Apple's soon-to-arrive 27-in Cinema Display gets software updates

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Apple on Wednesday released a handful of software updates to ensure system compatibility with the new 27-inch LED Cinema Display, set for an imminent release to those who first ordered last week.



LED Cinema Display Software Update 1.0 requires Mac OS X 10.6.4 and the 75.79MB download is available direct from Apple. It adds an option to the System Preferences pane that allows users to adjust ambient light sensor settings with the new display.



The new ambient light sensor included with the LED Cinema Display automatically adjusts the screen's brightness based on external lighting conditions. Using this, the display only uses as much energy as necessary to provide an optimum viewing experience.



The software update also includes a modification to the Sound preferences pane which will allow users to select the new 27-inch display as the audio output. Left and right audio balance is also allowed, giving users a greater level of control over the 49-watt speaker system.



Also released Wednesday was the Apple Magic Trackpad and 27-inch LED Cinema Display Update for Windows. It is available in 32-bit (4.43MB) and 64-bit (7.27MB) varieties.







Customers have been able to purchase the 27-inch LED Cinema Display since last Friday, with an estimated shipping time of one to two weeks. The display packs a 2,560-by-1,440 pixel resolution and 178-degree viewing angle for $999.



The new display, announced in July, has replaced the previous-generation 24-inch and 30-inch models.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 19
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    The new display, announced in July, has replaced the previous-generation 24-inch and 30-inch models.



    I guess 27-inch must have been their sweet spot like the 3.5-inch screen with the iphone.
  • Reply 2 of 19
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    ...the new 27-inch LED Cinema Display, set for an imminent release to those who first ordered last week.



    This seems like it has taken longer to get out the door than expected. Will be great to actually be able to see one live though.
  • Reply 3 of 19
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    ...the Sound preferences pain...



    Is it the sound or the picture that hurts?
  • Reply 4 of 19
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Damn_Its_Hot View Post


    This seems like it has taken longer to get out the door than expected. Will be great to actually be able to see one live though.



    Same panel as the iMac. What is there to see?
  • Reply 5 of 19
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post


    Same panel as the iMac. What is there to see?





    It's plain to see...the LED. Hey i made a rime.
  • Reply 6 of 19
    rainrain Posts: 538member
    If it comes in matte, it might sell.

    Professionals want matte.

    Non-professionals might not jump at a what? $1500 display?
  • Reply 7 of 19
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by rain View Post


    If it comes in matte, it might sell.

    Professionals want matte.

    Non-professionals might not jump at a what? $1500 display?



    It's US$999, and you matte fans make me wonder if you've ever bothered to look at a glossy display. I've been working as graphics professional for the last 28 years, and I much prefer glossy displays because of their rich contrast and more accurate colors. Maybe it's time you dug your way out of the 1980s?
  • Reply 8 of 19
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by WoodWorks View Post


    It's US$999, and you matte fans make me wonder if you've ever bothered to look at a glossy display. I've been working as graphics professional for the last 28 years, and I much prefer glossy displays because of their rich contrast and more accurate colors. Maybe it's time you dug your way out of the 1980s?



    Yeah, but words like "rich contrast" are meaningless to a true graphics professional.



    I prefer pure glass displays because there is less stuff between me and the panel vs. a grainy matte coating. Given the right room conditions this display will be more accurate and easier on the eyes. If you don't have the right room, then don't buy it. Just like with speakers.



    Also, AI, can you let us know when this is actually in stores? Everyone assumes that it is the same panel as in the iMac 27", but we won't really know until we get our hands on them.
  • Reply 9 of 19
    Yes I've used glossy-screened iMacs, and I've seen them in the Apple stores. To me glossy = glare.
  • Reply 10 of 19
    To me matte = grain, sparkle and hard-to-read text. With glare, still.
  • Reply 11 of 19
    rainrain Posts: 538member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by WoodWorks View Post


    It's US$999, and you matte fans make me wonder if you've ever bothered to look at a glossy display. I've been working as graphics professional for the last 28 years, and I much prefer glossy displays because of their rich contrast and more accurate colors. Maybe it's time you dug your way out of the 1980s?



    I don't know what kind of graphics professional you are, but zero to do with color accuracy. You are probably unaware that there is a pre-press person color correcting your files because of your high gloss mirror display with insane contrast and white and black points.



    There is a reason why they sell display hoods, spiders, calibrators, charts... not to mention the billions spent on color systems like Pantone and software color profiling, light meters, exposure metering and a billion other metrics... ALL WASTED if you have a glossy display with reflections.



    Unless your a graphics vampire who works in a cave with zero light sources... glossy displays are a tragedy to the profession.



    Enjoy your dungeon Woodworks... some of us prefer to work above ground.





    gloss displays are for narcissists - not professionals who work with color.
  • Reply 12 of 19
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by rain View Post


    You are probably unaware that there is a pre-press person color correcting your files because of your high gloss mirror display with insane contrast and white and black points.



    Bollocks.



    Putting glass in front of an LCD panel instead of a matte coating does not create "insane contrast and white and black points". And glass displays profile quite well, thank you.



    The reason they sell display hoods is... *gasp!* most professional displays aren't very matte!



    Complete and utter bollocks spouted by someone who's never used one of these displays for any length of time.
  • Reply 13 of 19
    newbeenewbee Posts: 2,055member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Fast Fred 1 View Post


    It's plain to see...the LED. Hey i made a rime.



    You made a rime, at least this time .... now go for a rhyme.
  • Reply 14 of 19
    newbeenewbee Posts: 2,055member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by rain View Post


    If it comes in matte, it might sell.

    Professionals want matte.

    Non-professionals might not jump at a what? $1500 display?



    If I told you once, I told you a million times .... don't exaggerate ! .... only 999.00
  • Reply 15 of 19
    gxcadgxcad Posts: 120member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by newbee View Post


    If I told you once, I told you a million times .... don't exaggerate ! .... only 999.00



    Can I say its $1000 without being scolded?
  • Reply 16 of 19
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Fast Fred 1 View Post


    It's plain to see...the LED. Hey i made a rime.



    The iMac is also LED backlit. I fail to see how this new display is in any way different than something you can see right now.
  • Reply 17 of 19
    rainrain Posts: 538member
    I bought my wife a. 27" iMac. Impressive it is, but glare from reflections is brutal. We had to change her office to suit the computer so it was actually useable. How is that even close to working 'out of the box'. It's not.



    Even with the new office layout to accommodate for glare, there is still some. I found that after having worked on the iMac for just a few hours, I had more eye strain then I get from 12 hours on my old cinema display.



    Super reflective high gloss displays are bad for professionals, bad for your health.

    There is zero way I could use one in my studio which is mostly windows.



    I'm not going to move my home and studio because Apple won't offer a professional display. So Apple loses a sale. You might think whatever, Apple doesn't need my money... Well, it's called losing a long time loyal customer. Right now they are fine... But guess what, things change fast in the tech world.



    How hard would it be to change out the glass for something non reflective? Or coat it with something? They Eventually did with the MacBook pro's, and they sold really well.



    Other then unusable glare, the displays are impressive.
  • Reply 18 of 19
    As someone who has only recently dabbled in post-processing digital photos with high quality filters (the Nik Software plug-ins), my experience has been that adding or removing graininess in photos is an extremely subtle art and requires a careful, minimalist approach using the most accurate digital representation possible.



    I noticed a significant improvement in my ability to resolve subtle graininess and preserve detail while targeting unwanted colour or contrast noise when using the glossy display in a soft back-light situation. The inherent grain in matte displays makes this sort of work much more difficult because it's already imposing a soft graininess on the photo that isn't actually there and can hide colour noise that is. This makes the image look a little more pleasing but it can encourage you to try and smooth out graininess, thereby removing detail and quality.



    The logic is similar to that used by sound engineers who want the most accurate audio representation possible when mixing or processing audio. They want any colouration or bias in the sound reproduction to be as minimal as possible when doing their work, which are what monitor speakers and headphones try to do.



    The downside to glossy is probably watching movies with lots of black as reflections can be distracting. Basically there is no ideal solution yet though I hope Apple are working on it!
  • Reply 19 of 19
    Cinema Displays are among my favourite panels on the market. too bad i cannot justify having one at home
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