Ive got a very good friend whose older 42" Plasma is dying. My friend would like a new monitor to replace it and I was thinking of Apples 30" display. Its going to be hooked up to gateway media center and will mostly be used for dvd's, web browsing/designing, office, and the occasional java game. I immediatly recomended this bc its just about the best monitor I know of (He's got some money to spare ) and it fit his needs. Plus the really high resolution makes for plenty of space despite the smaller screen size.
My question is how good the quality of this monitor is. Ive read some reviews and they seemed to be positive but I would like some info from someone who owns one or has owned one. Or are there other options? I would have gone for the Dell but it has problems with DVD's apparently. Ive heard some really good things about LcOS tv's but havnt been able to find any at a place like Best Buy where I could actually check them out.

Thanks

Make sure you check ALL of the connections to ensure it has the right ones and think ahead, you dont want to buy something that wont be supported later on.

The Cinema display is awesome but you might want to think about a different brand, maybe something else since Apple is highly over priced. Also, 42inch to 30 inch is a big drop in screen real estate even with the extyra resolution. You also have to remembeer your nto gonna want a super high resolution unless your right in fornt of it.

I have used and installed a couple apple 30 inchers. I replaced one today bec ause we had one die. They are very nice, but I think you could find another LCD tv that is just as nice for alot less. I think Westinghouse makes good ones, Sharp also has nice ones.

LCOS has an issue with contrast. if he wants rear projection, DLP is the cheapest way to get true 1080. color blur seems to be getting less of an issue in newer sets but if you cheap out its really noticeable. you can get a 720p front projector for $1200 or less now and some come with a free screen.
currently LCD would win for direct view since the res is typically true HD where as most cheap plasmas are 480. all of the larger sets should have HDCP inputs now.

Here are some stuff I found around the net some good, some bad you make the choice.

Apple Cinema HD Display (30-inch)


Review

CNET HERE

amazon.com HERE

pcmag.com HERE

From what I read here is some info:

The good: Beautiful image quality; stunning design; PC-compatible; integrated USB and FireWire ports.

The bad: A bit pricey; limited adjustability options; no home entertainment video inputs.

The bottom line: The Apple 23-inch Cinema Display is low on extras and high on price. Still, one look at this gorgeous LCD, and you'll kiss your practicality good-bye.
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There are a few quirks, due to the sheer size of the thing:
It *just barely* fits under the overhead storage hutch on my computer desk. Measure carefully before you buy any furniture that you intend to put one of these displays on.

Neck strain is a definite possibility if your chair and/or desk don't adjust far enough. The top of this monitor is a lot higher than the typical 20 inch or so monitor, and the stand is pretty tall, too.

It's possible to "lose" things off towards the sides of the screen. While the (relatively low) pixel pitch means that a dialog box is the same size as it would be on a smaller Apple monitor, it can be far enough to the left or right to be out of your central vision. Sitting back a little farther from the monitor helps.

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this 30" does NOT work with the PNY Verto 6600GT. I assume the version of the PNY 6600GT that is produced now is different from the older one (which had 2 DVI ports, the new ones have 1 DVI and 1 VGA). The newer one is not dual-link-DVI capable, it's not possible to run 2560 x 1600 with that graphics card (I just tried, bought the PNY 6600GT from Amazon, but I have to return it because it doesnt work with the 30" display).

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Apple chose to go with a dual-channel DVI digital-only interface, which means you'll need to upgrade to the nVidia GeForce 6800 GT DDL ($499 direct) or Ultra DDL graphics adapter ($599) to drive the monitor.

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Significant hue changes—especially with dark shades—with horizontal viewing angles as small as 45 degrees off center in the horizontal plane. Given the large size of the monitor, you have to be at a considerable distance from the display to see the entire image at a direct angle. The monitor is rated at a 16-ms pixel response rate, and showed moderate smearing with moving images. This is to be expected from a panel with this specification, but it's not close to the clarity of CRT performance for rendering moving images.

The wide format is well suited for high-definition entertainment viewing, aside from the motion smearing issue, yet there is no provision for video signals except as provided through the computer connection. The warranty is limited to one year.

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The 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Display (model M9179LL/A) is a stylish and well-designed monitor, so don't let its size fool you. It's not as heavy as you might expect (just 27.5 pounds), and it's not overly difficult to move. The L-shape base is stable and sturdy. The smooth-motion hinge allows you to adjust the display 5 degrees forward or up to 25 degrees backward with very little effort.

Despite its size, the display has a small footprint, although you can also mount it on a wall. This option requires the Cinema Display VESA Mount Adapter ($29) as well as a VESA mount kit.

The large, bright screen can be a little overwhelming at first, not unlike sitting in the front row at a movie theater. However, it won't take long to adjust to the display's size or revel in its sharp images, vivid colors, rich blacks, and crisp text.

The viewable area is 29-7/10 inches, with an optimal resolution of 2,560X1,600 and support for up to 16.7 million colors. The viewing angle of 170 degrees horizontal and vertical means you can view the display off-axis without distorting the image. The pixel response time of 16 milliseconds is impressive, particularly for a display of this size, with little ghosting or blurring of fast-moving images. The Cinema HD Display is a good choice for playing 3-D games or viewing DVD.

Power and brightness controls are tucked out of sight, so they don't spoil the appearance of the brushed aluminum bezel. A single cable houses all input types (FireWire 400, USB 2.0, DVI, and power), which helps reduce desktop clutter.

This Cinema HD Display includes two FireWire 400 ports, a Kensington security port, and a two-port, self-powered USB 2.0 hub, so you can connect a variety of peripherals, including a digital camera, scanner, camcorder, iPod dock, or iSight webcam. It also includes a DVI connector for hooking up to a Mac or a PC. Unlike some modern displays, the Cinema HD Display only supports one input, so you can't share it between two computers.

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Pro: Extremely high-resolution display. Bright, sharp images. Consistent color from edge to edge and corner to corner. Rich blacks and crisp text, even at small type sizes.
Con: Very expensive. Requires a dual-link DVI-capable graphics card. Only supports one input.

She says 23in, in the video twice, but looks nice, wouldnt buy it for the apple price tag go with panasonic, or sharp

Not sure if you know about it or not, but to run the 30" cinema display at full resolution, you have to have a video card that's capable of dual-DVI link, otherwise you're stuck to lower resolutions auto-scaled. Most retail places won't have that information on the card's info sheet, so you'll have to actually check the manufacturer's specs to see if the card supports it.

However, it has more screen real estate than two 17" CRT's in dualview.... *drool*