when the main problem that the display switches itself on and off occurs, the power button does not work). If I remove the bezels again and put the bezels an aside, they start working again, but if put the bezels in place again at the chassis, they don’t work. I made a video of it, you can see it here: http://youtu.be/Lh7Cceserf4 . However, if the bezels are in place and refuse to work, after disconnecting the power cords from both displays and reconnect them, both buttons work again normally. So, when I remove bezels and reattach them while the display is running, they refuse to work???Usually these buttons react at the slightest fingertip, so it seems that they calibrate or readjust in some way when the display is connected to power, and when I remove and reattach them this calibration is messed up. This might also be the cause why the display starts switching on and off, because something influences these buttons, or maybe the cable that connects the buttons with the rest are squeezed. So … time for a few days of testing if the problem occurs again… ->

Thursday, April 19th, 2012 – five days later:

I can say that in the meantime over five days, the displays made no problem at all. I finally got rid of the blinking display automatically switching on and off (which it did every day before), and of the power button that does not work. It might well be that the on/off switch with its very sensitive touch pad has been the reason for all the problems. In the video (at 00:22), you can see how I put the bezel on the left display, but I squeezed the cables which is not good, so make sure it fits into the hole without squeezing them. My advice for other people that have the same problem is to remove the right bezel, and keep it mounted in the upper half while having half an inch of distance on the lower part between buttons and chassis by putting something in between (that should avoid any problems, see video). Afterwards, try for a few days and see if the problem happens again. If the problem does not repeat, it has likely been the power buttons. However, in my case, I swapped the two bezels of the two displays and immediately put them in place again, and the problem also did not happen again. It might be that a very very minimal change in the position of the bezel or how the cables are running behind the buttons (electric field?) causes the effect.

Would be happy to have some feedback here, and if it worked for you as well or not.

I solved the same problem in my 30" display w/o openning the display with the use of a little aluminum foil and two strips of gaff tape. For my display, I found that the power button was eratic. At times I could touch it and the display would turn on, then off, then on, and so forth. In playing with the button I found moments when the dispay would stay on. In these different times, I would hold the bezel with my right thumb on the display front and my middle finger on the display bezel back. My right index finger operated the switch. At times, I found that while holding the display & switch as stated that the display would stay on. Moreover, I found that I could back my index finger off the button a very slight distance and the display would stay on! Moving my finger farther away from the switch would cause the display to resume its erratic behavior.

Solution: A "capacitance bandaid".

I took a small amount of aluminum foil and folded it into a strip 1/4" wide by 3-4" long. I attached one end to the front of the bezel with gaff tape and the other end to the back with the aluminum strip hovering about 1/4" out from the switch (not touching). I then played with the on/off button, finger under the tape, until the display stayed on with my index finger under the aluminum foil (thumb and middle finger in position as stated above). I backed my finger off the switch very slightly and in doing so, I brought the taped aluminum foil closer to the switch to substitute for my finger's presence. The display stayed on! It has remained on for 2 months now without blinking.

In short, the switch is capacitance sensitive, I believe. While my solution isn't eloquent, but it's cheap, easy to install, and it works.

just uploaded a second video, related to my posting above:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FPXkgJZyBk

I've had the same problem for a year. I would unplug it and wait, plug it back in and it would sometimes work.

Your suggestion:

"System Preferences>Displays>Options

and selected 'Does Nothing' for Display Power Button and Check the box for 'Disable Brightness Buttons'."

worked perfectly. THANKS!!!!

I ran into the same issue as many have noted, 30" ACD flicks off and on after being connected for several minutes.

I had the ACD logic board replaced and for a short time (2-3 days) the flickering did not happen. But once again on the 3rd or 4th day, it started.

Using the System Preferences - Displays - Options - Does Nothing and Disable Brightnetss box check absolutely corrected the issue for me.

Excellent call, thanks.

My problem didn't happen till I upgraded the RAM. I don't think that was the issue.

The issue may have been that I had to unplug everything to get to the tower to install the RAM.

I first noticed the problem when I woke up inthe middle of the night and noticed that the monitor was on. I was certain that I had turned it off, with the button. Turned it off again, went back to bed. Next morning it was back on. It did kept doing that, so I just set the Energy setting to switch it off after 5 minutes. That seemed to be the answer.

Then the on/off business started. I found that if I held my finger on the button, it would stay on, but then I had to use my left hand for everything. Sorry lefties, no disrepect.

I stumbled onto this discussion and could not for the llife of me figure what you were all talking about with the Options in the Display preferences. Someone had said somehitng about having a USB plugged into the monitor, which I did have before the RAM install. Trying it now, the ports didn't work.

DUH! I forget to plug the monitor's USB cord into the computer. Now the ports work AND the Options setting is now there. Surprise.

Right now the monitor is working and I can use my right hand. I'll give it time and report back.

You are my savior! lmao

The magnet did the trick! Taped a magnet over the power button, and boom, no more flickering, so happy right now!

I have two new 30 inch thunderbolts and both have been flickering strangely , every hour or so, I took you suggestion and found the auto brightness was on and have not had any problems since,

THANK YOU I was desperate to fix this.

SOLUTION FOLLOWED BY A SHORT STORY

STORY

I fly my monitor all over the nation and it was last working in Utah. After a quick trip to Seattle for the holidays, for which I only brought my 2010 15" mpb, I came back to Utah to find that my 30" was no longer responsive; No display, no power light, but my laptop still acted like a display was connected. After some online research I decided to spend $30 on ebay for a new control board. While waiting for the control board I kept tinkering. When the monitor is working normally I choose to use the MDP + USB connector in order to utilize the maximum resolution allowed (2560x1600). I tried using the connector that only supplies the MDP connection, which in turn only supports (1280x800?). At that point I learned that whenever the USB connection was made the monitor would shut up. However, this is when I came upon a solution that worked.

SOLUTION

While connected to only the stand-alone Apple DVI to MDP connector I would plug the USB of the 30" display to the MDP to Dual-Link adapter and then plug the dual link USB into my MBP. This usually stops the monitor from working but after a few tries the monitor stayed lit in 1280x800. At that point I left the USB connection and switched the monitor connection from the single connection DVI2MDP over to the dual link adapter and viola.

NOTE

I recently read that when you have to plug-unplug the monitor numerous times before it "magically works" is because you have capacitors going bad and that plugging/unplugging will eventually charge them to the point that a connection is made. According to this same notion, it pretty much means your monitor's capacitors are on their way to "meet the great capacitor in the sky".

I had the same problem with a 2013 MBP running OS X Yosemite connected to a 2004 30-inch ACD. After ~ 10 minutes, the display would flicker on and off with the lid opened or closed.

I went to System Preferences --> Displays --> Options and checked "Does nothing" as well as "Disable brightness buttons." This suggestion was posted on another forum. My screen hasn't flickered for nearly 4 hours.

After using my solution a number of times I've started to realize that the Apple adapter (used to get the full resolution from the monitor) seems like it's the faulty piece of equipment in the equation. Here's why:

- Using a standard mini display port to DVI connector the monitor works fine (results in lower res display)

- Using a HDMI to DVI adapter lets me use the monitor as a tv

BUT

- Using the mini display port (or thunderbolt) + USB to DVI + USB adapter often results in no image

My solution is just unplugging / plugging cables in until the monitor works again :/

I am running os 10.12.2 and I can not find anything that says "options" in the display preferences. Am I crazy?

I am having this same problem with one of my 30" cinema display flashing and want to try this fix, but can't seem to locate any "options" area under "displays" in system prefs.

Any help would be appreciated... Thanks!