Apple Cinema HD Display, 23"

[kvanderlaag]

On a local car forum, of all places, there is a phenomenal marketplace. Car enthusiasts of all kinds gather there to discuss...well, cars, obviously, but also a variety of other topics that don't pertain to automobiles at all, including electronics, video games, computers, and society and politics. The marketplace, though, because of the wide-reaching demographic and the local nature, is usually a REALLY great place to buy and sell stuff. I check it frequently for good deals on stuff that I'm after.

Occasionally (and it's a bloodbath every time) people will post things for free. The poster will ALWAYS be flooded with PMs instantly, and maybe one or two people will ACTUALLY intend to come get it. A user posted for free a generic Socket 939 motherboard/processor/case/PSU with no memory, video card or hard drive and...of all things, a 23" Apple Cinema Display that didn't work. I sent him a PM more out of interest, asking if it was a newer (HD Aluminum) or older (polycarbonate) ACD, and that it didn't really matter because for what he was asking, I'd take both. I told him I'd come get it that night if he didn't live too far away, or the next day if he did. (It's a pretty big city, and I live in the southwest, whereas most of this stuff seems to pop up WAY in the northeast end of town. He replied almost instantly, telling me he couldn't believe how many people wanted to know more about the stuff, specs on the PC, etc, before they were interested. He told me there was another guy who was interested, but he lived in the northwest and probably couldn't make it that night, so if I got there first, it was mine. He didn't live too far away - maybe fifteen minutes.

So, I changed back into clothes out of my jammies (I was already tucked into bed) and hopped in the car. Got there, he handed me the PC and the ACD and basically said "It used to work, then one day it just stopped. It should be an easy fix, but I wrote it off and got another one so I don't care." Fair enough, worked for me. I got it home, and it was actually very well taken care of. It's in almost mint condition save for a crack in the backing on the plastic piece on the left side, and I put that there when I disassembled it looking to see if anything was obviously bad. I shouldn't have done that.

The blinking light error code indicates that the wrong power supply brick is attached to the monitor. Apple apparently told him that there was some board that was bad and that he would have to replace it for some exorbitant fee.

If you look this up, this is a common problem with the AC adapter, and there's a stupid-easy fix that will at least bypass the issue. You basically cut a thin strip of paper that covers just the one center pin (both sides) on the wacky-ass connector on the power brick, and the monitor no longer decides that it's the wrong adapter.

My shiny, beautiful, 1920x1200 23" Apple Cinema HD Display, which I paid absolutely nothing for.

 

[Paralel]

Sweet deal!

 

[Hrududu]

Wow, not bad at all! All people try and sell around here are old 450MHz G4's for $300....

 

[Byrd]

Superb score! Well done on the repair.

Out of interest, can you post the link that details the "covering adapter pin" repair what you carried out? Sounds interesting to me.

 

[4seasonphoto]

What's the trick to disassembling those displays?

 

[kvanderlaag]

http://www.fixya.com/support/t2630438-apple_cinema_display_23_led_short_long

Solution #3 details the trick - it's really quite simple. I'll post photos later.

The trick to disassembling the Cinema HD is the following:

1) Using a spudger (or a small flathead screwdriver, very carefully) pry the plastic side coverings out from the aluminum housing. When you get a hold on them, gently peel them off of the plates behind them. Be very careful, and don't pull too far perpendicular to the side of the display or you'll break the backing and you'll end up with an ugly line in the side panel. Ask me how I know.

2) On the right side, disconnect the cable from the monitor controls. Be sure to hold it right at the connector on the board side or it'll peel up.

3) Undo the four screws down the metal plate on each side of the monitor. Philips #1 should do it. Lift the plate from the back side (relative to the monitor) and rotate it forward and it should come off the hooks.

4) On the left side at the very bottom, you'll find a little latch looking thing. Push it, and it will release the catches on the bottom of the aluminum housing.

5) Now the housing can be split open (it only opens at the bottom) and the panel can be slid out from the bottom, pulling the cable through the hole in the back of the housing as you go. Be sure to disconnect the LED connector on the front at the bottom. It connects under the piece of black tape holding it to the panel.

Enjoy. I haven't taken it apart any further than that, but board removal and things should be easy after that.