NowhereMan

Q: Why Does My Cinema Display Keep Blacking Out?

I have scoured the questions here and have had no success finding an answer to my question.  I have a 24" Cinema Display.  I bought it when I got my late 2009 Mac Pro.  I downloaded El Capitan when it first came out and, as far as I know, I have the most recent update installed (10.11.2).  My problem started happening a few weeks ago.

 

At least once a day, the screen goes black.  The only way I could get the image back is by unplugging it and plugging it back in again.  Sometimes I have to do this numerous times before it works.  It will sometimes come back normal, but quite often, when I get the image back, it is dimmer (white areas appear gray).  Also, the upper menu bar is grayed out (which is the way it should appear on my secondary screen.  When I click on the monitor drop down menu, the menu bar comes back to the way it should be. The drop down shows that "Use As Separate Display" is checked.

 

Could it be a faulty power cord?  Could it be the cable connected to the tower?  How can this be fixed?

Mac Pro, OS X El Capitan (10.11.1)

Posted on Jan 14, 2016 6:38 PM

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Q: Why Does My Cinema Display Keep Blacking Out?

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  • by pedro d,Helpful

    pedro d pedro d Jan 16, 2016 11:54 AM in response to NowhereMan
    Community Specialists
    Jan 16, 2016 11:54 AM in response to NowhereMan

    Hello there, NowhereMan.

     

     

     

    It sounds like you are having intermittent issues with your Cinema Display turns off.  The following Knowledge Base article offers up some good recommendations to review for troubleshooting:

     

     

     

    Get help with video issues on external displays connected to your Mac

     

     

     

    Before you begin

    You can resolve many display issues by updating the software on your Apple devices, cables, and adapters. If you can see an image on your screen, check for software updates using the Mac App Store:

    1. Connect your external display and any Apple video cables or adapters that you use with it.
    2. From the Apple menu, choose App Store.
    3. Click the Updates button in the App Store window.
    4. Install any OS X or firmware updates that are listed.

    If you're using a display, hub, extender, or adapter not made by Apple, check with the manufacturer for any updates that might be available.

    If you're trying to connect a 4K display or Ultra HD TV with your Mac, make sure your computer meets the requirements for using these external displays.

    If your software and firmware are up to date, or if you can't see the image on your screen, try the steps below for your specific issue.

     

    If the display image is blank or unusable

    Try these steps if you don't see an image on your display. These steps can also help if the image on your screen repeatedly turns on and off (flickers), if horizontal lines appear (snow), or if the image is distorted (torn or scrambled).

    These steps likely won't help if the issue is only happening in one app. If you see similar issues in only one window or app, check with the app's developer for updates or more help.

    Check connections

    Check the connections to your Mac and external displays:

    • If you're using an Apple notebook, try connecting its power adapter.
    • Make sure the external display's power cable is securely connected and that your display is turned on.
    • If you're using a Mac Pro (Late 2013) make sure your displays are connected to the right ports.
    • If you're using a display hub, switchbox, or "KVM," try connecting your display's video cable directly to your Mac instead.
    • Disconnect the video cable where it plugs into your Mac, then plug it back in to reseat the connection.
    • If you're using a video adapter, unplug the video adapter from your Mac, then plug it back in to reseat the connection.
    • If you're using more than one video adapter to connect your display (the adapters are "chained" together), try connecting the display using only one adapter if possible. Some video adapters can't be connected together. For example, a mini DisplayPort to DVI adapter can't be connected to a DVI to HDMI adapter.
    • If your display has more than one video connection, see if using another connection on the display works. If possible, check to see if using a different display or a different adapter works.
    • Try using a different cable that you know is in working order. Check with the display's manufacturer to make sure you're using the cable they recommend.

    Detect your display

    If you're using an external display, sleep and wake your Mac to make it check for connected displays:
    1. Press the power button on your computer to put it to sleep, or choose Apple menu > Sleep.
    2. Wait a few moments, then press a key on your keyboard or click your mouse or trackpad to wake your Mac.

    If you're using more than one display, and you can see the image on one of the displays, you can also use Displays preferences to check for connected displays.

    {...}

    Get more help

    If you've tried these steps and your display still isn't working, contact Apple Support to get more help.

     

     

     

    Thanks for reaching out to Apple Support Communities.

     

     

     

    Kind Regards.

  • by NowhereMan,

    NowhereMan NowhereMan Jan 16, 2016 11:54 AM in response to pedro d
    Level 1 (19 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 16, 2016 11:54 AM in response to pedro d

    Thanks pedro d.    I've pretty much done everything this Knowledge Base article suggests.  Most if it is common sense.  As far as I know, the connections are correct on the back of the tower, but I will check them again.  I had to disconnect everything when I cleaned the inside of the tower.  It only started happening recently.  I don't know if El Capitan has anything to do with it since I downloaded that a while ago.