Does anyone know the odds of Apple doing something for all the people with video problems on the mac mini? I was in the group with the real dull dark settings using the VGA adapter, and for the heck of it I figured I'd try connecting my mini to my Viewsonic VP201s straight through the DVI connection, and am getting all the artifacts that so many people seem to have. I did try a different DVI cable with no improvement. While the screen is nice and bright now, I'd have to say its otherwise unusable.
To be honest I've had mine since early February and have probably spent less than 10 hours on this, still waiting for a fix so I can finally get some enjoyment out of of the mini. The LCD works great hooked up to the 6800GT card in my PC, but I certainly can't recommend anyone getting a mini at this point in time.
I'll try and attach some pictures I took earlier later on.
I'd ensure that you complain to Apple as I have the EXACT same problem.
I've spent the time (and charge per minute) to talk to ATI, who confirm the issue is with Apple, not ATI. Apple uses an OEM version of their 9200 card with several features disabled, and run an older ROM that is affected by the static issue on some DVI monitors.
One month ago, I spoke with someone from Executive Relations at Apple Canada, who is trying to keep tabs on my situation with a Tier II rep from Apple Headquarters. I hear nothing on any progress, or resolution, which likely means this problem has been reproduced, and Apple is either fixing it, or waiting to release revision B of the mini.
For rumor sake, I've heard revision B may be out this summer, and include a newer, 64MB videocard, and two RAM slots, allowing up to 1.5 GB of RAM to be added to the unit.
For rumor sake, I've heard revision B may be out this summer, and include a newer, 64MB videocard, and two RAM slots, allowing up to 1.5 GB of RAM to be added to the unit.
How do you get 1.5GB of RAM in two RAM slots?
__________________ ACMT Mac mini (Mid 2011) 2.7 GHz i7, 8GB RAM, Crucial M4 256GB SSD + 500GB + 1TB FW800 OWC Mercury Elite Pro mini iPhone 4S • iPod nano 8GB • Sound System Audio Engine A2 • Display UltraSharp U2412M 24"
Edit: If I'm gonna quote a rumor, I may as well get it right:
Some of these features may not arrive in the next revision, but we believe most of them will:
*New GPU with 64MB of graphics RAM (in the high end model at the very least) and programmability support for Tiger's Core Graphics technology - probably the GeForce FX 5200 or similar.
*Digital Optical audio output
*G4 processors at 1.42 and 1.67GHz.
*256MB of memory built-in (soldered on ultra-compact motherboard riser card), leaving the PC2700 DDR-SDRAM DIMM slot free for upgrades without having to remove the OEM memory. This will allow inexpensive upgrades to 768 or 1.256GB of RAM -- and support for up to 2.256GB using 2GB DIMMs.
*Optional slot-loading Superdrive with Dual-Layer support. Due to cost, will not be standard equipment even on the high-end model.
*Removal of the unused "mystery connector" Firewire riser card to make room for the soldered-in memory and larger Core Graphics-compatible GPU. It looks like this hidden feature may have been a dead-end after all.
*May be the first Mac to support Apple's forthcoming 108Mbps version of Airport Extreme "X2" -- uses the same connector as Airport Extreme, but benefits from an upgraded antenna.
Does anyone know the odds of Apple doing something for all the people with video problems on the mac mini? I was in the group with the real dull dark settings using the VGA adapter, and for the heck of it I figured I'd try connecting my mini to my Viewsonic VP201s straight through the DVI connection, and am getting all the artifacts that so many people seem to have. I did try a different DVI cable with no improvement. While the screen is nice and bright now, I'd have to say its otherwise unusable.
To be honest I've had mine since early February and have probably spent less than 10 hours on this, still waiting for a fix so I can finally get some enjoyment out of of the mini. The LCD works great hooked up to the 6800GT card in my PC, but I certainly can't recommend anyone getting a mini at this point in time.
I'll try and attach some pictures I took earlier later on.
There was an update to OS 10.3 which is supposed to fix some display problems but it sure doesn't cure all of them. I'm using the VGA adapter with absolutely no problems but I can't use DVI with my LCD monitor (the screen often just goes black momentarily.
If you haven't dome so I would call Apple support, do whatever testing they want you to do over the phone and then get a ticket number. If the final fix involves any hardware upgrade to the mini at least you have a record with Apple that you do have the problem and have reported it.
Whatever the final fix or fixes turn out to be, my expectation is that Apple will correct that under warranty.
There was something I read soemwhere that you could do a mod (lifting one of the pins in the DVI adapter) that solved the darkness problems ... it might have been on macintouch.com .. so if you're not afraid to do some hardware hacking this might be an option.
FWIW I read in the same place that the problems were actually related to the DVI implementation on the monitors themselves as opposed to the mac mini's .. which would probably explain why Apple hasn't been quick to jump on fixing things.
The issue is actually an overclocked DVI port, and a problem with the 116 firmware revision shipped by ATI. Firmware 124 apparently addresses the issue correctly.
Some monitors actually are more suceptable to the issue, but it is not because they are out of spec.
A Viewsonic VP201s will work fine with a PowerMac G5 running an assortment of videocards, and with many PC videocards without issue. It is a professional level monitor that works troublefree with most other videocards.
Fails with the mini, due to the videocard firmware.
Just wanted to let everyone know that I received my mini this afternoon and hooked it up to a brand new Cicero 17" VGA monitor (model 786NS I think) and it works flawlessly at any resolution using the included DVI-VGA adapter that came with the mini. No dimness issues or anything. Not sure what firmware the mini's Radeon has and I'm not near the mini right now to check.
Trev
__________________
-Macbook Pro 2GHz Core Duo 15.4", 2GB, 100GB, Superdrive, Airport, BT, 256MB ATI x1600
-iPhone 8GB
The LCD works great hooked up to the 6800GT card in my PC, but I certainly can't recommend anyone getting a mini at this point in time.
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