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

rcarmic wrote:

Memory is an issue with the Thunderbolt Display turning off randomly and that problem appears to be caused by those who upgraded using OWC memory.

Just to clarify -- the issue with the OWC memory also manifested with the Apple LED Cinema Display (displayport).

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2012 Mac Min - Blank Screen/Snow HDMI Losing Sync

I originally wrote on this topic on November 21, 2012. That was on page 7 of a thread that's into its 21st page! At that time the problem with blank screen and snow was pretty clearly established as being a hardware problem with Intel's HD 4000 Graphics and it's HDMI output. Some users had some success getting around the problem using Thunderbolt to DVI adapters effectively bypassing the HDMI output. The hope was Apple would fix the problem with a firmware update and/or OS X updates. We've now had a firmware update and 2 OS X updates and the problems persists. From this thread you can see complaints of the same problems from units purchased as recently as this week (see OsageCowboy's March 23rd comment above as an example).

And now, judging by this thread, some have been plagued with other problems as well. Frankly I'm surprised so many have been willing to put up with these problems from an Apple product and not returned them.

I have a degree in electronics and worked for 15 years as a computer network engineer troubleshooting and repairing computer failures. Unfortunately this is a situation where the problem most likely lies not with Apple, but with Intel's processor. If you do a Google search you will find similar threads on the Intel communities regarding HDMI problems with the HD 4000 Graphics. Intel is well aware of the problem and no doubt it will be addressed in the next generation processor/graphics chip.

Unfortunately, short of replacing the 2012 Mac Mini's logic board with a currently unavailable processor/graphics chip from Intel, it is unlikely that anyone is going to see their problem completely solved. The new 2013 Mini should be available in the 4th quarter this year, and my advice would be to hold out a few more months and hope no new threads like this one pop up again for the new Mini when it comes out. Or pick up a used 2010 or 2011 Mini.

For myself, I returned my 2012 Mini in December and have been happily using my 2010 Mini. Other than having to replace the optical drive, which died after 2 years, it has never given me any problems. I ordered a replacement drive from China ($50), a couple of necessary tools from iFixit to get the job done, and also installed a new 7200 RPM Western Digital Scorpio Black 750GB hard drive. That and 8GB of Crucial RAM has really speeded things up. And like a lot of folks, I do still prefer Snow Leopard to Mountain Lion.

An update: so I opened a case with tech support and he had me reset the PRAM(NVRAM), and this appeared to work for the previous day; however, I just opened up a few YouTube videos, and BLAMMO, the issue reappears again, but with avengeance. Once it started, the snow screen starts firing about once every 10 minutes or so.

HIGHLY, HIGHLY ANNOYING, and I hope that the folks from Apple actively monitor/read these threads. There's just no excuse [HEH, as I type this I just got another snow flash] for this issue to persist. I don't know whose fault the issue ultimately lies with (Apple or Intel), but, at the end of the day, Apple is responsible to come up with a viable solution. I seriously HATE the idea of having to return my unit because I don't want to go through all of the hassle to re-set up my machine, and then have to deal with the possibility that it won't work at the end of the day.

Please get this fixed, Apple. Very disappointing.

So it seems that after doing a time machine restore to a point before the 10.8.3 update and then re-installing the update (since the flickering problems began again), my screen flickering has finally ceased. However, I now have a vertical pink line on the right side of my monitor. This is a hardware issue, for sure, but I can't help but to wonder if the flickering and losing sync over and over and over again played a part in the hardware's deterioration. It's a Samsung Syncmaster SA300 monitor with 6 months of use. I know that hardware, especially monitors, fails, however 6 months is way too soon. I hope Apple figures out what is going on so that nobody else has to stress over this flicker issue and it's potential collateral damage.

Further update: I just received and plugged in the Thunderbolt (mini displayport) - HDMI cord, and, after about 30 minutes of usage, including YouTube and NetFlix, so far I have yet to experience the HDMI flicker.

**FINGERS CROSSED**, but it appears that using this cord solved the issue for me.

In any event, there is still something going on with the HDMI interface, and an additional update will be needed from Apple/Intel.

Update: I purchased an iPad instead of the Mac-mini, thinking I could use it as a computer. It's a very nice device--my wife already has one, but it did not work out for me so I exchanged it (the whole process took 5 minutes at the Apple Store) and did get a mini after all. I have just set it up this evening, and everything is perfect. I am using the hdmi out with an hdmi to dvi cable (Auvio) that I already had. It is hooked to a Viewsonic VP2365-LED monitor running at 1920x1080. I went ahead with the update to 10.8.3, as well as the firmware update. Even before the updates the monitor has been steady, nicely saturated, no flickers and no blackouts. Text is very sharp. I couldn't be happier. I am extremely glad to have made the switch from windows, and am very impressed with the late 2012 mini. I have just the standard 1TB drive, I7 2.3, and as yet the original 4GB of memory. Performance is snappy, but I intend to upgrade the memory in the near future, when I get photoshop and Aperture installed.

Thanks for the report! 🙂

BD Aqua, you are welcome. Further follow up: My Mini is phenomenally cool and quiet. The only time it even got a little warm was when I was transferring about 40 GB of images from an old Windows hard drive. (Which the Mac OS recognized immediately via a USB 3 dock -- after all these years of Windows, I'm not used to things going almost without a hitch. The display remains steady and sharp after two days of pretty intense burning in. I have photoshop cs6 installed and it is working very well, even on just 4 gigs of memory. Photoshop is using the graphics in advanced mode, and I did a little bit of 3D which was handled smoothly. So far so good -- no regrets at all to be kissing Windows good bye.

😎

This thread started Nov 8, 2012 with over 42000 views and over 320 replies and not one comment from Apple.

WHY?

I know that you are aware of this issue because there was an internal ticket made when I call about it.

Smaller companies would responded to these issues and let there customers know that the problem is being worked on.

Please don't get so big

I hear you Tnadu, I have been dealing with my Apple Thunderbolt - Mini Display Port "freak-out" issue for nearly 6 months. Apple support is unresponsive. The only feedback I get from support when I call is "We are aware of the problem and we're sure our developers are working on it". At this point I think Apple has to know what the problem is and needs to come straight with their customers. If Apple determines this is a hardware problem they need offer a recall or somehow compensate their customers with viable alternatives. Apple's behavior is UNACCEPTABLE!

** 2012 Mac Mini ** Mountain Lion Server * SSD * i7 * 16GB Apple RAM * 27" Apple Cinema Display **

When I bought my mac mini in April 2010 I also had the Snow issue. I solved it by increasing the sleep time in system preference from 10 mins. to 25 mins.

I do not believe the type of monitor you use has any bearing on the Snow issue.

3 years ago I bought a 22 inch Dell monitor and the Genius bar said the issue was with an incompatibility of the monitor. They wanted to sell me their monitor for a grand and I said to myself their nutz.

My late 2009 mac mini works fine with the HDMI adapter after I went into system pref and moved the Energy Saver up from 10 mins to 25 mins.

That is where the real issue is regarding the snow.

Hope this helps you!

Great tip, thanks! 🙂

I do not know if my experience will benefit anyone else, but here it is for what it's worth.

My setup is a 2012 mini, 256GB SSD, 2.6 quad core, HP ZR24w monitor on Displayport. Like most everyone else I was having the blackout/snow problem, and even with the OS X 10.8.3 update I was still getting occasional blackouts, almost like unwanted sleeps, about once a day or every other day.

The other day I had a SSD problem that required a complete clean reformat and restoration of OS X 10.8.3 via Apple download, and a painstaking reloading of all my apps. (As a result, I got Carbon Copy Cloner and made a clone drive of the SSD on an external hard disk. One reloading of all those apps was enough, thank you.)

No more blackouts! (Knock wood.)

The clean SSD reformat and restoration MAY have had something to do with it.