Mini Displayport to HDMI Not Working

[carrollh]

EDIT: So the mini-displayport jack is at least functional. I can use an adapter to the VGA to DVI cable. And it connects just fine to my monitor. So it looks to be an HDMI interface problem on the Surface. My monitor will still connect to the HDMI on my PS3. So how the heck do I fix that? Is there a firmware patch or something? Or is this actually a hardware issue I should have repaired?

Any resolution on this? I've had my Sp since last March, and it started doing this over the last month; systematically with every external monitor I use on a regular basis. One after the other they have ceased communicating, but I didn't think anything of it because they were so spread out and didn't impact my daily use that much. Yesterday evening it stopped talking to my monitor at home. I'm using the monitor now with my 7yo old laptop and it works fine. I've swapped cables with other equipment, and they work fine. I purchased another HDMI to mini-DisplayPort and that didn't fix it. I brought my Surface dock home from work and it doesn't help. I've restored to a earlier point, nothing. I've updated to the newest Graphics Driver from Intel, reverted back to the MS one, reverted to the next most recent firmware drivers, updated them back to new, turned it completely off, checked the event viewer, unplugged it and plugged it back in repeatedly, lowered the basic resolution, attempted other monitors: nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing. Normally it goes blank for a second and then comes back with both displays. Now it doesn't even register that a new cable has been plugged in.

I _did_ get it to work for about a quarter of a second, but its weird. I plugged my other laptop in via the DVI input on my monitor while its HDMI input was still connected to the SP. I came online looking for a solution and sometime later looked down to the SP without icons (i.e. it thought it was attached to my external and was extending the desktop). I immediately unplugged my laptop, and watched the monitor waiting for an image. I got one for less than a second before the surface punted it.

It is acting like it just doesn't _want_ the connection anymore. Like it isn't passing the handshake ever.

The timing is suspicious, too. It worked Tuesday morning, then I took it to work, did some stuff on it with out an external monitor, but with an Internet connection (so it installed the weekly updates, whatever they were I can't find them, there don't appear to be any applied this week to my SP) and now hard fail on all HDMI connections (instead of most of them over the last few months).

Does this sound like something specific? I feel like either it's a power supply issue to the video out, or an HDMI interop issue. My monitor is 3-4 years old, so a new version of HDMI on the SP might cause it to stop communicating. What driver/firmware is responsible for that?

 

[wditters]

Spotted this on a Dutch forum. The user accidentally discovered that with the Typer Cover 3 still on the Surface Pro 3 while docked. everything started working. Further investigation lead to the fact that adding a post-folded up 5x and inserted at the bottom right solved the issue. In his case this turned out to be a manufacturing issue ...

 

[jeffskent]

For what its worth, and to add to the knowledge base regarding this issue: I bought a MDP to dual hdmi out adaptor and it seemed to work for a while. Since I didn't need two monitors I only used one hdmi out port and eventually that didn't work reliably so I replaced it. Later I installed a hdmi video capture program that added a new display driver. This worked well for a few hours and then lots of things stopped working including hdmi out completely. I totally restored 8.0 and then 8.1 and all updates on a formated ssd. All is back working well and I don't want to fool around with the drivers and hdmi ports any more on the SPro.

For the OPs issue, I would try to hook the SPro up to another regular monitor and in this way verify that the hdmi signal from the SPro is active. I have also found that mdp to hdmi adaptors can at times fail to connect for reasons unknown to me. Perhaps this has to do with the copy protection stuff in the protocol? All I know is that it can be a big pain in the neck, or it can work flawlessly.

 

[Roger Fance]

I too have this problem of HDMI devices not working with the Surface Pro 3.

I have tried with multiple displays and multiple types of mini displayport to HDMI adaptors. No luck. Very frustrating. It is clear that the Surface is sending out a signal because it automatically changes its resolution when a connected adaptor is plugged in but most screens remain blank. My TV screen flickers as though its trying to connect but never gets beyond a black screen. I have tried all different resolutions. Yes, I have selected Duplicate via "Windows" +P. No luck.

However it all works fine if I connect via VGA.

 

[ozzyboy]

I have had a similar problem with my new SP3 and a generic MDP to HDMI adapter (AUD5.35).
Will not recognise any HDMI TV connected to it.
Purchased and plugged in the original Microsoft MDP to HDMI adapter (AUD49.99) and voila everything works. Just need to go to Desktop, right click and select screen resolution and you should see the TV there. Then click on multiple displays and choose on which screens you want your SP3 to show the desktop.
Originally spent hours trying to get the generic adapter to work and couldn't find much good advice on the web so I thought I would share my experience.
By the way the generic MDP to DVI (AUD$5.35) works a charm for my monitor display.

John 2015-03-18

 

[zenmastermx]

I have posted this question once before elsewhere, sorry for the repeat but still having no luck.

Yesterday I purchased a Surface Pro and also bought the official Microsoft mini display port to HDMI adapter (I now know that I could have got a much cheaper adapter elsewhere!!). Anyhow, I am not having any luck in getting my Sony Bravia TV to display what's on the Surface Pro. I have tried all of the following:
- I have tried two different HDMI cables to ensure there was not an issue with that.
- I have tried all four HDMI inputs on the Sony TV (and selected the appropriate input).
- On the Surface Pro I have gone into the Device Manager (Swipe from right of screen) and tried duplicate screen, and 2nd screen only.
- When I plug in the cables the Surface Pro does not recognised that I have done anything (ie the Surface Pro does not make a 'bing' noise like when I plug a USB stick into the USB port).

The TV remains black as it there is no signal at all going into it. Yet when I plug in my HP laptop via a HDMI cable, there are no issues at all.

Am I missing something here? Has anybody else had similar issues?

Thanks

Ben Farrell

OK I just created an account to post my solution. Had the same problem with a generic adapter and a Samsung 65 inch TV. After playing around I changed the screen refresh rate to 30 Hertz in the advanced display settings of the Surface and it worked. Replicated the same procedure on a second Surface Pro 3 and got the same result. Hope it works for you.

 

[Marvel Dave]

I have posted this question once before elsewhere, sorry for the repeat but still having no luck.

Yesterday I purchased a Surface Pro and also bought the official Microsoft mini display port to HDMI adapter (I now know that I could have got a much cheaper adapter elsewhere!!). Anyhow, I am not having any luck in getting my Sony Bravia TV to display what's on the Surface Pro. I have tried all of the following:
- I have tried two different HDMI cables to ensure there was not an issue with that.
- I have tried all four HDMI inputs on the Sony TV (and selected the appropriate input).
- On the Surface Pro I have gone into the Device Manager (Swipe from right of screen) and tried duplicate screen, and 2nd screen only.
- When I plug in the cables the Surface Pro does not recognised that I have done anything (ie the Surface Pro does not make a 'bing' noise like when I plug a USB stick into the USB port).

The TV remains black as it there is no signal at all going into it. Yet when I plug in my HP laptop via a HDMI cable, there are no issues at all.

Am I missing something here? Has anybody else had similar issues?

Thanks

Ben Farrell

Hey Ben go to Device Manager. Find the Intel Display Driver, go to roll back driver. I did that and my display came right back up, note both screens will go black for a minute or so. Then they both should come back up.