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M1 Mac Mini blacking out occasionally

Deacon-Blues

Deacon-Blues

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 15, 2012
670
853
California
I have an M1 Mac Mini 16GB and I have been having a strange issue with it. Every once in a while the screen goes black for a few seconds. It's as though there has been an interruption in the HDMI cable. I have checked the cable for correct connection. I have tried a second cable. And as luck would have it, I have two of the exact same monitors side by side, so I connected the Mac Mini to the other monitor. The blackouts are still happening.

Has anyone else experienced something like this, or does anyone have a guess as to what the issue may be? Thanks.
 
May be a heat related problem. Do you have a program like "Macs Fan Control" where you can monitor the Fan speeds and processors Temps?

KenK
 
I do not have anything like that installed. I may, however, have resolved the issue. I switched to an HDMI-USB C connector, and since doing so, I have not had anymore blackouts. So if this keeps up, it may well be that there is a problem with my HDMI connector on the Mac Mini.
 
Mine does it once every few days and I'm on a 2018 macMini. 32 gb memory a dn 1 tb ssd on Mojave.
 
Deacon-Blues said:
I have an M1 Mac Mini 16GB and I have been having a strange issue with it. Every once in a while the screen goes black for a few seconds. It's as though there has been an interruption in the HDMI cable. I have checked the cable for correct connection. I have tried a second cable. And as luck would have it, I have two of the exact same monitors side by side, so I connected the Mac Mini to the other monitor. The blackouts are still happening.

Has anyone else experienced something like this, or does anyone have a guess as to what the issue may be? Thanks.
Click to expand...
Are you using a splitter. The exact same happened to me and I finally tried one hdmi for one monitor and then usb-c/usb-c for the second. Since, I’ve had not issues.
 
Mac Mini M1 running Monterey same problem. Have tried different HDMI cables but not USB-C to HDMI. Blogs have said that it doesn't make any difference.The problem has existed for a few years now through different OS releases and and intel Mac Minis . There is still no definitive answer to the problem. My screen blackouts happen infrequently and only for a couple of seconds so I haven't really pursued it. I've been too busy getting my keyboard and mouse Bluetooth issues sorted. I guess Apple can no longer use their caption - "It just works".
 
I have two 22" LG Ultra fines, and run one with a USB-C to HDMI adaptor on my M1 mini. The one connected with the HDMI attaptor cuts out from time to time as well. I can live with it as I plan on trading this mini in when/if Apple releases a M1 pro/max mini. I figure then I can connect the two monitors without an adapter.
 
New observation...... I have a desk lamp plugged into the same power board as my monitor and MM. Not every time but often by turning the lamp on my monitor blacks out for a second or two. It's inconsistent with switching the lamp on. Sometimes it will black out on the first switch on then varies with the number of off-on's, but is definitely linked and it is with switch on action which draws power. Does the MM have a voltage regulator or maybe my monitor has one that can't tolerate voltage shakes. Doesn't happen when I leave the lamp off. Food for thought?

Correction - it still happens when I don't use the lamp but can also force a blackout by using the lamp switch so ..... logic says that it is still power related and maybe can't tolerate minor household circuit fluctuations yes? If so, why do some computers with external monitors not have the same problem?
 
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Per above good point, maybe try connecting the MM to a different power source outlet (if possible). My iPad occasionally will not charge from the same outlet, but using a different outlet solves that. Maybe sporadic voltage fluctuation at a particular power source might be the cause?
 
It seems that the M1 has a few issues that for some reason are not "front page news" as it were. A big challenge remains with some monitors.

In my case my monitor works most of the times and here and there has issues. Others cannot get the monitor to work at all. For my purposes, I have my monitor connected via USB-C to Displayport. Fixes when there are issues nearly always require powerdown of the monitor and sometimes the M1. Apple forums elsewhere have on going threads about monitor issues ranging from number of monitors to connect, types of port issues and makes of monitors not working.

M1 Mini 16/512, BenQ PD2700U with USB-C to DP.
TB port connected to Caldigit Element Hub
SSD drives and USB to Active Speakers connect to Element.
 
Richard8655 said:
Per above good point, maybe try connecting the MM to a different power source outlet (if possible). My iPad occasionally will not charge from the same outlet, but using a different outlet solves that. Maybe sporadic voltage fluctuation at a particular power source might be the cause?
Click to expand...
Yep, to test the theory Richard I will relocate my setup to another part of the house on a different circuit when I get a chance but I think that most household circuits have fluctuations and that MM can't tolerate it. My question remains - does the MM have a voltage regulator? I realise Apples have voltage converters but do they do they do the same thing as a regulator? Interesting!
 
skbotshan said:
Yep, to test the theory Richard I will relocate my setup to another part of the house on a different circuit when I get a chance but I think that most household circuits have fluctuations and that MM can't tolerate it. My question remains - does the MM have a voltage regulator? I realise Apples have voltage converters but do they do they do the same thing as a regulator? Interesting!
Click to expand...
Yes, good point sk. I'd also be interested in the answer to the regulator question, as well as if relocation and reconnection to another circuit made a difference.
 
Richard8655 said:
Yes, good point sk. I'd also be interested in the answer to the regulator question, as well as if relocation and reconnection to another circuit made a difference.
Click to expand...
Just put a decent UPS before the Mac or you can buy plug into wall line conditioner.
 
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phrehdd said:
Just put a decent UPS before the Mac or you can buy plug into wall line conditioner.
Click to expand...
Shouldn't be necessary but could be the global solution for Apple because they can't fit anything else into the MM case.?
 
skbotshan said:
Shouldn't be necessary but could be the global solution for Apple because they can't fit anything else into the MM case.😅
Click to expand...
I don't think it is necessary unless one has really poor wiring or area brown conditions. The problem(s) are more likelya. design and OS issue. The debacle with monitors is really a red flag on how Apple looks the other way just like Microsoft used to do with their OS goofs. Long gone are the times when one could say about Apple "it simply just works."
 
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Just wanted to keep everybody on this string up-to-date..... I purchased a quality HDMI cable today and replaced the existing. Into the seventh hour and not one hint of a blackout thus far. I have no idea where my previous two cables (that I tested and failed with) came from but they didn't have pretty gold and chrome sealed plugs like this one. Will let you know the outcome. :apple: ?
 
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skbotshan said:
Just wanted to keep everybody on this string up-to-date..... I purchased a quality HDMI cable today and replaced the existing. Into the seventh hour and not one hint of a blackout thus far. I have no idea where my previous two cables (that I tested and failed with) came from but they didn't have pretty gold and chrome sealed plugs like this one. Will let you know the outcome. :apple: ?
Click to expand...
With those results, and thinking back to a similar random blinking out of a streaming device to TV I had, I also think it's likely the HDMI cable. When I swapped mine with another HDMI cable, the issue ended. I think high speed cable designation as well as HDMI version the cable supports might make the difference.
 
Deacon-Blues said:
...I switched to an HDMI-USB C connector, and since doing so, I have not had anymore blackouts. So if this keeps up, it may well be that there is a problem with my HDMI connector on the Mac Mini....
Click to expand...
A year and a half and a M2 after this posting and same issue with same solution. I was getting occasional drop-outs with my monitor - no rhyme or reason. HDMI to HDMI. Checked the usual suspects (Screen Saver / Display Off) in Mac and on monitor. Made sure I hadn't accidentally activated a hot corner switch. Nothing wrong there.

Mentioned the issue in Apple Communities and one suggested I try USB-C to HDMI instead. Done and (so far) no issues.
I'd like to be charitable and blame the original cable, except that I previously used it (via a Thunderbolt to HDMI dongle) when I clamshelled my 2017 Air, and had no such issue.
That tells me (along with your posting) that there is something inherently wrong with the HDMI port / software for it - at least for some - and Apple has not yet resolved it.
 
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