Brightness controls and eGPU re-routing on AlderLake iGPU connectors

[jkbuha]

Hi all

I have a bit of a non-orthodox setup issue regarding eGPU usage on Alder-Lake laptops; not sure if anyone's managed to do this yet but here goes:

I've successfully managed to get the Dell XPS 9520 Alder Lake laptop to work with Monterey, even in vesa non-accelerated mode the i9-1200HK really pushes through all the tasks with ease. More details on my github here:

GitHub - jkbuha/XPS-9520-AlderLake-OpenCore: Dell XPS 9520 Alder Lake i9-12900HK with macOS and OpenCore

Dell XPS 9520 Alder Lake i9-12900HK with macOS and OpenCore - jkbuha/XPS-9520-AlderLake-OpenCore

github.com

I only really have two issues, which seem easily fixable but just wanted to ask here:

1. Brightness controls don't seem to work for the laptop, it might just be a case of incorrect PWM register mapping, but does anyone have experience in correctly setting brightness controls for Tiger Lake or Alder Lake laptops?

2. Maybe it's incorrect display connector configuration, but when I connect an EGPU (such as the Radeon RX580) I can only get screen output by connecting an external monitor directly to the eGPU card, and the laptop display just shows the initial verbose boot messages (doesn't switch off). Is it possible to drive both the LVDS laptop screen and the external monitor?

Thanks!

 

[Feartech]

Hi all

I have a bit of a non-orthodox setup issue regarding eGPU usage on Alder-Lake laptops; not sure if anyone's managed to do this yet but here goes:

I've successfully managed to get the Dell XPS 9520 Alder Lake laptop to work with Monterey, even in vesa non-accelerated mode the i9-1200HK really pushes through all the tasks with ease. More details on my github here:

GitHub - jkbuha/XPS-9520-AlderLake-OpenCore: Dell XPS 9520 Alder Lake i9-12900HK with macOS and OpenCore

Dell XPS 9520 Alder Lake i9-12900HK with macOS and OpenCore - jkbuha/XPS-9520-AlderLake-OpenCore

github.com

I only really have two issues, which seem easily fixable but just wanted to ask here:

1. Brightness controls don't seem to work for the laptop, it might just be a case of incorrect PWM register mapping, but does anyone have experience in correctly setting brightness controls for Tiger Lake or Alder Lake laptops?

2. Maybe it's incorrect display connector configuration, but when I connect an EGPU (such as the Radeon RX580) I can only get screen output by connecting an external monitor directly to the eGPU card, and the laptop display just shows the initial verbose boot messages (doesn't switch off). Is it possible to drive both the LVDS laptop screen and the external monitor?

Thanks!

you will need properly working graphics acceleration to make brightness work and AlderLake CPU/GPU is not supported

 

[jkbuha]

Thanks for this. I have graphics acceleration when the eGPU is connected; just wondering if it's possible to get (a) the laptop screen to use the eGPU through connector remapping, and (b) then enable use of brightness keys too?

 

[Feartech]

Thanks for this. I have graphics acceleration when the eGPU is connected; just wondering if it's possible to get (a) the laptop screen to use the eGPU through connector remapping, and (b) then enable use of brightness keys too?

probably not