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User profile for user: jlsm51187
jlsm51187 Author
User level: Level 1
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screen flicker using external ACD on new 15" MBP

I recently got the new thunderbolt equipped base 15" MBP and use it with my 24" LED ACD. Randomly the screen will flicker on and off. It does this whether using the discrete or integrated graphics and have not seen it do it while using the built in display. I have not found any way to reproduce it since it seems to happen at random intervals. Is this a driver issue? Or a hardware problem and should I go replace it at my Apple Store?

MBP i5 2011, Mac OS X (10.6.6)

Posted on Feb 27, 2011 8:55 PM

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97 replies
User profile for user: RTJjr
RTJjr
User level: Level 1
0 points

Mar 11, 2011 3:06 PM in response to WylyQuimby

Another me too...intermittent flickering when connected to one year old 24"ACD. Begins upon awaking from sleep or at initial log on, frequent flicker for 30 min or so then settles down to normal display with cycle repeating usually but not always after another sleep. A mid-2010 model 15" MBP and a MB Air have no problems with the same ACD. The new MBP always running fairly cool when flicker starts.

Spent an half hour on phone with Apple Care this morning leading to resetting PRAM and SMC and thought things fixed. But all symptoms have returned later today.
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User profile for user: Timo
Timo
User level: Level 1
111 points

Mar 12, 2011 2:58 PM in response to RTJjr

I have this problem on my one year old 15" MBP i7 with all sorts of displays / TVs / beamers connected via VGA, DVI or HDMI. The displays get black for a second every few minutes, which is very annoying.

I brought it to an apple reseller and they told me that they couldn't find any errors within a 14 hour test run... they told me to make a video of the issue, if possible.

I did with my iPhone, but as I need the MBP permanently, I couldn't bring it back again. There seem to be more and more people having problems with flickering displays and I hope, Apple will fix this with one of the next updates.
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User profile for user: blade0440
blade0440
User level: Level 1
0 points

Mar 17, 2011 3:24 AM in response to cchiappone

Me too (kinda)
however iv got the 13inch and im using a 22inch dell lcd connected through DVI
-i get the flickering only when switching a power connection on/off thats connected to the same power socket!! (strange!!?)
-when the mac starts up or comes alive from sleep it may often display:
"current input timing is not supported by the monitor display, please change your input timing to 1920x1080@60hx..." which is strange because its always set at that

Anybody have any ideas? is it normal for hdmi to dvi signal to be interrupted from simply switching a light on or off?
cheers
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User profile for user: Allison Sheridan
Allison Sheridan
User level: Level 1
24 points

Apr 6, 2011 9:19 AM in response to jlsm51187

I have a new MBP as well, using the Thunderbolt connector with my 24" Cinema Display also has flicker (2008 MBP does not cause this problem).

Two flicker symptoms - whole screen turns very briefly on and off, and the bottom 1/4th of the screen suddenly jumps to the right and back.

I have a genius bar appt set up for this Friday. Hopefully I'll remember to report back here!

Allison Sheridan
NosillaCast Podcast at http://podfeet.com
A technology geek podcast with an EVER so slight Macintosh bias!
Follow me at http://twitter.com/podfeet
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User profile for user: Allison Sheridan
Allison Sheridan
User level: Level 1
24 points

Apr 8, 2011 5:12 PM in response to jlsm51187

Yesterday I reset the PRAM and SMC and the flicker continued. I called AppleCare about it, and she suggested I plug in the monitor and then run Software Update. She said that it can trigger a firmware update for a monitor specific problem. It didn't do anything but that's a good diagnostic step to keep in mind. I asked her to check to see if it's a known issue, and she did, but found nothing.

Then I had my genius bar appt this afternoon, but of course all morning the problem never happened. Made me wonder if somehow one of the steps yesterday actually did fix it? I kept the appointment anyway, and while it never went bad while I was there, the guy recorded a new incident and did check to see if it was a known issue (I know, I'd asked already). He checked and DID find evidence that reports were coming in on this issue. This is GOOD news.

He said there most likely will be a firmware update for us so we should hang loose for a bit.

hope this helps,
Allison Sheridan
NosillaCast Podcast at http://podfeet.com
A technology geek podcast with an EVER so slight Macintosh bias!
Follow me at http://twitter.com/podfeet
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User profile for user: Allison Sheridan
Allison Sheridan
User level: Level 1
24 points

May 6, 2011 4:44 PM in response to Allison Sheridan

so I was really excited to see the Firmware 1.4 for MacBook Pro that said "fixes video stability". Ran the update, same flickering on/off and occasional movement of the bottom half of the screen from side to side.


Today after the firmware update, I closed the lid on my MacBook Pro. an hour later opened, and curiously it was at the login screen. I logged in, got a spinning wheel. Walked away to do something, when i came back I had ONE single white pixel on a black background on the MacBook Pro monitor, all black on the Cinema Display.


yeah, I'm lovin' this Firmware update.

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User profile for user: MikeDaley
MikeDaley
User level: Level 1
0 points

May 7, 2011 1:59 AM in response to Allison Sheridan

Well it looks like I'm just another me too at the moment. Upgraded from a 1st Gen Unibody 15" MBP which has never given me problems with my 24" ACD to a 2.2Ghz i7 15" MBP on 16th April. Since then I've experienced the same problems described in this thread. Most commonly the screen switching to black for a second and then back on again plus the bottom 1/4 of the screen shifting to the left.


These problems only occur on the ACD and not when using the MBPs own screen.


A third problem I was getting was tearing of the display when moving windows from left to right at the to of the screen. The tool bars would seem to render slightly behind the rest of the window. After applying the firmware update this is the only problem that has been fixed, the blacking out and screen corruption at the bottom still occurs 😟


I'm hoping this is something Apple sort out soon as it's very annoying...

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User profile for user: arlo_j
arlo_j
User level: Level 1
4 points

May 10, 2011 8:42 PM in response to jlsm51187

Same. Brand new thunderbolt MBP, Apple 24" LED display. Blinks to black for a second and then back on, every 4 seconds or so at this point. Also does the lateral flickr without going black every once in a while.

Maddening!


I thought it had to do with the temperature of the laptop, but it's sitting below an open window currently, at night, and the problem is occurring like crazy.


Also, I had it at my office today hooked up to a Dell through a DVI adapter, and no flickering at all.


Hoping for a real fix soon, this gear isn't cheap and it's acting pretty poorly.

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User profile for user: christos_gr
christos_gr
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jun 12, 2011 11:14 PM in response to jlsm51187

same here.


macbook pro 13, i7, thunderbolt.

External tv: Philips 32 tv connected through thunderbolt/hdmi is flickering, also screen turns negative-green then automatically returns to normal. Every more-less 15 mins.


Must mention that Dell external monitor works absolutely perfect.

I am already updated to the newest fixes through software update.


hopefully we get soon a fix to this.

greeky cheers

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screen flicker using external ACD on new 15" MBP

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