Adding/Using HiDPI custom resolutions

[joevt]

Great thanks! I've been using RDM instead of SwitchResX. Could I just update my override plist file with these resolutions inputting one scaled resolution and the corresponding HiDPI resolution instead? Then I can use RDM to select them.

Maybe you could just update your override. You should only input the scaled resolution. macOS automatically adds the corresponding HiDPI resolution.

Yeah im not really sure what is wrong...tested many custom resolutions and some work and some don't, not making sense to me. By not work I mean - I select the resolution in RDM and nothing changes. For e.g. for some reason hiDPI 1720x720 doesnt work (which it should since my monitor is native 3440x1440), however if I step down to 1548x648 then it does work but is way too zoomed unfortunately. Lesson learnt - don't buy an ultrawide for a mac!

Post your override file. State which scaled resolutions work and which do not. Post a screenshot of the resolutions list.

 

[synops]

Maybe you could just update your override. You should only input the scaled resolution. macOS automatically adds the corresponding HiDPI resolution.


Post your override file. State which scaled resolutions work and which do not. Post a screenshot of the resolutions list.

So I changed my plist file to just include scaled resolutions, tested with a subset of the list I generated using your script, as shown in attached images.

Out of that list of resolutions in RDM none of the HiDPI resolutions work that were generated from my plist, that is the problem I am having, which isn't making sense to me right now.

HiDPI res that are not my native aspect ratio are working, such as 1920x1200 and 1720x967, but then since they are not native they don't fill my screen.

Any suggestions?

 

[joevt]

So I changed my plist file to just include scaled resolutions, tested with a subset of the list I generated using your script, as shown in attached images.

Out of that list of resolutions in RDM none of the HiDPI resolutions work that were generated from my plist, that is the problem I am having, which isn't making sense to me right now.

HiDPI res that are not my native aspect ratio are working, such as 1920x1200 and 1720x967, but then since they are not native they don't fill my screen.

Any suggestions?

Why do some of the resolutions show refresh rate but 3440 x 1440 does not? SwitchResX will give more information and more options.

 

[synops]

Why do some of the resolutions show refresh rate but 3440 x 1440 does not? SwitchResX will give more information and more options.

Ok so I'm trying now with the free version of switchresx. I set up a custom resolution using a scaled value, save and reboot.

Then I go back in and select the corresponding half res HIDPI resolution and it doesn't work. All 21:9 HiDPI resolutions in the list don't work. Other aspect ratios work however. Is there any settings I can adjust further in switchresx?

 

[joevt]

Ok so I'm trying now with the free version of switchresx. I set up a custom resolution using a scaled value, save and reboot.

Your first screen shot is showing that you are creating a 5120 x 2160 timing but your display is only 3440 x 1440. Don't do that.

Then I go back in and select the corresponding half res HIDPI resolution and it doesn't work. All 21:9 HiDPI resolutions in the list don't work. Other aspect ratios work however. Is there any settings I can adjust further in switchresx?

Do the three 3440x1440 timings work (50, 60, 100Hz) ? Show the timing info for those.

Show the contents of the "Display Information" tab. Enable "Scaled resolutions base" and set it to 3440 x 1440.

Show the contents of the "Custom Resolutions" tab. It should only contain scaled resolutions.

Show the timing information of a scaled 21:9 resolution in the "Current Resolutions" tab that doesn't work. Show the timing information for a 21:9 resolution that does work.

 

[synops]

Your first screen shot is showing that you are creating a 5120 x 2160 timing but your display is only 3440 x 1440. Don't do that.


Do the three 3440x1440 timings work (50, 60, 100Hz) ? Show the timing info for those.

Show the contents of the "Display Information" tab. Enable "Scaled resolutions base" and set it to 3440 x 1440.

Show the contents of the "Custom Resolutions" tab. It should only contain scaled resolutions.

Show the timing information of a scaled 21:9 resolution in the "Current Resolutions" tab that doesn't work. Show the timing information for a 21:9 resolution that does work.

Ok.. So steps I have taken:

1. Redesign plist file with wide range of scaled resolutions
2. 'Restore Factory Defaults' in switchresx so that all scaled resolutions now match the new plist
3. Ticked 'scaled resolutions base' and set to 3440x1440
4. Tested all 21:9 hidpi resolutions and none of them work. note that my plist containing scaled resolutions went down to 1032x432, however no hidpi resolutions were generated below scaled resolution of 2408x1008
5. Tested 3440x1440 with the three different timings and they all work. (makes sense as monitor is up to 100hz refresh rate). The only resolutions that do not work in switchresx are all hidpi 21:9 resolutions, every other type of resolution including hidpi and non-hidpi works.
5. All screenshots attached showing my findings - final 3 screenshots show 3 hidpi 21:9 resolutions timing info, they are 2580x1080 100hz, 1720x720 100hz and 1204x504 100hz

 

[joevt]

Ok.. So steps I have taken:

1. Redesign plist file with wide range of scaled resolutions
2. 'Restore Factory Defaults' in switchresx so that all scaled resolutions now match the new plist

Does this mean custom scaled resolutions were created by SwitchResX? The webpage for creating scaled resolutions may use different hex data than SwitchResX. Scaled resolution includes the width and height and may optionally include flags:

    kScaleInstallAlways         = 0x00000001,    // skips all the various checks and always installs
    kScaleInstallNoStretch      = 0x00000002,    // disables the install of a stretched version if the aspect is different
    kScaleInstallNoResTransform = 0x00000004,    // install resolution untransformed
    kScaleInstallMirrorDeps     = 0x00000008    // install resolution on mirror dependents of this display

Post the override file created by SwitchResX.

4. Tested all 21:9 hidpi resolutions and none of them work. note that my plist containing scaled resolutions went down to 1032x432, however no hidpi resolutions were generated below scaled resolution of 2408x1008

The HiDPI modes are listed in SwitchResX but when you select them, they give a black screen? Post a screenshot of the current resolutions list.

macOS has a minimum height and width for scaled resolutions (I think minimum height used to be 600 but now it's 500? check various non HiDPI resolutions) so it won't accept HiDPI modes that have a height less than 1000.

5. Tested 3440x1440 with the three different timings and they all work. (makes sense as monitor is up to 100hz refresh rate). The only resolutions that do not work in switchresx are all hidpi 21:9 resolutions, every other type of resolution including hidpi and non-hidpi works.

Seems like it might be a bug with Apple's drivers. What version of macOS are you running?

5. All screenshots attached showing my findings - final 3 screenshots show 3 hidpi 21:9 resolutions timing info, they are 2580x1080 100hz, 1720x720 100hz and 1204x504 100hz

Your display has a blank custom display name. You should enter something or unselect the "Use custom display name".

You only show the 100 Hz version of the scaled modes. There should be corresponding HiDPI modes for 50 Hz and 60 Hz (for example, 2580 x 1080 HiDPI 50Hz, 60Hz, 100Hz).

Did the 1720 x 720 HiDPI mode also not work?

For the 2580 x 1080 HiDPI mode, what if you create a different ratio by adding 8 pixels to the vertical only, will the HiDPI mode work? Keep repeatedly adding 8 pixels to the vertical until it does work. Then repeat the test starting at 2160 and subtracting 8 pixels until it works. I want to know how different from 21.5:9 the aspect ratio needs to be before it can work.

 

[synops]

For the 2580 x 1080 HiDPI mode, what if you create a different ratio by adding 8 pixels to the vertical only, will the HiDPI mode work? Keep repeatedly adding 8 pixels to the vertical until it does work. Then repeat the test starting at 2160 and subtracting 8 pixels until it works. I want to know how different from 21.5:9 the aspect ratio needs to be before it can work.

Hey mate you are a genius! This worked! Any of the generated scaled resolutions seem to be working when I add a couple of pixels to vertical res.

First tested like you said with adding 8 pixels, this worked, however still has some slight pixel loss with two small black bars on either side. I reduced it to 4 and now to 2 and it still works. Now I will just generate a new plist file and add 2 pixels to vertical res for all my generated scaled res's, ill probably end up just using RDM to control as I dont want to pay for switchresx. Cheers!

 

[synops]

UPDATE for anyone else who is having this issue with a 3440x1440 monitor -

Doesn't seem like it works if I input the scaled resolutions +2 on vertical res in plist and try with RDM.

Seems I have to design plist with normal scaled resolutions. Then since I have free version of switchresx I can only input 2 NEW scaled resolutions with a +2 in vertical res and then it works.

 

[joevt]

Post the files I asked for, and I'll make an override that does what SwitchResX does. Include the override file created by SwitchResX and the override file that doesn't work. Plus the screen shot of the current resolutions (sorted by resolution).

Also, if you could answer the questions I asked, it would be educational.

Seems like this bug should be reported to Apple, since there is little change that it is Hackintosh related.