"It is not (HDCP ready), like the majority of current screens and the totality of screens of this generation."
This is technically true... with "current screens" including a fair deal of older models that are still commonly in use today but were made within the past 5 years or so, before HDCP was commonplace. Also, "this generation" particularly qualifies the statement, because the generation in question is that of the ACD 30", which is actually several generations old. I guess Apple just can't be bothered with refreshing the crucial hardware inside their displays year after year because their user base is comprised of visual design professionals who have no need for such silly features as the ability to play BluRay movies... which it also wouldn't be doing considering Macs don't offer BluRay (yet).
It was among the best when it came out, but the prime of any piece of hardware's performance is always when it is relatively new, but it will age like milk rather than wine.
I hope that when Apple replaces the current (last) generation Cinema Displays for LED-backlit ones, that they also see fit to support DisplayPort daisy-chaining. And a better LCD panel.
But people should take note: many cheap LCD screens (monitors or TV's) use Dynamic Contrast Ratio to boost the contrast ratio numbers, but it really does nothing for the picture other than make bright scenes washed out and dark scenes... too dark to be easily seen. I wish manufacturers would rid themselves of these gimmicks to boost the apparent performance specs and the god-awful, over-blue "showroom floor" color "calibration". The industry standard should evaluate true panel contrast, average reaction time from
black-to-white and
color-to-opposite-color instead of just
gray-to-gray, and most importantly of all, color gamut to an actual standard of measurement. The actual type of display panel should also be included in advertised specs, and active-matrix TFT etc. doesn't count.