Mini display port to HDMI problem

@aarjee: Your following suggestion on page 46 worked for me with MacBook Pro (2010 - Snow Leopard). Downloaded Gfx card status and after selecting 'nvidia' GPU I got display on my Samsung Monitor.

I should also mention that it worked with $5 dvi-hdmi adapter. Thanks again.

aarjee wrote:

Intel based macbooks have too GPUs. One a board based Intel GPU for light work and a third party GPU (like NVIDIA) for the most graphic intensive operations. The switching between this is automatic and should happen by itself when you connect an external monitor/tv. However it seems that this fails to happen in some cases. Gfx Card status is third party software than can be installed into macbook and lets you control the switching process. Some users seems to have success in connecting a external monitor when you set the macbook to use only the third party gpu but changing setting in gfx card status to discrete.

I know a lot of people have commented on this thread (and others) and there has been a lot of disagreement on where the source of the problems lie, but in my case it was definitely the cable. I've been through four of them now (including my current one) and am hoping it's the last. I have a 2011 era MacBook Pro 13". I started with the Moshi MDP-to-female HDMI adapter. It lasted about 6 months before it literally started to come apart. I then bought an all-in-one MDP-to-HDMI (male) connector from Kanex (at Frys) which lasted about 4 months before I started seeing sync issues (snow, flickering, popping sounds, etc.) so I bought yet another Kanex through an Apple Store and that again lasted about 4 months. I carry these around in a laptop bag and they are not subjected to a ton of stress. I just went to the Apple Store in Irvine CA and noticed that they aren't carrying the Kanex cables anymore (they have the Belkin "Connect" cables) which seem sturdier both in terms of the shielding of the cable as well as the connectors themselves. It's a $60 investment (for a 4m cable) but so far so good. Anyway, right after I plugged the Belkin in (and got immediate sync at 1080i) I put the Kanex back in and immediately got the popping, flickering, snow issue so I am convinced it's the cable.

Read this if you're still struggling with this, as it may be your solution. I just received my first ever MDP-to-HDMI adapter for my late 2011 MBP. I purchased the Monoprice Mini DisplayPort/Thunderbolt to HDMI Adapter with Audio Support sold directly by Amazon for $7.80.

1st) I plugged the thing in with a known working HDMI cable and did not receive any signal in Windows 7 64-bit Boot Camp even after fiddling with all resolutions, display settings, and projector modes.

2nd) I uninstalled and reinstalled all Boot Camp drivers, no luck.

3rd) I removed the default Boot Camp drivers and installed the latest ATI Radeon HD 6700M drivers, no luck.

4th) I booted into OSX Lion and even installed gfxCardStatus by Cody Krieger to manually swap between discreet graphics and integrated. The MBP's screen would flash blue whenever I turned the TV on or off so I thought it was software related and not hardward, still no luck.

5th) I switched HDMI cables, no luck.

6th) I tried unplugging and plugging everything back in one by one with restarts and complete shutdowns. The MBP's screen would still flash blue to indicate handshaking between the devices at this point, but still no luck.

7th) I reset the MacBook Pro's SMC and PRAM, no luck.

After nearly three hours I became irate and rushed off to the nearest local Best Buy's and picked up an MDP-to-HDMI by Rocket Fish for $24.99 (there was also a Belkin one for $29.99). I rushed back home, plugged the thing in, and it immediately picked up the display in OSX Lion by displaying a monitor icon in the menu bar. The MBP screen flashed blue (handshake behavior) as expected and as it did before, but my 70" Sharp Aquos HDTV remained black w/o signal. I used gfxCardStatus to switch from dynamic to disgreet graphics and bam, my display extended over to the 70" Sharp. I then clicked the monitor on the menu bar and selected mirroring, which also functioned properly.

Finally, I booted back into Windows 7 64-bit and it automatically displayed my MBP screen/desktop onto my 70" Sharp without having to select projection type (Windows Key + P). At this point, everything including audio was functional in both OSX 10.8.2 and Windows 7 Pro 64-bit.

All this frustration and wasted minutes after work, because of a piece-of-shyte generic adapter.

Lesson learned.

FIXED !

I have struggled with this problem for over a year. The connection to my TV worked fine for 1-2 years and then it started failing intermittently and then finally stopped working altogether.

I have been using the Moshi mini displayport to HDMI cable. I spent $46 on it at the Apple store.

As a last effort I bought a cheap chinese cable for $7 (including shipping) and now it works perfectly! It connects to the TV every time. When I switch back to the Moshi, it doesn't work.

Here's the cable I bought:

http://www.suntekstore.com/goods-10007577-mini_displayport_male_to_hdmi_female_a dapter_for_apple_macbook_proair.html

For $7 you can't go wrong!

Hello,

I have mid 2011 iMac

connected via MDP to HDMI adapter and HDMI cable to a Samsung Smart TV.

I have no problems with the image appearing to my tv. That works just fine but then there is a problem with videos staggering on the TV. Problem is there with VLC, XMBC etc. I tried with my other Sony TV and the same staggering is there. Drag video to iMac screen results in no staggering. As soon as the stuff hits extended display it starts.

I have tried 2 adapters and couple of HDMI cables. As posted in this thread most people have complete connection problems but this staggering has not been mentioned widely? Audio plays just fine, no stuttering.

Yes, this staggering is an issue for me as well in bootcamp win 7, same macbook. The same files on a 2009 win 7 acer laptop play flawlessly through an HDMI male to male using the same software. I'm so totally over this effing about with cables I've gone back to my old laptop to watch movies.

Heyy ! I bought the mini display port to HDMI cord from Hong Kong as well and I found a way to get the display on my TV Screen. Unfortunately theres no sound from the Tv just the computer but maybe i can try to figure that out another time ! Sooo this is what I did

Plug in mini display port to HDMI cord

System preferences--> Displays

Check the box where it says "show displays in menu bar"

go to the tv in the menu bar and turn on mirroring

😀

yay ! all is well in the world again !

To kind design: Thanks, this worked for me!! just bend the cable up where I attach it to my macbook. I guess Tech Link IWires is just cheap... spent about 50 bucks in an apple store just 1 month ago and used it very carefully.. I think I will take it back to the store, just in the hope that because of the complains someting eventually changes..

Picked up a new iMac last week and purchased the Rocketfish MDP to HDMI adapter to connect to my Sony EX700 LED TV.

I connected all cable and wirings with the TV turned off and the iMac recognizes that I have a Sony TV connected.

I turned on the TV and the iMac screen appears on the TV for 5 seconds and then disappears.

Then the TV tells me there is no signal.

On the iMac, it keeps flickering between a blue screen and the iMac screen. Also the iMac now doesn't recongnize there is a TV connected.

I then unplugged the Rocketfish MDP to HDMI adapter and the iMac goes back to normal.

I tried the above again. Turn off the TV and plug the adapter in. iMac recognizes it.

Turn on TV and the same thing happen, iMac screen for 5s on the TV and iMac will begin flickering.

Anyone tell me what is wrong?

iginla12 wrote:

Thanks for the advise Csound1.

I bought a Moshi MDP to HDMI Adapter and it worked.

To conclude, the Rocketfish MDP Adapter DOES NOT WORK FOR iMAC !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just to make it more irritating ... the Rocketfish does work, sometimes 🙂 That's why it is often the case that you have to try a few different adaptors/cables.

I have two 13" MBPs, a mid-2011 and a mid-2012 that I got a month ago. I've not been able to get either one to work well with an external display via MDP to HDMI cable. VGA and DVI, via adapters, work fine. It's what I use at the office and at home.

With HDMI I get picture and sound, but it's a bit noisy. Worse, the external display goes black every 10-20 seconds.

I tried gfxCardStatus but that didn't solve the problem.

Options seem to boil down to the following:

1. Keep trying MDP to HMDi cables and adapters until you find one that works.

2. Use DVI or VGA with a separate audio out.

PROBLEM SOLVED.

At least for me.

Applecare suggested trying a Mini DisplayPort (MDP) to HDMI adapter instead of a MDP to HDMI cable. I was skeptical, but since the TV in question only has HDMI and component video inputs, I didn't really have any options beyond giving it another try.

I bought the MDP to HDMI adapter that Hengedock sells via their website and Amazon. I also bought the cheapest 10' HDMI cable offered through Amazon Prime. About $35 for the combo.

End result: no noise and no intermittent signal (flickering or blinking).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu0csttgrZc

THIS VIDEO HELPED SO MUCH! it tells you how to magange the computer settings your desktop is mirrored on the tv screen and it tells you how to set the sound to come out of the tv. awesome. hope i help at least someone else!

Hey All,

I seem to have the same problem but i believe it's me who got it all messed up.

So i was watching a movie on my Sony External Monitor and it was raining! A sudden Power surge popped in aand my display went off, and to surprise my Macbook Pro 13" Mid 2012 went off too, so i turned it back on and it boted up, tried connecting to the monitor again to continue the movie, it did not work. I turn my monitor on and off and it displays the sony logo without any pixels in screen, i'm assuming the surge didn't fry it. I thought it could be the MDP to hdmi connector issue and bought a new one, the blue screen doesn't even show up now. So now, i have to be some freak explorer and try new possibilities like buy a new hdmi cable and check, connect this MDP to someone else's mac, Take this Junk to the apple retail store to get this checked and gradually, hear them give an outrageous figure of numbers to fix it.!

Where Do i start from? What do you think?

Update to my comment from March 3, 2013

After buying the cheap $7 adapter from Suntekstore, I emailed Moshi about my broken adapter. They asked me to mail it in and they'd send me a new one. I just received it (took about 6 weeks). Note that I purchased the original adapter 2 years ago and they still replaced it for free. This new adapter works fine now.