You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Acmee Author

Level 1

5 points

Mini Displayport to Dual-Link DVI not working?

I have just received my Mini Displayport to Dual Link DVI Adapter. The good: After I cancelled my initial order, because it delayed my notebook, I reordered last week and got it within 5 days or so (despite the store displaying 2-3 weeks). I was positively surprised to see it featuring a USB repeater. I plugged it in and it seemed to work instantly I also encountered no jumpy mouse whatsoever. I tried with a Dell 30" screen (3007WFP).

The Bad: The dvi connector is pretty bad and unstable, you can also not use the screws on the dvi cable to the monitor to fix the plug to the adapter. They also didn't recreate the analog video signals on the dvi connector, so no luck in trying to use the adapter with an old dvi to vga adapter (I was sort of expecting that, but given they have all kinds of circuitry in the box anyway, there was a tiny quantum of hope).

The Ugly: A few minutes later the problem surfaced: The picture became somehow distorted, it looks as if the Dual Link connection is losing a link, meaning that every second pixel or so is missing on screen. But the symptoms can also include shadows etc. I tried a few things:

* Cycling the monitor power has no effect
* It makes no difference if the adapter gets power via the Macbook Pro USB ports, a powered hub, a usb ac adapter etc.
* It makes no difference if there is something plugged into the adapter USB repeater or not.
* The problem seems to be occuring later if the main display is folded down and only the 30" screen is connected
* Re-plugging the connection DVI side fixes the problems sometimes.
* Re-plugging the Mini Displayport side connection either fixes the problem, or kills the connection forever, requiring complete adapter removal and redetection of the main display (sleep, function key etc.).

Over time, the problem surfaces 100%, typically after a few minutes. Funny enough, sometimes it vanishes by itself.

Does anyone have a similar problem? Or is my adapter defective? Any suggestions towards a fix? Any help is appreciated. I am cursing the day someone decided to replace the old dvi connector.

Regards,
TB

Macbook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Dec 24, 2008 3:58 PM

145 replies

ctfctf

Level 1

12 points

Mar 19, 2009 12:14 PM in response to Brad Eastman

My wonderful solution to this problem was to buy the 24" LED monitor as I just couldn't take the issues with my 30" HP display any longer. Now I'm suffering with a smaller, yet perhaps better quality screen. I'd pay real money, actually I already have, for a workable 30" monitor. Give me a workable dual-link MacBook Pro or give me a new 30" Cinema display.

benmos

Level 1

0 points

Mar 29, 2009 7:25 AM in response to ctfctf

I've been having this problem with my new MD to DLDVI adaptor on a new MacBook.

The problem is with serious flickering / sparkling / dancing pixels in dark areas.

I have found no correlation with the USB devices plugged in. Ctrl-Shift-Esc etc don't seem to work for resolving.

The one thing I have found is that if I avoid black backgrounds, the problem disappears. Curiously, having a background of 0% (Using the std gray-scale colour panel) causes the problem. Changing this to a merely very dark background (say 3%) causes the speckles to disappear.

So, a pretty serious flaw in the product (adaptor or MacBook - not sure which), but what seems to be a fairly reliable workaround for some uses.

Mar 29, 2009 2:20 PM in response to benmos

That's an interesting observation Benmos. I just tried it, moving the grayscale slider up and down and I do get more or less pixel snow depending on the shade of grey...oddly, sometimes a darker grey has less noise than a lighter one, and vice versa. But I'm not able to get rid of the spastic pixels completely.

Apple, we need a fix.

Acmee Author

Level 1

5 points

Apr 1, 2009 12:22 PM in response to natethelen

I have received a replacement. The problem remains, but as far as I can say so far much less frequently. I resort to sleep the monitor when it happens via CTRLSHIFTEJECT after which it wakes up without problems and ignore the occasional flicker. All other expectations are mentally filed under "things that should be but probably never will"...

programr

Level 1

5 points

Apr 1, 2009 12:55 PM in response to dusingaz

I've pinged Apple Dev Bugs again about this issue. They say, "it is being worked on and we have no progress since you last asked a month ago."

It's been four months. That is exemplary patience on my part. I need a number of someone to call and get this problem some new attention.

A high-profile Denver developer said on twitter that tried to get a Dual-Link DVI connector the other day. Local stores in Denver apparently don't have them in stock right now. I wonder why. My Aspen Grove store did not have them the other week when I checked there also.

We'll see if he has the same trouble as we are all having. If so, he'll be another loud voice to add to the chorus.

Apr 1, 2009 1:08 PM in response to programr

Yeah, we need to keep this issue alive. The bad pixel noise isn't something you can "just live with." I'm checking the forums, Mac news and software update every day for solution, but nothing yet...

Apr 1, 2009 10:36 PM in response to Viridiana

I haven't noticed bad pixels. But I am getting the screen flicker. Might return the item and just step down to a 24" screen. Until this issue is resolved.

Apr 3, 2009 2:39 PM in response to Stephen Cox

Still not working - I have a case open with Applecare but no progress - wireless mouse keyboard also freezing - display goes black every 30 mins or so - black lasts maybe 10 frames - enough to trigger epilepsy. Screensaver goes to garbled image after a while. Anyone at Apple listening?

tsumuji

Level 1

0 points

Apr 3, 2009 5:55 PM in response to david gleeson

At this point Apple is just plain rude. They take our money for a faulty product and never offer even the slightest concern. And this is incredible considering the customers who have pro machines and large screens are spending more than the average and tend to be professionals. Has Apple grown too fast to handle the problems that naturally come up?
What's even more incredible is the way Apple suppresses any news about this problem in the blog news sources. In this regard they are working overtime.
Apple how about shifting some resources to solve problems instead of hiding them?

Now about the problems. They are getting worse! I started with double vision script. Then snow etc. Now sometimes I get variations in rapid succession. Could it be heat problem with the new enclosures? I have my laptop raised off of the table with two boards, but it does not seem to help.

What assurance do we have that this will be addressed? I have had my machine now for four long long months!
Hopeless in Japan

positiv

Level 1

0 points

Apr 6, 2009 9:03 PM in response to Acmee

I just got 2 laptops. Macbook 13" and Macbook Pro 15" (The newer models)
I have a Dell 30" (3007WFPHC) and the new Dual Link DVI Adapter.

I'm having identical issues (periodical screen blurriness, etc...). It's random and it happens regardless of what I have tried. I first tried exchanging the adapter, then I got very high quality dual link DVI cables, however the issue still happens on both my laptops at the highest resolution (2560x1600)
When it happens, I found a trick to fix it quickly. I just turn on mirroring and then turn it off again. If fixes the problem until it happens again.

From my observation it has something to do with the USB port(s). When I attach a new USB device to it, the issue happens but not all the time. It can go for a couple days without the problem but then it happens...(therefore it's totally random). It's very frustrating as I was told by Apple's own website and their workers that it would work with my existing 30" display. I have a friend who has a Apple Cinema 30" and he is also seeing the same problem. That is just insane. Apple, please DO SOMETHING FAST!!!!
Thanks

Apr 8, 2009 5:24 PM in response to tsumuji

3/25/09 i reported this problem to apple and was given a case number - they got back to me today 4/8/09 with a 'fix' from engineering:

"unplug the minidisplayport and duallinkdvi connectors - then plug them both back in again."

had they read the case notes they would have realized this had to have been done already when i took half-a-day off to lug my ACD30" and new mac mini to the genius bar - only to be told they couldn't help and referred me to tech sppt.

this 'fix' just adds insult to injury - it's on a par with 'have you tried rebooting, sir?'

at least the 'product specialist' is sympathetic but it's beyond frustrating to be treated like an idiot by an engineering department who clearly have not deigned to look at the discussion boards. "this problem is not in our knowledgebase," i've been told - which is to say as far as they're concerned it doesn't exist.

oh, and my display just blinked and lost resolution while i was typing this.

now it's blinked back again.

Apr 9, 2009 5:49 PM in response to david gleeson

Yes, it unbelievable how insulting Apple has been on this issue.

I called in this same issue several weeks ago, and they all played dumb to the issue at all.

I finally got to a person who submitted the issue to engineering (or so he said). Two weeks later, no response, so I asked what's going on.

He said he'd been transfered to another department, and suggested I start a new call.

Unbelievable.

awm22

Level 1

4 points

May 4, 2009 5:28 AM in response to Acmee

Yet another formerly happy Mac user, mugged by Apple's delightful (hah!) support.

I have a Samsung 305T; works a reat with my older MBP (2,2 iirc) but since I was forced through an upgrade the wretched dongle do-dad (Yetch!) does the period flicker dance.

Another effect I've noticed probably related? is that my Display settings periodically gets reset. my mac forgets the arrangement of monitors, the resolution settings - any ideas?

ta,
A.

eww

Level 9

53,040 points

May 4, 2009 5:39 AM in response to awm22

I beg your pardon? If you are actually looking for help rather than just ranting, you're going to have to be clearer about what the problem is than "since I was forced through an upgrade the wretched dongle do-dad (Yetch!) does the period flicker dance."

awm22

Level 1

4 points

May 4, 2009 5:57 AM in response to eww

Naturally I am looking for help, but I had opted for a concise (rant).

I am disappointed at the poor quality of this product (naturally)

I believe the image from http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2008/12/applesmini_displayport_to_duallink_dvi_adaptor_has_periodic_distortionissues-2.html displays the problem elegantly.

For me, this occurs 5 or more times a day; (the fuzziness on the 30" display); and is only cured by unplugging and replugging one or more of the mini Displayport - DualLink USB (aka power source), mini port connector or Dual-Link DVI into the monitor itself.

I was rather surprised you had not picked up from the other posts in this forum that my post was in the category of "Me too, but on a Samsung 305T".

I am rather intrigued by the routine loss of display settings, and obviously your very smug^H^H^H^H wise, so perhaps you have some thoughts on that?

A.

Mini Displayport to Dual-Link DVI not working?