Apple Releases Mac Mini EFI Firmware Update 1.7 to Fix Flickering on HDMI External Displays

[Macclone]

I wonder how long before this fix is in the new devices. Maybe I should wait.

[ciccilleju]

i've updated the firmware: after using for half an hour Cubase 7 i had AGAIN the flickering on my 22" lcd.

[Hitch08]

Originally Posted by ciccilleju

i've updated the firmware: after using for half an hour Cubase 7 i had AGAIN the flickering on my 22" lcd.

That's diappointing to hear (read).

[ciccilleju]

Originally Posted by Hitch08

That's diappointing to hear (read).

tell me about it!

i'll give to apple a last chance and i'll clean the pram, AGAIN... (when apple customer care doesn't know what to answer they repeat the same old story: clean the pram dude!)

after that i'll seriously consider to give it back. too bad, my mac mini 2011 was PERFECT

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Originally Posted by Hitch08

That's diappointing to hear (read).

shhhut, as i can read i'm not the only one having this problem:
from the apple support forum

3nd-it
Re: Mac Mini (2012) HDMI losing sync (blank screen/snow)
10-dic-2012 14.14 (in response to LennieT)
After the firmware 1.7 update I still have one blink every 6 seconds were my old MM 2011 is perfect. I think this issue will become a nightmare for a lot of customers..

LennieT
Re: Mac Mini (2012) HDMI losing sync (blank screen/snow)
10-dic-2012 13.33 (in response to .Bunny)
Did the update, looked good for a while, but no cigar :-( Before the update it would flicker randomly and often. After the update it flickers randomly but seldom. I guess that is an improvement, just not a fix.

Lennie

[Robertsmania]

I was excited to see this update, but sad that it does not fix my primary problem.

With the 2012 Mac mini, every monitor I have access to does not display properly when connected with HDMI. The colors appear washed out - and the whites are 'crushed' (light colors appear white). Thats the symptom, and I believe that the real issue is that the computer thinks it is working in the RGB color space (as shown in the display profiles) but the monitors get a signal that tells them to work in the CMYK color space.

We have other Mac computers and laptops, and they all work fine with the same monitors/cables.

If you use HDMI with your 2012 mini, try this - open up a finder window and switch to the list display. Do you see the alternating light blue and white lines or is the whole window white? If it does look white, drag another window on top and see if the drop shadow reveals the alternating lines.

This has been reported on the forums and apple support, but I have not heard of anyone finding a real resolution. Most people seem to drop the HDMI and use DVI or Display Port. Some report improvement after using the calibration options in the System Preferences Displays Color options. I have not been able to get a satisfactory calibration, and believe that its not really possible since the computer and display appear to disagree about which color space they are using.

If you use HDMI, please check. If you do see the alternating white/blue lines properly I'd be curious about what kind of monitor you are using and what display profile is selected. If your mini shows the crushed whites - send Apple a message at apple.com/feedback.

I did enter a bug into bugreporter.apple.com and it has been tagged as a duplicate of an existing bug and remains open. I believe they know about the problem but dont know if it really does affect all 2012 Mac minis using HDMI or if its just some...

[shanmugam]

Originally Posted by Robertsmania

If you use HDMI with your 2012 mini, try this - open up a finder window and switch to the list display. Do you see the alternating light blue and white lines or is the whole window white? If it does look white, drag another window on top and see if the drop shadow reveals the alternating lines

i have the exact same issue - I did not notice the white and blue lines, it all looks like white.

[huck500]

With the 2012 Mac mini, every monitor I have access to does not display properly when connected with HDMI. The colors appear washed out - and the whites are 'crushed' (light colors appear white).

I have this issue with all my monitors except the TV that I'm actually using the mini on. It's disappointing that they didn't fix the issue, it seems pretty widespread.

[MagnusVonMagnum]

So this problem only occurs with HDMI monitor connections and not HDMI-To-DVI with the included adapter? I get the blanking randomly with the new Mac Mini, but then I get it some times on my 2001 (upgraded) PowerMac Digital Audio with ATI 9800Pro. What's the connection there? It sure as heck isn't the OS versions (seeing as the PowerMac is running Leopard and the Mini is running Mountain Lion). Something is causing that blanking problem on both computers.

I never saw that problem on the same monitor when I had my 2008 Macbook Pro connected to it (with the infamous 8600M GT Nvidia chipset in it; it will works 100%, though so either I got lucky or using the fan on high with demanding video has kept it from frying). So clearly, it's not the monitor (the PowerMac is connected to an AOC 22" monitor with DVI and the MBP and now the Mac Mini are using an LG 24" with DVI in).

[praetorian909]

Originally Posted by Robertsmania

If you use HDMI, please check. If you do see the alternating white/blue lines properly I'd be curious about what kind of monitor you are using and what display profile is selected. If your mini shows the crushed whites - send Apple a message at apple.com/feedback.

I did enter a bug into bugreporter.apple.com and it has been tagged as a duplicate of an existing bug and remains open. I believe they know about the problem but dont know if it really does affect all 2012 Mac minis using HDMI or if its just some...

Image

Hmm didn't hear about this problem, but I will check it.

I have an HP LP2475w (actually two) and I had real problems using the HDMI with earlier models--I think with the 2011 mid-model (Radeon 6630M) I had flashing green dots all over the screen. Tried with another adapter given to me by an Apple Genius. I had problems using a Monoprice mini-DP-to-DP cable as well--text was very jagged.

The 2012 (Intel HD 4000) seemed to have no problem so far, even before this update (but I hadn't tested it for very long).

[MrXiro]

Originally Posted by paulrbeers

Strange, becuase my my LG LED monitors connected via HDMI have had no issues with this. I haven't seen many complains in the Mac Mini forums about this (and you would think you would since the 2012's have a series of issues and many with 2011's aren't complaining). I had an issue early on with the HDMI port but a swap of cables and I was good to go.

Either way, the issue does not seem to be nearly as widespread as the 2012 which pretty much affects all HDMI connected tv's and monitors.

Actually not "ALL", my first 2012 i7 Mac Mini had the issue. I swapped it out for a new one a week or so later and my 2nd one has yet to have a single flicker. On the first one, for the first few days I thought it was my screening going into sleep mode until it happened a few times. I've owned my 2nd Mac mini for going on 3 weeks now and it's been fine ever since I received it.

I hope this "fix" doesn't give me the flickering issue...

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Originally Posted by shanmugam

i have the exact same issue - I did not notice the white and blue lines, it all looks like white.

I had this issue with my non-IPS Dell 2440L but my IPS 2340m looks PERFECT. Also don't have the flicker issue on my 2nd Mac Mini.

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

Installed now and we'll see how it goes.

[shanmugam]

Originally Posted by MrXiro

I had this issue with my non-IPS Dell 2440L but my IPS 2340m looks PERFECT. Also don't have the flicker issue on my 2nd Mac Mini.

how you are connecting DELL 2440L and 2340M?

the issues is not with the monitors; it is with HDMI port. HDMI to HDMI, HDMI to DVI or HDMI to VGA.

if you use display port (aka thunder bolt); there is not issue.
not sure if the DP to HDMI works fine or not.

Intel and Apple needs to work on this HDMI issue.

[Highboy90]

Guess I'll keep a new mini on the back burner for now.

[japanime]

Was hoping this fix (which was rumored to be coming soon) would address similar issues with the MBA. Apparently not, at least for now.

Time to call AppleCare, I guess...

[k.alexander]

See attached image. The 2012 Mini definitely has an issue with the "crushed whites" but it is completely adjustable with just the built in Color Sync in System Preferences. See attached pic of my Sony TV hooked up to the Mini, look at the difference between the default color profile and the one that I adjusted myself.

[mdgolom]

I just ran the update so we'll see. Hopefully this fixes the flickering problem.

[RMo]

Originally Posted by komodrone

some power sources may not work and therefore switches to backup power mode. you shouldn't do it on a backup power mode.

/antijoke chicken

Still doesn't explain the powered-on-without-a-cord possibility, and unlike a laptop running on battery power, as far as I know OS X has no ability to tell the difference even if your situation were the case.

(Obviously, these instructions were copied from a MacBook Pro or something, which is why I find it amusing. Unless they're hiding plans for a battery-powered Mini. Or forgot they still made desktops. )

[thestickman]

Ran the update. "Fuzzies" are gone. Color is crisp as it should be. Gonna fire up Warcraft for a few minutes & see what happens. Usually in 5 min or less screen would go black or snowy.

"I'm goin' in Captain!"

[MrXiro]

Originally Posted by shanmugam

how you are connecting DELL 2440L and 2340M?

the issues is not with the monitors; it is with HDMI port. HDMI to HDMI, HDMI to DVI or HDMI to VGA.

if you use display port (aka thunder bolt); there is not issue.
not sure if the DP to HDMI works fine or not.

Intel and Apple needs to work on this HDMI issue.

Not to sound snide but you deleted my first paragraph that clearly stated that I was having the problem on my first Mini and not on my 2nd one... thus it's pretty obvious I was using HDMI.

So yes I was using HDMI to HDMI In on my S2440L on my first Mini there was blinking black screen that looked like it was going into sleep mode and then I switched Minis and it worked fine with no blinking issue, but was still blown out as far as contrast and colors were concerned (on the S2440L) so I switched to the DVI only S2340M and the color issue was fixed (not sure if it's because it is IPS or not but it's an IPS monitor while the S2440L is not) the set up now is HDMI to DVI adapter to DVI cable to DVI Monitor.

No where in this equation has there ever been Mini DP to HDMI. So it seems I have one that works fine before the EFI fix... which I still have not downloaded... I'm worried though that the fix could create the problem for my thus far unaffected Mac Mini.

[Xenc]

I returned Apple's adaptor because of this issue. I ended up using a third party cable that works perfectly and cost a whole lot less.

[Mr. Retrofire]

Originally Posted by jrlcopy

It seems like every single mac for the last few years has had this issue and then was fixed with it's own patch a couple months later. Can they not just make this patch before they ship the damn things?

Sure, if you give them the time...

[Rocketman]

Originally Posted by iamkarlp

In many instances it is. Whether it be distance limitations, poor connector ruggedization, or the atrociousness that is HDCP handshaking, HDMI has been a bag of hurt for me in many ways.

I truly wish we could have gotten SDI instead of HDMI.

Yeah, so it would be a bit easier for the pirates in certain circumstances, but a quick troll of the internet shows that is a lost battle anyways. Might as well give us a reliable, rugged solution that works with a very well behaved and understood cabling system.

Karl P

PS: for anyone about to make noise about SDI interface costs, that is purely a condition of (relative) obscurity. Pricing would have / could have been much different with critical mass adoption.

It's also recommended you do NOT hot plug it.

Rocketman

[CyAnMan]

Been going strong now for 90 minutes since updating the firmware. No more black screens or snowy flashes. Colour/Saturation looks a little better.
:-)

[micjack]

Updated and tried some flash intensive websites. Usually got a blink. Since updated, no more blinks (have been running for 3 hours). Hope it really fixed the issue.

[shanmugam]

Originally Posted by MrXiro

Not to sound snide but you deleted my first paragraph that clearly stated that I was having the problem on my first Mini and not on my 2nd one... thus it's pretty obvious I was using HDMI.

no worries, my mac mini still got color issues.

i do not spend the money on mini display port to HDMI cable. hoping 10.8.3 fixes it.