Apple Macintosh Portrait Display

Introduced in March 1989, the Apple Macintosh Portrait Display was Apple’s first full-page monitor for the Macintosh. It had a vertical screen alignment, and was able to display one page. It used a 15-inch vertical grayscale CRT.

Apple II to Cinema Display – New Tech Old Tech [Video]

Video uploaded by Matthew Pearce on May 21, 2015.

Apple Macintosh Portrait Display

Released in conjunction with the Macintosh IIcx, the Apple Macintosh Portrait Display features a grayscale “portrait orientation” 15.0-inch (14.2-inch viewable area, 640×870 resulution) Shadow Mask CRT.

Release Date

March 7, 1989.

Specifications

  • Tube: 15-inch vertical grayscale CRT. Viewable size 14.2-inches.
  • Resolution: Fixed resolution of 640 x 870 pixels. 80 dpi.
  • Bit depth: Supports up to 8-bit grayscale.
  • Display area: 8.0-inch x 10.85-inch/203 x 276 mm.
  • Refresh: 75 Hz.
  • Input signal: Video: analog; RS-343 standard.
  • Connection: 13w3 connector (instead of Apple’s standard DB-15 video connector).
  • Power supply: Voltage: 90–270 VAC, self-configuring. Frequency: 47–63 Hz. Power: 75 W maximum.
  • Dimensions: 12.1-inch (height) x 11.5-inch (width) x 14.9-inch (depth).
  • Weight: 35 lb.
  • Tilt/swivel base: Optional.
  • User controls:  Rear panel: power switch. Right side: brightness and contrast controls.
  • I/O Ports: Three Apple Desktop Bus (ADB) connectors.
  • Operating environment, temperature: 50°F–95°F (10°C–35°C).
  • Humidity: 90% maximum, noncondensing.
  • Altitude: 10,000 ft. (3,048 m) maximum.

Apple Model, Discontinuation, Price

Apple Numbers:

  • M0404 (Revision A)
  • M1030 (Revision B)

Discontinued: December 1, 1992.
Original price: US$1,049.

Features

Environmental Influences

The following environmental conditions might distort the raster of a Portrait Display:

  • Proximity to metal objects, such as metal desks, file cabinets, and bookshelves. Metal objects affect the earth’s magnetic field. Earth magnetism usually distorts only the edges of the screen.
  • Fluorescent lights, other monitors, or electronic appliances such as coffee makers and copy machines. These objects cause dynamic raster distortion, that is, movement or jitter of the image.

Troubleshooting

Warning: Module swapping cannot fix a monitor with environmental distortion problems, and adjusting a monitor with such problems alters the factory settings. Note: If the monitor has shifted up/down or right/left only, go ahead and adjust it using the centering controls. However, keep in mind that if you then move the monitor you may need to readjust the centering controls.

Before adjusting a monitor with a distorted raster, try the following:

  • Swivel or move the monitor, or
  • Remove the monitor from the building and recheck it in another location. If the display changes (for better or worse) when you move it to another location, the environment is the source of the problem. Relocate the monitor or remove the distortion-causing object. If the display does not change when you move it to another location, continue troubleshooting the problem.

No raster, LED off:

  1. Ensure the monitor’s video cable is connected to the computer or the video card in the computer.
  2. Check power cord connections.
  3. Check internal power connections.
  4. Replace blown fuse.
  5. Replace power/sweep board.
  6. Replace video board.

No raster, LED on:

  1. Ensure the monitor’s video cable is connected to the computer or the video card in the computer.
  2. Adjust brightness and contrast knobs.
  3. Verify that the video card in the computer is working properly.
  4. Perform video adjustments.
  5. Check internal power connections.
  6. Replace power/sweep board.
  7. Replace CRT board.
  8. Replace video board.
  9. Replace CRT.

Geometry:

Raster not centered:

  1. Verify that distortion is not due to environmental conditions.
  2. Move monitor to another location.
  3. Perform horizontal or vertical center adjustments.
  4. Replace power/sweep board.
  5. Replace CRT.

Raster bulges along top of screen:

  1. Verify that distortion is not due to environmental conditions.
  2. Move monitor to another location.
  3. Replace CRT.

Raster stretched or compressed at top:

  1. Verify that distortion is not due to environmental conditions.
  2. Move monitor to another location.
  3. Perform vertical-linearity adjustment.
  4. Replace power/sweep board.
  5. Replace CRT.

Raster short (less than 10 7/8 in. high).

  1. Perform vertical-height adjustment.
  2. Replace power/sweep board.
  3. Replace CRT.

Raster narrow (less than 8 in. wide):

  1. Perform horizontal-size adjustment.
  2. Replace power/sweep board.
  3. Replace CRT.

Raster bowed or barrel-shaped:

  1. Verify that distortion is not due to environmental conditions.
  2. Move monitor to another location.
  3. Perform video adjustment.
  4. Replace power/sweep board.
  5. Replace CRT.

Raster pyramid shaped (or inverted pyramid):

  1. Replace CRT.

Video Display:

Picture is too dark or too bright:

  1. Adjust contrast and brightness knobs.
  2. Verify that the video card in the computer is working properly.
  3. Perform video adjustments.
  4. Replace CRT board.
  5. Replace video board.
  6. Replace contrast/brightness board.
  7. Replace CRT.

Out of focus:

  1. Perform focus adjustments.
  2. Replace power/sweep board.
  3. Replace CRT.

Synchronization:

Picture rolls vertically:

  1. Verify that the video card in the computer is working properly.
  2. Replace power/sweep board.

One thin, bright, horizontal line appears on screen:

  1. Replace power/sweep board.
  2. Replace CRT.

Picture breaks into diagonal lines:

  1. Connect another monitor to the computer and verify video signal.
  2. Replace power/sweep board.

Other problems:

Black spots on screen(burnt phosphors):

  1. Replace CRT.

Picture jitters or flashes:

  1. Check all ground cable connections.
  2. Verify that adjacent computer equipment is properly grounded.
  3. Move electrical devices away from monitor and shut off fluorescent lights in the area.
  4. Replace power/sweep board.

Intermittently shuts down:

  1. Ensure the monitor’s video cable is connected to the computer or the video card in the computer.
  2. Replace power/sweep board.

Miscellanea

  • The first Portrait Display was designed and released by Radius, an American computer hardware firm founded in May 1986 by Burrell Smith, Andy Hertzfeld, Mike Boich, Matt Carter, Alain Rossmann and other members of the original Mac team. The company specialized in Macintosh peripherals and accessory equipment.
  • The Macintosh Portrait Display was introduced with the Macintosh IIcx and the Macintosh II Portrait Video Card. The monitor is designed to complement the 11.9” wide Macintosh IIcx.
  • The Portrait Display can sit on top of most desktop Macs, and it works with the Apple Universal Monitor Stand.
  • Warm-up time: 20 minutes for complete warmup, but the monitor can be used immediately..
  • The power button is on the back of the monitor, along with a built-in 3-port ADB hub. The brightness and contrast controls are on the right side.
  • Apple produced domestic and international versions of the Portrait Display. The troubleshooting and repair procedures differed for each version of the monitor

Links

  • Your old display is worth money! Check out our prices. We pay the best price on the online market for your secondhand Apple display: Sell your display.

Comments

This post currently has 2 responses

  • Wikipedia might use some info you add here about Macintosh Portrait. You could leave a likn there.

  • I loved it when Apple discovered the new way to present displays. Unfortunately Portrait Displays, Macintosh or not, have never gained their place in the line of computer displays. It’s a shame.

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