2016 Macbook External screen goes black

[VPrime]

Hey all,

I have a 2016 macbook retina and the official Apple multimedia adapter (HDMI+USB+USBC), and it's connected to an Acer monitor over HDMI. Every now and then the screen goes black for a second, then comes back on.
The monitor isn't showing a disconnected signal or anything like that. It has also been perfectly fine with my Macbook Pro (using thunderbolt to HDMI adapter).

Could my adapter be bad?

Also a side issue, I have a set of wireless beats headphones connected with bluetooth and an MX Master mouse also connected on bluetooth. If there is audio playing on a youtube video or something, the mouse is all laggy and jittery but the trackpad works fine. Any thoughts?

 

[Trey M]

Hey all,

I have a 2016 macbook retina and the official Apple multimedia adapter (HDMI+USB+USBC), and it's connected to an Acer monitor over HDMI. Every now and then the screen goes black for a second, then comes back on.
The monitor isn't showing a disconnected signal or anything like that. It has also been perfectly fine with my Macbook Pro (using thunderbolt to HDMI adapter).

Could my adapter be bad?

Also a side issue, I have a set of wireless beats headphones connected with bluetooth and an MX Master mouse also connected on bluetooth. If there is audio playing on a youtube video or something, the mouse is all laggy and jittery but the trackpad works fine. Any thoughts?

Could be the cable or the adapter. I'd try troubleshooting cable if possible and if not, take it in to an Apple Store and try to reproduce. Honestly though not enough info here to know for sure.

As far as BT lag, this is a known issue with Macs. I have an MX Anywhere 2 (the brother of the MX Master) and it has the same issues (lag). If you scour the internet a lot of people have this issue, especially when there's a lot of Wifi interference or BT interference from other devices. I have to use the USB adapter now which is frustrating as the only reason I got an expensive mouse was to be adapter free. Not sure to be upset with Logitech or Apple-- I think Apple because many others have had many issues with BT in MacBooks in general.

 

[violet ink]

This seems to be a recurring issue: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/new-acer-usb-c-monitor-issue.1973365/

I returned my m7/256 and got an m5/512 that doesn't seem to be having the problem.

 

[VPrime]

Interesting. That thread is about a USB-C monitor, but someone reported the same issue with an HDMI monitor as well.

So it looks like the computer is the problem then? I have an M5 512gb, and it's doing it.

 

[pshifrin]

My M7 is doing the same thing! It's happening with the official apple adaptor and also with the OWC dock. Different monitors, different HDMI cables.

An SMC reset fixes it for the duration of it being docked. Take the laptop home, use it as normal, sleep / wake it a few times, come back to the office and dock it and it starts all over again. SMC reset fixes it but only until you unplug it.

 

[timbals]

My M7 is doing the same thing! It's happening with the official apple adaptor and also with the OWC dock. Different monitors, different HDMI cables.

An SMC reset fixes it for the duration of it being docked. Take the laptop home, use it as normal, sleep / wake it a few times, come back to the office and dock it and it starts all over again. SMC reset fixes it but only until you unplug it.

Happens to me too although only occasionally. Using the official apple adaptor (HDMI, USB, Charge) and a Dell U2515H monitor. Monitor works fine when plugged into anything else including Surface Pro 3, rMBP 13.

Tried different HDMI cables and no improvement.

 

[Trey M]

Just from a distance it appears to be something that could be corrected in software. The fact that an SMC reset seems to be the temporary cure gives me confidence it could be corrected in a future update.

 

[gtjeta]

For me a reboot solves it. After a reboot everything works perfectly, but when I change the monitor to which I connect (although both are dell p2415q ) it starts becoming dark for two seconds every half a minute. As reboot is quite fast, it is not terrible, but quite uncomfortable.