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dohdoh1985 Author

Level 1

0 points

MacBook suddenly won't detect my TV anymore - already tried anything

Hello everyone,

I hope I can find help here... I couldn't find any in Apple Stores...

_+*If you don't want to read the long text, there are some cliff notes below*+_

I have a problem with my 42" Toshiba LCD TV.

Here's my setup:

MacBook 13" Unibody with 4GB RAM, Snow Leopard 10.6.4 and all the latest updates.

I used to use it as my movie display, only plugging it in when watching a movie etc... For work I am using a Dell 2209WA, which is still working perfectly with exactly the same cable configuration.

My connection should be standard and looks like this:

1. Mini-Display Port to DVI
2. DVI-to-HDMI-cable
3. Plugged in into my TV

Some day, I decided to watch a movie, plugged of the Dell and plugged in the Toshiba TV. No signal, my MacBook didn't even detect any external display.

I searched up the internet, and found that there were problems with the update 10.6.2, and after 10.6.3 seemed to work for most of the persons concerned, 10.6.4 seemed to mess it up once more.

Fortunately I am running time machine, so I started to restore older OS X versions, starting with 10.5.8 and going the way all up to 10.6.4 again. It just wouldn't work. So I formatted my MacBook and made a fresh install of Mac OS Snow Leopard, again starting with every single update step. But nothing worked, so I restored my latest 10.6.4 backup.

I went to a friend's house and connected my MacBook with the same cables to his TV, and it worked perfectly. I then visited an Apple Store, describing my problem and connecting it to their TV - it worked. I was like... come on!!!

Nevertheless I bought a new MiniDisplay-Port-to-DVI-Adapter I could bring back any time, just to test it. I even bought new cables. Nothing helped.

I then started to reset PRAM, and CMS. I moved stored display profiles to trash, restarting and hoping it would work, but nothing...

Any time I connect the DisplayPort, my MacBook screen blinks, as it should, but does not recognize any display. I tried SwitchResX, nothing as well.

_+*Here are the Cliffnotes of what I've done and what's going on:*+_

MacBook won't recognize/detect Toshiba TV
MacBook recognizes/detects Dell TFT with same cable configuration
MacBook works fine with other TVs
I changed cables
I changed HDMI ports
I tried another adapter (DisplayPort)
PRAM and SCM reset without success
Deleting display profiles without success
I tried every Snow Leopard Release from 10.5.8 to 10.6.4
SwitchResX did not work
I restored my TV's standard configuration, and turned any auto image adjustion off
checked whether MacBook is concerned by nvidia callback - negative
It seems that there is either a problem with my television or with my driver's/software's configuration on the MacBook. Maybe it is sending a signal/resolution that cannot be displayed, but why should it?

If it does, it would have to detect the TV first I guess... A fact that brings me to the point that it might be the TV and not the MacBook is that it didn't even work with a fresh installed SL, so there were definately no wrong display profiles saved and applied.
I don't know what to do, is there anyone who can help me? Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Regards from Germany

dohdoh

MacBook 13", Mac OS X (10.6.4), 4GB RAM - 250GB HDD - mid 09

Posted on Jul 24, 2010 5:57 AM

37 replies

scottmil

Level 1

18 points

Feb 28, 2011 12:23 PM in response to spenc1975

Today I had a similar experience as georgebushw. After a long weekend with my MBP disconnected from my external display, I attempted to reconnect my Apple Cinema Display...MBP would not detect it. I reset my PRAM multiple times without success. I then disconnected my display and a few hours later attempted to reconnect again...this time it worked. I noted that my MBP had gone to sleep between connect attempts while I had the lid shut...could this be a clue?

trovb

Level 1

0 points

Mar 1, 2011 9:10 AM in response to dohdoh1985

I have the same problem. My Panasonic 37PX80 wasn't recognised by my MBP with a displayport -> HDMI cable. Blue screen flickering but no image. I tried connecting my computer to a display at work today, without any problems through a displayport -> DVI. So i though it might be the cable or TV, but
now i just got home and tried the TV again, and now it's working.. this is really weird and annoying. Please fix it!

Mar 14, 2011 4:19 AM in response to dohdoh1985

Same problem here. I'm using a Dynex Mini DisplayPort -> DVI to connect my Philips 23" LCD Display and when I connect it, the macbook screen turns blue for a while and that's all. Nothing else happens. Then I press "recognize displays" and still nothing.

I've already tried the PRAM Reset twice and didn't work.

I don't know what to do. I bought the macbook in the last december and I would really appreciate to have it working correctly.

lamboona

Level 1

0 points

Mar 15, 2011 1:54 AM in response to dohdoh1985

Yes, another one! I'm trying to connect my MBP to sony bravia using minidisplay port -> HDMI and absolutely nothing. have tried the command, option, P and R reset and still no joy! Have also tried connecting to the TV's VGA/PC input connection and exactly the same - no connection, not even recognising the TV - PLEASE HELP

trovb

Level 1

0 points

Mar 22, 2011 1:57 PM in response to dohdoh1985

It doesn't seem to be fixed in 10.6.7 :-/

Mar 23, 2011 5:55 AM in response to trovb

I just started having this problem about a month ago. Everything was working fine and then suddenly my Macbook detects my external display about 50% of the time. I have tried a number of fixes I read on the discussion boards and still no fix. Help Apple ***! IT seems this problem has been around a while why is Apple not helping?

Mar 25, 2011 4:28 AM in response to Jasoninboone

I have tried many proposed solutions to this problem and the apple store was no help either. THe only option I had not tried was buying a new adapter. My original adapter was a mini display port to HDMI and it worked for about 2 months with no problem and then it became a gamble as to when it would work or not. I bought a much more expensive mini display port to HDMI cable from the Apple store and I have not had any problems so far...

nejesq

Level 1

4 points

Mar 28, 2011 7:33 PM in response to dohdoh1985

I'm in the same boat as everyone else. This is extremely frustrating. I have a Toshiba 55" LCD and none of the HDMI ports work for my MBP anymore and nothing I try works at all. Apple needs to fix this right away! (please?)

Apr 1, 2011 9:58 PM in response to dohdoh1985

Still not fixed. Super frustrating. 1500 dollar laptop and the HDMI wont work. I guess i'll have to buy a $300 pc so i can watch tv in the bedroom. I wish apple would smart'n up and fix this issue. This is awful. C'mon apple wake the F up.

Jun 19, 2011 8:10 AM in response to dohdoh1985

This is a mess!

I have exactly the same problem with my

Macbook Pro 13" Mid 2010 (smallest one)

Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter

HDMI Cable to Sony KDL-46V300.

Sometimes it works, sometimes not...no, actually it works once in 1000 tries.

geoseh

Level 1

0 points

Jun 24, 2011 11:06 PM in response to dohdoh1985

I have the same problem macbook pro mini displayport to hdmi, was working and quit.

Cable and TV works on my wife's Mac air, so the problem is definately the Mac pro?

Any help here?

George

Jun 25, 2011 8:11 AM in response to dohdoh1985

Up until recently my MBP (late 2010) has been working fine with my Panasonic Viera HDTV via the Moshi Mini Display Port to HDMI adapter until when I tried earlier this week and it had stopped working.

It's not the adapter or the wire since I used these to connect to another Viewsonic screen that works fine. No problem connecting a Windows machine to the TV via HDMI either.

Did the PRAM reset which solved nothing. When I connect the computer and the TV, the computer will display the blue screen it does when connecting but when the display appears again the HDTV shows no response and the MBP does not detect the display. It simply will not detect this screen despite having worked before and being able to detect other displays.

This has been a problem since I updated to 10.6.6, hadn't been fixed in 10.6.7 and even though I used my disc to go back to 10.6.3 the problem has persisted.

Jun 26, 2011 1:17 AM in response to coffeemonopoly

10.6.8 does nothing for me either, by the way.

This is ridiculous.

pumpguy

Level 1

0 points

Jul 5, 2011 12:47 PM in response to Jasoninboone

Jasoninboone,

Is the new adapter still taking care of the problem? I have taken my Macbook to the Apple store along with my old adapter and it works fine when they plug it into an old TV they had on site but will not work on my home set. Before I bought a new adapter I wanted to verify that the adapter you purchased has indeed solved the problem

Thanks.

Jul 5, 2011 12:54 PM in response to dohdoh1985

- qCable MDP to HDMI => doesn't work

- Kanaan MDP to HDMI => doesn't work

- Apple MDP to DVI + No Name DVI to HDMI + 10m HDMI Cable: Bad signal

- Apple MDP to DVI + 10m DVI/HDMI Cable: Works. Sound via optical cable.

It's sad but at least it works somehow right now.

MacBook suddenly won't detect my TV anymore - already tried anything