Q: Mini display port to HDMI problem

There is something wrong here. I have the same problem. MDP to HDMI with 13" MacPro mirroring on to 32" LDC TV. I've tried every possible order of plugging in and sometimes I get a flash of my desktop, but it never stays. This should be simple, but it's not.

When I use my MacPro at home I always use use an external monitor MDP to DVI adapter and keyboard. Sometimes I have the same problem. I start up the computer, plug in the adapter. My desktop appears on the monitor. I close the computer lid and the external monitor goes black. I click the spacer bar and if I'm lucky the monitor connects and stays connected. Sometimes it just keeps going off and I have to try from the beginning again and again. I found having the same resolution on the MacPro and the monitor helps, but nothing works all the time.

I just tried connecting my old white MacBook G4 to the TV with an adapter from it's MDP to DVI. It works if I leave the MacBook open, but the sound volume is insufficient. I guess the only other answer is Apple TV. Given Apples networking glitches I fear that would be just another nest of worms.

I have had Apples for since the first color mac to my current MacPro desktop quad and MacBook Pro. There are some mysteries that Apple cannot solve, at least as yet and this must be one of them.

Has anyone called Apple on this?

I found this in Apple support, but have ot tried it yet.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4214

@Democledies

I am assuming that you are referring to a 13" MacBook Pro, yes? (that would only make sense, as you refer to closing the computer lid)  In my experience, when closing the lid of a macbook pro, in order to "wake" the computer up with the lid closed (as mac will auto-sleep on lid closure) you have to have a wired keyboard plugged in to a USB slot on your device, and once the lid is closed and everything goes black, then just tap the space bar (or your key of choice) on the wired keyboard and it will "wake up"

HOWEVER...I have discovered and used this solution for quite some time...now, I must warn you that it is a program that overrides the sleep functionality of your machine, which can cause for some heat issues if your machine is not properly ventilated (in other words, while I use it, I make sure that I use it with my 15" MBP properly ventilated - so use it at your own risk, as they say)

The program...InsomniaX, and you can find it here.

Give it a try and lemme know how it goes.

THE WAY TO DO IT IS JUST PULLING YOUR WEB BROWSER OFF THE SCREEN TO THE RIGHT UNTIL YOU START SEEING IT ON THE TV!! HOPE THIS WORKS FOR ALL

i do believe that most of the onnection problem is with the adapter. had two brand new mac mini port adapters neither work. took my mini mac and adapters back to the store. guess what the one the tech guy used in the store work perfectly.

OK, found a fix that worked for my husband and me.  Seems like it might help some of the people in this forum. 

Our Mac Mini is a few years old.  We had it working great with LCD monitors for a couple years.  We had to take it into the Apple store to get a part replaced (logic board, unrelated to monitor problem) and when we got our Mac Mini back and tried to get it going, it no longer recognized the LCD monitors.  One monitor showed wallpaper but no icons, no dock, no way to get to preferences or other dropdowns.  The other monitor would not connect at all.  We unplugged and replugged everything in every configuration imaginable, and nothing worked.

In our case, we found the answer on Apple's web site.  Turns out all we had to do was reset the PRAM.  Tried it once, worked like a charm.  Here is a link to the information on how and when to do it:  http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1895#

This solution worked great for us!  Of course, this is our Mac Mini, into which we do not need to constantly unplug and replug monitors.  Not sure if we will need to do a reset every time we unplug and replug the monitors, but since this is rare for us it's not really a problem.  This solution may not be the ideal fix for every situation, but it worked for us.  I hope this helps someone.    

Just an update...I bought the Moshi mini displayport to HDMI adapter to see if this worked in connecting my Macbook to my Panasonic tv.  It worked instantly and perfectly.  I was using the mini displayport to HDMI cable.  I think that cable was the problem.  The guy at the Apple dealer said that guy who invented HDMI intended for the cable to have HDMI on both ends of it and that the other cables sometimes work and sometimes don't.  The adapter worked!!  Thanks.

I tryed resetting the PRAM and that didn't work. Then I thought it may have something to do with the firewall. I disabled it System Preferences>Security & Privacy>Firewall for a few seconds and my 37" LED display immediatly came on. Then I turned the firewall back on.

Okay, there are a few problems I have found. The first is that with very long HDMI cables, I can't get it to work. The fix is use a shorter HDMI cable. Second, sometimes if there is a kink in the adaptor I can't get it to work. The fix for that one is unkink the adaptor. And finally there was a problem where I couldn't get 1080p, onlu 720p. I'm guessing the cable received too much damage, so I contacted the manufacturer and it was replaced with one that worked for 1080p again (and the old one was thrown in the electronic recycling bin).

Right, I have tried everything in this thread and with the help of my housemates have narrrowed down the problem.

The problems lies with the computer, as I have a housemate who can get his HDMI/Displayport cable and TV setup to work with his Late 2011 Macbook Pro 13" i5. I used his TV and cable but could not get my 15" Macbook Pro i7 (Early 2011). Also, I tried my cables with another housemates TV, and it didn't work. IT IS NOT THE CABLE NOR THE TV.

Also, I have two different HDMI/Displayport setups (one all-in-one NEET cable, and an HDMI cable with a minidisplay port on the end - unofficial) neither work with my MBP.

Furthermore, my NEET cable worked on Christmas Day (when I recieved the cable) at home with my MBP, no problems.

Also, my brother has the Early 2011 13" i3 MBP - his NEET cable has not worked since Christmas.

i.e. MY PROBLEM LIES WITH THE MACBOOK PRO

My theory is that it is either an update or a piece of software that is causing the problems.

But since problems have been going back to 2009 - I wonder if a certain piece of software is causing this problem.

Also, using gfxcardstatus and switching to integrated only (Intel HD Graphics 3000) the MBP does the blue screen ONLY when I unplug the cable/switch to another HDMI source but NOT when I plug it in.

ok, so i went through about 3 adapters (mdp to dvi) on my mbp 13 inch mid 2011. When trying to connect the port, the computer would recognize the screen until i unplugged it or did some odd sleep method. So, I kept going back and forth to apple and they told me to up to lion. No can do... I love how my Pro Tools rig is running. After cable exchanges, adapter exchanges, and a ton of discussion forums, I was out of ideas.... Boom! apple thunderbolt software update comes to 10.6.8 and the screen was working in so many ways... all the time! Now, the careless part of me closed the macbook while a netflix movie was running and the fan was going. This was such a bad move to make because the computer woke up from my fat bum moving the usb wireless mouse and the external screen came up as the main! I was confused and hit shut down. Bad bad bad.... the next morning, I awake to my computer not recognizing the screen like it was 2 months ago. I tried everything from PRAM reset to alternate pluging combos of the adapter. The screen will not be recognized and I couldnt even get a blue screen to pop-up from the thunderbolt port. Like anyone should, i kept my head up and tried again later. After a few sleep and wake cycles, the computer recognizes the screen. So, I think this problem might be software related. I will not rule out that the adapter is pure crap, as well, and maybe third party is the step to take. However, you should try every combination of turning your computer off and do a few sleep/wake cycles. It also seems that support on thunderbolt is only for Lion and up. It is just sad... while using an unsupported legacy mode a problem can be ignored by techs. Keep trying and check if the adapter starts to get warm. I had a few of the adapters do this, but not on my current adapter. If you get the adapter to work, persist in a proper shutdown method every time you connect the display. Good luck and stay positive.

I only have a general answer to offer, one that grew out of my own recent frustrating experiences.  Spanking new MBP 13 and LG 37-inch TV.  The only cable that works is a new Kanex Mini-DVI>HDMI.  I tried HDMI cables with new-ish Moshi and Belkin adapters with no joy; only the Kanex would work.  It's all about the cables; the version of HDMI you are connecting to, what the cable supports, etc.  I tried connecting my new MBP (Thunderbolt port) to four different brands of new TVs using the Moshi adapter/Sony HDMI cable I used to use with no luck.  Only a pre-Thunderbolt MBP would work with those cables, which are only a year old.

I found an article about HDMI on the Cruthfield site that helped me at least understand the differing versions.  I have had the Kanex cable around the house for a year or more, but it would not work with my older MBP. 

Luckily, I kept it.  I tried it out as a last resort, cicked on "mirror displays", and - VOILA! - My new LG TV lit up with the Mac desktop.  All I can offer to lots of frustrated MBp-ers is to chip work away at switching and matching cables.  BTW, the new MBP worked great with an older Sharp 32-inch Regza version TV - using the Kanex cable. 

It's pretty crazy that there is so much inconsistency between cables and ports from manufacturer to manufacturer.  NONE of the mini-display to HDMI cables worked with my new MAC equipment.  That's NUTS!

TheCable1

DaveyJam- I think you are correct that its a software issue. My MBPro 13 in (Mid 2009) worked absolutely fine with the Monoprice HDMI, but as updates were done along the way, it stopped working. Everytime I plug in the adapter, the external audio device shows up, but not the video. I get the following error in Console everytime I plug it in (also have a brand new MBAir 13 which does the same thing): appleusbcdc start initdevice failed

I bought a Belkin MiniDP->HDMI adapter, and it works perfect on both (though no audio on the MBPro).

To those of you with the dynex mini display to hdmi converter, it's the source of the problem, shorts in the wiring and bad manufacturing, mine worked great for about 2-3 months then I started noticing some flickering one day and the next day it was toast. Try moving it to different positions and you'll probably get it to work for a little bit, but you're best to go buy something that is not dynex and try to get a refund on your dynex.

I am in total shock that futureshop and bestbuy would sell such crap since it should be in the dollar stores with the rest of the garbage wiring especially for the $30-$40 they are charging. congrats to the salesrep that got dynex the contracts for those stores, way to pull the wool over their eyes.

Hope this helps most of you out using these converters, best of luck!!!