Q: Mac mini 2014 won't wake monitor via HDMI

I am running a mini displayport to DVI cable for over a week and it works flawlessly. Everything wakes on pressing the space bar. 

Seems like the only consistently confirmed solution is MM MiniDP > Monitor DVI.

Since I returned my MM, I can't even test the right-shift-key 'solution'. Oh well. I just don't understand why my work computer (Dell) doesn't have a problem waking up the monitor with a HDMI > HDMI connection.

Called apple support and got a case # 729531533.

The guy went to talk to engineering and they do acknowledge that this is an issue that they are seeing, but it is also an issue that they do not have a fix for at this point.

This morning I tore my system apart to try every configuration possible.  There is not a single configuration that will work with 2 monitors.  The best is HDMI>DVI on the main monitor and Mini DP>DVI on the second monitor (technically Mini DP > HDMI connected to an HDMI>DVI cable.)

The only solution is to set the system up so that the monitors never turn off and then use a screensaver.  Unfortunately when I tested the screen saver that they recommended "message", I saw the power go from the normal 19W to 20W with the screensaver on.  How can a black screensaver draw more power?

I have no gone to system preferences and have checked the box which stops the mini going to sleep. This has solved the problem although I understand it is not ideal.

Mine was always checked, my system is on 24x7. That is why I want the monitors off if I am not around.  Turning this on or off had no impact on the problem for me.

Okay - in that case I will continue to monitor the progress for a while longer.

Hi AustinBike,

When calling Apple- did they ask you to 'capture data' or anything similar? It's just that I have had to do several things every time they call me back. Tomorrow is going to be at least another hour appointment on the phone with them, as they want me to test my set up and capture data again (with a 'clean system' this time). I have spent so long on this now...I just want them to acknowledge it is not a problem exclusive to me. But nevertheless, it falls on deaf ears and I am asked to do all this stuff. I know it won't work and tell them this! Really had enough- so many hours on the phone. I find it interesting how and why they have at least acknowledged the wide spread problem with you. How did the call end...just that they didn't have a fix yet and would get back to you?

Thanks,

Sarah

I've been in technology for 20+ years, spent at least 2/3 of it at major OEMs similar to apple.  I even helped work with some support queues/logistics when I was at one of them, so I understand how the process works.

This is no poor reflection on Apple, this is how the industry works.  9 out of 10 people calling in for support probably have stupid user-induced errors or simple things that can be corrected.  (I once had a woman who worked for me call the internal support desk because her laptop was no longer charging. I heard her berate the internal call desk guy as he asked her to go through all of the steps. She said "I'm an electrical engineer..."  Then she realized that while the adapter was plugged into the wall, the plug into the power brick had fallen out....) There is a reason that they go through all of those steps with people.

What I did when I called was follow this set of statements:

1. Explain exactly what is happening.  I did not just say my monitor wasn't waking up, I went through a detailed description. I mention at this point that I know there is an issue with the Mini and HDMI waking up monitors.  I explain to him that I do not expect a fix, I am just trying to log this for future reference once they have a fix identified.

2. I took them through all of the trouble shooting.  I mentioned that I have been working on this for weeks, so that he knows that this is not the first time I have experienced this and he is not the first stop in the solution, he is the last.  I went into detail about all the things I have tried. Different cables, different computers, different APPLE computers, to verify that:

A. the monitor is capable of being woken up

B. The cable is capable of carrying the signal to wake the monitor up

C. The mini is capable of waking up the monitor is some situations.

This allows them to narrow down the potential problems. In addition, it shows them that I understand what I am talking about, so they can skip some the the typical user-induced questions.

3. I highlighted this thread and said I had a dozen case #'s if he wanted them for reference. This says "look guys, you have a problem and I am not an isolated incident." This gets me put on hold while he goes to check with engineering.  Sure enough, the answer is we are working on this, don't have a fix yet.  But I have a case # in there so I am in the queue when they come up with a solution.

Remain calm and cordial, you're all on the same team here, getting angry is not going to fix the situation and threats don't speed up the process.

At the end of the day, Apple is either going to need to fix this in firmware/BIOS, fix it in software (Yosemite update) or replace the unit.  If it is the first 2, then because I follow the updates carefully, I will deal with it myself.  If it is the third, I want my system registered so that I can follow up for getting a replacement once they finally give in.  The problem is, similar to the problems with nVidia GPUs, this could be years away.

Also, I highly recommend keeping a very detailed call log. Time, who you spoke to, how long you sat on hold, what they told you and what you did.  I have ongoing issues with my ISP and when I say "this is a problem that started in August of 2013 and you've rolled trucks to my house more than 25 times" it changes the conversation completely.  If they tell you to hang up and try something you can say "on January 7th you guys told me that and it didn't work".  It puts you in control of the situation.  I hate to say it but call centers are managed by metrics, for some it is call handle time, so "try this and call back" helps the agent's metrics.  Not saying apple is like this, but once you understand how call centers work, I can start to see how to deal with them.

Thanks so much for your time and detailed reply, AustinBike. Very useful and much appreciated. I will relay some of the information and tactics you have enclosed in my next call- tomorrow. I am not angry with my Apple rep, he has a great manner and relays all the info to the engineers, calls me back promptly etc and is trying his best (I can sense he can only do so much without referring to other depts etc). But I can't deny I am frustrated...the bottom line is I have paid just under £900+ for my Mini and it's not meeting a basic expectation. Fair enough that things go wrong, but to then be involved in call after call amounting to hours; it's not good enough. I will continue to cooperate with Apple and do their testing. But I think I will have to call it a day after tomorrows call/ session. I feel it should be Apples time used to test the products now, not mine. Instead, like you, I am waiting in line if they have a fix for the solution...be it years!

Thanks again and all my best

Follow-up: I received my dvi to mini display port adapter today from B&H, but this does not solve the issue with my Samsung SyncMaster 2220wm: waking the mini still does not wake the monitor, the same issue as when I connected it with a dvi to hdmi cable.

Here's an observation though: when the monitor is on, it has a constant blue light. When it goes to sleep, that light flashes.  When I select to shut down the mini, the monitor goes to sleep the same as it does when the mini goes to sleep, and when I press the button on the back of the mini to power it back up, it wakes up the monitor. Therefore, the mini is capable of sending a signal to the monitor to wake it up; it simply does not send that signal when it is brought out of sleep, yes? I will follow up on my existing case with this same information and observation.

Yes, there is a sleep/wake signal that is sent to the monitor from video ports.  It is unclear to me what the issue is because I do not have a trace analyzer between the monitor and the mini to be able to see what signal is/isn't being passed between the two.

But the fact that there are combinations (HDMI port on mini to DVI on monitor) that work 100% of the time tells me that Apple should be able to figure out what it going on.  The fact that the mini DisplayPort can 100% of the time shut down the monitor is a data point as well.  But I believe that the monitor senses a lack of input and shuts itself down, I do not believe that there is a "shutdown" signal being sent.  I guess I need to watch it go to sleep to see if it gets a "no signal" message on the monitor.  I do not recall seeing one.

AFAIK the monitor input senses the presence or absence of signal at the input (any signal, even bad ones) and wakes up accordingly. I do not think that there is a specific 'wake up' packet.

I took my Mac back into the store today and they tested it for me. They had a Sony TV and used my Mac HDMI cable. We waited for automatic sleep mode to kick in, even waited some more, then tried to wake it up. It woke up perfectly!! So what is happening?! We did it twice and both times it woke up (with only a delay of a few seconds). Back to my Philips at home and the same old problem persists. Baffled.

Your 'old' Philips, what HDMI version does it support?

Read this:

Several versions of HDMI have been developed and deployed since initial release of the technology but all use the same cable and connector. Other than improved audio and video capacity, performance, resolution and color spaces, newer versions have optional advanced features such as 3D, Ethernet data connection, and CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) extensions.

So, which version(s) do you have, the Mac supports 2.0 (the latest) 1.4 is common, earlier than that will be a bit flaky

versions are 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 and 2.0

Like I've been saying in several posts. I have a new (iris) mini connected to a 60" sony bravia tv. It didn't at first but after one of the OS updates it always connects now. Faster if I wake the computer before I turn on the TV. That leads me to believe that there is some other issue with the mini for other connectios, monitor or TV types. This is why it might be puzzling Apple.

I guess Sony issued a 2.0 firmware update for my tv in 2013.