New Surface Pro 2017, external monitor flashes

[wpcoe]

I just received a new Surface Pro 2017 (i7, 256GB, 8GB) and have had a few issues and questions, but to be kind I'll field them slowly on the forum .

Starting with the most annoying, and most serious:

At home I use an external monitor (Dell 2415Q, 24" 4K) using a miniDP-to-DP cable (no separate adapter). This configuration works well except that on some web pages with videos the screen will periodically and randomly black out for about a second. The screen on the SP itself (set to extend the desktop from the Dell screen) doesn't.

This page consistently produces the flashing. The interval between flashes is irregular, but on that web page it's usually several times per minute.

Even on some of this forum's pages, the blackouts occur, and I'm assuming it is related to the video ads inserted on the page. Not all the forum pages, but most of them.

It's not browser-specific. My main browser is Vivaldi, but the blacking also occurs on Opera and even Edge with the same web pages.

Any ideas what the cause is, and more importantly what the fix is?

PS: Any idea when the forum software will be updated to provide "Surface Pro 2017" as an option for our display profile?

 

[convergent]

I am traveling this week, but I don't reply having any blackout problems on my external 4k display, when attached via the dock.

 

[jnjroach]

I'm using Edge on the latest Insider Fast Build (16273) and the site above works w/o issue. Do you have Flash enabled? Using any Adblockers to avoid Ads with video?

 

[wpcoe]

Unless the unit came with Flash enabled, that shouldn't be a factor, and no ad blockers either. Hmmm, I wonder if an ad blocker would stop the blacking out for pages with video ads.

I did have one web page flash black -- once -- with no videos on the page: united.com booking page. But, that was only one instance.

Next time I'm down to the local tech mall, I'm going to look for a new minDP/DP cable to eliminate that as a possibility.

[edited to add:]

In a "flash" of inspiration, I connected my Surface 3 to the Dell 4K monitor, and during the boot process the Surface 3 screen just flashes continuously and never gets to the Windows log-in screen. BUT, I'm not sure if that is a lack of Surface 3-compatibility with a 4K external monitor. The Intel ARK page for the x7-Z8700 processor doesn't say what the DP capability is for an external monitor. It only says:

• Max Resolution (HDMI 1.4) ‡3840x2160
• Max Resolution (eDP - Integrated Flat Panel) ‡2560x1600

Does the Surface 3 support DP for an external monitor at all? (It has an identical-looking mini-DP port to the Surface Pro.) And, if it does, is the 4K resolution of my Dell monitor throwing it off?

For comparison, the ARK page for i7-7660U says:

• Max Resolution (HDMI 1.4) ‡4096x2304@30Hz
• Max Resolution (DP) ‡4096x2304@60Hz
• Max Resolution (eDP - Integrated Flat Panel) ‡4096x2304@60Hz

 

[wpcoe]

I bought a new mDP-to-DP cable to try to eliminate my original cable as the weak link. VERY hard to find ANY type of DP cable in Thailand. They look at you like you have three heads if you say you want to plug into the DP port on a monitor. "Why not just use VGA port?" (!)

I finally found a generic white mDP-to-DP cable in a small shop. It will not produce a display on my 4K monitor, but it will on my HD monitor. I wonder if it's an RBR (reduced bit rate) cable meant for projectors? <shrug>

Then I got bold and daisy-chained from the Surface Pro to the 4K monitor to the HD monitor. After loading a new driver for the HD monitor, things worked well -- a three-monitor display. Only issue was that the 4K monitor dropped to 30Hz. (Actually 29Hz, and that's another question I have...)

At 30Hz, whether daisy-chained to the second monitor or not, the 4K monitor no longer flashes.

There's something about 60Hz (59hz actually...) with my original mDP-to-DP cable that induces the flashing on my 4K display.

I've ordered the Surface Pro 4 dock and will see how things work using a mDP from there, but I'd welcome any ideas to explain why I have the flashing on the current configuration.

On the dock with two mDP ports will each port support a 60Hz display, or is it only one 60Hz display between the two? Could I keep 60Hz on the 4K display and also on the HD display if I plug one into the dock and the other into the Surface Pro's native port?

 

[ironwoods]

I've had my new Surface Pro (i7,256,8) for a week now, and everything is working beautifully right from the start. The setup is a snap with all the Microsoft tips, and I can't find a thing to complain about.

 

[bondr007]

I've had my new SP 2017 (i5, 256gb,8gb ram) hooked up to my 27 inch monitor via the mini display port and have had no problems whatsoever. I love this machine.

 

[Guilherme Bernardo]

I got a Surface Pro 2017 i7 16Gb 512Gb, hooked to a Samsung U28D590 4K, and have had the same issue with 2 equal machines, prior I had the same monitor used on a Surface Pro 3 i7 8Gb 512Gb, same mDP-DP cable, and worked with no issue 4K@48Hz to 4K@52Hz, so here are my results while trying to fix this.

I found the issue, is more incident when using video, Chrome is worst, and using image Apps like Adobe After Effects it's almost unusable, but even with Visual Studio just scrolling causes the black blink issue. Always tested with 4K@60Hz, using 4K@30Hz reduces frequency but doesn't solve.

- Surface Pro 2017, cable mDP-DP, several Intel drivers, including MS default: got issue.
- Surface Pro 2017, Dock cable mDP-DP, several Intel drivers, including MS default: got issue.
- Surface Pro 2017, cable mDP-DP, Intel drivers v22.20.16.4815 : no issue, but got image freezes and continuous display recover System events.
- Surface Pro 2017, cable mDP-DP, Intel drivers v21.20.16.4678 : no issue.
- Surface Pro 2017, cable mDP-DP -> 4K, and Dock mDP-DP second 4K, Intel drivers v22.20.16.4771 : no issue.

 

[jabbasoft]

I'm using old screens at work and when I tried hooking up my SP 2017 i5 to a (high grade) 24" Dell that's about 5 years old I got random but frequent blackouts, but the 23" alongside was rock solid. A shame as I'd have loved to drive my nice screen with my SP. I guess maybe down to capability detection not working properly and the refresh rate being overoptimistic on the old screen.. An old HP EliteBook drives the 24" just fine..