Cinema Display -> PC


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I know that you can connect a Cinema Display to a PC with an adaptor. However you can't change the settings of the Cinema Display on a PC (without having to connect it to a Mac). To my knowledge it's because the display controls are built into OS X. Because of this their is no reason to build it into the Cinema Display. I was wondering if Apple would ever give PC Cinema Display users control over the display? I'm sure you can go about it different ways. The best move in my mind would to release some type of software for the Windows platform. Because I really doubt that Apple will put those controls on their next generation Cinema Display. What do you guys think?

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I had no idea about that, I always thought that the monitors settings could be changed via the graphics card in the PC via Windows (as long as the display could handle it).

That's really strange..!

So, if you connect it to a PC what's the default settings (resolution, color depth)..?

Also, if you connected it to a Mac and changed the settings - are those settings stored in the Display, so that when you plug it into your PC it will use the new settings..?

Anyways, the new revised displays are rumoured to have a G5 style, and also...the introduction of a 30" HD Cinema Display. If & when it comes out the 17" will go out the window or be converted into widescreen and the remaining 20" & 23" displays will most likely (fingers crossed) receive a price cut.

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The settings you get for a PC are the default ones from Apple (to the best of my knowledge). They say that if you connect it to a Mac and change the settings it wil be saved when you move it back to a PC, but I cannot confirm this. If they do fix this annoyance by time the next generation displays comes out I'll buy one.

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From what my Mac friend was telling me you can adjust the brightness and contrast on the highest model Cinema Display, but that's all you can adjust. I'm not so sure you can adjust everything through a video card like DjmUK suggested you would have to have a video card that supported ADC, and to my knowledge there isn?t one yet. You would almost think that there is a program out on the web somewhere that would do this.

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no PCs have ADC, there for you would need an ADC to DVI adapter. which apple sells.

You will then be able to, asuming you have a nice ATi or nVidia DVI card, change the color/brigtness with the video card drives - independant of the monitor...

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Just a little curiosity, what exactly is it you want to change?

It really bugs me that you spend near $2,000 dollars on a display you don't get all the options (granted it?s not a PC product). Plus right now I'm hearing stories that XP looks terrible (all stretched out), and the fonts are just as bad. I'm hoping Apple will give PC users more options on their next generation displays.

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It really bugs me that you spend near $2,000 dollars on a display you don't get all the options (granted it?s not a PC product). Plus right now I'm hearing stories that XP looks terrible (all stretched out), and the fonts are just as bad. I'm hoping Apple will give PC users more options on their next generation displays.

The reason I ask is because I can't figure out what controls you want on the monitor? If apple did decide to put controls on them, what would want to be able to do that you already can't?

The software that is on the Mac itself is just calibrating stuff and brightness. But since it's not a laptop monitor, I don't know why you would want to turn the brightness down.

Whether it looks horrible on a PC is probably irrelevant to apple. They make hardware to go with their hardware. That is why everything is so tightly supported within itself and acts as one unit ie.. not having brightness controls on both the monitor and the computer. But when you take one of those components to a PC system, you are taking it away from it's original intent and therefore probably will not work like you want it to.

I highly doubt that Apple will be trying to implement more support for PC's with their hardware anytime soon.

I am guessing someone has written some drivers by now for it though that allow you to get the proper wide-screen resolution out of it. There should be no reason it looks any different considering it is using the same manufacturer's video cards.

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The reason I ask is because I can't figure out what controls you want on the monitor? If apple did decide to put controls on them, what would want to be able to do that you already can't?

The software that is on the Mac itself is just calibrating stuff and brightness. But since it's not a laptop monitor, I don't know why you would want to turn the brightness down.

Whether it looks horrible on a PC is probably irrelevant to apple. They make hardware to go with their hardware. That is why everything is so tightly supported within itself and acts as one unit ie.. not having brightness controls on both the monitor and the computer. But when you take one of those components to a PC system, you are taking it away from it's original intent and therefore probably will not work like you want it to.

I highly doubt that Apple will be trying to implement more support for PC's with their hardware anytime soon.

I am guessing someone has written some drivers by now for it though that allow you to get the proper wide-screen resolution out of it. There should be no reason it looks any different considering it is using the same manufacturer's video cards.

It's mainly the fear for me that their will be something I need to change and I won't have access to it. I understand that the Cinema Display isn't meant for a PC, but still I would like to see better support. Even though I'm sure Apple really doesn't care who buys their Cinema Displays since it's not there real cash cow when compared to the iPod. I already have a sweet 21 Inch Sony monitor and I need a second one for video editing, but my desk won't hold another Sony monitor (to much junk on it) so an LCD would be great for me.

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I have a Cinema Display which I used with an ADC --> DVI adapter on my PC, and I can change resolution etc. from windows. All I can't get working is the USB ports on the monitor.... hope that helps.

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THERE ARE NO CONTROLS ON APPLES DISPLAYS EXCEPT THE BRIGHTNESS

What else do you want to change?

Wrong. You can change color depth and resolution. ;)

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That is a video card setting, it doesn't have anything to do with the monitor.

The point that the monitor supports the changes is what I was getting at.

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It's mainly the fear for me that their will be something I need to change and I won't have access to it. I understand that the Cinema Display isn't meant for a PC, but still I would like to see better support. Even though I'm sure Apple really doesn't care who buys their Cinema Displays since it's not there real cash cow when compared to the iPod. I already have a sweet 21 Inch Sony monitor and I need a second one for video editing, but my desk won't hold another Sony monitor (to much junk on it) so an LCD would be great for me.

I probably have the same monitor as you, a Sony p1110 flat screen. I too actually just put it away in storage because it takes up just too much space.

I really would not be worried about it if I were you. Brightness is about the only thing you need to change, and other than that you can do everything else through your video card.

What size are you considering?

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THERE ARE NO CONTROLS ON APPLES DISPLAYS EXCEPT THE BRIGHTNESS

What else do you want to change?

That big print helped (didn't have my glasses on) :laugh:

Now to address the other problem I've been hearing about maybe Arnaudt can vouch for how bad it is. I've been hearing that Windows XP gets stretched out pretty bad and that the font isn't too good, any news on this?

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if this is true, then i dont see why anyone would even spend the 2000 bucks on it if the peice of **** cant auto syncronize to the videocard output because that's what it sounds like you're talking about. a video card sends the signal and the monitor should interpret that signal.

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That big print helped (didn't have my glasses on) :laugh:

Now to address the other problem I've been hearing about maybe Arnaudt can vouch for how bad it is. I've been hearing that Windows XP gets stretched out pretty bad and that the font isn't too good, any news on this?

If windows supports resolutions that the display uses it will be fine, but most video cards/windows probably dont support it.

Why not just get a mac?

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That big print helped (didn't have my glasses on) :laugh:

Now to address the other problem I've been hearing about maybe Arnaudt can vouch for how bad it is.  I've been hearing that Windows XP gets stretched out pretty bad and that the font isn't too good, any news on this?

There are a couple reasons you might experience stretched display and blurriness.

#1 - You are not running the monitor at the native resolution. Cinema Displays are just like every other LCD display and are meant to run at only one resolution. If you try to run it any lower, to compensate the monitor will blur the pixels together respectively. This will lead to a very blury look, especially with fonts. You will need to make sure that either windows recognizes it or there is software available to output the proper resolution to the screen.

#2 - The drivers are bad. I can imagine that if someone has written some third party drivers, they might not be up to par. This could be possible, but not very likely.

#3 - This one I am not to sure about, but I do know that the Cinema Display's are digital monitors, so if you are hooking them up with VGA out to ADC instead of DVI out, there might be some loss in quality there. Again, I could be way off base on this one.

I saw a 23" Cinema Display hooked up to a PC at Fry's electronics once. While I can say it was weird to see Bliss on an apple display, it looked very crisp and bright, just like it should. There is no reason to worry. If you want one, buy it and if it does not work out for you, just return it. It should work just fine like any other LCD.

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Why not just get a mac?

I'll get a Mac one day, but it will be at the very end of my wish list. I don't expect I'll ever get desktop Mac, but I can see myself with a G5 Powerbook whenever that comes out (if it's mobile I'll use it) assuming it has a good video card. Because by that time I'm expecting to get all my new gizmos HDTV, AMD 64 for work, 3.2 GHz Intel for home, and so on. I guess now that I think about it I might be able to swipe my Mac friends 15 inch Display and hook it up to my current machine now and see what happens. Though I don't think she has that converter I need. What is the return policy that Apple offers on their products?

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Look Here

Edit: As far as I know, Windows vid cards don't offer 1680 X 1050, which is the 20" Cinema Display's native resolution.

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Look Here

Edit: As far as I know, Windows vid cards don't offer 1680 X 1050, which is the 20" Cinema Display's native resolution.

The video cards are the same manufacturers and models, just difference Bios, so in theory they should both be able to output the same resolutions. It might be locked or hidden on a windows card, so I imagine if this is the case then someone must have written some sort of drivers to get the resolution.

If it is impossible to get the correct resolution onto the monitor, than forget it. You are either going to have to set it higher and scroll your screen or deal with a small or poor quality picture. :(

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