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Screen displays noise/snow waking monitor up with new Mini?

advres

advres

Guest
Original poster
Oct 3, 2003
624
0
Boston
Been working with a new mac mini in my office the last 2 days. The power settings are set to make the display only go to sleep after 15 minutes. System set to never go to sleep and hard drive never spins down.

3 of the 4 times since working with this thing when moving the mouse to wake up the display I get nothing but noise and snow on the screen. To get back to functioning correctly I have to put the computer to sleep with the power button and back on again. Once it comes back, it will work fine.

new mini 2.4 running 10.6.4. monitor is hooked up via DVI through the mini displayport.

Anyone heard of something like this happening before? Brand new machine so you think it should go back?

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Ive seen similar on my G4 powermac but only when using a DVI -> HDMI adapter on the TV. No idea what causes it but I found changing the input on the TV resolved it every time.

not a lot of help but at least you are kinda not alone......
 
i haven't experience this with my mdp-to-dvi monitor. it takes about 3 seconds for my monitor to "wake up" from sleep. could be your monitor not waking up properly after it gets a signal from the mini. does this also happen if you use the included hdmi-to-dvi adapter? if not, then it could be a faulty mini-dp to dvi adapter as well. just start diagnosing backwards down the chain starting with the monitor, then dvi cable, mdp/dvi adapter, and mini.
 
indg said:
i haven't experience this with my mdp-to-dvi monitor. it takes about 3 seconds for my monitor to "wake up" from sleep. could be your monitor not waking up properly after it gets a signal from the mini. does this also happen if you use the included hdmi-to-dvi adapter? if not, then it could be a faulty mini-dp to dvi adapter as well. just start diagnosing backwards down the chain starting with the monitor, then dvi cable, mdp/dvi adapter, and mini.
Click to expand...

Looks like this problem has been around for a while. There is a discussion thread about this on Apples website going back from 3/09. Looks like this is kind of common. Weird I have never seen it before.

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1947029&start=0&tstart=0
 
I've seen this on the 2009 mini when using dual displays. Endless calls back and forth with Apple support, running some diagnostics tools they emailed out, replacements of all the cables and adapters... Never fixed.
 
Thats a bit odd, why dont you try taking the mini to the Apple store to hook up to the other monitors?

If it is an issue, I think you should get it exchanged. Might as well since your still within the 14 day exchange period. You've got nothing to lose! Good luck!
 
looks like i spoke too soon because i am seeing this issue now as well.

when my lcd monitor wakes up from sleep, i see the colored static for a few seconds (maybe 6-8 sec), before the desktop is displayed. unlike the OP, i don't have to put the computer to sleep or do anything else to get it working. just wait a little longer than usual.

my monitor is connected via mdp-to-dvi adapter. also have an hdtv connected via the hdmi port, but the tv was off.
 
I am having the same issue with my new Mini.

I am completely convinced that it has something to do with the mini display port specifically. I have tried several different configurations to test what situations show the static.

HDMI -> HDMI - no static
HDMI -> DVI Adapter -> DVI - no static
HDMI -> DVI Adapter -> DVI-HDMI Cable - no static
Mini Display Port -> DVI - static when waking from sleep

From researching this very wide spread issue (which has been going on for several years), I have only seen people indicate this is a problem when using the Mini Display Port. The same monitor had no issue on a iMac using the Mini DVI -> DVI connection.

I would be curious to know if anyone here has a Mini working on two monitors using the Mini Display Port, where they do not get static when waking the display from sleeping, or pressing CTRL + SHIFT + EJECT. If you do not have this issue, can you let us know what model monitor you are using in this setup. I don't have a MDP -> HDMI adapter, so I don't know if that would cause an issue or not.
 
based on what i've seen, i think if the monitor goes into a deep sleep (like an eco mode to save power), when the mini wakes the display, there is a handshake problem (possible between the mini-dp and dvi) that takes a few seconds to negotiate. i've only seen it happen a few times randomly. very difficult to reproduce. but at least i've never seen it not correct itself after a few seconds, so that's good.
 
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I am having similar issues off and on with my 27" iMac 3.06 GHz C2D while hooked up to a 26" Vizio LCD monitor with mini DVI adapter and Belkin DVI cable. I just have not had time to address it. However, I have been recording it on video on my iPhone so I can show the Apple genius before lugging my iMac into the store.
 
Still happens about 50% of the time. I found I can just cycle my monitor off and then on again and that solves the problem. Also, if you have it set up to password protect on wakeup you can put your password in while the screen is filled with noise, hit return and the monitor will wake up.

I too am 100% convinced this a MDP issue. LAME!!!
 
@advres
does your display not automatically correct itself after a few seconds? mine does. if you see the colored static, just give it a few seconds. doesn't take more than 5 or 6 secodns for me, but could be much longer depending on the monitor you have.

also, i don't think this is related, but os x 10.6.4 appears to have an OpenGL problem with nvidia:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2467019&start=0&tstart=0

maybe apple will releaes an update that fixes both the OpenGL bug and this static on wake issue.
 
^No it doesn't correct itself. I saw it worked for others so I tried the other day. Woke it up to static, swapped my laundry and when I came back it was still static. 22" Acer.
 
Mine is now better (hasn't happened yet) with a minidispalyport to normal size displayport new HP monitor. Swapping the vid card out made it worse on the dvi before trying this. No guarantee it won't start back up, but so far ok.
 
Got the same problem with my Mac Mini Unibody.
Using a MDP --> DP Cable on my Dell WFP2408.
Didn't get the screen like this in the first post, but the monitor did not wake up after the Mini comes up from Sleepmode. If I turn the monitor off/on and everything is ok.
 
I have the same issue with a 2009 Mini and an Asus 24" monitor (Mini is connected via MDP -> DVI). I had always blamed it on the monitor (which is, bar none, the worst monitor I can recall having). Turning the monitor off and on again fixes it every time for me, so I've never bothered to follow up on it.
 
I have this problem too. Not a big problem as it rectifies itself after a few seconds but annoying just the same. I see many comments about why Apple never addressed this. Seems to me a good reason would be they want all of us to buy Apple Cinema displays.
 
You Have This Same Problem?

Did you notice that this is an ancient thread discussing old computers running an old version of OS X? Do you really have a similar machine running equally old software in a non-updated vintage state?

advres said:
...3 of the 4 times since working with this thing when moving the mouse to wake up the display I get nothing but noise and snow on the screen. To get back to functioning correctly I have to put the computer to sleep with the power button and back on again. Once it comes back, it will work fine.

new mini 2.4 running 10.6.4. monitor is hooked up via DVI through the mini displayport.

...Brand new machine so you think it should go back?
Click to expand...

The OP had this problem on a "new" mini 2.4 running OS X 10.6.4 with a single monitor. Others had a similar problem on dual monitor systems.

Einkoro said:
I've seen this on the 2009 mini when using dual displays. Endless calls back and forth with Apple support, running some diagnostics tools they emailed out, replacements of all the cables and adapters... Never fixed.
Click to expand...

GBNova said:
I have this problem too...

...I see many comments about why Apple never addressed this...
Click to expand...

I have no idea why the OP needed to ask the Internet if a brand new machine should go back to Apple for snow on the screen. Perhaps advres was lonely. ;)
 
Celerondon said:
Did you notice that this is an ancient thread discussing old computers running an old version of OS X? Do you really have a similar machine running equally old software in a non-updated vintage state?



The OP had this problem on a "new" mini 2.4 running OS X 10.6.4 with a single monitor. Others had a similar problem on dual monitor systems.





I have no idea why the OP needed to ask the Internet if a brand new machine should go back to Apple for snow on the screen. Perhaps advres was lonely. ;)
Click to expand...

Yeah I noticed this was an old thread. I'm running a late 2014 mini connected to an HP monitor with the issue so obviously it's possible to still have this problem. I'm using the mini DP to DVI adapter and have ordered a mini DP to DP cable and a mini DP to DVI cable to see if it eliminates the problem by ditching the adapter from the equation.
 
Perhaps Apple never addressed "this problem" because there is no this there...

Instead there could be these distinct problems with different hardware combinations running different system software. I think that the problems seem more similar because of the symptoms involved but the variables are so numerous it is hard to be scientific about grouping them as a single problem.

The OP said that his or her problem did not self correct. Other posters, including you, said that their systems cleared up after a period of time. That single distinction could be a meaningful difference.

Some stated that their problems were solved with a cable/adatper change. Others reported no joy! That should not happen if they were dealing with the same problem.

Still, the adapter might work for you!
 
One of my monitors shows the snow for about a second on wake up. It's the one connected to the HDMI port via a DVI-HDMI adapter. The Mini is a 2012 i7 and the monitor is a LaCie 324.

M.
 
marclondon said:
One of my monitors shows the snow for about a second on wake up. It's the one connected to the HDMI port via a DVI-HDMI adapter. The Mini is a 2012 i7 and the monitor is a LaCie 324.

M.
Click to expand...

This is a concise description of a specific problem with good details. I briefly dealt with something similar after my upgrade to Yosemite on a 2012 i7. The upgrade was smooth but afterward I had display issues and an extended boot time.

I can't find the link right now but this is what solved my problem. During searches centered around display glitches, boot delays, and the OS X Yosemite upgrade, I found references to problems caused by incomplete processes.

These sources said that certain upgrades or other code got stalled during the extended OS X upgrade process and needed to finish. I followed some instructions and the problem went away. Apparently the boot process was stalling because of some sort of installer that was trying to finish. I should be able to find these sites again if you wish marclondon.

Did anyone else encounter this sort of problem?
 
Celerondon said:
This is a concise description of a specific problem with good details. I briefly dealt with something similar after my upgrade to Yosemite on a 2012 i7. The upgrade was smooth but afterward I had display issues and an extended boot time.

I can't find the link right now but this is what solved my problem. During searches centered around display glitches, boot delays, and the OS X Yosemite upgrade, I found references to problems caused by incomplete processes.

These sources said that certain upgrades or other code got stalled during the extended OS X upgrade process and needed to finish. I followed some instructions and the problem went away. Apparently the boot process was stalling because of some sort of installer that was trying to finish. I should be able to find these sites again if you wish marclondon.

Did anyone else encounter this sort of problem?
Click to expand...

This problem is occurring when a monitor comes out of a sleep mode. I'm not sure how the boot process is relevant here?
 
GBNova said:
This problem is occurring when a monitor comes out of a sleep mode. I'm not sure how the boot process is relevant here?
Click to expand...

Oh, it isn't except for the fact that my searches might have been focused on boot issues instead of or in addition to display problems. I included that bit to help if anyone wanted to retrace my search pattern.

After the upgrade to OS X Yosemite, my system had this type of characteristic "groggy" recovery from sleep in addition to some minor boot issues. It may not be related to the problems experienced by the OP or marclondon at all.

One person with similar symptoms might see no common factors with my solution. Another forum user might realize that their problem also occurred after a system software upgrade or other major system change. The second user could then decide to do directed research or check their system for unfinished processes.
 
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