MacBook Pro Special Report: 30" Cinema Display distortion

MacFixIt reader Dan Parsons reports issues when his MacBook Pro is connected to an Apple 30" Cinema Display:

"Connecting my Apple 30" Cinema Display to my 2GHz MacBook Pro produces screen artifacts; green speckles, red lines, white dots, all flashing. Sometimes they go away, but most of the time they remain, and are particularly noticeable on a black background. I have the exact same problems on another 1.83GHz MacBook Pro in the office. The problems do not occur on a PowerMac G5 with a GeForce 6800 Ultra DDL or on a Powerbook G4. It seems to only happen when using a MacBook Pro."

Another reader writes:

"I have a stock 2.0GHz MacBook Pro, connected to an Apple Cinema Display 30" (just like Dan Parsons). I also notice screen artifacts (just like Dan Parsons). I was enjoying playing HD QuickTime trailers from Apple's site in full screen in QT Player. Mainly red horizontal speckles, and some white, are noticeable on a black background (just like Dan Parsons). I will be reporting this issue to AppleCare early next week, and would encourage anybody else noticing this issue to do the same."

One reader adds:

"Yes, I'm having exactly this problem. Apple seem to be not aware of it - they are about to send me a third display to see if that resolves it."

Index:

• 30" Cinema Display distortion
• Airline, auto power adapter problems
• Audio distortion/poor sound quality
• Apple addressing issues with new revisions?
• Battery Exchange Program
• Battery problems: Shuts off when not connected to power, more
• Built-in Display distortion
• Clock speed of ATI X1600 card -- some units apparently underclocked
• Cooling solutions
• Dead-on-arrival units
• Display slightly bent, not latching properly -- solutions
• Downgraded SuperDrive relative to PowerBook G4
• ExpressCard issues
• FireWire 800 cards for ExpressCard/34 slot on the way
• High-pitched whining noises: Eliminating; Apple acknowledges
• iSight not functioning properly -- fix
• Kernel panics caused by AirPort drivers; Not sleeping properly, still "on" with lid closed
• Kernel panics upon waking up (Inability to wake from sleep)
• Lack of alternative power adapters
• LEAP Networks; cannot connect to
• Loss of speaker capabilities
• Missing components
• Not sleeping properly, still "on" with lid closed
• Notes from service manual
• Poor general network performance
• Printer issues: Not recognized, more
• Problems sharing the Internet connection
• Release notes
• Repeated system freezes or sudden restarts -- checking for bad RAM
• Replaced logic boards have no software serial numbers
• Slow networking performance with VLANs; VOIP phones
• Wireless connectivity issues

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