I'm having the same issue. . .brand spanking new MacBook Pro 13' with touch bar connected via the Apple USB-C digital AV multiport adapter and HDMI cable to an equally brand spanking new Dell U3415W 34' curved display. The only way I've been able to get the Dell display to work without flickering is:
The culprit is usually a ExcBadAccess or KERNPROTECTIONFAILURE which means the Mac OS X directory is unable to execute or launch an affected application, utility or function normally. Reboot your Mac and check if the flickering still occurs. If you have a non-portable Mac, such as an iMac, Mac Pro, or Mac Mini, follow these steps to reset the SMC: Shut down your Mac and disconnect the power cord. Press and hold your Mac’s power button for five seconds, then release the button. Reconnect the power cables and boot as usual.
1. Set the Dell display refresh rate to 30 hertz.
2. Keep the lid of my MacBook open and set the Dell as the primary screen (move the top menu bar).
As soon as I close the lid. . .flickering and/or permanent black out. This is obviously a universally encountered issue by any new MacBook owner trying to connect to a 4K or better external display. I've tried all of the other suggested solutions (resetting PRAM, etc. . .) as well. While not ideal, it has at least enabled me to be able to use my external display while waiting for Apple to get around to fixing the issue.
Sep 9, 2017 4:50 PM