HDMI displays create mirror issues under 10.9 GM seed

Originator:jeff
Number:rdar://15254021 Date Originated:10/17/13
Status:Open Resolved:
Product:OS X Product Version:OS X 10.9 (13A598)
Classification:No Value Reproducible:Sometimes
 
When attaching additional displays beyond a single primary display, HDMI attached displays will override a user's display preferences (resolution and arrangement of additional displays).

This has been tested and reproduced using both USB to HDMI adapters, Thunderbolt to HDMI adapters, and the HDMI output built-in to a current gen USB 3.0 Mini.

When using a HDMI to DVI adapter (apple branded or 3rd party), the issue is not reproduced: the error seems to be triggered specifically by HDMI (regardless of whether the HDMI is a built-in port, a thunderbolt to HDMI adapter or cable, or a USB to HDMI adapter. 

To be clear, I AM able to use a mix of DVI or VGA attached displays without hitting this issue: the issue only occurs when attempting to add an HDMI display.

After manually disabling mirroring and arranging the displays, they will work normally- however the issue will recur on reboot and typically whenever the HDMI display is re-attached.  In the case of the Thunderbolt to HDMI cable or adapter or a USB to HDMI adapter (DisplayLink 2.0 and 3.0 based), a reboot or hot plug event will "break" the non-mirrored display arrangement- although anything other than "deep" sleep does NOT.  That is to say display arrangement is retained until the system reboots or enters deep sleep, or on hotplug events.

Please note that similar issues were seen on earlier 10.9 builds, however these actually got worse on the GM seed pushed 10/7/13.

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Use a normally working 10.9 mavericks system with built-in thunderbolt and HDMI display outputs. 
2. Attach any HDMI display via built-in HDMI port, USB to HDMI display adapter, or Thunderbolt to HDMI adapter/cable.
3. Observe that HDMI display comes up in mirror mode rather than as an extended display.
4. Disable display mirroring, arrange displays to match physical locations.
5. Reboot system: observe that display preferences are lost.

6. Repeat, substituting a DVI or VGA connection to the same HDMI display.  Observe that mirror mode issue is not encountered, and that display preferences are retained up on reboot.

Expected Results:
Displays should come up in "extended" mode, regardless of how they are attached.

Actual Results:
In my testing on 3 Mavericks systems, any HDMI display comes up in mirror mode, and causes display preferences to be lost on reboot (and various other conditions previously mentioned).

Comments

Sorry, one port is HDMI, the other is via HDMI display port adapter.

By waynewiz16 at Sept. 28, 2015, 8:26 p.m. (reply...)

I have the same issue with MacBook Pro 15in 2015 and two Acer displays connected using display port adapters.

wayne

By waynewiz16 at Sept. 28, 2015, 8:25 p.m. (reply...)

MacBook Pro Retina mid 2012 on Mavericks has this issue

Simply having the issue that first time I attach an HDMI device after a reboot mavericks defaults back to mirroring. Upon unchecking mirroring all of my preferences go back to normal.

But the really annoying thing is now all of my windows are all screwed up because it dropped down to a 720P display and stuck all of my windows on 1 screen

By dalupus at Oct. 31, 2014, 7 p.m. (reply...)

Launchpad stops responding to Keyboard input

With a USB3 screen, Launchpad eventually stops responding to keyboard entry.
The user can launch Launchpad from the keyboard, but any attempt to search for the app by keyboard input is ignored. This behaviour is retained, until the user logs out restarts his/her X session.

By mkpelletier at July 22, 2014, 5:37 a.m. (reply...)

X crashes when apps are opened on USB3 screen and certain procedures are attempted.

Macbook Air (late 2013) with OSX 10.9.4 3 screen arrangement: 1 - main, 2 - TB to VGA, 3 USB3 to HDMI. Open Chrome on USB3 screen and attempt to access ScriptBlocker menu. X crashes and returns user to login.

By mkpelletier at July 22, 2014, 5:30 a.m. (reply...)

Two of everything. One screen... twice.

I have two screens, I use a mid 2010 MiniMac. I updated to Mavericks today. OS X 10.9.4. Immediately after updating, my screens are not separate. I have two mouse arrows, two of everything, I cannot move anything between screens, I simply have one screen twice. My system preferences do not acknowledge the second screen. They are controlled as one only. I clicked off "displays have separate spaces" and logged out and back in. Nothing changed. I have a little box hooking up the second screen into the mini mac. I unplugged and replugged it in. Nothing. Restarted my computer. Nothing. I don't know what quality of cable I have, or what I need to fix this, but I've been running everything this way for 4 years so perhaps an update is needed somewhere, but it does not seem possible it is an issue with the cable, it seems to be a software issue. Is there any fix? Anything to try? The processor is a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, the memory is 8 GB 1067 MHz DDR3.

Thanks!

By sbaldwin0623 at July 16, 2014, 3:45 a.m. (reply...)

Mavericks - KOGAN Cinema Display WQXGA 2560×1600 IPS LED Monitor

MAC BOOK PRO Model Name: MacBook Pro Model Identifier: MacBookPro8,2 Processor Name: Intel Core i7 Processor Speed: 2.2 GHz Number of Processors: 1 Total Number of Cores: 4 L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB L3 Cache: 6 MB Memory: 8 GB Boot ROM Version: MBP81.0047.B27 SMC Version (system): 1.69f4

Initial Install from Mountain Lion to Mavericks Caused intermittent problems when awaking from sleep with bars, checkerboards and general system instability with this monitor plugged in (i ran this for 2 years prior) After the latest critical security update - the external monitor is no longer detected in WQXGA 2560×1600 mode now i have to run it only in FULL HD 1920 x 1080 mode.....Needless to say this is incredibly frustrating. Apple needs to get their shit together and stop breaking stuff.
This is now the equivalent of taking my Mercedes in to be serviced and whilst they may update the key locking mechanism they accidentally/deliberately spill black paint all over my windscreen. The worst part of this? IF i inform my Mercedes dealer at least they acknowledge and fix the problem immediately. Apple seem to hide away like a Nigerian email scam.

By snester at March 24, 2014, 11:29 p.m. (reply...)

Early 2013 MacPro 2 x 2.4 GHz 6-Core Intel Xeon, 48 GB 1333 MHz DDR3 ECC, OS X 10.9.2 (13C64). EIZO 27" CX270 Monitor. Mavericks shows in Display preferences that I have two monitors when I actually only have one. Mirroring. System restore of Mavericks, did not fix this problem. The issue also appears after creating a new administrator account with default settings. The problem is systemwide. Apple claims it's not them. Now I'm left with Eizo tech support.

By DavidSumnerDesign at March 8, 2014, 9:10 p.m. (reply...)

Mavericks on A1260 reboots with insertion of DVI-I adapter

15" MacBook Pro: After Mavericks install, if DVI-I adapter inserted when shut down, computer hangs at gray screen. If adapter inserted after boot, screen either goes black, sometimes the unit re-starts, sometimes will continue running but windows all close. This configuration worked fine under 10.5.x and 10.6.x.

By mcardlepm at Feb. 7, 2014, 7:43 p.m. (reply...)

Mavericks on A1260 reboots with insertion of DVI-I adapter

15" MacBook Pro: After Mavericks install, if DVI-I adapter inserted when shut down, computer hangs at gray screen. If adapter inserted after boot, screen either goes black, sometimes the unit re-starts, sometimes will continue running but windows all close. This configuration worked fine under 10.5.x and 10.6.x.

By mcardlepm at Feb. 7, 2014, 7:43 p.m. (reply...)

Multiple Monitor Set Up

2x2.4 GHz 6-Core Intel running 10.9

Adobe products AE and PSD, resets all tool windows after leaving program.

So naturally on a two monitor set up I have most of my tools on the right monitor and when bouncing back and forth, all the tools then reset to main monitor.

Thanks for any help you may provide you guys!

By JoeyQuick at Nov. 13, 2013, 7:16 p.m. (reply...)

Mac Pro Results

Thanks for confirming this problem. I thought I was going nuts.

I have a Mac Pro, 2012 build with a ATI Radeon HD 5770 1024 MB display adapter. One monitor is DVI to HDMI (main monitor) and one is DVI to DVI. The monitors are two different sizes, one being 27" and one is 24", both are Samsung.

Display mirroring will work for awhile but, without the system going to sleep or a reboot, when opening a file or starting a new document (InDesign/Illustrator) I cannot control the window, that is I can resize or move the window. Sometimes a new document will not display at all. If I shut off mirroring and turn it back on it may work - no guarantees. I seem to have better performance if I open the Preferences and hold the Option key while arranging the monitors, but after some time this too will fail.

By tgkauffman at Oct. 31, 2013, 7:03 p.m. (reply...)

What about USB Drivers?

Upon updating to the OS Maverick, I lost all ability to use my external monitor that was attached to be a USB port I hear that it's because the driver is no longer functional, and that only apple can fix.

Has there been any word from Apple? Has anyone found a work around?

By bobkelleyil at Oct. 31, 2013, 6:20 p.m. (reply...)

Hdmi to dvi adapter giving issues

I've been running a late 2012 Mac mini with 10.8 with a third part dvi display for a while and haven't had any issues until now. Once I upgrading to mavericks my display resolution selections are very limited and the best for display function that's build in cant determine the correct resolution to use. I've tried a clean install of mavericks, thinking it was something lost during the upgrade, but the issue prevails. It's very disappointing to have this issue. I just want to have the correct resolution selectable for my display.

By afphilio at Oct. 31, 2013, 7:45 a.m. (reply...)

Displays Unstable

I have a Display Port/thunderbolt and HDMI via USB3 adaptor feeding into a Belkin Thunderbolt hub. Displays are extraordinarily unstable under all conditions. Experience unexpected mirroring, display swapping, loss of one or the other display, and regular "siezures" as the OS apparently just looses track of what's what. The system was stable pre-mavericks. Symptoms started immediate upon upgrade.

By baileyd at Oct. 30, 2013, 4:14 p.m. (reply...)

Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter Causing Unexpected Mirroring Fix

Although it's more of a workaround, and may not work all the time, an Apple Senior Advisor suggested turning off "Displays have separate Spaces," in the Mission Control System Preferences Pane, and after logging out and back in, all my windows in all my Apps no longer resize to the smaller HDMI 1080 vertical height, as long as I turn my projector on first, and then turn the receiver that selects the input. If I turn the receiver on first, with the HDMI input selected, and then turn the projector on, all the Application windows still jump to the smaller HDMI 1080 vertical height. What's weird is that there is no longer any Menu Bar on the external second projector display, as there is when the "Displays have separate Spaces," in the Mission Control System Preferences Pane is left checked. This has been reported to Apple, and the Senior Advisor said a ticket was created and passed up to Engineering.

By landamarty at Oct. 26, 2013, 4:24 p.m. (reply...)

Thanks Landamarty!

Initial results testing with "displays have separate spaces" disabled on 2 systems seem mixed but positive- some issues remain, especially when I try running 2 USB displays, however behaviors are much more like they were in 10.8.5, which was pretty stable.

Specifically, behaviors that seem to have gone back to 10.8.5 state are : 1. No multi-application full screen support. Fullscreen any app takes over all displays. 2. No menu bar on multiple displays.

We'll be looking into this further. Thanks again for posting. It's totally unclear if this will help other users, but I'd definitely consider it worth looking into. Any reports from other users on whether disabling the mission control option under system preferences for "displays have separate spaces" are welcome and appreciated.

Best wishes-

Jeff Everett Plugable Technologies

By jeff at Oct. 29, 2013, 7:52 p.m. (reply...)

DVI to Monitor

I currently use an Acer H213H monitor with a Macbook Pro (Late 2011) on OS X 10.9 (Mavericks) I am connected to the monitor via a DVI cable and I run into the same issues regarding the display. When the computer is powered on, I must reopen the computer to connect properly tot he monitor. Further, it modifies the size of the icons and resolution etc on the monitor. I don't use HDMA at all as the monitor only as VGA and DVI connection options.

Chris Schwartz

By cms4rks at Oct. 26, 2013, 2:58 p.m. (reply...)

HDMI display output

HDMI Tv connector works perfectly in snow leopard, but with mavericks must put the computer in sleep mode and it must be done after every reboot

/Irritater

By irritater at Oct. 25, 2013, 3:01 p.m. (reply...)

MBA 2013 11.6, I get no display at all from my non genuine DP to HDMI connected to an LG 235? IPS 24in Monitor

By adam at Oct. 23, 2013, 3:37 a.m. (reply...)

try other cables

First of all, if this isn't a mavericks specific issue, this isn't relevant. If you are on mavericks, please confirm the product version from your system profile.

Next, as a plugable technologies employee i can't get too much into troubleshooting other brand products but i'll try and offer what quick suggestions i can. contacting your adapter vendor is probably your best recourse. That said, I can offer a couple of ideas:

  1. I've seen a pattern where using a HDMI to DVI adapter can help.
  2. If you're using low-quality monitor cables that don't properly transmit EDID this may also cause issues.

Additional details that help confirm whether you're seeing the same issue I opened the apple bug report on increase the priority of helping troubleshoot.

Best wishes-

Jeff Everett Plugable Technologies

By jeff at Oct. 23, 2013, 7:20 p.m. (reply...)

Please note: Reports posted here will not necessarily be seen by Apple. All problems should be submitted at bugreport.apple.com before they are posted here. Please only post information for Radars that you have filed yourself, and please do not include Apple confidential information in your posts. Thank you!