Mini display port to HDMI problem

I've found a solution that works for me, let me explain:
First of all I'm using a Macbook Pro (late 2006) that I connect to an LG HDTV through DVI to HDMI. This worked fine for the first couple of months till I upgraded to Snow Leopard and just stopped working at some point. The screen of the laptop blinks, the TV says it's connecting but end up with the message 'no connection'. The Macbook also can't see the TV, only showing one available display (it's own) in the display prefs.
Now what I understood from the various discussions is that the problem is caused by the resolution that is send to the TV, problem is that you can't change the resolution unless the display is actually recognized. I figured that a solution could be to turn on mirroring as this might send a different resolution to the TV, only problem is that you also cannot turn on mirroring unless the display is recognized. So what I did was this:
-> connect the laptop to the TV with a normal DVI - VGA cable
-> turn on mirroring
-> connect the laptop with the DVI - HDMI cable

And voila, it works. Hope this helps for some of you.

I also have the HDMI problem. I have a Macbook aluminum and the Apple MDP-to-DVI adapter. It always works great with my TV with the DVI connection. But when I use a DVI to HDMI cable to connect with my HDMI TV I only get the desktop (no icons). Also interesting is the fact that this desktop is the original desktop from when I first used the Macbook. If I change the desktop on the computer the desktop displayed on the TV remains the same.

Oh my God! Such a simple and obvious remedy when you think about it - reset (switch off then on) the TV! DUH! I can't believe I didn't think of that before.
I've had similar problems to many of the posters on this thread. My set up is a 15" Late '08 Unibody MacBook Pro still on Leopard 10.5.8, with Monoprice MiniDisplay Port male to an HDMI male cable direct to my Sony 46" KDL-46F1. As with several others on this thread, things were fine till after a couple of months I would just suddenly get snow or a black screen on my Sony TV. I found jiggling the cable slightly or turning the MBP on its side then slowly putting it back down would get the signal back. But even this remedy has increasingly not worked, or only for a few seconds. It's like the cable is degrading with use! Do cables have a half-life like radioactive materials? (^_^)
Anyway, switching the telly off then on again just worked for me. I'll see if it keeps working in the long term.
Thanks derekxm!

OK, never mind. It worked great for a couple of hours, then I got a black screen and no matter how many times I switch the TV off and on I still get nothing but a blue flash on my MBP's screen. The TV is also listed in the Displays menu, too, so I guess this isn't a wonky connection, and more a software based problem.
I dunno. This *****. It's been going on for months with a lot of people (including me). If it's a software bug, it should **** well be fixed by now! Once again, another one of my Apple products doesn't "just work"...

Wow, they're strict here. I can't believe I got censored for using sucs (sic) and dam (sic) (^_^) That's ridiculous...
Monoprice cable and/or my MBP are still not playing nice... Really frustrating. I wish there was at least an easy way of determining what's the cause of all this. The cable? The MDP port? OS X? The Dukes of Hazzard?

Trying to connect MB to a Panasonic Plasma (TC-P42S1). Got the video fine (miniDVI to HDMI then HDMI to the HDMI 1 input on the TV. Could connect the audio via MB headset to RCA on the tv but that's a different input!
I've seen on an earlier post a product (Mini Displayport Male and USB Male Audio to HDMI Female Converting Adapter) that doesn't use the miniDVI out.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?cid=104&cp_id=10428&cs_id=1042802&pid=5969&seq=1&format=2

Does this work? Any other suggestions?
thanks

I'll add my frustration to the pile.

iMac 24", nVidia GT130, Monoprice MDP->HDMI converter to Samsung LN40B610, detects display as SAMSUNG but TV displays 'no signal'. Same symptoms as reported above. It also does not work on dual boot Windows Vista 32-bit so it could be an nVidia hardware problem. nVidia Windows software detects the display as SAMSUNG and says it is HDCP capable. It also says it is only compatible in Mirror mode, not Extended Desktop mode.

However it DOES work through my Pioneer VSX919AHK receiver (but then I can't also get optical audio, but that's another rant for Pioneer).

So MDP->HDMI does work, and does work with HDCP (receiver only supports HDCP sources). I'm curious to know where the incompatibility in the 'standard' lies, with Apple, nVidia or Samsung.

Samsung technical support has been useless, they keep copying their FAQ from 5 years ago that 'Apple computers are not supported' or 'connect through VGA'.

Has there been ANY official word from Apple on these problems?

Here's what worked for me:

On my IN72 projector I went into the settings and found and option for HDMI DDC and turned it off. And that was it. After that everything was great.

I was using the Kanex Mini Displayport to HDMI adapter and a MacBook Pro running 10.6.3 (Snow Leopard).

Good luck!

I take my macbook with me everywhere I go. Hook up to a lot of different tv's at various friends houses. Some tv's it seems to work everytime. Some tv's it used to work all the time and now never works. Seems to be working less and less lately. It cant be the cable bc it still works almost everytime on my vizio I have at home. Very frustrating Apple needs to fix this I thought there computers were supposed to be leading the multimedia field. Its got to be a software issue I didnt have a single problem with it until snow leopard and all the updates. Really ***** telling my friends well we might be able to watch a movie lets see if it will Pop on the Tv today. Having to encode and burn files which reduces the quality and takes 45 minutes of my time.

Same problem

Late 2009 MBP, HDMI adapter(3rd party) HDMI CABLE (Working 100% with PS3) Panasonic Viera 42' Plasma

I have gotten it to work once, which tells me that it should be working. Apple care is sending me in to have my MBP looked at (mac store). Since we're all having the same issue I doubt it's a bad port. I'm really upset mac has chosen such a piece of garbage output, which is poorly supported. I love my MBP, this is the first thing that hasn't worked right away.

After going to the mac store they concluded it was the adapter. After testing with their mdp to dvi to hdmi it worked perfectly. After bringing it home and testing I'm pleased, but still puzzled as to how my original 3rd party product only worked once then quit. It seems fishy and perhaps either poor build quality or some sort of MAC interference... anyways I will update if I have any further issues.

I can confirm the problems others posters have with the Monoprice cable. My configuration:

Mac Mini 2.26 GHz I bought one week ago to connect to an old Toshiba LCD TV which supports only HD Ready (720p, 1080i, not 1080p). The Monoprice cable is the one with the mini displayport connector and output to HDMI + USB (for audio). With this cable, it is nearly impossible to have a stable image on this TV set. In the end I used a Dr Bott mini displayport - HDMI cable connecting directly the headphones audio output of the Mini to the audio input line of the TV. I have no problem with the Dr Bott cable. So I suppose the Monoprice has problems with old TV sets.

When I connect the Mini to a more recent TV LCD set, which support HD Full (1080p), then the Monoprice cable works beautifully.

My guess is that the Monoprice cable is confused by the information the TV sends back through the DDC (or DCC?) line about the resolutions supported by the TV set. This may explain why others posters had success using that cable in mirroring situation or deactivating the DDC signals in the TV configuration altogether (unfortunately this does not seem to be possible with my Toshiba).

Best regards from Barcelona (Spain),

Daniel

A tip to add to my previous post: in order to change the current resolution when the Mini is connected only to the TV set through the mini displayport - HDMI/USB cable, in a situation when there is absolutely nothing showing on the TV, the best way to work is to share the Mini screen with another Mac, using the Screen Sharing app...

I'm not the only one!

MBP 15.5(late 2009),Monoprice, JVC 32" lcd tv

The connection worked just fine for about three months then suddenly started to do the "static glitch" or give me the black screen. Now it's doing it all the time. I've:
-changed the hdmi cable (and brand)
-bought a NEW samsung tv to test it with that (it worked for two minutes then completely went black...tv, back at store)
-turned on and/or off any setting that have to do with hdmi or video graphics
-changed resolution settings to 720p,1080p and 1080i.

I also spoke to an apple rep. who claimed that he hasn't heard of this problem from anyone else...?!?!?!

Any help would be HELPful. Thanks.

BeeGeeIII

danidev,

i have the same problem, i got a cable here at brazil
the mini display port to hdmi (male) link it direct to my LG42PC5R its hdtv not full hd
i get no signal, i'm looking for Dr Bott cable, maybe it will work for me.

can you please tell me the exact model you bought ?
its the mini display port to HDMI adapter II ? black or white ?