White noise on external screen through DVI

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White noise on external screen through DVI

Sometimes my external screen(DELL 24") through mini-Display-to-DVI adaptor suddenly turns into while noise pattern. I have a picture taken by my iPhone, but I realized that I cannot attach it here.

Mostly it happens when my MBA(11") comes back from sleep, but sometimes it just happens when I'm actively working with it. I hope this is coming from some problem of mini Display port -to-DVI adaptor, in which case I could claim only the adaptor, but it might be the graphics card on my MBA unfortunately. I'd like to see if anyone else have such problem.

Macbook Air(Late 2010), Mac OS X (10.6.5), 11 inch, 4GB RAM, 64GB SSD

Posted on Dec 25, 2010 3:03 PM

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Answer 1

Jan 5, 2011 12:53 PM in response to mechazzang

I just bought a brand-new MBA (11") and have the same problem with the mini Display port to DVI adaptor. It's going to an external Samsung screen, lid closed, and an Apple keyboard attached.

For me it only happens when waking from sleep.

It makes the whole "instant wake" feature pretty pointless.

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Answer 2

mechazzang Author

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Jan 5, 2011 1:05 PM in response to elishasessions

Quite similar configuration you have with mine.
I also have Apple keyboard attached.

Does it always happen when it comes back from sleep?
It happens to me occasionally - not quite often, but frequent enough to annoy me-

If it always happens for your case, you are lucky.
At least you can show the problem to Apple Store whenever you want.
It's difficult for me to prove it's not normal..

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Answer 3

Jan 9, 2011 7:04 PM in response to elishasessions

This happens to me intermittently with my brand-new MBA (13") and external Samsung monitor. Just turn the monitor off and turn it back on again. Takes two seconds, works every time.

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Answer 4

mechazzang Author

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Jan 10, 2011 7:31 AM in response to pnielsenhayden

Ah.. I always disconnected mini-display port and connected again whenever it happens to me, but maybe next time I should try to turn off and on the monitor instead. Hmm.... Thanks anyways.

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Answer 5

Jan 11, 2011 3:57 PM in response to mechazzang

This problem happens with my 2009 Mac Mini hooked to a 24" dell screen, and my 2010 Mac Pro hooked to a 30" Samsung screen. It appears to happen across the entire Apple product portfolio, and is most likely driver related. This issue has been around for at least 6+ months - why they haven't tracked this down by now is beyond me.

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Answer 6

Sauri

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Jun 24, 2011 8:09 AM in response to mechazzang

Just happened to me for the first time (googled and came here), after waking the mac from sleep. Mac Pro early-2008, DELL 24" (2407wfp), I use them for 3 years and never seen this before. Maybe it somehow related to yesterday's update to 10.6.8.

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Answer 7

Sep 22, 2013 11:06 AM in response to Sauri

Re-energising this thread...Read various ideas on what might be the problem..... Is there a fix,,

Drivers?

-Glen

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Answer 8

dhuber

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Mar 31, 2016 1:49 PM in response to mechazzang

I have this same problem. The problem does not seem to be related to waking up from sleep as others have experienced. I have a MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Early 2013) running OS X 10.10.5. It is hooked to a Dell U2412M monitor via the HDMI port using an HDMI to DVI adapter. Periodically (about once a week), the Dell screen will go blank for a couple of seconds and then come back with the white noise pattern you described. I fix the problem by unplugging the HDMI cable from the computer and plugging it back in. Kind of a weak workaround, though, as it rearranges all of my windows when I do that.

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