LG UltraFine 5K issues with brand new 2016 MBP

Question

Level 1

8 points

LG UltraFine 5K issues with brand new 2016 MBP

I've received my 5K display last week and worked for about 2 minutes until the display would turn off and stop charging my MacBook Pro.

Went to the Apple Store to get another MBP and the issue was still occurring so I'm returning the display and getting another unit, which of course is sold out and I have to wait weeks before it arrives. 😠

I did (several times) perform a SMC and PRAM reset on both the previous and new MBP, which of course is silly since the MacBook Pro was about 30 minutes old when I tried plugging the display in.

I even wiped the drive and reinstalled macOS just in case some user setting could cause this but it didn't help.

As anyone else had issues with this setup?

I had hopes that this display would "Just Work™" as Apple supposedly worked with LG designing it, whatever that means. I'm very disappointed that Apple got out of the display business and seems just fine with the poor experience the LG display provides.

If that's the new Apple, then I'll just buy my Apple gear used and stopped giving them my money.

MacBook Pro, macOS Sierra (10.12.2), TouchBar

Posted on Jan 4, 2017 11:53 AM

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Answer 1

Coregts

Level 1

12 points

Jan 26, 2017 5:29 AM in response to edovia

I don't think the problem is the screen (at least in most cases). The problem is the Radeon 460 pro. It does not work correctly and keeps switching. Even with the new OS update 10.12.3 it happens... We have tested this in 4 different LG 5K monitors and two MBP 2016 and it happens to all.

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Answer 2

Jan 26, 2017 4:59 PM in response to edovia

We had the same problem here, we thought it was the MBP then thought it was the LG.

I was clearing the desk and moved the Apple Airport Extreme off the desk to about 1 meter away and the LG came back on. Moved the Apple Airport Extreme back to the desk, LG went off. Moved the Airport away and LG worked again and has been working flawlessly since. I don't know what type of interference it was causing but the Airport Extreme was the culprit NOT the LG or MBP.

Hope this helps others!

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Answer 3

Jan 27, 2017 7:29 AM in response to logicito

THANK YOU, logicito! I had the same problem. 5K display connected to the new MBP turning off and on all the time. Turns out it was my Wifi router sitting 30cm or so behind the display! Moved it out of the way and everything Is fine now.

I know there might be a technical explanation for this behaviour, but right now I consider this a huge design flaw in the LG…

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Answer 4

Coregts

Level 1

12 points

Jan 27, 2017 9:43 AM in response to Hans Schneider

Even though this improved the problem it does not solve it.

I do not have anything next to my monitor or laptop and sometimes it happens.

For example, I was working on the screen for 3 hours without a problem. My son accidentally switched off the power that goes to the screen. I switched it on after 5 seconds and it started doing the On OFF problem, non-stop.

During this time, nothing moved on the desk.

It seems to be a more complex problem than just RF interference.

By the way, if you think your problem is related to WiFi, you should buy a ferrite bead and place it around the thunderbolt cable that connects the LG screen with the laptop. This will kill the high frequency interference that is picked up by the cable as an antenna ... you can buy one at amazon for $5.

In any case this is a major design flaw of the screen and the graphic card of the mac book pro (I have the AMD 460 pro).

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Answer 5

logicito

Level 1

46 points

Jan 26, 2017 6:41 PM in response to tonyfromhonolulu

I've read the same thing on other forums, it seems to be a wireless signal interference, any kind of radio wave causes the problem, it doesn't need to be the Airport necessarily

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