Mac Mini (2012) HDMI losing sync (blank screen/snow)

The video issues still seem to be a problem. I bought a new Mac Mini this week, have installed the updates, and it's very snarky whenever I try to use two displays. Right now, I have a 23" ACD via the HDMI port/adapter, and a 20" rotated Dell via the Thunderbolt with a DVI adapter. When it works, it's great. But getting the Mini to recognise the Dell is torture. Whenever you restart, more times than not it simply fails to recognise the second screen. Then you have to reinsert the DVI cable repeatedly, or do a few restart cycles. It's incredibly annoying, but based on the posts here it doesn't seem like there's any point in returning the unit to Apple and asking for a replacement. Is this really so hard to fix?

Just an update: my service provider recommended that I junk my old DisplayPort-to-HDMI-to-DVI adapter (which had worked fine with my MBP for three years, and which worked fine with the new Mini just yesterday) and buy the Apple DisplayPort-to-DVI adapter instead. I winced at the retail price of £25, which is over $40US -- but it instantly solved my problem. I've ordered a cheaper no-name DisplayPort-to-DVI adapter as a spare, and I'll post back here on whether that works when it arrives next week. Paying $40 for an adapter is pretty steep even for long-suffering Macheads.

I asked my reseller why Apple included the HDMI adapter with the Mini and not a Thunderbolt/DisplayPort-DVI adapter, and he said wryly: "They like to include the cheaper cable in the box, in my experience."

I am not buying a new monitor because this new EFI update "says so". I know there's a conflict between the Intel HD4000 and some of the model monitors for the HDMI/HDCP settings. I still believe that Apple will come up with a better and permanent fix down the road. When that happens, I'll be ready to buy the mac mini. I love the darn thing. Waiting at this time.

Welcome to the wonderful world of copy protection.

They keep changing the HDCP/HDMI standards, so what works today may not work tomorrow. That is the reality of the situation.

Sometimes a display can be HDCP certified and then later be removed from the certified list. So purchasing a new display may not be a permanent solution.

I'm using a 2.3GHz i7 mac mini and I'm affect by a similar issue, but mine will be snowy when waking from sleep off the minidisplay port. If I turn off/on the monitor it works, but it's still pretty darn annoying. Also this port seems to take unusually long waking from sleep. I'm running two Viewsonic VX2450 and VX2250 displays off minidisplay port and HDMI respectively. I'm switched around the displays and seems to be specific to the port. These two issues are definitely disapointing and making me reconsider my purchase. I feel like I should have held out for the 27" imac. I'm up to date on all software running 10.8.2.

2.7 i7 here, HDMI to DVI, with the same issue. Once a day the screen suddenly goes black as if the computer has decided to put itself to sleep. Once a day (never at the same time the screen goes black) the HP ZR24w monitor wakes up to a blank snowy screen. (Sometimes a day passes without either phenomenon.)

I've decided that these are just "Undocumented Features" of the 2012 mini and have gotten used to them, although I hope Apple comes up with a decent solution soon.

I did get the blank snowy screen on the ZR24w once in a while with my old early 2009 mini.

Mine spent the night at the Apple Store while they determine why the Apple display keeps blacking out.

The 2nd display (HP) doesn't seem to be affected.

I also haven't nseen the black-screen issue with just 1 display connected. Only with 2.

Between an Apple LED DIsplay, Apple Thunderbolt Display, and the HP monitor, I've tried:

Thunderbolt + HDMI

Thunderbolt + displayport

Displayport + HDMI

Current config is 2 displays and not even using the HDMI port.

I have the same issue when both Apple displays are connected too.

I have found I can "force" a black-screen by playing a Flash video in full-screen on the Apple display.

Just received my 2.6 i7 earlier this week. It came pre-installed with the EFI 1.7 update (Boot ROM: MM61.0106.B03). Using a decent HDMI to DVI-D cable, I've been experiencing random screen flickering/blackouts at least a couple times per day. In most instances, there is a signal disturbance in the bottom quarter of the display (but it doesn't black out). The few blackouts that I've had were very brief (<1 sec) and exhibited no snow effects.

Not sure whether to count myself lucky – as others are clearly having more severe issues. I've opened a case file with AppleCare today to put it on record about the latest firmware. Still running more tests with cables, adapters and screens. Need to decide whether I'm keeping it before my 14 days are up...

Anyone else have a new mini with the latest firmware pre-installed? Good or bad experience?

Mac OSX Montain Lion 10.8.3 will address completely these issues. The 10.8.3 is just few days away from the final release. So we have to wait but I'm pretty confident (I'm quite sure) it will address any HDMI problem since Apple is perfectly aware of these issue and they are working very seriously on it since early December. They didn't come out with a temporary fix because the fix itself is buried under OSX graphics driver and have to be carefully tested and packaged with the 10.8.3.

Stay tuned for the upcoming OSX release.

3nd-it – Thanks for the note about OS X 10.8.3. I know that Apple has seeded numerous builds of this release to developers. Let's hope it solves these display issues once and for all...

Bought a new mini last night. HDMI issues with horible colors etc [HP Monitor W2228h]. Luckily updated system resulted in all fixes. Great job Apple.

What do you mean by "updated system"? What software/firmware was involved?

Out of the box, the system was running 10.8.1. While i had looked around, thinking it was a color profile issue [white was washed out and too bright. Colors such as yellows look bad and fonts looked grainy and blurry even though the monitor is HD and looked great while hooked up to a windows 8 laptop] I noticed the mini asking to update to 10.8.3 along with EFI firmware. I installed all updates, (around 1.5 GB) and after they all installed and rebooted, i immediately saw the difference. System is now running 10.8.3

My system is fixed! The colours are now correct on both monitors.

I concur with Freezing Phoenix, the latest update to 10.8.3 fixed my washed out colours on the HDMI monitor.

I'm running a Mac Mini purchased in November, 2012 (2.6ghz, i7 with 16gb of RAM) and driving two new Samung monitors model S24B300.

Previously I had 4gb of RAM, but the upgrade to 16gb did nothing to solve the washed-out colours on the monitor that was plugged into the HDMI port.

The new 10.8.3 fixed it all and I now have two beautiful 24 inch monitors to work with.

Thanks Apple - I had faith that you'd look after it, but it took a while!

Not fixed for me. My Dell 2408WFP went to blank screen/snow this morning. I was really hoping this update was the fix we were waiting for.

Me too, on my HPZR24w fed by the Mini Displayport. The blackout happens once every couple of days. Waiting a few seconds and then hitting control-esc restores the display. But it's a PITA.