Mac Mini M2 Pro no display signal with HDMI-HDMI

[t o m y k]

Hello everyone,
please advise. I have a Mac mini M2 Pro and a 2K Dell display with resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels. If I connect Mac with the monitor with a few 4K HDMI cable, there is no signal. I tried few 4K HDMI-DP, again no signal. Can you please advise me what the problem might be? Thanks. USB-C to DisplayPort works well. I don’t understand why HDMI port is installed…

 

[meson]

HDMI should work fine. Have you tried with another monitor or tv?

 

[Fishrrman]

A few thoughts. Might be of help, don't know.

First thought:
Power-off the Mini -- all the way off (pull the power cord if you have to).
Now, press AND HOLD the power on button in. DO NOT LET GO.
WHY we are doing this:
We're trying to force the Mini into recovery mode.
Wait several seconds.
Does the display "come alive" with the message "loading startup options"?
If not, this didn't work, but...
If it DOES display that, and then displays the screen with the icon for the internal drive, click on the internal drive to select it and then click "continue".
Do you then get a good boot?

Second thought:
TRY A DIFFERENT CABLE.
First, try a different HDMI-to-HDMI cable.
If that doesn't work, and if the Dell display also has DVI in, I'd suggest trying an HDMI (Mini end) to DVI (display end) connecting cable.
(the HDMI-to-DVI solution worked for me with a 2018 Mini and a Viewsonic 2k display)

Good luck.

 

[djc6]

This is the dance I have to do with my 2018 mac mini and my dad's m2 mac mini.

Turn off monitor and mac mini - completely powered off.

Turn on the mac mini, right at the moment the boot chime occurs - turn on the monitor. From then on it works fine - including wake/sleep - until the next time the mac mini is restarted or power cycled. I've tried monitors from HP, Dell and LG.

 

[Fishrrman]

djc6 --

Try this trick with the 2018 Mini (instead of the one you describe in reply 4 above):
I keep my 2018 Mini and Dell 4k display plugged into a 6-outlet surge suppressor.

That is normally turned OFF at night, all my computer stuff is powered down.
I turn the power back on in the morning.

In the morning, if the Mini has trouble "finding the display", I do this:
a. Power Mini off (press power on button continuously until the power light goes dark).
b. Hold down the OPTION key and press the power on button (keep holding down the option key)
c. This is the routine to invoke the startup manager at boot. But for some reason, it always "finds" the display.
d. You will see the startup manager (in my case, only one drive in sight, the internal SSD).
e. Just hit the return or enter key, and the boot continues as it should, with the display on.

Aside:
You can ALWAYS use the "option key trick", if you don't mind waiting a few extra seconds for the startup manager to appear.

 

[djc6]

djc6 --

c. This is the routine to invoke the startup manager at boot. But for some reason, it always "finds" the display.

Aside:
You can ALWAYS use the "option key trick", if you don't mind waiting a few extra seconds for the startup manager to appear.

Thanks for this tip!! I'll definitely give it a whirl.

its frustrating how bad Apple's HDMI port is on the mac mini.

 

[potato_salad]

Yes, well, my wife has an old 2018 Intel Mac Mini that we will replace soon. It's still covered under AppleCare. It has been in the shop at least 3 times. The screen would just randomly go dark at times and the machine would no longer respond. I tried multiple HDMI cables, multiple monitors, all kinds of software measures, all to no avail. Apple replaced thermal paste, ran all sorts of diagnostics, was ultimately baffled and finally replaced the motherboard. Since the problems didn't go away, I decided to buy a USB-C to DisplayPort cable for that machine instead (which I assume cost a lot less than a motherboard) and have had no problems whatsoever for many months. Genius Bar, indeed.