Apple 17" ADC Studio Display Teardown

Teardown

Teardown

Teardowns provide a look inside a device and should not be used as disassembly instructions.

User-Contributed Guide

User-Contributed Guide

This guide is not managed by iFixit staff.

  • Add Note x

The Apple 17" ADC Studio Display, one of the best looking displays Apple has ever produced. This Display was designed to match the clear acrylic aesthetic qualities of G4-based Macs, so much that Apple made it so that it would only work on Powermac G4's And Early G5's and to use it on a PC or ibook or powerbook you need a $110 ADC to DVI Adaptor available only from apple. This display does have numerous technical issues though. The backlight inverters tend to fail, and one of the diodes on the LDC panel has been known to fail under certian operating enviroments. Even though, this display looks great, and has crystal clear images and came in 15", 17" and a whooping 23" this display is great because of the ADC connector, it carries power, signal, and USB to the display so there is less cable clutter, this is reminicant of NeXT Workstation MegaPixel Displays. And, for those of you wondering, ADC stands for Apple Display Connector, Apple and their proprietary connectors...

Tools
Tools (continued)
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Add Note Edit Step 1 — Apple 17" ADC Studio Display Teardown  ¶ 

  • The Apple 17" ADC Studio Display

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Add Note Edit Step 2  ¶ 

  • Start by fliping the display so it is face down.

  • Remove these 3 hex screws on the swing arm of the display.

  • Then remove the swing arm, and the piece of plastic underneath it.

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Add Note Edit Step 3  ¶ 

  • The Swing Arm:

  • The Piece of plastic under the swing arm, you need to remove this(2nd Photo).

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Add Note Edit Step 4  ¶ 

  • To remove the back panel, remove these hex screws.

  • Then lift the panel from the top of the display.

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Add Note Edit Step 5  ¶ 

  • Removing the 2nd panel:

  • Grasp the bottom of the 2nd panel and lift it up, route the ADB cable through the hole.

  • This will reveal a shiney metal panel.

  • There may be tape here, remove it.

  • Remove this screw.

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Add Note Edit Step 6  ¶ 

  • Removing the metal shield:

  • After the tape and screw is removed, slide the panel towards you and lift it out.

  • Also, remove the clear USB port cover.

  • We now have full access to the electronics.

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Add Note Edit Step 7  ¶ 

  • To partially free the ADC cable, remove these 6 phillips screws, than remove the metal hinge and the cable elbow.

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Add Note Edit Step 8  ¶ 

  • Removing the USB Port Assembly:

  • Remove these 4 phillips screws, and this connector to free the port assembly.

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Add Note Edit Step 9  ¶ 

  • Removing the ADC Cable:

  • Remove these phillips screws.

  • Remove these 3 connectors CareFully!

  • The ADC cable should now be free from the rest of the monitor.

  • Remove this cable as well.

  • The ADC Cable, similar to DVI, provides power, signal, and USB to the display (2nd Photo).

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Add Note Edit Step 10  ¶ 

  • Removing the backlight inverter:

  • Remove these 4 connectors, it is important to remeber their order!

  • Remove these 3 phillips screws.

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Add Note Edit Step 11  ¶ 

  • Removing the logic board:

  • Remove these two connectors.

  • This one too!

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Add Note Edit Step 12  ¶ 

  • Removing the logic board:

  • Remove these 4 phillips screws.

  • This connector isn't used, it is left disconnected, I am assuming that it is to test the display for Apple.

  • Lift the logic board out if the case and set it aside.

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Add Note Edit Step 13  ¶ 

  • Removing the inner rim and button assembly:

  • Using a flathead screwdriver, or spudger, remove the 4 pieces of plastic around the black frame.

  • This will reveal numerous phillips screws.

  • Remove them all.

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Add Note Edit Step 14  ¶ 

  • Once all of the screws are removed, lift the rim out.

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Add Note Edit Step 15  ¶ 

  • Removing the LCD Panel

  • Remove all of these screws from the metal frame.

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Add Note Edit Step 16  ¶ 

  • And, all of these:

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Add Note Edit Step 17  ¶ 

  • Once you have removed all of the screws, remove the rear metal panel, watching the inverter cables of course!, this will provide acess to the LCD Panel

  • The Panel is manufactured by Samsung, and aparerntly, aren't easy to find, I Googled the model # and found 2 results.

  • Well, that's it for this teardown, good luck!

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Add Note Edit Step 18  ¶ 

  • My Window-Modded Studio Display

  • This is a neat thing to do to your display if you get bored, it doesn't affect function, but looks really cool!

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