Apple Cinema Display

[AndreRio]

What is the difference between the LED ACD vs the Thunderbolt ACD? Does the Thunderbolt ACD work on a pc? and Is Apple planning on making a new updated ACD?

 

[Zinn]

What is the difference between the LED ACD vs the Thunderbolt ACD? Does the Thunderbolt ACD work on a pc? and Is Apple planning on making a new updated ACD?

The only difference is the interface. The regular ACD works with Displayport. The Thunderbolt display only works with Thunderbolt ports, and the ports themselves have to be hooked up to the graphics interface on the motherboard. There are a few PC motherboards that have Thunderbolt and might support this with the on-board graphics, but it would certainly not work if you were to use a discrete graphics card (because the Thunderbolt port on the motherboard would have no way of "talking to" the graphics card). So basically, it really only works properly on Macs right now.

Additionally, Apple Cinema Displays are shitty as PC monitors because there is no way of controlling the brightness without some really hacked up drivers and the default brightness is enough to burn your eyeballs out of their sockets.

Apple is always planning on making an updated anything. The Thunderbolt display has been out for a long time now so I'd be surprised if there were not something new coming down the pipe soon.

 

[orangeblue]

The only difference is the interface. The regular ACD works with Displayport. The Thunderbolt display only works with Thunderbolt ports, and the ports themselves have to be hooked up to the graphics interface on the motherboard. There are a few PC motherboards that have Thunderbolt and might support this with the on-board graphics, but it would certainly not work if you were to use a discrete graphics card (because the Thunderbolt port on the motherboard would have no way of "talking to" the graphics card). So basically, it really only works properly on Macs right now.

Additionally, Apple Cinema Displays are shitty as PC monitors because there is no way of controlling the brightness without some really hacked up drivers and the default brightness is enough to burn your eyeballs out of their sockets.

Apple is always planning on making an updated anything. The Thunderbolt display has been out for a long time now so I'd be surprised if there were not something new coming down the pipe soon.

http://www.holstschumacher.dk/p/brightness-controller.html

I've been running an ACD (non-Thunderbolt) on a PC for a while and it has been great. This program allows for brightness adjustment, and auto-dimming. In addition, though there's no power button, the display does turn itself off when the computer is not in use.

I would not recommend this display (with a PC) if you:
1) Do color-critical work. Since there's no OSD, you get zero color adjustments (outside of software solutions). Subjectively, I've found the display's colors to be accurate and decently vibrant.
2) Are a gamer and have been using a 120hz display. I've never noticed ghosting or blurring on the ACD, but I've also never used a 120hz monitor (ignorance is bliss).

 

[collegeboy69us]

Interesting -- I've only played with a cinema display in the store - but it's the ONE piece of apple tech I actually lusted after.

That is unit I read the above posts how you can't control critical things about the display such as brightness or color.

I suppose I shouldn't be shocked though, Apple locking down a monitor and telling me what colors work well in my environment. Their "single solution" crap just doesn't fly if I'm spending 1000 dollars on a monitor. I understand the panels/glass/and such are of great quality but what's the point of having all that great hardware if you are stuck forever using what apple thinks is the best setup for you?

 

[ryken]

Interesting -- I've only played with a cinema display in the store - but it's the ONE piece of apple tech I actually lusted after.

That is unit I read the above posts how you can't control critical things about the display such as brightness or color.

I suppose I shouldn't be shocked though, Apple locking down a monitor and telling me what colors work well in my environment. Their "single solution" crap just doesn't fly if I'm spending 1000 dollars on a monitor. I understand the panels/glass/and such are of great quality but what's the point of having all that great hardware if you are stuck forever using what apple thinks is the best setup for you?

It's not locked down, it's just controlled via OSX. Therefore, you need a workaround for windows. It has nothing to do with Apple telling you shit; they just don't like a lot of buttons on the monitor.

 

[UnknownSouljer]

It's not locked down, it's just controlled via OSX. Therefore, you need a workaround for windows. It has nothing to do with Apple telling you shit; they just don't like a lot of buttons on the monitor.

Precisely. ryken hit it right on the head.

To reiterate, all of those functions are controlled via software in OSX. It's just not mirrored in Windows... with the exception of a Bootcamped Mac machine running OSX with bootcamp drivers, or the previously listed workaround.