Hello, guys! 👋
I visited the eye doctor three weeks ago because I work 8-10 hours in front of displays. During the visit, I mentioned that I've been experiencing eye strain due to my eyes getting worse over the past two years from staring at screens. I've been taking daily pills and using eye drops to reduce the strain, but it hasn't improved. The doctor mentioned that he knew someone at Sony who might be able to help. On Monday, that person called me, and he was sympathetic. He offered to help by inviting me to bring all my laptops (I have a 16" M1 Pro and a 16" M2 Max MacBook) so we could figure out the problem.
Excited about the opportunity, I packed everything into my car and drove to the Sony headquarters. I wasn't sure what to expect, so I brought along a variety of equipment, including three Dell monitors (U4320Q, U2722DE, P3223DE) and a Benq EL2870U. I also had 17 different cables of varying lengths and brands (USB-C, USB-C to HDMI, USB-C to DP, HDMI). I didn't include any dongles because I've had bad luck with them in the past, as they couldn't support 60Hz or 4K resolution at more than 30Hz.
When I arrived at Sony, I met Jakob, the display specialist, who turned out to be a very knowledgeable and helpful person. I was amazed that such an expert would take the time to assist me. We brought everything inside and connected all the devices. Jakob ran a display test, and to my surprise, everything appeared perfect with no display faults, except for a few dead pixels we discovered. It was a relief to know that the displays were in good condition.
Next, Jakob tested all the cables, and surprisingly, everything seemed fine. I was confused because I was certain there was an issue with one of the cables. However, two of the cheap cables from Shengzeng failed the test, confirming my suspicions.
Then Jakob suggested we open up the MacBook to investigate further. I was initially hesitant but decided to give him the older M1 Pro model, just in case anything went wrong. He examined the internals and noticed something missing that is typically found in Windows computers and laptops—a small controller or protective shielding. Even Nvidia, AMD, and the integrated graphics card CPUs usually have this feature. Jakob couldn't find any shielding or the expected controller. It's worth mentioning that he had never worked with an Apple Silicon before, but he seemed confident in his element, focusing mainly on the HDMI and USB outputs. We took a short break, and when we returned, Jakob touched the MacBook lid, and I could feel the familiar vibration that many MacBook users experience. He said, "Aha," and I wasn't sure what he meant at the time.
Jakob then grabbed two HDMI cables for testing—one was a cheap, short, and thick cable that I had never tried before, measuring exactly 1 meter in length. The other was a longer, thinner cable from a premium brand that cost around 43 Euros. To my surprise, the 1-meter thick HDMI cable worked perfectly without any issues, which shocked me.
However, the longer, 2-meter HDMI cable with nylon weave insulation started exhibiting ghosting, flickering, and smearing. It was quite strange. Moving on to USB-C cables, the short and thick one worked fine, but the thinner 0.8-meter cable failed. Jakob then measured the outgoing and incoming voltage, finding no issues with the thick cable. However, when he tested the longer cables, he noticed unstable voltage and signal fluctuations, resembling a zigzag
graph rather than a smooth wave. This perplexed him, suggesting that either there was no voltage regulator or the cables were too thin. The microvolts fluctuated and jumped between the steel connectors on the monitor and MacBook housing. All the USB-C to HDMI and DP cables became extremely hot at the monitor connection, reaching temperatures over 45 degrees Celsius due to excessive power transmission. One cheap USB-C to HDMI cable even reached 73 degrees Celsius, posing a serious danger.
We conducted thorough tests, as Jakob was genuinely interested in finding a solution. I was just happy that the dilemma was resolved, and I could work more comfortably without experiencing eye strain.
Jakob couldn't determine if a proper regulator was built into the MacBook or if the shielding was missing. However, on the thin cables, the MacBook consistently raised and lowered the voltage. Although he didn't want to claim that Apple made a mistake, it certainly seemed that way to him. The voltage fluctuations on the MacBook and the steel housing of the monitor were the root cause of the problem.
Apologies for the long story, but I wanted to provide a detailed description of the problem.
Here's the fix for the issue:
- Avoid cable lengths over 1 meter (the sweet spot is 0.8-1m max).
- Check if the cables have thick wires. Thicker wires tend to have fewer problems.
- Cable insulation is crucial. Rubber cables provide the best performance (avoid nylon, neoprene, and other cheap materials).
- Stick to the traditional HDMI technology and be cautious with HDMI or DP output dongles.
- If using a USB-C cable, keep it as short as possible (0.8-1m max) with thick insulation.
- If you experience flickering, protect your display (the controller may sustain damage) or the MacBook could be at risk of voltage-related damage.
- Avoid steel cases for USB-C and HDMI connectors (plastic or rubber is ideal).
HDMI cables are currently the best option, particularly those with lengths of 0.5m and 1m. Choose cables with a thick, chunky design, appropriate wire thickness, top-notch insulation, and a rubber casing.
!!! HDMI for order or view !!!
For USB-C enthusiasts, go for 0.5m and 1m cables without flickering issues. Look for thick USB-C cables with a rubber casing.
!!! USB C for order or view !!!
*Please note that I've tested all these cables, and they work perfectly. Cheaper cables may also work, but you may experience slight flickering. However, ghosting can be avoided by keeping the cable length under 1 meter and ensuring it has sufficient thickness.*
**I've conducted tests on 17 cables and 4 monitors with an expert, and now I can enjoy Dark Mode, Dark Reader, and the dark Apple backgrounds without any issues.**
P.S. I hope my English was good enough; I learned English a few years ago.
P.P.S. Special thanks to Jakob from Sony DACH! 😗💋💋💋
****EDIT SONOMA BETA VERSION 3.0 ****
Here is a small EDIT from me, as it was claimed that the problem no longer exists with Sonoma. I have tested all cables again, including USB-C to HDMI and DP. The difficulties with the USB-C to HDMI and DP cables have even worsened, while HDMI and USB-C to C runs smoothly. One just needs to adjust the settings, then restart the Mac and there is no flickering or ghosting. However, ghosting appears to be much more intense on the USB-C to HDMI and DP cables.
Cable Testing and Results:
- USB-C to USB-C (thick cable) works perfectly (50cm and 1 Meter)
- HDMI to HDMI (thick cable) also works perfectly (50cm and 1 Meter)
***Please do not be fooled into thinking that changes have been made. This is not a software-related issue, but it lies in the hardware.***
I spoke with Jakob today, he suggested insulating the contacts with insulating tape to prevent voltage from jumping to the casing. However, one must be extremely careful as the tolerances are very small. I will try this suggestion later this evening.
Do not be led astray. If it was a software error, the screen manufacturers and Apple could find a solution. But since it's a hardware issue, little can be done except to reduce or eliminate the voltage with thick cables.
After I have tried the insulating tape, I will report back. It's a delicate task to isolate the port laterally around the socket and then to isolate the connector.
**** Another important note I would like to make: Whenever you plug in and unplug the cables and make the settings you want, then leave everything as it is and don't change anything. After that, it is important to restart and leave the settings unchanged. As soon as you change anything, a restart must be done! ****
