Monitor stopped monitoring HDMI input on Mac Pro

Have used this same rig for over a year with no prob. Ives replaced the HDMI cable. Tried other inputs (I use a 55” Roku TV and run Sequoia 15.2 (because I use ProTool I always stay a few OS back)) I’m running a Mac Pro desktop. Help



[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Monitor stopped monitoring

Mac Pro

Posted on Jul 3, 2025 1:24 AM

Reply
2 replies
Sort By: 

Jul 3, 2025 7:38 AM in response to Robert Friedman3

replacing the HDMI cable with another random HDMI cable is a check against outright failure of the cable, but this 4K TV requires a special cable:


HDMI cables you want for HDMI-only Displays (higher resolutions than 720p TV sets) are marked as Certified with an anti-counterfeiting tag and are labeled:


"PREMIUM High Speed HDMI cable" or that + "with Ethernet" (up to 4K at 30Hz) --OR--

ULTRA High Speed HDMI cable" or that + "48G" (supports higher resolutions and backward-compatible)


Cables with No Certification tags are good for your standard 720p TV set, and not much more.



Reply

Jul 3, 2025 7:39 AM in response to Robert Friedman3

The Mac does not rely on Windows-like side-loaded "Drivers" which are actually packages of resolutions and settings for a specific display. Instead, it goes straight to the immutable source -- it asks the display itself.


To get a Mac display to become active, you need the Mac to query the display, and the display to answer with its name and capabilities. Otherwise, the display will not be shown as present, and no data will be sent to the display. "No signal detected" is generated by the DISPLAY, not by the Mac.

 

This query is only sent at certain times:

• at startup

• at wake from sleep — so momentarily sleeping and waking your Mac may work

• at insertion of the Mac-end of the display-cable, provided everything on that cable is ready-to-go

• hold the Option key while you click on the (Detect Display) button that will appear in Displays preferences (from another display)

 

so try doing some of those things and see if the display comes alive.


Modern Displays with multiple ports are sometimes busy scanning the other ports, looking for an input, and miss the query from the Mac. They need to pay attention to the port you are actually using, or they will miss the query.


Some displays have On-Screen Display settings that can be used to tell the display a computer is attached on a certain port, or a certain port should be highest priority. Changing those may make your display more responsive.


Some displays include their own private "sleep" settings for the display alone. This can allow the display to enter its own sleep mode, on top of the Mac's not sending it data. A display that is sleeping on its own can generally not respond to the Mac's query, and will stay dark.

Reply

Monitor stopped monitoring HDMI input on Mac Pro

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.