Alex Hare
Level 1 (12 points)

Q: Dimmed screen on Apple Cinema HD Display (23")

I've got an Apple Cinema HD Display (23", acrylic case) that I've been using as an external monitor for a 2008 MacBook Pro for the last couple years, by way of an ADC to DVI adapter I picked up off eBay. I have an extended Apple keyboard (acrylic) and a Logitech mouse plugged into the USB ports on the AC HD Display. It's worked rather well over that time. My '08 MacBook Pro, less so, and I just switched out to a new MBP 15" Retina display.

 

Now the darned display has gone all dim on me.

 

I'd restarted into Windows 8.1 to see how the display would look after my Boot Camp setup. It looked great for the first couple minutes, and then dimmed considerably (about 50%). I presumed a driver error, and proceed to try to troubleshoot it that way. Rebooting back into OS X Mavericks did not clear the matter up, so I'm wondering if it's a hardware problem with the AC  HD Display itself.

 

I found articles that said I could use F14 or F15 can control the brightness, but they don't seem to for me.

 

There is no Brightness control in the Display control panel.

 

There's a "button" on the front of the AC HD Display that looks like it ought to be brightness related, but tapping or pressing and holding doesn't appear to change anything.

 

1) What are the odds there's a partial failure of the backlight happening?

 

2) If it's not that, what are my options for adjusting the brightness back? I couldn't get anywhere with the control panels in Mavericks or Windows 8.1

 

Thanks in advance!

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mavericks (10.9.1), 16GB RAM, 512GB HD

Posted on Jan 21, 2014 11:10 PM

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Alex Hare

Q: Dimmed screen on Apple Cinema HD Display (23")

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  • by Alex Hare,

    Alex Hare Alex Hare Jan 26, 2014 7:27 PM in response to Alex Hare
    Level 1 (12 points)
    Jan 26, 2014 7:27 PM in response to Alex Hare

    In continuing my research on this topic, I found this article:

     

    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS5198

     

    Short version, the 23" Cinema HD is among one of several older "vintage" Apple displays that are no longer supported under Mavericks. No brightness control, and it's likely to not work reliably at all. I can't say why I was able to use it for as long as I did with no problems. I take all this to mean that the display itself works fine, but not with my new MBP Retina.

     

    Though a tempting excuse to spend another grand on a 27" Apple Thunderbolt display, I opted for a $250 HDMI monitor from Fry's instead.

  • by Jesse Watford1,

    Jesse Watford1 Jesse Watford1 Apr 17, 2014 5:26 PM in response to Alex Hare
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 17, 2014 5:26 PM in response to Alex Hare

    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.