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Apple LED Cinema Display Includes iSight, Mic

Apple LED Cinema Display Includes iSight, Mic

by , 1:40 PM EDT, October 14th, 2008

CUPERTINO -- Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced a new 24-inch Cinema display during his "spotlight on notebooks" special media event on Tuesday. The new display is LED backlit, and includes a built-in iSight camera, microphone and stereo speakers, and is designed to work with the new glossy display MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air models.


Apple's new LED backlit Cinema Display

The display sports a 1920 x 1200 resolution, a mini display port, three-port USB 2.0 hub, and a built-in MagSafe charger for the MacBook, MacBook Pro, and MacBook Air.

The new LED backlit 24-inch Cinema display will be priced at US$899, which is exactly what the 23-inch model it replaces cost. The new model will be available in November.

Observer Comments

Show: Subjects Only | Full Comments
Close Name:Guest
Subject: Works with Mac Pro?

Are we seriously suggesting this can't be used with a Mac Pro [with an adaptor]?? Oh FFS!

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Is the new Cinema matte, or glossy?????

Is the new Cinema matte, or glossy?????

MDN: Spotlight, as in "Spotlight on Notebooks."

Close Name:j.martellaro -   TMO Staff Posts: 97 Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Subject: Matte or Glossy?

It is glossy (only).
- J.M.

Close Name:Jeff Gamet -   TMO Staff Posts: 102 Joined: 15 Mar 2006
Subject: Re: Works with Mac Pro?

Quote
Anonymous wrote:
Are we seriously suggesting this can't be used with a Mac Pro [with an adaptor]?? Oh FFS!


Not only suggesting, but pretty much coming right out and saying it. Apple's Web site says the display is for the new MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air -- which tells me that anyone else that wants to use the LED backlit 24-incher is going to have to buy an adapter. I hope we don't have another ADC connector debacle on our hands.

Jeff

Close Name:FlipFriddle Posts: 480 Joined: 18 Dec 2001
Subject: No MacPro connection?

So they finally come out with a monitor that has an iSight and microphone in it and it WON'T connect to a MacPro? WTF? There remains no way (short of buying an iSight on eBay) of using iChatAV on their top-of-the-line machine.

Guess we have to wait until someone makes a Mini-DV to DVI connector dongle.

Not that I can afford a $900 monitor anyway, but still... WTF.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: It wont work...

I just bought a Mac Pro, waited on the display. Heard about the 24" LED display and was excited - only to find out a Display Port Display will not receive a VGA/DVI signal. The new laptops with the Apple Mini Display Port can however adapt to a Display with a VGA/DVI port.

*sigh*

Close Name:Guest
Subject: The future of iMac

So what we have here is a display specifically attuned to work with your notebook. One cable, 3 easy connectors and presto, you have dual monitors and a great desktop system. Unplug and you are ready to get on the road. This is the future iMac. Am I the only one who loves this concept?

Close Name:Guest
Subject:

Quote
FlipFriddle wrote:
So they finally come out with a monitor that has an iSight and microphone in it and it WON'T connect to a MacPro? WTF? There remains no way (short of buying an iSight on eBay) of using iChatAV on their top-of-the-line machine.

Guess we have to wait until someone makes a Mini-DV to DVI connector dongle.

Not that I can afford a $900 monitor anyway, but still... WTF.


You can plug any Firewire equipped video camera in to your Mac and use iChatAV. At least you used to be able to do that.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Simply rediculous!

Quote
Guest wrote:
So what we have here is a display specifically attuned to work with your notebook. One cable, 3 easy connectors and presto, you have dual monitors and a great desktop system. Unplug and you are ready to get on the road. This is the future iMac. Am I the only one who loves this concept?


No, you're not alone. The Marketing Department at Apple apparently loves the idea too!!

It's the most idiotic product Apple has introduced in a long time. Espcially since other manufacturers can sell a brilliant 24" LCD for under $300! This product is almost as brilliant as Apple's iPod HiFi!

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Apple Cinema displays vs. cheap twisted nematic

If you found an LED based 24" display for under $300, it's using TN technology, which means 262,144 colors (dithered either temporally or spatially to 16.7 million) TN LED displays are the "McDonalds" of LED technology, and that's generally good enough for the average consumer. If you are an average consumer, you should get a cheap TN panel and be done with it. These definitely wouldn't be in the category of "brilliant" displays.

The Apple Cinema displays have long used vastly superior S-IPS screens which natively render 16.7 million colors without any form of dithering. S-IPS displays have superior black level, color depth, saturation, and viewing angles. This is a level of accuracy and performance desired by professional photographers and videographers, and I wouldn't expect Apple to produce a low quality TN display in the Cinema line because of that. There are also AS-IPS and A-TW-IPS based displays which are superior to S-IPS, but cost more (For example, the 20" LaCie 320 is $1000)

In any case Apple is often cited as the *cheapest* S-IPS based professional (or at least prosumer) display. Some comparable H/S-IPS displays:

HP LP2475w 24-inch ($650)
NEC Display Solutions LCD2490WUXi ($1080) (H-IPS)
Philips Brilliance 230WP7NS ($1015)
IIyama PLH2130-W (21" $1200)

A true professional display like the LaCie 724 ($2700) or EIZO ColorEdge CG241W ($2240) are considerably more expensive than the Cinemas have ever been, but arguably still share the category. The type of display you get for $300 doesn't qualify for the professional category by any stretch of the imagination, and barely meets prosumer standards.

Dell no longer sells a 24" S-IPS panel, but they do have 30" S-IPS displays, and they are comparable in price to the 30" Apple Cinema:
Dell 3007WFP-HC ($1400)
Dell 3007WFP ($2000)
Apple 30" Cinema ($1800)

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Apple 24" Display

Will this screen resemble the Imac 24", a a Photographer and the Imac screen is glossy, very bright and contrasty. if the 24" is the same I am not sure it will be too popular for our line of work.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: Very impressive

Well I have a MacBook pro and I am loving the fact that the new display won't connect without an adapter. I went to the local apple store to ask about an adapter, but they knew nothing of one. Brilliant. Kudos to Apple's sales prevention department

Close Name:Guest
Subject:

i agree. i'm very ready to purchase this fantastic technology, but i'm not upgrading from my current macbook pro (which is less than 1 yr old) to get it. if anyone has any info on apple or a 3rd party providing an adapter, i'd be very interested to hear about it. i'm not quite ready to take this item off the xmas list yet!

Close Name:Guest
Subject: mictrik

No, but you may be one of a few. You can connect any laptop to a large display, nothing ground breaking here. The fact that this display is so limited with regard to input is a reason that many will seek an alternative and probably not from Apple. I would like a 24" display to replace my old CRT, thats right a CRT! I have a desktop PC and a new Macbook Pro. I simply need more input options. If I buy a new display i expect that it will outlast my computers and thus must posses the flexability to work seemlessly with diferent systems. I will likely look at Eizo Nanao and Samsung.

Close Name:Guest
Subject: mictrik

No, but you may be one of a few. You can connect any laptop to a large display, nothing ground breaking here. The fact that this display is so limited with regard to input is a reason that many will seek an alternative and probably not from Apple. I would like a 24" display to replace my old CRT, thats right a CRT! I have a desktop PC and a new Macbook Pro. I simply need more input options. If I buy a new display i expect that it will outlast my computers and thus must posses the flexability to work seemlessly with diferent systems. I will likely look at Eizo Nanao and Samsung.

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