• Updated 2023-07-12: Hello, Guest! Welcome back, and be sure to check out this follow-up post about our outage a week or so ago.

VGA Studio Display 15" – White Screen

robin-fo

Well-known member
Hi everybody,

I have a beautiful blue and white Apple Studio Display with VGA connector. After not using it for about one or two years and storing it in a slightly damp (not wet) room for some of that time, it refuses to work. When I power it up, it only shows a white (or bright gray) screen ( -> backlight works); there is no reaction when I press the buttons, there is also no OSD visible and there is also no reaction when I switch it to AV mode. I already tested it with a known-good power supply (from a fully functional Rev A model). Inside, I couldn't see any obvious cap leakage, loose connecters or other visible causes for the problem. My guess is that either some part of the video circuitry or the TFT itself is defective, while the rest is fully functional. In other words, I think that the problem is not related to the analog/video input part. I'm unsure if I experienced some intermittent behavior when I last used it in 2018/19.

Does anybody have an idea where the problem could be?

Many thanks!
Robin



Btw are they really that rare? The only rev b model currently on eBay is listed for $500.. But then we know eBay prices, don't we?
 

Attachments

  • IMG_3114.JPG
    IMG_3114.JPG
    946.1 KB · Views: 29
Last edited:

Johnnya101

Well-known member
I can kind of answer the rarity part. I think I sold a boxed, NOS G4 style display for a couple hundred a few years ago. Would think the G3 one is around the same, and that was NOS.
 

mectojic

New member
They are rare. I have one too. Keep in touch, I want to see how you go. I have a problem with mine (black horizontal lines), but can’t work out how to disassemble it- can’t work out the bottom latch for the front plastic bezel.

If you do work it out, let me know. If you don’t want to replace the whole unit, but just the display, the exact LG display panel can be bought, just lookup the model number.
 

Byrd

Well-known member
I'd replace the LCD panel and hope for the best, that it's not the OSD/controller board that's gone. In the worst situation you could probably put any generic 15" VGA LCD in there, inverter board, and run it like a normal display
 

robin-fo

Well-known member
They are rare. I have one too. Keep in touch, I want to see how you go. I have a problem with mine (black horizontal lines), but can’t work out how to disassemble it- can’t work out the bottom latch for the front plastic bezel.

If you do work it out, let me know. If you don’t want to replace the whole unit, but just the display, the exact LG display panel can be bought, just lookup the model number.

I managed to open it in last August, but I remember that it was rather tricky. Do you know where I can find the model number, except on the inside?
 

GerhardNL

Member
As in my experience, especially the graphite version is really rare and expensive. I bought this one on the local marketplace for Eur 40 and seen some others popping up for below 100 after that.
 

mectojic

New member
I managed to open it in last August, but I remember that it was rather tricky. Do you know where I can find the model number, except on the inside?
I managed to read the model number through the gaps in the outer plastic: my blue one reads as LM151X1 – LG LCD.
 

robin-fo

Well-known member
They are rare. I have one too. Keep in touch, I want to see how you go. I have a problem with mine (black horizontal lines), but can’t work out how to disassemble it- can’t work out the bottom latch for the front plastic bezel.

If you do work it out, let me know. If you don’t want to replace the whole unit, but just the display, the exact LG display panel can be bought, just lookup the model number.


There are two plastic latches next to the apple logo. Release the bezel as much as possible and pry from above with a flathead screwdriver. It is tricky, though…
 

Attachments

  • E9DFE4B2-5426-4A40-8741-0F0D0230A026.jpeg
    E9DFE4B2-5426-4A40-8741-0F0D0230A026.jpeg
    1.8 MB · Views: 16
  • AEFA906C-D6CB-459D-8DD4-987D9CE462C5.jpeg
    AEFA906C-D6CB-459D-8DD4-987D9CE462C5.jpeg
    1.3 MB · Views: 11

robin-fo

Well-known member
This is how it looks inside
 

Attachments

  • D0C7DFE0-71BE-4F4E-A91C-2546B0201F73.jpeg
    D0C7DFE0-71BE-4F4E-A91C-2546B0201F73.jpeg
    1.3 MB · Views: 14
  • 9F426E49-394A-4651-AF62-A56F6553CA08.jpeg
    9F426E49-394A-4651-AF62-A56F6553CA08.jpeg
    2.2 MB · Views: 12
  • 5FD8FB06-2757-4F47-B0E2-B38FC8597EB5.jpeg
    5FD8FB06-2757-4F47-B0E2-B38FC8597EB5.jpeg
    1.5 MB · Views: 13
  • CD2B12F5-66D0-4380-937A-3E4FE814CCBF.jpeg
    CD2B12F5-66D0-4380-937A-3E4FE814CCBF.jpeg
    2.6 MB · Views: 17

robin-fo

Well-known member
In a moment of despair, I ordered a replacement display module despite my assumption that the controller board was the issue. The replacement panel I now got from eBay is in pretty rough shape and has a few scratches (the original is almost pristine).

Well, I gave it a try and it works! 😃
 
Top