Intermittent problem with MacBook Pro connected to HDTV as 2nd Monitor

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Intermittent problem with MacBook Pro connected to HDTV as 2nd Monitor

I really hope someone here can help me figure this out. We have a 13" MacBook Pro (2009) and are trying to connect to two Vizio E601iA3 tvs displaying the same image 50 ft away. I am currently hooked up with a Belkin Mini-Display Port to HDMI adapter and a 60ft HDMI Cable running to a powered HDMI splitter, then out via HDMI to the two TV's. Everything is hooked up and set up properly because it works exactly how I want it to FOR A WHILE then will randomly go black on the tv's for some indefinite time. Maybe 5 seconds, maybe a minute. We are running both Pro-Presenter and Keynote, swithching back and forth between them for different presentations. We don't need sound to the TV's, only video. What is causing these periodic black outs?!?!? The TV's are not powering off, they just black out. There is also a projector connected via a usb to VGA Adapter, but this probelm manifests whether it is hooked up ir not. PLEASE HELP!

Posted on Jan 15, 2014 2:23 PM

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Answer 1

BobRz

Level 5

6,138 points

Jan 15, 2014 6:34 PM in response to 358Norma

This is just an educated guess, but I think your problem may be distance. It sounds like you've got 60' of cable running to a splitter, then more cable to two TV's that are 50' apart. This article seems to indicate HDMI distance isn't reliable with that much cable.

http://www.bluejeanscable.com/articles/how-long-can-hdmi-run.htm

An easy test would be to try it with shorter cables. If that works at least you know where your problem lies.

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