Sidecar

[Simon70]

I have read all the posts but I have not understood if there is a way to make Sidecar work.
I understand that according to your configuration, there is who works and who doesn't.
I have an hMac with the latest version of Catalina installed and an iPadPro 2019 with ultimate iOS.
I made the first attempts with SMBIOS 19.2. Connection through USB successful but black screen on iPad.
But with my hardware and 19.2 h264 and HEVC was not enabled (test by VideoProc).
Then I switched to a iMacPro 1,1 configuration. With this version of the SMBIOS I am re-enabled the H264 and HEVC but the sidecar still doesn't work (Black screen).
The cable connection is also much less stable than in 19.2.
I don't care if Sidecar works over WiFi
Do I have to give up sidecar? The problem is in the graphics card and should it be changed?
Thanks

In SMBIOS 1.1 it cannot work because of the T2 chip and in the other configurations in which it could work, it is essential to have the IGPU enabled in the motherboard BIOS.
I have tested in configuration 19.1 and it worked (in USB and WI-FI) with the IGPU enabled.
The black screen with the connection that works is a feature that appears when the IGPU is not enabled.

 

[FauPod]

In SMBIOS 1.1 it cannot work because of the T2 chip and in the other configurations in which it could work, it is essential to have the IGPU enabled in the motherboard BIOS.
I have tested in configuration 19.1 and it worked (in USB and WI-FI) with the IGPU enabled.
The black screen with the connection that works is a feature that appears when the IGPU is not enabled.

Thanks for the information! But I didn't understand one thing. By enabling the IGPU from Bios (I think my voice should be Internal graphic enabled) won't the hMac work with the internal graphics card instead of with the RX580? Another question. Does it also work with SMBIOS 19.2?

 

[Simon70]

Thanks for the information! But I didn't understand one thing. By enabling the IGPU from Bios (I think my voice should be Internal graphic enabled) won't the hMac work with the internal graphics card instead of with the RX580? Another question. Does it also work with SMBIOS 19.2?

Yes, the IGPU is the internal graphics card (in the processor) and is enabled in the BIOS of the motherboard (I don't know the BIOS of your MB, but there is an entry related to the IGPU for sure) and No, your RX580 will remain the card video used by Catalina (and will not be underused), but the IGPU will be used for some functions. From what I understand, it is a question related to how MacOS, in the various SMBIOS has been programmed to manage both the eGPU and the IGPU, based on the processor that is used in the SMBIOS and on the basis of its possession or not of IGPU ( and if in the hacks is not enabled, some features may not go because MacOS delegates them to the IGPU anyway).
I have never used 19.2 but I think Sidecar should work like 19.1. I have been using 19.1 with an 8700K for a long time and Sidecar worked perfectly, so if you need you can try to change to 19.1.

 

[FauPod]

Yes, the IGPU is the internal graphics card (in the processor) and is enabled in the BIOS of the motherboard (I don't know the BIOS of your MB, but there is an entry related to the IGPU for sure) and No, your RX580 will remain the card video used by Catalina (and will not be underused), but the IGPU will be used for some functions.

Great!! Thanks! Now Sidecar works!!! With SMBIOS 19,1 and IGPU enabled!
But I would like to understand something more ... I start VideoProc and both H264 and HEVC are active but the graphics card is the "intel UHD Graphic 630" and not the RX580 .... Why?

 

[Simon70]

Great!! Thanks! Now Sidecar works!!! With SMBIOS 19,1 and IGPU enabled!
But I would like to understand something more ... I start VideoProc and both H264 and HEVC are active but the graphics card is the "intel UHD Graphic 630" and not the RX580 .... Why?

View attachment 460509

Can you check in the system information which is the video card?

 

[FauPod]

Can you check in the system information which is the video card?

Just yesterday I changed the video card and switched to a Vega 56.
The result hasn't changed. (SMBIOS 19.1 - IGPU enabled - Sidecar ok!)
With IGPU enabled VideoProc shows me the same result as my previous post while in the information system it is Vega 56

 

[Eightball8]

Any help appreciated ...

I've got a z270x-ud5 board with an i7 and an RX 580 card. Set up as an iMac 18,3.

I can see my ipad but when I select it (cabled or wifi) I get a black screen.

When I go to Bios and enable internal graphics I get a series of "gfx firmware" errors during login and it never boots.

When I switch internal graphics to "Auto" it'll boot but I still get the ipad to a black screen in sidecar.

Any tips? Anybody working with a similar configuration?

 

[FauPod]

Any help appreciated ...

I've got a z270x-ud5 board with an i7 and an RX 580 card. Set up as an iMac 18,3.

Try with SMBIOS 19.1 (or 19.2) and enable the IPGU

 

[Eightball8]

No love on the 19.1. I can restart computer - no issue.
With Internal graphics ENABLED - I get caught in the "Begin Gfx Firmware load process" loop - no love.
With Internal graphics AUTO - I restart but still get a black screen on iPad.

Now if I turn of wifi - should I be able to connect to ipad wired? I get the error "To use Sidecar, turn on Wi-FI or connect over USB" - it is connected via a USB-C cable and I am able to click it in Airplay - just not get beyond that error message.

Thanks for the quick reply before - much appreciated.

Any thoughts?

 

[FauPod]

No love on the 19.1. I can restart computer - no issue.
With Internal graphics ENABLED - I get caught in the "Begin Gfx Firmware load process" loop - no love.
With Internal graphics AUTO - I restart but still get a black screen on iPad.

Now if I turn of wifi - should I be able to connect to ipad wired? I get the error "To use Sidecar, turn on Wi-FI or connect over USB" - it is connected via a USB-C cable and I am able to click it in Airplay - just not get beyond that error message.

Thanks for the quick reply before - much appreciated.

Any thoughts?

From what I understand, Sidecar only works with IGPU enabled.
I only tried it connected with the cable and with my configuration with SMBIOS 19.1 and 19.2 it works!