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User profile for user: charles.m.h.
charles.m.h. Author
User level: Level 1
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New Mac Mini with LED 24" LED Display

Hello all,


I just got myself a new Mac Mini yesterday. I connected it to my existing 24" LED Display. Prior to this, my display was connected my MacBook (2009) and I have never had any problems. Since yesterday (connected to my Mac Mini), my LED goes black from time to time (0.1 s randomly). There are quite a few theories about why it does this. Since I have never had this problem before, it seems to me that it maybe something to do with the new Thunderbolt port (on MAC mini) which is used for the display as well. In fact I have read an interesting article


http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/thunderbolt_macbook_pro_suffers_flickerin g_display_issues/


I suspect the same problem is happening with the new MAC mini.


I am keen to see if there will be a firmware fix from Apple, on either the MAC mini or the Display.


Charles

Mac mini, Mac OS X (10.7)

Posted on Jul 22, 2011 1:42 AM

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176 replies
User profile for user: charles.m.h.
charles.m.h. Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Jul 31, 2011 10:52 AM in response to bastac

Hi bastac,


Let me know if you find a solution ... so far I have tried:

- Re-installing Lion

- Reset PRAM etc ....

- Installed SwitchResX to be able to tune Frequency, Resolution ...


Nothing working so far.


I did plug my MAcBook Air (which has Lion installed), and it works perfectly. This is using a MiniDisplay port as my MBA does not have a Thunderbolt display.


Charles

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User profile for user: llg696
llg696
User level: Level 1
0 points

Aug 2, 2011 9:16 PM in response to charles.m.h.

New Mac Mini mid 2011, top of the line model upgraded to i7, running Lion updated as of today. Exact same issues as everybody here with the 24" LED display (bought 13 months ago). Went today to the Genius Bar with a video recorded on my Iphone showing the screen going black from time to time. The guy confirmed that this is a known issue after looking in his system (although Thunderbolt is advertised to be fully compatible with the display). The only answer I got was to wait for firmware update, and that I should expect some problems when buying a new device 😠. This issue has been around for several months with the early 2011MBP and there is still no software update...

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

Aug 8, 2011 1:47 PM in response to charles.m.h.

Anyone have any updated information on this? Same thing happening here. 24" LED cinema display with 2.7 i7 mac mini. black flashes for 2-3 seconds, intermittenly, sporadically. so annoying. I have reinstalled Lion to no avail. Called Apple support, was told this is a known issue and asked to "capture" my product. did the whole caputure thing. waiting for Apple to get back to me. thanks.

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User profile for user: charles.m.h.
charles.m.h. Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Aug 8, 2011 2:02 PM in response to humming

Hello humming,


I called Apple support, went to the shop ... Etc... Apparently, they are aware of it, this is a known issue (well I hope they employ someone to mnitor these blogs). i was told that this is not a hardware issue, and therefore that I should wait for a software update. I have a new mac mini 2.5 ghz with 24 led display. It does drive me mad. I have the black intermittent flickering, but also sometime it just goes black, or decide to split my screen in 3 screen.


I am waiting for the software fix. In the meantime, I found that unplugging the mini display port and plug it back again stop the issue for a bit.


Now, if apple fails to fix it, since they claim that thunderbolt port is backward compatible with mini display port, there is an easy case to claim your money back. The alternative is to buy adapters to use other ports. A pain !


Charles

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User profile for user: humming
humming
User level: Level 1
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Aug 8, 2011 3:23 PM in response to charles.m.h.

Thanks Charles, for the information.


I may just initiate a return of my 2011 Mac Mini because: (1) after reading countless numbers of posts concerning the 24" LED cinema display and the 2011 MBP's (same problem that we are seeing), I am not confident that Apple will find the fix; and (2) I don't think I can get an upgrade from 24" to newer 27" LED considering that I bought my 24" LED the month they were introduced on October 2008. This is definitely between 24" LED cinema display and thunderbolt.


P.S. What adapter are you using?

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User profile for user: llg696
llg696
User level: Level 1
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Aug 8, 2011 5:54 PM in response to humming

Hey guys,


I personnaly decided to return my Mac Mini for reasons simlar to humming. Given the considerable time elapsed since the released of the February 2011 MBPs which suffer from the same problems, I could not think of waiting for a potential software upgrade to be relased. It still remains a major issue, if no update comes up our ability to use the newer Mac computers with the display will be limited. Furthermore, the display might lose considerable value (a display that only works with Mac, but only the old ones !). Therefore, I am going to wait a few weeks to see what happens especially since there is possibly more potential 24'' screen users that will be upgrading to the new mini. The issue might get even more widespread and hopefully this will stimulate Apple to do something. If nothing happens I will be seriously thinking of selling my display. Not the best solution given the price I paid for the display not too long ago.


Keep me updated on your decisions or if any successful upgrade comes up.

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User profile for user: charles.m.h.
charles.m.h. Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Aug 8, 2011 11:53 PM in response to llg696

@ humming


There is a solution which has been used by a few guys. You can buy an adapter which convert miniDisplay into DVI, and then you use the DVI to HDMI. So in effect you end up using the HDMI output of your MAC mini instead of the MiniDisplay. Not an elegant solution, not a cheap one either:


http://www.atlona.co.uk/atlona-dvi-to-mini-displayport-converter-new-p-3039.html


But if like me, you invested in a 24 LED Display, and you like your MAC mini .....


@ llg96


I would also consider giving my Mac Mini away, but I needed to upgrade my machine. And the Mac mini was the perfect solution for me. I am going to wait for 10.7.1 release, see if there is a patch coming through. If not, then I will complain to Apple, because the Display (or rather the miniDisplay port) is advertised as being compatible with Thunderbolt. And it is not. So this is incorrect selling advertisement. Apple can switch my existing display with a 27 Thunderbolt, or give me the money back for the 24 LED.

And if all fails, I will buy an adapter ..... :-(

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User profile for user: charles.m.h.
charles.m.h. Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Aug 9, 2011 10:28 AM in response to DallasGabe

@ DallasGabe : did you buy this one? Atlona DVI to Mini DisplayPort Converter. so your set up is:


24 LED Display connected to Altona via miniDisplay port. From the Altona, output to DVI to the DVI <--> HDMI adaptor (kindly provided by Apple), then connect on the HDMI port of the Mac mini. ?


Do you know if the iSight Camera and Audio is carried through ?



@ Pierre: this person (ptaylor874) is also using this adapter. This is not cheap, but if this works then this is a £85 fix!

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2765598?answerId=15794620022#15794620022


Charles

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New Mac Mini with LED 24" LED Display

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