4K Monitor Support in OS X 10.9.3 - Testing Thread

[voyager99]

Just an update on my earlier post.
I successfully updated my smbios to macpro 6,1 (late 2013), and tried the new profile
with OS X's native graphics drivers as well as Nvidia's web drivers (334.01.01f01), but still cannot
get my Dell UP2414Q, to run at 60Hz (stuck at 30Hz)!

I wonder if Apple/Nvidia are "locking" users out by restricting hardware by device ID's?
This happened to me once before when I bought a LaCie USB 3.0 express card 34 adapter for my
17" MacBook Pro and after installing LaCie USB 3.0 drivers, could not connect to any external drives
at USB 3.0 speeds (*EXCEPT* LaCie drives)!
LaCie would not provide any answers as to why this was happening when I contacted their
tech support group.

NOTE: Under system profiler->Graphics/Displays there is a heading for the DELL UP24114Q that says
"Television" -> "YES". I wonder if that's why the resolution is stuck at 30Hz (OS X thinks the monitor is
a Television?!?)

 

[Audiophilip]

I am content with the R9 270X for the moment. It's a much more powerful OpenCL card than the GTX 770, like twice as powerful if you go by LuxMark results. Also, it seems a bit more reliable on boot.

That sounds good! Did the 270x work out of the box, including displaying the boot process? I am asking this because I read that with some Radeons you had to do some tweaking (like moving the bootloader to an EFI partition?) to see the actual boot messages until the process hits the login screen. But hopefully that's no longer the case with newer models.

I am hopeful that by 10.9.4 or 10.9.5 these issues will be resolved.
Marco

Let's hope so. I guess upcoming Macs with MST support would increase the number of whitelisted SMBios'es and thus maybe our chances to enable 4K@60Hz on our hackintoshes.

 

[Audiophilip]

NOTE: Under system profiler->Graphics/Displays there is a heading for the DELL UP24114Q that says
"Television" -> "YES". I wonder if that's why the resolution is stuck at 30Hz (OS X thinks the monitor is
a Television?!?)

Probably not, because my Dell U2410 is also marked as "Television" in System Profiler, still it runs on 60Hz.

 

[Octavean]

As I have probably stated before, I don't really see why manufacturers would continue to produce 4K displays that require MST to achieve 60Hz. Newer models of 4K displays will likely incorporate a single UHD scaler that is more capable and SST at 60Hz. So I am guessing the MST 4K models out there now would be about all their will be.

If that is true then we are talking about supporting a small group of displays that will effectively become even smaller as additional newer SST 60Hz 4K monitors become available. So its a small group and Apple will likely address it in due time.

BTW, Lenovo seems to be selling their new ThinkVision Pro2840m 28" 4K display:

http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/...nx|pla|12306&catargetid=1921822133&cadevice=c

Its similar to the Samsung U28D590 in that its a 28" TN 4K display but it comes with more features.

Anyway, my guess is that Dell, Asus and all the rest are working on IGZO / IPS versions of their existing products that use the new UHD scaler in SST mode at 60Hz. One way or the other this will get solved but I always viewed the MST implementation to be a bit of an ugly hack.

 

[marco0782]

That sounds good! Did the 270x work out of the box, including displaying the boot process? I am asking this because I read that with some Radeons you had to do some tweaking (like moving the bootloader to an EFI partition?) to see the actual boot messages until the process hits the login screen. But hopefully that's no longer the case with newer models.

I did have to move the boot loader to EFI, but it was easy enough and worked right on the first try. This guide explains how:

http://www.tonymacx86.com/401-install-bootloader-extra-efi-partition.html

 

[Stelios615]

Just to chime in on the samsung 4k monitor... it is working great with scaling and 60hz is super smooth. I find 1 step down from max resolution is just right for me. I am also using the SRGB color profile and getting good results with that.

 

[Audiophilip]

If that is true then we are talking about supporting a small group of displays that will effectively become even smaller as additional newer SST 60Hz 4K monitors become available. So its a small group and Apple will likely address it in due time.

In my opinion, our problem here is not that these MST-based 4K monitors are not supported, they are already. Rather, this support is enabled only for a few Mac models (MacPro 6,1 & MacBookPro 11,2), and this lock-down is probably enforced down to device level (that's presumably why simply setting a certain SMBios is not enough for us).

But I certainly agree with you that MST-based 4K monitors are a temporary hack, and hopefully superior technologies will take over.

 

[Octavean]

In my opinion, our problem here is not that these MST-based 4K monitors are not supported, they are already. Rather, this support is enabled only for a few Mac models (MacPro 6,1 & MacBookPro 11,2), and this lock-down is probably enforced down to device level (that's presumably why simply setting a certain SMBios is not enough for us).

But I certainly agree with you that MST-based 4K monitors are a temporary hack, and hopefully superior technologies will take over.

The thing is, at least for me, it isn't that clear. I don't know for certain that users of the actual supported Macs aren't themselves having similar problems with specific MST monitors. If they are not then clearly there is some work to be done in order to hack-out a solution on a Hackintosh.

The superior technology is already here though. Many don't see it because it comes in the guise of cheaper 28" TN panel 4K monitors. This is in part why, IMO, there simply isn't a single 4K monitor solution that I have seen thus far that doesn't require a compromise of some sort.

Expensive IGZO / IPS 4K displays saddled with MST (via older dual UHD scalers for 60Hz) and configuration complexity or cheaper TN with a new SST single UHD scaler for 60Hz operation.

 

[TurbineSeaplane]

So just re-reading all the posts here...

Sounds like Hacks are going to need single panel 4k to avoid MST issues?

That the basic take away at this time?

 

[marco0782]

So just re-reading all the posts here...

Sounds like Hacks are going to need single panel 4k to avoid MST issues?

That the basic take away at this time?

The takeaway is that the Samsung U28D590 is working in 4K 60hz using SST. We haven't heard about any others working at 60hz in either SST or MST.

The Samsung a consumer grade panel, not IPS, and I'm not sure how well it can be calibrated for pro work.

The Dell UP2414Q is IPS and covers almost 100% AdobeRGB/SRGB/Rec709 if calibrated. I prefer dealing with 30hz knowing that at least the colors are accurate. I could see how 60hz would be preferable for gaming but for video 30hz is enough, though moving the cursor at 30hz can be a little tiring to my eyes.

Marco