Q: Mac Mini 2012 video blinking out

I'm sure i have seen the blackouts running windows on bootcamp too!

@ThisisRends

Did they happen to have Intel HD Graphics 4000's in them? Becuase I have heard that Windows computers have had the same problem with that Graphics Card too.

Yes i was running the Crysis Demo on my Mac Mini with HD 4000 when the blackout happened and i saw the blackout yesterday too while playing the F1 Race Stars Demo.

And i have Win 7 pro on my bootcamp partition installed.

@TheisRends

Yes, I hardly get the blackouts, but when I do it's generally when I'm working the grahpics card hard (playing the Sims 3). The graphics card does seem to be the problem with the computer, and looks like the cause of the blackouts from time to time.

Lets hope it can be fixed with a software update rather than returning the computer, as I've said before, I don't wann ahave to uninstall everything and install it again on a new system. Dx

Hello there,

Another user of mac min late 2012 reporting the issue.

It all started with the snowy background from time to time, mini was connected directly to TV at that time via HDMI.

Then I put in the middle an AVR and it changed (was this related?) to blacking out and sometimes displaying the blue screen.

More strangely recently, my AVR has been switching to AirPlay after watching a video (using XBMC). The sound goes wrong and the AVR switch to AirPlay. Trying to switch back to the HDMI mode of the AVR, it goes back by itself to AirPlay as if the mini was telling it to do so.

Usually, stopping and starting the AVR gets the display (and sound) in order, since when it is off it is not going to send anymore the HDMI signal to the mini, restarting it, the mini detects a new connection and seems to get things back together.

A bit disappointed obviously by this issue, like many others, given how widespread it is, I guess a bug might have slipped through the cracks.

Regards

Yesterday, there was a review discussing this problem on the Amazon page for the MD387LL/A.  Now it is gone. Can anybody explain this?

I was planning to get one, but I won't until this bug is fixed.

Well, I was about to buy a new mini, but after reading this thread I am not ready to go through this frustration. I will wait.

Interesting that no-one has had any problems when using the MDP/Thunderbolt port with a HDMI adapter.  I can't thing what would be different to the native HDMI port really… which makes me think maybe it's hardware not software/firmware at fault?

Has anyone tried getting sound from the MDP/Thunderbolt port with an HDMI adapter yet?

Westyfield2,

I do have problems too (described on page 10 of this thread) with MDP/TB > HDMI adapter. I have a brand new Moshi adapter (apple store) ordered with my new Mac Mini.

I have a dual monitor setup although (one HDTV and one monitor, both samsung). Don't know if the problems still would occur wile using only the MDP/TB output. Didn't have much time for testing lately.

Both screens go mostly blue, or sometimes black, if it happens, and return in 1 to 3 seconds. Didn't have any snow yet as some people describe here.

t0mi wrote:

 

After running DiskUtility permission repair (some Graphic Framework files fixed) + PRAM reset I have not seen issue.

 

It is still too short time to call it fixed (4+ hrs), but I would probably see blinking within that period, before that change.

t0mi, I tried this and had my first blank screen after about 5 hours with VMWare running and did a session of CineBench (happened right at the end).  Had hopes this was a fix, but I'm going to RMA this pig, and buy a 2011 with a Radeon GPU, and wait for the 2013 version.  *** because I waited six months to get an Ivy Mini, and it's a dog.

I received my 2012 Mac Mini (i7 version) on Nov. 5 and immediately noticed dropouts in the display and audio for about one second using HDMI out to my TV. The screen would go black, then come right back on (no indication on my receiver or TV about loss of signal). This happened like clockwork after about 15 minutes after turning it on or resuming from sleep mode. After that initial blackout, I had not seen it occur again until the next reboot or wake. This is the same setup that I had been using an HP laptop on for over a year, and I never had any blackouts. I merely plugged the HDMI cable into the Mini instead of the laptop.

I boot exclusively into Windows 7 using BootCamp. This issue seems to happen regardless of the OS. I had upgraded to 16GB of RAM, though this was also happening with the 4GB it came with. I removed one RAM stick (the outer one), leaving 8GB. I'm pleased to say that I have not experienced any signal dropouts yet.

I have been glued to the screen for over 45 minutes now, and have rebooted once. I'm confident that this may be a workaround of sorts (though I'd like to be able to use both RAM slots, 8GB is okay for now).

It is a shame that there is a bug like this in such an otherwise unique machine. I think it is the perfect HTPC due to size, power and noise considerations. I really want to keep my Mac Mini, because there is nothing else quite like it, and it suits my needs very well as I don't game or do intensive work on it. Playing 1080p video smoothly is my main concern, and it works very well.

The fact that removing one stick of RAM seems to fix the blackout issue for me leads me to believe that this may not be a pure HDMI or Intel HD4000 issue and that the HDMI port is capable of displaying an image without blacking out during the first 15 minutes. I hope there will be a firmware/EFI update to fix this. So if you upgraded the RAM, or are willing to give it a shot with only one stick, let us know if it resolves the issue.

I'm not too keen on using MDP/Thunderbolt to HDMI as a workaround, and I hope that Apple doesn't consider the "fix" to be using such an adapter, even if they sent one for free.

I'm curious if others will have the same experience that I did. I'll hang on to it for a while longer, at least until t can established if the issue is fixable or not. I sincerely hope it is. I've watching this forum since I first noticed this issue, and I thought I would share my thoughts and experiences so far.

Trioptre wrote:

 

So if you upgraded the RAM, or are willing to give it a shot with only one stick, let us know if it resolves the issue.

I tried pulling half my RAM and running with 8GB but it didn't fix it for me.

I'm still doing fine on mDP->DVI but would like a fully functioning computer at some point. Kind of hurts resale value otherwise, which is one of the major perks of paying the Apple premium.

And speaking of resale, I had planned to sell my old Mac Minis, but am still holding on to them in case this one craps out altogether. Blarghhg!

Hi guys.

I have the low-end model of MM Late 2012 and ofc the same issue with blackouts.

We all should wait for sw update - new EFI.

I found discussion directly on intel page - look herehttp://communities.intel.com/thread/30096?start=0&tstart=0

Its global problem with Intel HD4000, so other notebooks have this problem.

Intel's explanation:

This issue is a BIOS issue specifically with the Memory Reference Code (MRC) version 1.4.0.0 or older. Please contact your system or motherboard manufacturer for a system BIOS update for your system or motherboard that includes MRC 1.5.0.0 or newer.

If you have a system with 2 or more memory modules and are comfortable with removing all but one of them so that your memory is in single channel mode, try and remove all but one of them and the issue will go away. This can be used as a workaround until you are able to update your system BIOS from your system or motherboard manufacturer that includes MRC 1.5.0.0 or newer.

So, we have to wait for sw fix first from Intel and then from Apple.

I hope it will be soon.

Regards,

Freisi

Dear all

the discussion in the PC forums are ongoing since June 2012!

So don't expect a solution via EFI fix.

I have replaced my MacMini (lowest modell but with 16 GB RAM), setup new and installed newest 10.8.2, did disk repair permissions etc., tried my HDMI-DVI with my Acer Monitor (same as before) and played World of Warcraft on high settings (with shadows on low, it runs perfect), watched large .mkv movies on VLC and surfed on Firefox and listened to music...tried everything at the same time even only WoW got a bit choppy then...

BUT: The blinking is no more...!

The first machine came from/through Ireland, the second from Italy...maybe just another batch, maybe just lucky

I will continue to test, but comparing to the old one (blinking every 30min. and snowy screen) it's "perfect" now!

cheers

Sheerkhan

Freisi, read the whole thread, MRC 1.5 and 1.6 does not fix the problem.  Users still have blinking.  Intel would like you to think it is fixed, but it is not.  I RMA'd my Mini 2.6.