Horrible colors on external monitor using macbook air(2012) with mini dp to hdmi

I just purchased a new 2012 Macbook Pro and am having the same issue. I bought the Mini Diplayport to HDMI cable from the Apple store the day I got the laptop and I get the same washed out colors on my Acer 23" monitor..

How can I solve this for now until Apple some day fixes the issue? Can I get one of those little HDMI to DVI adapters and it fix it?

I'm not too sure.

Certainly the mini-display port to DVI should work fine. And from other users accounts, it sounds like using a DVI to HDMI to link the DVI output into the HDMI input on you monitor also works without problems.

Whether you can take the HDMI output from your mac and convert to DVI without problems may be another question.

Others may have tried this, but if you prefer that route to simply buying the mini-diaplay port to DVI direct, then maybe explain the problem to the shop and check you can get a refund if it doesn't work.

That was probably clear as mud! The multitude of links all start to sound a little convoluted!

GL.

To answer your question, I am using a Minidisplay to hdmi, and then hdmi to dvi to the dvi port on my monitor. It looks fine. But when I use Minidisplay to hdmi, to the hdmi port on my monitor, it looks bad. Weird

so I went out last night and purchased the Mini Displayport to DVI adapter. Now all the colors look fine when using it, but when I hook up the Displayport to HDMI cable, the colors are horrible.. So its definitely an issue with the HDMI drivers. Wish Apple would fix this because I paid like 50 bucks for that minidisplay to HDMI cable and another 29.99 for the display to DVI adapter last night. I would like to take one of them back

I don't have DVI on my TV only HDMI. Has anyone bought the MDP to DVI and then used a DVI to HDMI cable combination? if you so can you let me know how it works. I have the MDP to HDMI and and as you can guess it *****. This is not a first great impression of apple.

MBP to DVI and then DVI to HDMI works ok, but you loose the audio! Any MBP to DVI should do it.

If you are connecting to a TV you can also look into Apple TV. It's expensive, but you also get more than just your MBP screen through AirPlay...

Just adding my voice to the couple dozen here suffering from that problem..

Have a mid-2012 MBA and both MDP to VGA and MDP to HDMI result in washed-out colors and barely readable text.

As with a lot of you, thought I was the only one with that problem, especially that both my adapters are from 3rd party manufacturers. Not sure if I was happy or sad to run into this thread.

Submitted a report to Apple. Hope they fix soon, as this is quite frustrating.

xdude_pt thanks. I don't care about audio because I don't use my tv for sound I have sound system. My main concern is how to get the clearest images on my tv. I went to the apple store yesterday and they showed me the apple tv and I wasn't very impressed. I have an old pc desktop hooked up to my tv through vga and the image is almost crystal clear, the apple tv image was worse but the people at the apple store seemed impressed by its quality. This is why I am trying to figure out what people are using and what kind of results. Maybe I am expecting too much from apple but I expected at least the same clear quality as a junky old computer with vga.

The MacBook Air should be completely clear via any output; easily readable text, colors like they should be, etc. This was the case with the mid-2011 model. Using the EXACT same adapter with the newest (mid-2012) model on the same display results in washed out colors, etc.

The Apple TV as a "fix" is laughable and shouldn't even be an option. I personally have an Apple TV and use it to Mirror in some instances, but I should definitely be able to hook directly to an HDMI display without any distortion issues. Surely, surely, surely this will be addressed in 10.8.2 (as well as improved battery life).

I've done my part as well and filed a bug report.

For what it's worth, I received a Radar reply today for the HDMI display bug that I filed on August 27th, stating that it's a duplicate of another earlier bug.

So someone in the Apple development group is looking at this.

I'm having the exact same problem. I have a mid-2012 maxed out macbook air. I bought the moshi mini displayport to hdmi adapter and the display on my TV looks terrible: washed out grays, fuzzy text, way too bright and contrasty. When I connect my old white macbook with a mini-dvi to hdmi adaptor (same hdmi cable) it looks perfect. Crisp text, nice colors.

Any answers yet?

Hi,

I just got a reply from the Apple engineers:

"Apple has received reports of this behavior and is investigating those reports. Apple recommends staying up to date with the latest Firmware and Software for your Apple product using Software Updates."

Apparently, the engineer dealing with the issue has the same problem with his macbook. Well, I guess we should wait and hope it will not take ages.

I do a fair amount of business with Apple and ******* to my business services team in SF about it the other day (also forwarded this thread to them...). Not sure if that's what raised the flag finally, but it probably didn't hurt...

I know this is a thread for Macbook Airs, but I know a lot of rMBP people are having this problem too. I'm having this problem with my new rMBP and an HP LP2475w.

I have tried HDMI direct into my monitor as well as a mini Displayport to Displayport on the monitor. My mid-2009 MBP works fine with this display using the MDP to DP cable so I know it's not the cable or the monitor. I'm also running Mountain Lion 10.8.2 on both machines.

I ordered a different HDMI cable and a few different adapters. I think I'll try going from HDMI to DVI on my monitor to see if I can get that to work. I really wish Apple would fix their drivers but I really need this external display and I want to retire my 2009 MBP from daily service. I'll post back when/if I figure out at least a temporary solution.

Same problem here, Moshi DP->HDMI adapter, MBA 13 mid-2012.

The funny thing is that I've borrowed a no-name 5$ cheap DP->HDMI adapter from a friend and it works perfectly fine. Unfortunately the guy he bought it from does not have these aymore in stock and the new ones he is offering have the same problem as the Moshi adapter.

Another interesting thing is that the Moshi adapter works fine with an old MBP.