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Display flashes to solid black intermittently

I originally posted this in the wrong category for the MacBook Pro instead of the Monitor catagory. I am wondering if anyone else has the same problem. I posted the following last night.

*Still an unknown issue with Apple Tech Support*? After 2 calls to product specialists and apparently an undocumented issue by any customers contacting tech support this seems to be a widespread worldwide issue. In one form or another with no answer after several months of the computer release displays are blinking, flickering and flashing to name a few descriptions of this problem. Mine flashes solid black for a fraction of a second and comes right back on. I have had this issue in the power saving mode as well as the better performance mode so that kills that theory. To this point there has been no pattern that I have been able to detect. I can go for weeks without a blink and all of a sudden get 2 in 5 minutes. Usually I am pretty good at troubleshooting but this problem has no pattern and is so intermittent I think it's going to be a tough one and I truly believe Apple has no clue as of yet so they are not addressing it publicly or to individuals calling in with the problem. I purchased my computer November 29th. I used it for over a month without ever seeing the issue. When the new monitor came out I still did not experience any issues with either display in the area of blinking, flickering or flashing. There is a video on Youtube that I have located showing the exact same issue as mine. Though the person on Youtube has a non-apple display and mine is the new 24" Apple display and it is the exact same issue this rules out the problem being the external display. Well, I can check that off as well. This is the link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-dQIgfIFsI Does anyone else have the exact same issue as mine? I am thinking maybe it is something in the 10.5.6 update. Who Knows?

*BTW this problem is not at all heat related.* It can happen during heavy use or very light use at low temps. I have purchased many newly released Apple Computers over the years and have actually had great luck with them. I hope this is not my first lemon.

MacBook Pro (late 2008) 2.53GHz, Mac OS X (10.5.6), Apple LED Cinema Display (24" flat panel)

Posted on Feb 10, 2009 11:35 PM

Reply
515 replies

Mar 19, 2012 8:21 AM in response to orchetect

I have two 24 Cinema displays and 12gb RAM. I'm hoping Apple release an update before I need to actually open it up.

Can't remember the particular OS version, but this has happened before - then the next update solved it.

Just wish I hadn't 'upgraded' to Lion before this bug was fixed. If Lion is to blame.


As before, it's only one display affected - not the 'main' one.

...the one that the firmware upgrade requires be disconnected; coincidence perhaps.

Mar 29, 2012 11:11 AM in response to yohode

I have a late 2008 Macbook pro, and connected used, warranteed 24" A1267 cinema display. It works fine except the screen occasionally goes black for a second, then recovers. Also, my display runs a bit hot.

My MBP and this monitor were made to work together, they are the same "vintage". Connected w mini display port. I have read hundreds of posts on dozens of sites, no one has the answer yet.

Apple firmware update applies onlt to newer MBP's with Thunderbolt , so it wont launch on my computer.

This is killing me- I hae 15 days to keep it and live with it or send it back for another, and hope the problem is random, not common with all these monitors.

Mar 29, 2012 11:35 AM in response to kaydee5

That is how my Cinema display behaved on my MacPro of that vintage. I hooked the display to a Thunderbolt MBP and did the firmware update to the display, plugged it into the Mac Pro, and it has been good ever since. The problem started happening for me after an OS update, so I suspect it is really a compatibility thing. I understand how irritating it must be for you.


Bill

Mar 31, 2012 1:14 AM in response to Richhep

Gosh, I've experienced this problem as well. Sometimes it occurs while im typing in Word 2011. I'm so used to it that even while I'm typing and the screen goes blank I simply continue to type since it still accepts the keyboard input while I'm typing away.


I also have problems with Finder becoming unresponsive and freezes kb/trackpad input but that's for another thread =(


Mac OS X 10.7.3

April 2010 MBP 15' hi-res anti-glare

8GB RAM; Intel SSD

Apr 15, 2012 12:39 PM in response to Richhep

Configuration: I have a Mac Pro with 6GB RAM, the ATI Radeon HD 5870 graphics card, one Apple Cinema Display (27-in), and two 19-inch Dell monitors. My Apple display is hooked up via the Display Port. One Dell is hooked up via the "Mini-Display Port to Dual-Link DVI Adapter," and the other Dell is hooked up via direct connect Dual-Link DVI port. OS is 10.7.3. Power is stable. Room temperature is within specs and the air curculates well (I have an in-room fan to ensure good circulation.


Issue: I have had this set-up for over a year now and never had any issues - until today. I haven't performed any upgrades to software for weeks now. This "blackout" suddenly started today and it is only the Apple monitor - the Dells don't black out. It blacks out for about a second, then comes back on. It does this at a frequency of a couple of minutes to as infrequent as 30-45 minutes apart.


Actions Taken: I've read the prior posts (browsed them). I am under 8GB (I have 6 GB installed). My graphics card is on high performance mode. It can't be a configuration issue as this has worked for over a year now. I read about the Thunderbolt issue, but that was with the 24-inch (and I don't use Thunderbolt).


Any other ideas?


r/Jim

Display flashes to solid black intermittently

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