Level 1

84 points

Macbook 2016 HDMI output flickering

I have both MacBook 2015 and MacBook 2016,

and I've purchased the original Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter.

I've loaded both MacBooks with genuine copies of Windows 10 Pro with bootcamp, partition cut into half between Mac OS and Windows 10.

The new MacBook 2016, while doing screen cloning using the Multiport Adapter under Windows 10,

the output always flickers, and the pattern is always consistent:

1.) Waking up from sleep, always flickers once;

2.) And then will at least flickers 2-3 times more;

It doesn't happen with the MacBook 2015,

is this is hardware design flaw of the new MacBook 2016?? Or is it a software (driver) issue?

All drivers are being updated to the latest.

MacBook, Windows 10

Posted on Jul 17, 2016 9:32 PM

394 replies

kenofstephen Author

Level 1

84 points

Nov 3, 2016 3:40 AM in response to harry.jones

Hi Harry,

Does your monitor ever "hang"? Need to unplug the power and plug it back again to restart.

Mine does...

Nov 3, 2016 4:16 AM in response to kenofstephen

Hi, yes I have the exact same issue. The only solution I have is to pull out the power cable and plug it in again.

I've disabled all the energy saving features in case that was the issue but still get the hang.

Have you found any solution?

mkeds

Level 1

4 points

Nov 3, 2016 4:34 AM in response to kenofstephen

Yes I have had the same problem (on the same monitor) but rarely. If it happens I do what you've done and unplugged everything and started again.

My issue is more that it just disconnects infrequently, and I have to keep the monitor plugged in, and then restart my mac in order to reconnect it (just unplugging and re-plugging it in doesn't work)

Hope that's helpful

kenofstephen Author

Level 1

84 points

Nov 3, 2016 8:41 AM in response to harry.jones

...so we paid a lot for the best hardware (which we believed to be) and look at how are we ending up here...

dxxx, so unlucky... bad laptop, bad monitor... what is happening to these great companies nowadays...

LG told me to get it returned... me, you, mkeds are having the same model and same issue, I told their support that it's a firmware issue, not hardware, but they are not listening... my 7 years old Viewsonic monitor is more stable than this LG...

Nov 3, 2016 9:16 AM in response to kenofstephen

I have tried this afternoon to register my monitor with LG so I can start a support request about the hanging issue.

Unfortunately the monitor doesn't even appear in their support index on their UK website!

Will report back once I've been able to speak to them.

Nov 3, 2016 9:20 AM in response to kenofstephen

There's been 13 pages of issues going back almost 4 months and, unfortunately, there's not a clear path to resolution.

I wonder how many companies are holding back deploying 12" MacBooks due to this issue. At our company, I'm the single person testing the 12" MacBook and have the issue. We have 350 employees using Windows and the approval has been made for Surface products. Unfortunately, I can't recommend the MacBooks due to the issue until this issue is resolved (or at least acknowledged).

kenofstephen Author

Level 1

84 points

Nov 3, 2016 9:32 AM in response to dsaracsan

Hi dsaracsan, does your LG 27UD88 monitor freeze like ours?

(sorry for hijacking this thread, this would be my last time asking this off-topic question.)

Nov 3, 2016 1:14 PM in response to kenofstephen

Hi kenofstephen, I don't think that my LG 27UD88 freeze ... I am "only" facing the same two problems harry.jones described:

1) 'No signal' message on the monitor when connecting the MacBook and

2) Crashes / kernel panics when connecting the monitor (which cause the MacBook display and of course the monitor display to go black and require holding down the power button to restart the MacBook)

with macOS Sierra 10.12.1. A MacBook restart will most of the time "solve" both problems until I disconnect and reconnect the MacBook to the monitor.

kenofstephen Author

Level 1

84 points

Nov 3, 2016 4:54 PM in response to dsaracsan

Do you use multiple inputs? Cause the problem happens only when switching between different input sources during sleep. Right now I'm using USB-C/DP/HDMI outputs.

i.e. If I keep using one input with one device, no switching, it's OK.

I have seen problem (1) you mentioned, but not problem (2).

It looks different from my case with the MacBook 2016,

I hope Apple may contact you guys.

Nov 4, 2016 10:39 AM in response to kenofstephen

I do not use multiple imputs, only connect my MacBook 2016 via USB-C to the LG monitor.

kenofstephen Author

Level 1

84 points

Nov 5, 2016 8:18 AM in response to dsaracsan

That's why...

Nov 5, 2016 8:56 AM in response to kenofstephen

This is why I'm keeping my mid 2015 rMBP until all of this dongle madness is straightened out. Sure, USB-C is nice, but this first wave of Apple pushing it out the door is already shaping up to be a dock/dongle/adapter/converter nightmare.

Nov 5, 2016 9:12 AM in response to CodingEthos

As others here have pointed out (and I have personally experienced), this is not specific to the Apple dongle. The exact issue occurs with many other external hubs that provide HDMI or DisplayPort ports. The issue here is something specific to the 2016 Retina MacBook, whether a hardware issue or the more likely bad memory management/arithmetic in the graphics driver.

snappath

Level 1

4 points

Nov 6, 2016 6:46 AM in response to kenofstephen

Hi @ambanmba

Did you find a solution to this problem?

ambanmba

Level 1

18 points

Nov 6, 2016 2:20 PM in response to snappath

Unfortunately the only solution is to reboot the machine (which reliably works). The machine boots up quickly so it's an annoying but not deal-breaking workaround.

I've spent so much money on cables / dongles at this point that I've given up trying to throw more money at the problem. Hopefully Apple can figure it out. The fact that a reboot fixes it indicates to me that it's a software/firmware issue that should have a solution at some point.

-ambanmba

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Macbook 2016 HDMI output flickering