Apple Hater - Apple Cinema Display 23" M8536

Back in 2004, I payed $2999, for an original Apple Cinema Display, the Apple Cinema Display 23" M8536.

It's a great monitor, it still works, but my #1 beef with Apple is that they've completely screwed me on the ADC (Apple Display Connector) connection.  The Apple Cinema Display was one of the first high resolution LCD monitors offered at the time and was visually appealing as all Apple products are and was only challenged by the venerable SGI 1600SW (view at SGI) which used the OpenLDI connection.  I'm a PC user so naturally, I needed an ADC to DVI converter, so I purchased the Dr. Bott DVIator for $150 along side the Apple Cinema Display.  For a long time, I used the monitor with a desktop computer, but my lifestyle changed and I moved over to laptops.  Now this is where my tragic story of the Apple Cinema Display begins.

In the early days of the widescreen notebook computer, these computers didn't come with DVI out ports, because, why would you want an external display if the computer you're using has an awesome huge, 17" display?  Well, I do.  I have a awesome super huge 23" Apple Cinema Display.  Well, what do I do now, how do I use an Apple Cinema Display with an ADC connection?  For a few years, I shelved the Apple Cinema Display until I purchased the Sony Vaio TXN series notebook computer.  Now this subnotebook could benefit from an external monitor.  The Sony Vaio being the ultra portable computer that it is didn't come with a DVI port, only a VGA port.  Enter the Dr. Bott VGAtor.  I purchased the VGAtor at $99 to convert the Apple Cinema Display's ADC connection to VGA.  The annoying part of the Sony Vaio TXN series is that it didn't support 1920x1200 on VGA.  I guess they figured not a lot of people had monitors with that kind of resolution at the time.  The highest I could get is 1600x1200 off the VGA port on the Sony Vaio TXN.

So now in this new generation of notebook computers, they generally only support a VGA port or an HDMI port.  Not very useful when you've got a monitor that uses ADC, a converter that does DVI that doesn't translate well to HDMI, and the last resort, VGA.

Would you believe that I actually got the Apple Cinema Display to work for a brief period when I had a Dell Latitude D620.  The docking station for the D620 worked!  But alas, the victory was short lived because my new Dell Latitude E6410 has a DisplayPort port and the DisplayPort to DVI adapter to the DVIator to the ADC connection on the Apple Cinema Display produces no image.  Even using the DVI port on the docking station for the Dell Latitude E6410 produces no image.

So at the moment, I'm back to the VGAtor and analog display on an expensive digital display.

I've been reading that perhaps the Apple ADC to DVI adapter may do the trick, but it runs at a premium for the used product since Apple doesn't sell those anymore nor does it support the ADC connection.

2012-01-05 Update

The Dr Bott VGAtor has died on me.  Instead of purchasing another Dr Bott VGAtor, I've decided to give the Apple DVI to ADC Display Adapter M8661LL/A (A1006) a try.  Purchased a used unit on eBay for a premium of $150.

Apple DVI to ADC Display Adapter M8661LL/A (A1006)

Since getting the Apple DVI to ADC Display Adapter, I've run into a few glitches that I determined would be good to share.  The same day that I started using the adapter, my monitor went black with all the lights (the power button and the brightness button) blinking.  I couldn't get it to come back on without removing the ADC connector from the adapter and plugging it back in.  I had positioned the adapter flat on the table and it was HOT, very hot.  I had read on other websites it's normal for it to get hot, so people have been placing it vertically.  So I did just that.  I flipped it on it's side and it was generally fine.  However, ocassionally, the LCD would then blink on and off and all my USB devices would disconnect and connect.  I got so frustrated with it that I removed the USB devices and unplugged the USB cable from the adapter from the computer.  No problems since I've removed the USB cable from the adapter from the computer.  Not sure what's going on, but it's either that the ADC USB connector is glitchy or my Dell E6410 docking station USB port is glitchy.

That said, the good news is that I have the Apple Cinema Display 23" M8536 working with a Windows PC, a Dell Latitude E6410 with an nVidia NVS 3100M.  This is the first time it's been working on a digital connection in about 4 years, so I'm very happy.

It is important to note.  For all you out there still have this monitor or an older monitor, the Apple Cinema Display 23" M8536 has a resale value of approximately $150 - $200.  The Apple DVI to ADC Adapter USED is $150.  Something to think about, maybe it's time to retire an obnoxious old monitor and go for something brand new.  You can get a pretty good monitor for $300, but if you're like me you're going to go for (as of 2012-01-07):

• Apple LED Cinema Display (27" flat panel) - I know, seriously?  Well you have to understand that it's one of the better monitors out there and I have to list it in all fairness.  They do have a Thunderbolt version, now that one, I'm very suspicious about.  I don't know if any other manufacturer is actually building a Thunderbolt display.
• 27"
• 2560 x 1440
• $999
• Dell Ultra Sharp U2711 69cm 27 - inch Widescreen Flat Panel Monitor with PremierColor
• 27"
• 2560 x 1440
• $999
• Dell UltraSharp U3011 30-inch Widescreen Flat Panel Monitor
• 30"
• 2560 x 1600
• $1399
• HP ZR2740w 27-inch LED Backlit IPS Monitor
• 27"
• 2560 x 1440
• $729
• HP ZR30w 30-inch S-IPS LCD Monitor
• 30"
• 2560 x 1600
• $1229

Update 2012-03-07

At some point the Dr Bott VGAtor started to crash on me and I isolated it to the USB connection.  I removed the USB connection from the Dr Bott VGAtor and the Dell e6410 docking station.  Once I got the Apple DVI to ADC Display Adapter M86611L/B I had the same issue where the Apple DVI to ADC Display Adapter M86611L/B crashed.  Once I removed the USB connection the problem has gone away.

Update 2012-05-21

Another thing I hate about the Apple Cinema Display 23" M8536 is the more-or-less fixed angle of the display.  I personally found that the display leans back too much.  I prefer my monitor almost vertical.  Since the monitor is a tripod, using a standard monitor riser is out of the question.  So what now?  Well, I went over to the Home Depot and grabbed some scrap wood to build a riser.  For the back leg that modifies the angel of display, I added a block of wood and made an anchor so it wouldn't slip off.

Parts:

• 4x 1x3.5x5.5 inches wood
• 2x screw eyes #208 (about 1/4 inch diameter)
• 1x 1/4 inch diameter 5.5 inches long bolt (threaded all the way)
• 2x 1/4 inch diameter nut

For the front 2 legs, the block of wood is 1 inch high x 3.5 inches wide by 5.5 inches long.  For the front 2 legs you can actually probably make the block a little shorter 1 x 3.5 x 4 inches.  I tried to make all the wood pieces the same length, but as you can tell, one of the back pieces ended up being a little short.

For the rear leg, I raised the leg an extra 1 inch by stacking an extra block.  This part needs to be at least 1 x 3.5 x 5.5 inches.  I measured the center of the block and screwed in the 2 screw eyes about 1/2 cm away from the edge of the rear leg on either side.  The 1/4 diameter 5.5 inch bolt was the right length for the wood block.  However, notice that the bolt is hanging out on the other end.  I'm going to buy another bolt nut to place on the front end so that it even with the length of th block and doesn't shift around.

 The viewing angle is much better now in my opinion.

Summary

Apple Cinema Display 23" M8536 - $2999
Dr Bott DVIator - $150 (MSRP as of 2011-03-28, $94.95 on vgator.com)
Dr Bott VGAtor - $99 (MSRP as of 2011-03-28, $299.95 on dviator.com)
EnTech Taiwan PowerStrip software - $29.95
WinACD, Apple Cinema Display HID driver and control panel for Windows XP
Dell Latitude D620 docking station - different docking stations for DVI support for various computers over the years
Dell DisplayPort-to-DVI adapter - $22.99
Dell Latitude E6410 docking station - different docking stations for DVI support for various computers over the years
SEE2 Xtreme UV200 TRIUV200 - $99.99
Thinking about buying the Apple DVI to ADC Display Adapter M86611L/B - $150.00 on eBay.  Purchased as of 2012-01-05.

So, lots of money and a couple of software packages and a pile of hardware later, I have a really expensive analog LCD display.

Why am I an Apple Hater?  I supported Apple by buying a product from them only to have them drop support for it and leave me no way to continue to use a large investment.  At least with the SGI 1600SW, you buy 1 converter original or aftermarket (PIXsolution (don't exist anymore from what I can tell) or Sharper Technology) and you're set.  It's not like a bought a $500 monitor.  Instead I'm left on my own to fend for myself and put together a ragtag solution to make it work.