Mini display port to HDMI problem

I have also had this problem with my mini display port and hmdi cable from my 2010 Macbook.

After many failed attempts to get it to work, I reduced the brightness slightly in the displays tab under system preferences. After closing and re-opening the macbook lid, I plugged the cables in to try it one last time and voila! It worked!

I think reducing the brightness of the display somehow got it to work. Perhaps it wasn't struggling with the power anymore?

Maybe try this out and see if it works for you too.

First time poster here. I've been lurking these forums the past few weeks and it's been very helpful so I figured I'd give back to the community with information that could help someone out. I just purchased a 15" mid-2009 3.06 GHZ MBP and installed the latest and greatest Mavericks build. I purchased a Monoprice mini displayport to HDMI adapter that supports 2 channel audio through USB. I discovered an interesting thing over the weekend. When I connected my MBP with the adapter to my 55" Samsung HDTV (I believe I purchased the TV in 2012) it connected perfectly. I was able to mirror what was on my MBP to my TV with no issues. As for audio, since the mid-2009 models only support 2 channel via the USB port, the TV speakers worked just fine. I also have a BOSE soundlink mini that I can connect to my MBP via bluetooth and the sound is awesome when I listen to music or watch movies with the MBP.

What was weird is that I tried to connect my MPB to my dad's 55" Mitsubishi HDTV and the picture would show up intermittently. It would pop up every 5-10 seconds, stay on the TV screen for 3 seconds, and then go black again. Using the same Monoprice adapter on my sister-in-law's 13" 2012 MBP, the same issue popped up. I assumed the Monoprice adapter would be compatible with her MBP. With both MBP's, I tried all sorts of resolution combinations but nothing worked.

When I got home, I connected my MBP to my HDTV using the Monoprice adapter, and it worked perfectly again. I came to the conclusion that the issue was not the adapter but possibly the settings on the TV. I didn't try adjusting the settings on my dad's TV because I didn't want to alter anything on his TV. So, before you guys go out and purchase a new cable, keep in mind the issue may not be the cable or your MBP settings. The problem may lie with your TV and its settings. Hope this helps.

I have my imac connected to an led tv, or an lcd tv, depending on what room im in. A week ago the imac quit recognizing the tvs, so the tv had no signal. What I learned was, it is a very common software problem, caused by hdmi copy protection. the cure for an Intel imac, is to reset your pram. locate the command, option, p, and r buttons. restart your computer, as soon as it shuts down, hold down the command, option, p, and r buttons as it restarts, untill you hear the startup chimes a second time. you will have to re pair to your keyboard and mouse, and re enter english. It will promt you to start from a time machine backup, dont, hit cancel and restart. I didnt lose anything, the only differenc is I can stream to my tv again. this proccess may be different with macbooks

Here's a little trick...Hit Option + F2 to bring up your Display menu in System Prefecnes...Have your HDMI plugged into your TV but not your adaptor...Have your adaptor plugged into your Mac...Place the HDMI cable in the adaptor but not all the way. Hold down Option on your Mac and push the HDMI cable in all the way.

I'm the owner of a fully updated Macbook Pro (Late 2010) and have been using two different MDP-HDMI cables (3 meters long) of the same brand/type = both of them stopped working after a couple of months.

The first one seems all dead. In the last days before its dead, i really needed to be shaken a lot before retrieving the signal - reminded me of a loose connection.. So i thought, maybe its the cable and i buy a secord one.

The second just stopped working yesterday and made some "electric sounds/buzzes" at the moment where it didnt wanted to show a signal anymore. Just before it's dead, the macbook and my tv flickered a lot, changing between the display, blue and black screens.

I have tried almost everything that have been mention in this topic, also the new stuff about reducing brightness which didn't work for me, even though i also have a Macbook from 2010. I haven't reinstalled anything yet and i'm not planning to do so.

My guess is that the cables are somehow "fried" after a peiode of use.

I think that Apple is aware of the problem, but simply doest want to take the risk of admitting their OS/Hardware fail, because they haven't found a solution yet.

I'm looking very much forward to a solution.

Im pretty sure they could fix it if they wanted to. But they dont want to. They want consumers to purchase apple monitor and apple products rather than 3rd party. Its the same with the iphone battery life problems. As soon as a new iphone version comes out, and a new OS with it, immediately everyone with older iphones experiences battery issues. Apple dont give two ships about the complaints on this thread. They want you to purchase an apple monitor.

Don't bother to buy a new monitor just to solve this display issue -- I did and I still have the issue. Every time the MacBook Pro running Mavericks (and previous OS) wakes from sleep it has screwed up resolution. I have to go to system preferences, find the hidden button by pressing option (alt) and "detect displays". Apple this is a pain in the tookis -- PLEASE RESOLVE.

I just purchased an LG 27" IPS monitor with HDMI input to use as second monitor in home recording with Apple Logic and Studio One DAW software - I bought a rocketfish minidisplay to HDMI adapter and a Dynex HDMI cable - I got no detection of second display on hokking up - tried restart in various sequences and even rester PRAM - saw this post and tried the plug-in sequence you suggested - WORKED - I am using both displays as wanted - THANKS FOR THE INFO! Doc Hoop

Can anyone tell me why my macbook air using a mini display port to HDMI only works for some programs. I am able to view power point using open office but I can't view safari or anything else on the TV screen.

I HAVE A SALUTION! your mini display adapter is BROKEN! i was experiencing the same thing for my 2011 macbook pro. tried many different hdmi cables and no luck! i got a new mini display port/thunderbolt to hdmi cable and IT WORKS!!! i can now stream movies on the big screen. the brand i got was rocket fish and instead of having an adapter its just a thunderbolt plug and and hdmi plug straight into my tv. its 6 feet long 29.99 at future shop 🙂 DO IT !!!!

My external monitor is not receiving the signal from my Macbook Air. It has been working perfectly well since I purchased the computer 1 month ago. This morning it stopped working which prompted me to look into the issue. I updated the computer with the most recent software (today). I have a direct Minidisplay to HDMI cord. I am running bootcamp with Windows 7, but even when I run the machine on OS the external monitor is still not receiving a signal. I also reset the NVRAM after I downloaded the software update. Any suggestions?

I don't know why it worked but modifying the brightness fixed it for me! I don't always have this problem but the lighting in my room isn't always at the same level. I'm guessing because I've got my display to "Automatically adjust brightness", my external monitor may be confused or something by the brightness settings and therefore it's displaying nothing. My monitor is sort of old... maybe the brightness levels that are being requested by the OS aren't possible on it. Who knows!

Well, unfortunately the brightness trick isn't working for me anymore. Not sure what it is that gets it to work but I've never had this issue with my monitor before updating to the latest Mavericks release.

I've been experiencing the same issue all the way along since Lion OSX update, so I thought the OS version was the issue.

But today I've tried to detect an external TV again via my adapter and an HDMI cable from PS4.
It didn't work actually, but I've noticed the screen flickering when I put the adapter in and out of macbook.

And it actually worked once or twice, the TV got detected.

So I think: maybe the issue is in the logic board or the adapter? Contact issues or powering issues maybe?

Because HDMI and TV are perfectly OK, and screen flickering appears when I move the adapter in various directions.

It's an original MDP-HDMI adapter from Apple, as far as I know, but not quite sure.

My idea is correct - it's something within the connectors.

When putting the adapter in MDP slot, try to insert it straight, and the cable should fit in with some force, not freely, as I noticed before.

You guys better try it out, it might solve the issue for someone at least.

Ah, now I get it.
I've scrapped down my adapter, revealing its circuitry.

And it's ****.

There's glued paper around HDMI crystal, and many of the wires are welded like they were handled during a hangover.
The problem is in an adapter.
I'm getting Belkin adapter now, and I'll tell you tomorrow about my experience with it.