MBP 16" screen stays black/dead when booting

[Chris5488]

I recently picked up a new MBP 16" (i9, 1TB SSD, 5500M 4GB) which I'm using for my work at a desk, using a provided 2560x1440 display. I'm using the popular "Satechi Type-C multi-port adapter V2"-hub and use it's HDMI to connect the external display.

However I noticed when I come to work, open the lid on my MBP and connect the hub... the screen remains black. Not only the external display but also the integrated display of the MBP. No sign of life at all! Even when pressing the power button on the MBP. I also tried to disconnect everything but nothing happens. Since the keyboard or Touch Bar do not light up until you log in there's no way to actually confirm the MBP is even booted. First I thought it was dead, but when I tried to blindly type in my password (maybe it is booted but I'm just not getting video?), I noticed the screen came to life and saw OSX' booting and logging in!

Long story short: No video output at all (not on external, nor internal display) when I boot my MBP 16" when the hub is connected or being connect during boot. Blindly typing in password and blindly logging in brings it to life.

I already returned a MBP16" having the same issue however then I did not try to try to blindly login by typing my password, I just returned to the store. Strange thing was that I returned it to the store where they tried to reset PRAM and opening it up to disconnect the battery and reconnecting it to fully reset it and nothing worked! Even they couldn't get an image or work with it any further! The MBP was called defective. Now I really wonder: are other MBP 16's affected as well? Since I'm confronted by this issue 2x on 2 different MBP's. Not sure if the hub disturbs the booting process but I guess nearly everyone uses some kind of hub with the MBP no? Other people at my office using previous generations of the MBP are having no issue's at all, even our in house Apple expert (even worked at an apple store) was baffled.

Is this an issue with the new MBP 16"? Have other people experienced this?

 

[PROFESS0R]

My Caldigit TS3+ Hub works fine in this mode. Try another hub / adapter.
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By the way, connect the hub THEN open the lid.

 

[csjcsj]

No problem here. I plug the monitor into the MBP directly - have you tried that?

 

[Fishrrman]

Questions:
Do you have Filevault enabled?
Do you have a firmware password enabled?

 

[Blueshark]

I would suggest using a hub that has a Thunderbolt 3.0 connection.

 

[Chris5488]

Thanks for the responses!

- The issue also occurs when the hub is connected before I open the lid. As long as I don't boot/open lid with the hub plugged in, all seems fine. However it does sometimes boot fine with the hub plugged in as well. It's very random... Now I just open the lid first (nothing attached to the MBP), wait for video (let the Apple-logo appear on the integrated screen) and then connect the hub and periferals.

- I can't plug the monitor directly into the MBP, since it's not an USB-C monitor. I have to use a hub.

- Filevault is indeed enabled (as by default is suggested to enable in Apple's first-time-boot configuration.
- A firmware password is not enabled.

- Not planning on buying a much more expensive TB3-hub. The MacBook should just support USB3 as is.

The whole situation is just very strange since I have colleagues with Macbook Pro's from different generations (also the previous 2018-model) and none of them have this peculiar issue with this hub, therefore I don't believe it's the hub who's at fault and I was looking at the MBP16 (or Catalina???). Don't forget my first MBP16 didn't output any video at all anymore (not on external display, neither internal display) even after a full reset and battery disconnect at the Apple store... which was then called defective.

 

[DrewyMcDrewface]

Is the MBP completely off or is the screen's backlight just off? I had a problem with mine where I thought it was dead after I tried to restart it but it had just booted with the brightness set to 0%. Try holding your phone flashlight up to the screen to see if anything's there, and if it is you can just log in normally and then turn up the brightness afterwards.

 

[jerryk]

Strange. FWIW my USB-C hub has no issue with my 16" and displaying using the HDMI or display ports on my terminals. But maybe it is because I power off when I disconnect and power on my system before connecting.

 

[Chris5488]

UPDATE ON THE ISSUE:

Today I opened the lid of my MBP16" and the screen remained black as well!
No hub or any peripheral attached, pushing the power button doesn't do anything.

When plugging the power cable in, i heard the charging-chime so it was indeed powered on.

Is the MBP completely off or is the screen's backlight just off? I had a problem with mine where I thought it was dead after I tried to restart it but it had just booted with the brightness set to 0%. Try holding your phone flashlight up to the screen to see if anything's there, and if it is you can just log in normally and then turn up the brightness afterwards.

Maybe this is the issue. I'll check next time when it boots like this. Booting without backlight shouldn't be happening. Since the Touch bar doesn't light up either you can't even increase the screen brightness!
Then I would call it a serious firmware flaw which should be updated, this didn't occur on my previous old Macbook. Display brightness should be on a minimal visible setting when booting.

Also, I don't get any visual on my external display either. Should the external display not power on too when the login screen pops up? It did on my old Macbook...

 

[DrewyMcDrewface]

For me neither the Touch Bar nor external displays were on until I had logged in (after booting/restarting), so the only way I could have known the MBP was actually turned on was by holding a flashlight up to the display or pressing the caps lock key and seeing if it lights up. I think when you're logging in after sleep the Touch Bar/external display should be on though, unless your MBP restarted itself for an update or something.

 

[Glenny2lappies]

If only the 16" had something to show it was on. Like the little white light that "breathed" when sleeping. Of course that would mean Apple paying for another whole to be laser cut.