yes it's a real problem but must ad that it's only if you use the HDMI port since i switch to the MiniDisplay Port>DVI not a single time have i seen the black screen flick or the show or for that HDMI to HDMI very bright washed out colours with this i came to a conclusion that its a a driver or software for the Intel HD 4000 graphics and the way it outputs to HDMI
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Poll: Are you getting random black screens with your 2012 mac mini
- Thread starter xlii
- Start date
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I was the happiest Mac mini 2011 user in the world. Now that i swapped it with a 2012 one my life became an hell! My mini has the HDMI issue that others have reported here. I use 2 Samsung 24" lcds, one connected to thunderbolt and one to the hdmi port: i got the blank screen/snow issue ONLY when the HDMI port is used. This happens with HDMI->DVI adapter and also with pure HDMI cabling.
With the same screen, mini conneceted to the Thunderbolt port, this doesn't happen.
I got those annoying random black screens and 2-3 times every day the snowing black/grey/white screen.
REALLY ANNOYING.
I hope they will fix this soon.
With the same screen, mini conneceted to the Thunderbolt port, this doesn't happen.
I got those annoying random black screens and 2-3 times every day the snowing black/grey/white screen.
REALLY ANNOYING.
I hope they will fix this soon.
Same here, with Thunderbolt to DVI no more black screen/snowing. $30 fix until they release an update.
What a lucky coincidence that I bought a DP-HDMI the other day for my MBP, perhaps my annoyance at not having a HDMI port of the MBP has helped me in the long run 
I'll be getting a mini soon and its good to see that it seems to be a HDMI issue.
I'll be getting a mini soon and its good to see that it seems to be a HDMI issue.
I think the problem is elsewhere. I have the 2012 rMBP w/ML without external monitor and I have experienced a couple of episodes of the black screen. I'm wondering if it is software related.
Just had my first "snowing black/grey/white" screen while streaming thru HDMI to a Samsung TV.
Can't wait to take this pig back to the store. Oh what might have been a great machine, if Apple had offered an option for a Radeon 6630 dGPU.
The poll is closed after one week. I wanted to see what percentage of us were getting the random black screens and the poll shows that it is a very high percentage of 2012 minis (+50%) that have this issue.
Lets hope a fix is close at hand. The "random black screen" thread is the best place to talk about this issue.
Lets hope a fix is close at hand. The "random black screen" thread is the best place to talk about this issue.
I think the poll should be done over.
Since there are no requirements to vote, people who running from the thunderbolt port voto that they have no problems.
But if they were running from hdmi they have problems.
I think the percentage of problems is higher than wat you see in this poll. Since the problem is hdmi related.
Since there are no requirements to vote, people who running from the thunderbolt port voto that they have no problems.
But if they were running from hdmi they have problems.
I think the percentage of problems is higher than wat you see in this poll. Since the problem is hdmi related.
Just got my Mac mini i7 quad core. Got the black screens (about 1sec long) maybe 4 times and 3 "snow" screens (about 2s each) in the past 3 days.
This is hooked up to an LG 60PA6500 Plasma via the HDMI port on the mac mini.
I will report the problem to Apple as well.
This is hooked up to an LG 60PA6500 Plasma via the HDMI port on the mac mini.
I will report the problem to Apple as well.
I just got my Mini yesterday and I was very happy. But I did get a quick black screen at one point on the HDMI port while the TB port was ok (using 2 displays).
Is everyone experiencing this using the Apple-supplied HDMI-DVI adapter, or are some going HDMI-HDMI or using a 3rd party adapter? I have a HDMI-DVI cable I can use to test, if anyone would like me to. Hopefully, this is just a small fix with an OS update or firmware update.
In the meantime, I will be switching my primary display to the TB port and secondary to HDMI.
Aside from that problem, though, I am very pleased with the machine. I upgraded from a Mac Pro 1,1 and was a little worried the Mini wouldn't suit my needs.
Is everyone experiencing this using the Apple-supplied HDMI-DVI adapter, or are some going HDMI-HDMI or using a 3rd party adapter? I have a HDMI-DVI cable I can use to test, if anyone would like me to. Hopefully, this is just a small fix with an OS update or firmware update.
In the meantime, I will be switching my primary display to the TB port and secondary to HDMI.
Aside from that problem, though, I am very pleased with the machine. I upgraded from a Mac Pro 1,1 and was a little worried the Mini wouldn't suit my needs.
I got my new 2012 Mac Mini yesterday... Took just over an hour, but I got a snowy screen on the HDMI display. Had to power the monitor off and back on, but that fixed it. I got it once more momentarily, and I've seen a couple of 1-sec-long black screens. My TB port (27" TB Display) is fine though.
Video quality on the HDMI port is decent. The PC monitors are only so good anyway, but after manually calibrating and tweaking things manually, I have it looking pretty good.
I wonder... is it likely that this issue will get worse? I haven't cracked it open yet to put my SSD in (only memory so far). If it gets worse, I'd be inclined to return it and get one of the new iMacs.
Rob
Video quality on the HDMI port is decent. The PC monitors are only so good anyway, but after manually calibrating and tweaking things manually, I have it looking pretty good.
I wonder... is it likely that this issue will get worse? I haven't cracked it open yet to put my SSD in (only memory so far). If it gets worse, I'd be inclined to return it and get one of the new iMacs.
Rob
Crap, maybe I spoke too soon.
A few minutes ago, I was doing a Google search in Chrome, and my Thunderbolt display went black, and the display on the HDMI port kept its background image, but there were blobs of "video garbage" all over the screen, flickering about. The machine had crashed and I had to power it off and back on.
Sigh.
Rob
A few minutes ago, I was doing a Google search in Chrome, and my Thunderbolt display went black, and the display on the HDMI port kept its background image, but there were blobs of "video garbage" all over the screen, flickering about. The machine had crashed and I had to power it off and back on.
Sigh.
Rob
Ah, finally someone besides me who has this problem with a Thunderbolt display! I was really puzzled that everyone here seemed to only have problems with the latest Mini and third-party displays, although I read a lot about flickering Thunderbolt displays elsewhere. Drives me crazy that I don't really know which device to smack against the wall. I'm not sure it's the Mini's fault, because when I connected my husband's 2011 Mini to the display, the screen went black as well. I just hope that this is something that will be fixed by software update (although in case of the Thunderbolt display there have already been firmware updates last year, if I remember correctly what I read, and this display is just as new as the Mini, so it should have all old updates).
I'm pretty sure it's not my TB display, since it's over a year old and it's the first time it's ever done it. My money is on the Mini.
It sure would be nice if this is something that can be fixed with a firmware/software update. I really don't want to return the Mini, but if this keeps up, I'm going to do so next week after my 11" Air gets here.
Rob
It sure would be nice if this is something that can be fixed with a firmware/software update. I really don't want to return the Mini, but if this keeps up, I'm going to do so next week after my 11" Air gets here.
Rob
Yes about once every 3 hours...
Since installing my 2012 Mac Mini Server on october 30th I have seen the Black/Snow screen approximately every 3 hours and it is quite annoying. As I see on here and also on Apple Discussions that my problem is not an isolated one. Hopefully there will be a patch soon to fix this glitch.
2012 Mac Mini Server
2.6 GHz Intel Quad Core i7
16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3 Memory
Dual 256 GB SSD
Since installing my 2012 Mac Mini Server on october 30th I have seen the Black/Snow screen approximately every 3 hours and it is quite annoying. As I see on here and also on Apple Discussions that my problem is not an isolated one. Hopefully there will be a patch soon to fix this glitch.
2012 Mac Mini Server
2.6 GHz Intel Quad Core i7
16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3 Memory
Dual 256 GB SSD
Your config is identical to mine, except I added my own memory and SSD. I've had Black Screen (of death? BSOD?) once so far, thankfully. I do, however, get Snowy Secondary Screen probably once every couple of hours.
Rob
Been using my 2.3 i7 Mini for the last couple days with the HDMI->DVI adapter. The screen goes black for 1.5-2 seconds every few (~3) hours of use. Doesn't seem to matter what I'm doing with the computer at the time.
I assume this will be fixed with a software update from Apple soon.
If they can't figure out a fix then I'm fine buying a DisplayPort->DVI adapter from Monoprice for like $7. Actually since the screen only goes black for a second or two I could see myself using the computer for months or years and just being minorly annoyed by it.
I assume this will be fixed with a software update from Apple soon.
If they can't figure out a fix then I'm fine buying a DisplayPort->DVI adapter from Monoprice for like $7. Actually since the screen only goes black for a second or two I could see myself using the computer for months or years and just being minorly annoyed by it.