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Richhep Author

Level 1

8 points

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

515 replies

Sep 29, 2009 2:02 AM in response to a.rudders

Same Problem here.. New Mac Pro (10.6.1) with 24 inch display. Flashes blank every now and then.. I have two graphics cards both of which display the same problem. Old 20inch Cinema display works fine.

Apple support recommended deleteting the powermanagement.plist file in the Library, unfortunatly problem still persists.

I'm wondering if anyone has found a resolution to this problem yet?

Cheers
Steve

Sep 29, 2009 5:46 AM in response to Richhep

I bought the 24" cinema display 1 week ago to connect with my MacBook Air (3rd generation - mid 2009 release) Almost immediately started to experience the "flash to black screen for a second" syndrome. I've called AppleCare 3 times and each time the product specialist treats this as a new and unknown issue even though I've repeatedly asked the product specialist to view this string of notes so they can see I'm not the only one experiencing this. The only direction I've received is I should take the monitor into my local Apple store so a genius can "take a look at it". I've not done so at this point because from what I've read throughout this string replacing the display with a new one doesn't fix the problem. I'd like to see apple engineers/techs take the lead on this and determine the cause and then communicate the fix (software update or otherwise?).

Oct 1, 2009 7:20 AM in response to Mike in Columbus

Just adding my name to the list here.

Brand new MBP* running Snow Leopard with the Apple Cinema Display 24-inch. I returned and replaced the monitor but still get the black flashes 10-20 times a day.

Joe

* Model Name: MacBook Pro
Model Identifier: MacBookPro5,3
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.66 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 3 MB
Memory: 4 GB
Bus Speed: 1.07 GHz
Boot ROM Version: MBP53.00AC.B03

Oct 1, 2009 11:02 AM in response to Richhep

Add me to the list, I had posted elsewhere. Only difference i have is it seems to not occur on my MBP just my Mac Pro. Both connected with the mini-display port. I do not have problems with another monitor hooked up to the DVI port on the Mac Pro.

I'm actually relieved to see others with the same problem, usually means it will get fixed eventually, Apple has discussed this with me twice, since mine occurs only once or twice a day passes all hardware tests it doesn't help to drag it into the store.

Steve

Oct 1, 2009 11:41 AM in response to Steve Morris

Looking back over this very long and well articulated thread that we've all been posting (since Feb 2009) ---some five pages worth of entries. Does anyone know how we get the right people from Apple (engineers?) to look at this very obvious known issue so some kind of corrective action can take place. So many on this thread replaced monitors and the replacement display also continues to blink out to the black screen. Obviously, this is not a hardware or individual display problem. More systemic with either software or the mini-display plug interface between the display and the computer. Anyone know how best we can "send up the flair" so Apple technicians see all that we've written and finally take some action to fix???

Oct 1, 2009 12:38 PM in response to Matthew Hedstrom

I have mine on a UPS 118 volt constant supply, still exhibits the issue.

Steve

ppandc

Level 1

0 points

Oct 1, 2009 1:26 PM in response to Richhep

i had same issue. just spoke to support and it SEEMS to be solved. will post if it returns. the video hardware controller needed resetting. shut down......then hit power button

press and hold COMMAND OPTION+PR (must be done prior to first chime)

continue to hold until 2nd chime. then release and let the computer restart.

so far so good for me..........

Oct 1, 2009 1:38 PM in response to ppandc

applecare had me do the same thing last week. it was a simple PRAM re-set. Unfortunately, it doesn't solve the black screen from popping up again intermittently. It was a good try from applecare but it's not the fix we all need to get.

Oct 1, 2009 1:40 PM in response to Mike in Columbus

I would agree with Mike, "been there done that"

Oct 2, 2009 1:05 AM in response to Steve Morris

As well as the obvious failings with the monitor, what I find most disappointing is that Apple are nowhere to be seen.

Why have a support forum on apple.com and not participate!!

As an avid Mac user I find Apples silence damning..

I would at least expect some sort of acknowledgement with a reassurance that work is underway to resolve this failing.

Oct 2, 2009 8:14 AM in response to Bigger Fish

I spent almost 2 hours this morning on the phone with applecare (1st level and then product specialist) The product specialist had me run a diagnostic tool which was e-mailed over to him. He assured me that he will relay this entire 5-page discussion forum (showing the problem all the way back to Feb 09 by all the many people who have written on this topic) to the engineering group. He assures me that he will get this problem elevated and appropriate effort by the appropriate people to understand the systemic issue AND then discover the appropriate fix. Keeping my fingers crossed. He said I'll hear back something with next steps/progress in 3-5 business days. I've done all I can do at this point.

Oct 2, 2009 8:44 AM in response to Bigger Fish

Same Problem her...

get my new LED Screen today... but why... its black and i can not use it...
so APPLE PLEASE FIX it!!!

800 Bugs for what... i´m so angry.

Oct 2, 2009 8:55 AM in response to Simon2207

Lets give the good folks at Apple a chance to process all that we've given them. They're a quality group of professionals. I'm confident that their group of engineers and product specialists will work together and come through for us - the consumer.

Oct 2, 2009 9:38 AM in response to Mike in Columbus

They had a chance since... ah... january...

sorry, but from today i can get my money back within the next 14 days.
After that, there is no chance to get my money back for a Thing... that
does not work... it´s a brig...

watch it...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOYeHaegeiY

Chi-37

Level 1

0 points

Oct 2, 2009 11:27 AM in response to Richhep

Same problem for me. I have a 1-week old MBP 2.8 with a new 24" LED Cinema Display. It flashes to black about once per hour. It's usable but annoying for this otherwise nice configuration. I haven't seen a problem with the MPB used alone. I used an earlier version MPB with a cold-cathode 24" Cinema Display for over two years without a hint of a problem.

Display flashes to solid black intermittently