Thunderbolt issue with 24" ACD and 2011 13" MacBook Pro

[jonnysods]

Hey all, I'm getting black screens, occasional flickering, and just a bad user experience the second I swapped out my 2010 MBP for my new 13" with the thunderbolt port.

I've updated all the way to 10.6.8, firmware updates, all that jazz, still got it.

Anyone else have this? Is there a fix? I took my machine in to get it looked at as per 's instructions but I feel like it will come back.

Just wondering what anyone else has been through and looked into.

 

[VeganHipster]

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2765598?start=0&tstart=0

33 pages, no answer from apple. Sorry man, hope they find a solution soon.

 

[jonnysods]

That sucks. Is this one of those issues just hopes will go away?

It will go away when they replace my monitor!!

 

[jonnysods]

Logic board was replaced. Waiting to pick it up, and then I'll see if it fixes the problem!

 

[ptaylor874]

Let us know how it goes, but don't hold your breath...

I bought a brand new Mac mini with a Thunderbolt port and it and I'm having the exact same issue...

My problem could probably be solved if someone made an HDMI male to Mini-DP female adapter, since the mini has an HDMI out... I've looked though and can't find one.

 

[duckduckgoose]

I've just managed to get apple to swap my 24" acd for the new thunderbolt display because of the flickering problems I've been having since i bought my 2011 macbook pro! Pretty happy! still shouldn't have had the problems in the first place.

 

[hofnar]

I've just managed to get apple to swap my 24" acd for the new thunderbolt display because of the flickering problems I've been having since i bought my 2011 macbook pro! Pretty happy! still shouldn't have had the problems in the first place.

Are those in stores yet? I know it 6-8 weeks shipping on the site.

 

[jonnysods]

I've just managed to get apple to swap my 24" acd for the new thunderbolt display because of the flickering problems I've been having since i bought my 2011 macbook pro! Pretty happy! still shouldn't have had the problems in the first place.

Well, I got mine back and it's still doing it. About to call Apple now, praying that my story is the same as yours!!

 

[VeganHipster]

Well, I got mine back and it's still doing it. About to call Apple now, praying that my story is the same as yours!!

You have to be persistent. If they ignore the first time just keep calling back. That is how some people in the thread I showed you got 27" ACD (this was before the thunderbolt displays were announced).

 

[jonnysods]

Thanks. I am being persistent right now. The tech guys put me through to a specialist who is handling my case. Pretty much everything that he is saying to try I have done, we are getting down to the last few hurdles I think.

I'm going to talk to him Monday and be a bit more frank that I want the monitor replaced at 's expense. I paid $1000 for that monitor, it works with 3 other unibody non Thunderbolt machines at my office without a hitch.

I'll let you guys know where it goes.

 

[ntrigue]

Can I use a new MacBook Air with Thunderbolt and a 24" ACD or am I in for frustration?

 

[deuce sluice]

Can I use a new MacBook Air with Thunderbolt and a 24" ACD or am I in for frustration?

Well, the bad news is that every Thunderbolt mac doesn't play nice with the 24" ACD. I have a 2011 Mini and 24" ACD and I definitely get flickers, but it's just kind of annoying. It's totally usable still.

The good news is that it seems like there's a beta firmware that Apple can send you that fixes it if you call and ask. So, a fix is on the way at least.

 

[vnle]

I have the same problem with the 24" ACD when I swapped out a 2009 mbp for the 2011 mbp. It's quite annoying, not only do I have display issues, I also have sound issues. Thinking about taking my display back to

 

[jonnysods]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Mobile/9A5288d)

Can I use a new MacBook Air with Thunderbolt and a 24" ACD or am I in for frustration?

Well, the bad news is that every Thunderbolt mac doesn't play nice with the 24" ACD. I have a 2011 Mini and 24" ACD and I definitely get flickers, but it's just kind of annoying. It's totally usable still.

The good news is that it seems like there's a beta firmware that Apple can send you that fixes it if you call and ask. So, a fix is on the way at least.

I've been working with Apple for over a month on this, still no luck. They never mention any beta firmware after talking to the engineers. They said 'soon' and to wait.

I'm so mad at Apple right now. This issue has been around for 6 months, I've been dealing with it for 3, I want a working monitor. I paid for a working monitor.

So I'm going to call a new Customer Relations rep every day until they relent. This monitor issue is so frustrating.

 

[FuNGi]

As you'll see from the Applesupport discussion thread allot of people are having this problem. I had no flickering on my 24"ACD on a 2008 MBP and a 2010 MBA. Only after upgrading to a 2011 MBP with thunderboldt did I get the occasional and random black flickering. It seems like a crap shoot. Some claim to have gotten "beta-firmware" fixes that have not been released to devlopers or the public but I've heard of only two people to get this fix. Perhaps a public fix is on the horizon. Until then all you can do is file a claim and try to escalate it.

 

[jonnysods]

As you'll see from the Applesupport discussion thread allot of people are having this problem. I had no flickering on my 24"ACD on a 2008 MBP and a 2010 MBA. Only after upgrading to a 2011 MBP with thunderboldt did I get the occasional and random black flickering. It seems like a crap shoot. Some claim to have gotten "beta-firmware" fixes that have not been released to devlopers or the public but I've heard of only two people to get this fix. Perhaps a public fix is on the horizon. Until then all you can do is file a claim and try to escalate it.

Are you going to complain? I don't believe that there is a beta firmware patch out there.

 

[jonnysods]

Update: I am through to a Customer Relations Supervisor and he is going to take care of the issue. First he is asking the Engineers for some info on this software fix. If that doesn't go well then hopefully I get a replacement monitor.

Should have an update by Friday.

 

[jonnysods]

Update: Getting a new TB 27" replacement when it becomes available!

Once again, Apple goes the extra 2 miles for me.

 

[larlaffer]

What did you do to get them to replace it? I've also been having this problem since July when I bought my new Macbook Pro - the display is on AppleCare so I've called several times. They keep telling me to wait for a software update (which, of course, they have absolutely no estimate as to when it will occur). I just want them to replace this with a monitor that WORKS. So frustrating.

 

[xraydoc]

I'm a little bit fortunate, I guess. I almost bought a 24" LED Cinema off eBay a couple weeks ago (lost auction) before I had read these reports. I'd be right annoyed at my "new" monitor flickering on my new Thunderbolt Macs (it was to be used on a new Mac mini at work).

Went with two 20" aluminum Cinema displays instead.

 

[jonnysods]

First I tried everything I could to fix it. Reformat the computer, all sorts of stuff.

I called Apple and I got put through to technical support, they replaced my logic board.

Still had the same issue. Spoke with technical support, jumped through 3-4 hoops trying stuff, no dice. Sent them the links (and each subsequent person I dealt with) to the Apple Support Forums that were lit up over this issue.

Upgraded to Lion, still had the issue.

They put me through to Applecare. Rep had me try all sorts of stuff, even moving my monitor out of my office in case it was environmental. Nothing could resolve it. They contacted the engineers, they said to just wait.

This is where I took it to the next level. I said that it had been 7 months since the issue arose, I have had a defective monitor for 3 months and it has affected my work, I thought that Apple's products just worked. Then I asked for a time that I could call back and get my monitor replaced. They couldn't answer, they said just to wait. I asked him if that was the bottom line, they said yes. I was fuming!

I sat on it a couple of days, then called Customer Relations to complain, the first guy said the same thing, just wait. I said that this was unacceptable and I wanted to escalate this. They put me through to a supervisor, who dealt with me for about a week, talking each day.

I sent videos of my issue, sent link after link of Geniuses replacing units, customers getting new units, explained the things that I have gone through, which I shouldn't have to as a customer, that it wasn't a one off issue based off the Support Forum threads. The guy was great, he contacted the Engineers, did his own research, and came back and said they were willing to replace my machine. I almost cried, because it had been such a long battle.

I was always polite, but very firm and made sure they understood how unacceptable it was to have no deadline in sight, when I paid $900 for a monitor, and $1500 for a new computer.

Be thorough but firm, always ask to escalate it and see where it goes. Have video ready to send, threads and research ready to send, give them the amount of time you have suffered through it.

Good luck!

 

[xraydoc]

No amount of hardware/motherboard swapping or OS reinstalls will fix this.

It's a firmware problem, plain and simple. Apple either needs to release firmware updates (could be either the monitor or the computers at this point, only Apple's engineers know) or exchange the 24" displays for something else.

 

[jonnysods]

I totally think that they are stalling. They haven't made a statement about this issue at all, which means they are in trouble. Wonder how many affected units there are out there.

 

[xraydoc]

I totally think that they are stalling. They haven't made a statement about this issue at all, which means they are in trouble. Wonder how many affected units there are out there.

Apple almost never makes a comment in situations like this until the problem is addressed and a firmware updater is released.

And then it'll read something like, "fixes display consistency issues which affect a small number of users" or something of the sort.

Continue to address the problem with service representative supervisors over the phone. Perhaps you can persuade them to replace your 24" with a 27" mini-DisplayPort model (i.e., not the Thunderbolt one, but the one currently available). Those are known to work without issues.

 

[jonnysods]

I'm excited they did this for me. I just hope that it ships soon...!