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

I have the same problem. I'm using HDMI to DVI and a Dell 24" IPS monitor. I either get a blank screen or blank screen followed by snow.

Same issue with my Samgsung SyncMaster BX2250. 😟

I picked up one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004CADYDO/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00

A little overkill...I wanted a longer one for a macbookpro....but I hooked this up to a Samsung 24" and no problems. Resolution isn't quite there yet.....but the fuzzy text, sync problems and whiteouts have stopped.

The problem is that Apple is shipping faulty mini's with bad HDMI ports. Now to decide if I will just take it back or wait for a fix.

I wouldn't waste my time at the genius bar because i don't think this is something they can fix.

I'm having the same issue! Mac Mini 6,2, upgraded i7, 16GB RAM, 1TB HD, 10.8.2.

I've tried a Benq E2420HD, Sony Bravia 46" LED TV, and ALL exhibit the same issue. Black screen for about 4 seconds, a bit of snow, then back to normal. It happens pretty randomly.

I too have the same issues. Setup as follows:

Late 2012 i7 Mac Mini (bought 2 weeks ago)

Replaced ram with 2 x Crucial 8gb

2 x LG M2380D monitors (with hdmi ports, no DVIs)

Mac Mini HDMI > M2380D HDMI

Mac Mini MiniDisplay Port > MiniDisplay Port to HDMI > MG2380D HDMI

I see quality issues with the HDMI to HDMI connected screen, blanking, washed out colours. There are NO problems with the MiniDisplay port HDMI connected screen.

However, in Bootcamp I have a Windows 7 install and while in Windows there are no quality issues or blanking. Everything works fine.

So it really must be a OSX software/firmware issue...

No, no, not an OSX issue, many Win/Linux users have reported the problem on Intel's graphics forums since June, and still no fix.

http://communities.intel.com/message/171244

This is a Intel HD4000 graphics problem with HDMI either in firmware or hardware. Intel's tried several firmware fixes without success, so it's looking more like a GPU hardware issue.

calvol wrote:

No, no, not an OSX issue, many Win/Linux users have reported the problem on Intel's graphics forums since June, and still no fix.

http://communities.intel.com/message/171244

This is a Intel HD4000 graphics problem with HDMI either in firmware or hardware. Intel's tried several firmware fixes without success, so it's looking more like a GPU hardware issue.

It's certainly strange, because everybody is saying a different thing. From what some posters just said, Apple is changing the HDMI ports. If that fixes the problem, then it's not a problem with the HD4000, but with the HDMI ports.

Also, Intel said it's fixed with either a new BIOS or with running the RAM in single channel, but some users said they still suffer the problem even when updating the BIOS or when using just one RAM module.

If it's an HD4000 bug, a big number of Macbooks must be affected as well...

The question is: Will this problem have a certain diagnose and fix some day? Or will it remain a mistery forever?

I was about to buy a Mac Mini 2012 with the 2.6GHz upgrade and 1TB Fusion drive. Fortunately all these forum postings have made me hold off! I was planning on using both the T-Bolt and HMDI display out ports for two identical monitors. However it seems we have two issues, this blinking black/snow on the HDMI out and poor video quality on the HDMI out anyway (see other fora). It's a nightmare, but very little is mentioned in the tech press, bar the ARS Technica review (which couldn't replicate the issue) and Lockergnome.

Is there ANYONE out there with a 2012 Mac Mini that works perfectly on the HDMI out?

Is there ANYONE out there running two identical monitors on HDMI and T-Bolt without any comparative display differences?

I am having the same issue (2012 mac mini server) I have 4gb installed, although I am upgrading to 16 in the next few weeks. I just called and reported it to apple, the support service had me do a SMBC reset, but its a too intermittent problem to notice it while I was on the phone, but he gave me his contact information if it does happen again.

kweevuss wrote:

[...] I just called and reported it to apple, the support service had me do a SMBC reset [...]

Great, now the official Apple fix is to perform a SMBC reset. So, it's final: Nobody at Apple has the slightest idea about this problem.

I have the same problem. Bought my new Mac Mini i5 on Thursday last week. Within minutes of turning it on for the first time I started getting the snowy screen. Since upgrading to 10.8.2 the problem changed - the screen goes black and maybe only once per day. Yesterday I upgraded from 4GB to 16 GB of RAM, and everything has been okay so far.

My setup: Mac Mini 2.5GHz i5 500GB - OSX 10.8.2 - 16GB RAM - Dell 21" Monitor DVI via HDMI adaptor

I spoke too soon - just had snowy screen problem. Resolved by turning monitor off/on.

they changed the mother board (because the intel hd 4000 is a single piece with the m_board)

it worked for 1 hour or maybe 2, i just surfed on the web and it was ok. After i watched a movie and the problem happened again, but this time even worst: the black screen doesn't go away, i had to shut down the mac and waited 10 minutes, now both screens work correctly but after 10 minutes of full-screen work it happens again

i'm really disappointed

Have you told Apple Ciccilleju that the replacement motherboard didn't fix it?

Seems like Apple never heard of this issue before: at Apple Center the guy told me this: we are gonna change it N times, since you'll get a working machine.

And this is totally absurd! You CAN'T fix a NEW machine chaning its videocard a lot of times till it will work correctly. This is not what i expect after paying almost 1000 euros for a machine like this.