Random Black Screens

[sno1man]

It's encouraging that others have the issue and Apple seems to be aware of it. I guess one concern I have at this point is what if it's not correctable? I imagine if a firmware/driver update couldn't resolve this, it would be a recall situation? Either way, we would never be "stuck" with a computer and a nonfunctioning HDMI port, would we?

(My underlying question is should I return this thing pronto or hang on with the faith that it will be resolved somehow - I suppose no one really knows the answer to that)

This comment is in no way an attempt to absolve Apple of anything but.....

If you go outside of this forum especially in to the TV forums (avsforum.com for instance) you see all kinds of discussion about HDMI issues including everything reported here. The biggest culprit seems to be blu ray players and the xbox 360 but there is lots of everything.

I'm wondering if maybe apple perhaps is being a bit more "strict' for want of a better term. In other words perhaps it's partially the monitor vendors.

Two reasons I say this, one, the quality control of many these vendors is not that rigorous especially on the cheaper models.

Reason two: This would not be the first time for Apple to be in this situation.

For example, early on with firewire, there was a hardware refresh that broke a bunch of camcorders especially Sony. Long story short, Apple started using a protocol that was part of the spec (data flow control related) but no one had bothered to implement it and when apple did, the flow control commands hung the firewire chips in the camcorders

I was working for high end video dealer at the time and we had some ticked off customers and it took a while for Sony to own up to it. In most cases they could fix it with a firmware update, but in a few they had to replace the chip. This was not a end user thing and the units had to be sent to Sony at first and only later could dealers fix it.

FWIW anyway

 

[calvol]

Get rid of it if you can, Intel's known about it for 5 months, and it's affecting Mac, Win, and Linux. Likely won't be fixed because Intel's resources are on Haswell. Drop back 10 and punt on this Mini.

 

[kschois]

This comment is in no way an attempt to absolve Apple of anything but.....

If you go outside of this forum especially in to the TV forums (avsforum.com for instance) you see all kinds of discussion about HDMI issues including everything reported here. The biggest culprit seems to be blu ray players and the xbox 360 but there is lots of everything.

I'm wondering if maybe apple perhaps is being a bit more "strict' for want of a better term. In other words perhaps it's partially the monitor vendors.

Two reasons I say this, one, the quality control of many these vendors is not that rigorous especially on the cheaper models.

Reason two: This would not be the first time for Apple to be in this situation.

For example, early on with firewire, there was a hardware refresh that broke a bunch of camcorders especially Sony. Long story short, Apple started using a protocol that was part of the spec (data flow control related) but no one had bothered to implement it and when apple did, the flow control commands hung the firewire chips in the camcorders

I was working for high end video dealer at the time and we had some ticked off customers and it took a while for Sony to own up to it. In most cases they could fix it with a firmware update, but in a few they had to replace the chip. This was not a end user thing and the units had to be sent to Sony at first and only later could dealers fix it.

FWIW anyway

sno1man,
I have exact same symptom with my Sony DC330 camcorder. I started convert MiniDV tapes to my new late 2012 Mac Mini that having same snow screen just like other people does. After import couple video tapes, my Sony camcorder died and does not play tapes anymore.
Where can I get more information to fix this? I used Firewire 800 9pin to 4pin cable. I don't see any firmware update for this model.

 

[sno1man]

sno1man,
I have exact same symptom with my Sony DC330 camcorder. I started convert MiniDV tapes to my new late 2012 Mac Mini that having same snow screen just like other people does. After import couple video tapes, my Sony camcorder died and does not play tapes anymore.
Where can I get more information to fix this? I used Firewire 800 9pin to 4pin cable. I don't see any firmware update for this model.

I'm not really sure unfortunately. The dealer I worked for is long out of business and that model is not one I'm familiar with.

I would suggest trying to find a local pro photo dealer that sells sony. Chains like Best Buy will be all but useless.

PS: I never saw the problem kill the camcorder outright, just lock it up until the power was cycled. And of course having it lock in the middle of a transfer was problem enough

 

[memory-minus]

So there's an update for MBA and MBP 2012. Hope to see an update coming for Mac mini as well!

Were those models experiencing similar problems? Because they all use Intel HD Graphics 4000 chipset, same as the 2012 Mini.

 

[Lara F]

Were those models experiencing similar problems? Because they all use Intel HD Graphics 4000 chipset, same as the 2012 Mini.

It's not just the HD 4000 that's causing it though. My model's mid 2009 and this started happening last month.

And after getting black/snow-outs what seemed like every 5 minutes this morning trying to watch streaming video, I picked up a Rocketfish mini-DP to HDMI adaptor from Best Buy to give it a try instead of going through mini-DVI. Fingers crossed but so far so good...

I did delete VLC as well just in case after reading Jig3n's post.

 

[hollowplayer]

smc reset, no black screen for 5 hrs.

 

[jollino]

So far a dozen or so logs that they've reviewed point to a conflict with VLC player.

I got my first black screen after a week last night, while watching a video file with VLC (my default player for all video media), but I'm not sure it's related. I distinctly remember my last one before this, and I was working with Coda 2 and only had Mail, Safari and Terminal open besides that.

 

[shinji]

Saw this on Apple's forums, not sure if what Apple said was just that rep or this is really the policy https://discussions.apple.com/message/20251145#20251145

 

[alexdd]

If it is HD4000 and HDMI hardware issue then why the RMBP 13' and 15' is not affected?

 

[memory-minus]

I confirmed with Apple customer service this morning that October 25th, 2012 started their "holiday return policy" which allows you to return items by January 9th, 2013. So I am going to hang on to my Mac mini and hope for a software fix and, if not, I will return it before that date.

 

[Mr. McMac]

I posted this in this thread "2012 Mac Mini issues" talking about the snow issue

I've had the same problem with my 2011 base mini with Intel HD3000 GPU a few times via HDMI to HDMI into my older Samsung 720p HDTV. I also had other problems such as black screens for 1 second a few times a day, and even kernel panics on restart. I fixed all those problems ever since I stopped using the HDMI out on the mini. I'm now connected via the Thunderbolt out into the VGA in on my TV via a cable I purchased from monoprice. I've been trouble free for a month now...

 

[adonis3k]

Mine was pissing me off with HDMI to HDMI, so went and got another Thunderbolt/Display port to HDMI and not had any issues so far.

With HDMI to HDMI I started to get random black screens, it lasted 2mins upto 2 hours before turning its ass back on, so went and got the MDP to HDMI, still its a bit **** from Apple not sorting this out and reply on Intel to do it, hope they have a fix soon, even though im not getting the issue now its not the point.

 

[strongs]

I purchased a new BenQ monitor this morning as I am going shopping tomorrow to buy the new Mac Mini (my first Mac)...now I have come across this thread I don't know what to do!?

To buy or not to buy THAT is the question...

 

[jack92029]

(DVI - HDMI) to HDMI

I have a 2.3 Ghz w/8gb ram connected to a Dell Ultra Sharp U2412M via the (DVI/HDMI) supplied with my Mac Mini to HDMI

Mostly I get a Black screen which returns to normal viewing after several seconds, BUT I have gotten the snow screen which does Not self correct forcing a hard reboot.

Hope intel/ Apple come up with a correction soon.

PS I also experienced the Black screen when I connected the Mini to a Samsnug HDTV via HDMI/HDMI.

 

[Jig3n]

I confirmed with Apple customer service this morning that October 25th, 2012 started their "holiday return policy" which allows you to return items by January 9th, 2013. So I am going to hang on to my Mac mini and hope for a software fix and, if not, I will return it before that date.

Thanks, that's good to know.

 

[strongs]

Is anyone out there NOT having an issue with the HDMI port? Are some brands of monitor not affected?

 

[pup]

No problems so far on either an older Apple Cinema Display or a Wacom Cintiq, using DVI adapters through the HDMI port.

Just looking through the threads, the problems seem to be disproportionately skewed toward Dell and Samsung displays, though not limited to those brands.

 

[cocacolakid]

please don't attack lacie or any other external drive company without offering a viable inexpensive alternative.

here is the bottom line you are in an industry that only sees failures.

what you don't see are winners.

I can write a 5000 word response to you and others on this site about backups and the like.


I won't but here is what I will say

" think of all externals and internals as A) cassettes or B) video tapes.

They tangle and they break" .

Multiple backups are needed.

The reality is most of us want to chisel and not pay for proper backup. If we did you would have almost no business at all.

proper backup ;


1) tm = 1 big drive and clone it = 2 big drives

2) a cloud solution = for off site think Sandy or an earthquake

3) clone your drive every night = 7 drives or at least 3 and rotate them.


that is a lot of money some would argue that the above is not good enough. Some would say use 2 cloud solutions 1 is not good enough.

so many make a choice to not spend this much.

they come up with lower cost options which is why you are in business.

I do have to point out though that you post repeatedly that you buy Lacie external drives, remove the hard drives and sell them, and put third party SSD's in them. So you wouldn't have any experience on whether Lacie drives have a high failure rate.

 

[cocacolakid]

It might be helpful if everyone posts how their mini is hooked up to a monitor (HDMI/TB/DP/DVI adapter, etc?) and what model monitor it is. I see that same question being asked over and over. I don't know that I've read anyone using the TB or DP to TB adapter having this issue, but I have read a few people having issues with HDMI to other adapters besides straight HDMI to HDMI. At the least, it would help users figure out what port/adapter to use right now to best avoid the issue.

 

[pup]

No problems with any of these combinations on a 2.6 i7/16:

HDMI-->supplied HDMI/DVI adapter-->Apple Cinema Display 23"

HDMI-->supplied HDMI/DVI adapter-->DVI digital to analog converter-->Wacom Cintiq 21UX

TB-->Monoprice Mini DisplayPort/DVI adapter-->Apple Cinema Display 23"

TB-->Monoprice Mini DisplayPort/DVI adapter-->Wacom Cintiq 21UX

 

[philipma1957]

I do have to point out though that you post repeatedly that you buy Lacie external drives, remove the hard drives and sell them, and put third party SSD's in them. So you wouldn't have any experience on whether Lacie drives have a high failure rate.

I would like to point out that there are no such thing as lacie drives.

they use seagate.

they use hitachi.

I have had 6 lacie cases none of the cases failed.

they had hitachi or seagate hdds in them.

I would also like to point out i have had more then 100 different cases in my home for testing use and / or builds. I have had more then 500 hdds or ssds in minis and for builds.

the bottom line is ;

one 2.5 inch hdd was a bomb the seagate 500gb 7200 rpm 2.5 inch it came out in 2008 for laptops it was really bad and just about the worst laptop hdd made. crazy bad failure rate.

they had good rma service.


OCZ had a few bad ssd's I stopped buying them. They had bad rma service all sata II ssd's 2009 or so.

Corsair had a few bad ssd's I stopped buying them. I have to say they had great rma service. all sata II ssd's 2009 or so.


western digital has had good gear in terms of hdds they had good rma service.



Remember I test forward from good to bad.

the only failure rates that were nuts were the seagate hdds.

purchased sealed new for internal use from tiger direct, dell, newegg, owc.

Bad cases I have had a few from OWC.

LACIE AND SANS DIGITAL HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD.
.

 

[calvol]

I have a 2.3 Ghz w/8gb ram connected to a Dell Ultra Sharp U2412M via the (DVI/HDMI) supplied with my Mac Mini to HDMI

Mostly I get a Black screen which returns to normal viewing after several seconds, BUT I have gotten the snow screen which does Not self correct forcing a hard reboot.

Hope intel/ Apple come up with a correction soon.

PS I also experienced the Black screen when I connected the Mini to a Samsnug HDTV via HDMI/HDMI.

Same setups, same problems with 2.6/4 Mini, except I also got the snow screen on the Samsung TV.

 

[sno1man]

ok so this is getting weirder

Posted multiple times in this thread and on this forum about the issues I had with my new mini.

Coincidentally we had one of the work minis go down due to a malfunctioning utility transformer

So now I have two 2012 minis to compare side by side.

Both are stock from Apple at the moment. #1 is the I7 mini i bought for my own use. #2 is an I5 mini.

#1-I7- hooked up straight HDMI to a dell s2240l. Gets the black out 3 times a day, poor text quality and mediocre color quality

#2- I5- hooked up straight HDMI to a Samsung 550 series monitor. Getting black outs every hour or so as i'm configuring it. However, the text and color quality is much better.

 

[dogmusic]

BUT I have gotten the snow screen which does Not self correct forcing a hard reboot.

Try just turning your monitor off and on. That works for me with the snow screen.