HDMI - Samsung and Mac Mini

I've had similar problems connecting my 2007 MacBook to a Samsung UN22D5000 screen (so it's not just your Mac mini). Works perfectly over VGA, but when connected over DVI, the screen picture is not crisp, the colors are off, and overall the picture is less than ideal. When I connect the MacBook to my Dell 2407WFP over DVI, the picture looks perfect. I haven't figured out what the problem is, but it seems isolated to my Samsung panel.

My best guess is that it's either the way the Samsung panels are interpreting the DVI signal, or it's something about how OS X (both Snow Leopard and Lion) are outputting the signal to the Samsung panels. My intuition says that it's a problem with the more recent HD software/hardware in the Samsung panels, but I have no firm basis for this other than it appears to be isolated to Samsung panels only.

Good luck!

Edit: I've also spent a few hours drilling through the menus on the screen, all to little avail. I was able to slightly improve the picture quality, although it was nothing close to that seen over VGA (which I should not have to use with 1080p).

2011 Mac mini + OS X Lion = Poor display compatibility

My LG TVs, and monitors show a very bad image quality when they are connected to the new mini via HDMI.

It's funny because Samsung, LG are world NO.1, 2 display makers and the new mini is not compatible with their products.

Who is to blame for this problem? It's Apple!

I have been using my TV, monitors with Windows PCs and a 09 Mac mini without any issues.

I use mac mini's with 60 to 100 inch HDTV's for digital signage, I have no issues with picture quailty at all, I use Toshiba TV's exclusively.

There's a large thread on this in reviews on Amazon for Samsung monitors. Here is what they say is the solution. It seems to work for everyone who does it.

I quote...

Here's what you do: (and you can do this while you're PC is ON up so you can see the display change right before your eyes!)

1. Open MENU

2. Go to "Input"

3. Select "Edit Name" to open up the "Edit Name" sub menu.

4. Scroll down to "HDMI" and select it, (watch carefully)

5. Now assign "PC" or "DVI PC" to the HDMI setting and voila!!!

*** I'm not sure what this setting is for, I thought it was just to give it some "name" assignment. But somehow changing this corrected the blurry/blocky text effect.

I have an Insignia 42" plasma that is made by LG. It works fine with my mini. check your settings.

I have a brand new 42" Samsung LCD TV and it is awesome.

I have my Mini set to 1080p in the monitor settings. I have

the Samsung itself set to fit display.

No display issues what so ever.

Thanks very much for reposting this, azwag99. This worked like a charm with my Mac Pro and a Samsung 22" TV I am using for a second monitor along side my Cinema 27". What a bizarre thing that Samsung would do to bury this parameter. I did need to go into setup for display on the mac and tweek the color profile and play with the settings on the Samsung a bit, but overall it is now quite acceptable. It is not my Cinema 27", but being 1/5th the price, it is good enough. Cheers!

Imanaged to solve in mySamsungLEDTV40-

I clicked on theSourcebuttonon myTV remote control.Then clickon Tools on theHDMI port onwhich themacminiis connected.

Then selectEdit Name.nottype thename,chosenfrom the listoptionDVIPCand itwasamazing, it workedfine for me,soI haveto improvethe contrastnow.

I couldn't find the input control so didn't get any further. My mini mac samsung picture still poor.

great thanks Daniel worked fine, still took numerous times to get it but got there in the end.

Spot on to azdawg99

Just purchased a T22A550 from Samsung and was searching to improve the picture (blocky text, image was overscanned etc...)

Just choose "source" from the remote, then move to HDMI 1 and press "tools" where you can then rename the input.

azdawg99 u r simply a genius!!! that was the perfect solution!

shame samsung does not mention this within the product manual!

thanx a lot!!!!!

cheers.

I have a samsung TV which worked great with my MBP via the DVI to HDMI adaptor and then after buying a mini and using the HDMI direct into the same port had extreemly BAD video also. I did manage to tweak it so it was acceptable but never got it correct.... I poured over the E manual and info boards to no avail, then tonight while watching TV had the "bright idea" to try the MAC forums. I punched in my search and there it was!!! My mini is actually useable now... THANK YOU! You get the dewey button for the day. Have a great one.

DUDE

Perfect fix.

I have the Samsung T27A550 attached to my 2011 13" MacBook Pro using a Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter on the Thunderbolt port. No amount of setting tweaking was working. The picture was actually worse than the Asus VE278Q that I was using. It didn't have enough connectability.

The "DVI PC" setting is perfect. THANK YOU.

Any advice for the optimal setting for AppleTV? I haven't noticed any issues there yet, but you're a freaking genius.

EDIT: If you are using a 2011+ Macbook capable of sending audio through HDMI, choose "PC" not "DVI PC"

DVI PC will treat your signal like classic DVI (duh) requiring a separate route of audio from your MacBook 1/8" phone port to the Samsung's PC DVI/Audio In.

Kind of obvious but I missed it.

Thanks again for the fix!