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

Hi enumans,

You shouldn't have problems with Mini DisplayPort to VGA adapaters unless the adapters are faulty.

The issue all of us have is the Mini DisplayPort to HDMI.

I, like you, use the Mini DisplayPort to VGA for now and it works nicely. I will install the latest software update tonight and will be able to tell if the HDMI issue has been rectified so we can have not just nice but perfect picture quality 🙂

Same issue here on a 2012 Macbook Pro and a Samsung display. This problem probably isn't high up on Apple's list of priorities since the monitors aren't sold by Apple, but it's pretty hilarious that we have to use Windows to get the colors working again. This issue absolutely ***** and I can't use Photoshop right!

iBobX,

I have similar problems with my Macbook Pro Retina.

Monitor: ASUS VE276Q

Connection: Mini DisplayPort --> Displayport (so, just a cable)

Fonts are blurry, colors are washed out, subpixel rendering clearly not happening correctly. I saw this thread and tried connecting to one of the monitors here at work using an Apple Mini-DP --> VGA adapter, and it's 1000x better, with font rendering working as it should. Next step is to do a full reset of the monitor at home and then try using VGA instead of DisplayPort.

This has been a major PITA because of the eyestrain caused by the blurry text.

Hi everyone

I had the same problem, yesterday I received my new MBA 13 and when I plugged to my new S27B750V I felt very embarrased due to the **** quality although when I plugged my old Hp Laptop with 5 years, the colours, fonts, icons are nice as expected when you are using a good screen via HDMI.

I have been using Apple products from 7 years ago but it´s a bit frustrating because you know you are paying the double price for the same specifications than the competence is offering, you are paying more money because you expect to receive a high quality product.

It´s very hard paying 1300 € for a Laptop and when you try to use a simple feature as connecting to an external monitor and It doesn´t work, really really incredible but truth. And for me the most importante problem is that the product was released some months ago and the problem still remains.

BTW, somebody has a "solution"?

THANKS TO APPLE for not saying that they are working in a solution and explaining what is happening.

I am thinking to sent back my MBA to Apple for recover my money.

Hi,

I just bought a MBP Retina this week and hooked it up to a 27" Samsung LEd screen with HDMI.

The performance is terrible, the screen looks to bright, colors are terrible, fonts are pixelated, running 720(not even 1080p) content sometimes even stutters.. This is very dissapointing for a 2900€ laptop..

I hope some day someone fixes this..

This is the 290th reply post and almost 23000 views. This discussion site is managed by Apple. Not even a bug filled? Not even a "we acknowledge this is an issue and are working on it"?

I've been using MBA->DVI->HDMI and it works ok, but as some else stated, for a double priced PC this really suucks!

PS: I know how to spell suuuuuucks!!!

I filed a bug report a few days ago including super macro close-up photographs of the monitor's display and a full system configuration report. Many others have filed bug reports, too. I've found threads describing this very problem dating back to 2009 and 2010.

I'd like to chime in with the same issue. I have an ASUS VE276Q monitor with DisplayPort, HDMI, VGA, and DVI connection options. When I got my new MBP Retina, I connected it to the Thunderbolt port using a Mini Displayport to Displayport cable--certainly the mechanically sleekest connection available. When connected using DisplayPort, my monitor is detected as a television. Look under System Information (available under "About This Mac" --> "More Info") and check under Displays/Graphics. If it says "Television: Yes" your monitor is being incorrectly detected as a TV. This produces washed-out colors and horrible font rendering.

For me, using either of the following fixed the issue:

1. Mini Displayport to VGA adapter

2. Mini Displayport to DVI adapter

I had to buy the DVI adapter, but at least it's a digital signal. It doesn't carry sound, obviously. Disappointing that a mass market monitor can't be detected correctly on a $2200 computer.

Hi,

I tried MBP->DVI->HDMI and this didn't work at all, because the screen was not detected. Oddly enough, when I use the mini display port to VGA adapter it doesn't detect the screen neither, nor when I use mini display port to DVI adapter directly connected to a DVI port. The strange thing is that both worked before a recent update of mountain lion. So frustrating! The only way I can get the **** thing to detect the screen and work correctly is to use mini display port to HDMi adapter and then HDMI to DVI adapter and then a DVI cable hooked up to the DVI port on the screen. Trouble is, at my home monitor I have no DVI input.

Would anyone have any idea how to solve the non detection problem using VGA or DVI adapters?

Another question, if I can cheat the MBP and get it to work correctly using MDP to HDMI adapter --> HDMI to DVI adapter--> DVI cable, will that work if I add a DVI to HDMI adapter at the end of this string and connect it to my monitor's HDMI input?

I have a MBP pro 13 inch mid 2012, osx 10.8.2.

I got feedback from Apple engineers recently - apparently they are aware of the issue and are working on it. How long will it take though?!

Guys, i had open one ticket in apple suport had 50 days, after many calls (they dont callback) i get this afirmation from APPLE, i asked to Advance Support Manager THIS WILL BE OFICIAL POSITION OF APPLE ? he said YES.
Name of this guy is LUCIAN (apple brazil) and you words:

Lucian: Mr. a apple dont will doing nothing about this, we dont have any thing to do

Me: We dont will have one update in driver nothing ? Apple will give us one F... and no one solution ?

Lucian: Mr. we dont will do nothing.

Me: i need one email with this position

Lucian: Sorry Sr i dont will give this for you

Me: In agreement with Brazilian Consumer Law if one consumer request you need give per email, letter and i need my call records too.

Lucian: Sr. Just if you request per court order.

Lucian: Sr. i need talk with others consumers

End call.

In agreement with brazilian law apple needs fix this in 30 days after request, They dont did nothing, if i request any information about my problem they need send me (eletronic and by normal mail). They dont do nothing.

This is new apple after SJ gone to next life.

Yes I am already working with three lawyers to ask the public prosecutor to ban apple of sales products with HDMI output in Brazil at solve the problem of poor image quality, if possible still force the company to replace all equipment thats have hdmi per other with 2 display port / thunderbolt output.

Since according to the apple work perfectly and i listened many times in iplaces, tec support, and in calls with advanced support thats we need use the DisplayPort and not hdmi.

Vonhellsing, respect to you!

Can you share more detailed info in livejournal for example?

I think this discussion thread has lots of angry and not poor members... i'd be happy to assist your mission financially by transferring some money for lawers.

Also if there is a place to refer to (for ex blog in livejournal), it could be possible to attract attention of press to this iisue. In Russia for example every news about apple court issues has good rating.

I believe the display color profile made the problem. I have MacBook Pro Mid 2012 (Retina 15") and Samsung monitor S23B350 model.

The MacBook screen color profile used "Color LCD". And the Samsung monitor used S23B350 (automatically selected by the system).

I used DigitalColor Meter to get the color from the MacBook screen, e.g. #00A6FC (some blue color), I got result as #00ABFB from the Samsung monitor!

I changed the display profile to "Color LCD" for the Samsung monitor and used DigitalColor Meter again, finally it return the correct color code. But from the human eyes, it still look different!

So the next thing I need to do is adjust the brightness and contrast (maybe gamma also) on the Samsung monitor to match the output with the macbook screen, using human eyes. It does have slightly different but much closer.

One more thing about Retina screen. Things (font size, line width, shadow, etc.) might become "fat" or thick on external monitor because the external monitor PPI is lower than Retina (around 100 PPI). Retina screen resolution is 2880px by 1800px with 220 PPI.

*PPI - Pixels per inches

Anyway, this is my solution. I wonder why the S23B350 is so much different with Color LCD.

I'm now one of those who found a solution. Here's how I did it, even if it's been discused before:

I remembered my brother had a DVI to HDMI high quality cable and I asked him to lend it to me.

I then plugged the DVI end to my screen and the HDMI tip to my HDMI to MD port adaptor.

The screen was then completely noisy/grey like a TV without cable. I was giving up, but during my 2 minutes rant the screen suddenly came back to normal with great contrast/colors and everything was fine. The screen is still noisy (sometimes) when I plug it in, but comes back to normal after a minute or so.

So this is how it fixed it for me... I still hope Apple is working on this since it not normal to have this much trouble plugging an external monitor to a 1900$ computer!!

Good luck folks.

Hi Guys,

After write a formal letter to prosecutor of Consumer Law Depto in south of Brazil where i explain all problems thats i had with apple.......
Today i receive one call from Apple USA where they talk me 48 hours to help me to solve this problem with HDMI. I told OK, but we are more than one in your forum all need apple help to fix HDMI poor quality no just me.

Cheers!

Soon i back with news!
.´.