Retina MacBook Pro External Monitors in HiDPI mode?

rapids41 · Aug 18, 2012

Hi,

just tried 2 hours to get my Eizo 30" SX3031W to work with the Retina MBP and the Apple DisplayPort to DualLink DVI Adapter.

The Problem is at every resolution highter than SingleLink the screen looks like I have a broken cable! Tried some settings with SwitchResX, but nothing works.

Any suggestions guys?

EDIT: it was a bad cable

now it works!

gentlefury · Aug 30, 2012

Verxion said:
I've got a DELL 3007WFPHC monitor that is 2560x1600 resolution. Interestingly, plugged into the Retina MacBook Pro through a dual link DVI adapter, the maximum resolution available is 1600x1000 (through "Scaled"). Bizarely, if I choose "Best for display", it goes to 1280x800 (1/4 resolution), but DOESN'T use the extra pixels, so it looks horribly blocky.

Anyone have any links to information about what is really going on here? I cannot access the full native resolution of the external monitor (as I could on my MacBook Air using the SAME dual link DVI connection to this SAME monitor), even if I set the MacBook Pro to Scaled->More Space.

Not sure what to do on this.

-Verxion

2560x1600 requires a dual link DVI adapter or display to mini display (my recomendation since its only $10). Otherwise you only get half the vert/horiz data = 1280x800.

ifop · Aug 30, 2012

gentlefury said:
2560x1600 requires a dual link DVI adapter or display to mini display (my recomendation since its only $10). Otherwise you only get half the vert/horiz data = 1280x800.

Apparently Verxion is already using a dual-link DVI adapter. As previously mentioned, simply hold down option while clicking the "Scaled" option, and the 2560x1600 resolution options will show up.

terraphantm · Aug 31, 2012

theSeb said:
Old HDMI supports 1920x1200 and version 1.3 (or 1.4 I can't remember) supports up to 4K. The monitor would need the right version of HDMI though.

OSX unfortunately limits the HDMI port to 165MHz - essentially the equivalent of SL DVI. I had a 27" 2560x1440 that can accept that resolution over HDMI. In windows it worked perfectly. If I booted into OSX, it refused to allow 2560. Even with switchresx, I had to make a custom resolution at 40Hz for it to work.

Shame, because it would be nice to drive two 2560 displays while keeping a thunderbolt port free

theSeb · Sep 2, 2012

terraphantm said:
OSX unfortunately limits the HDMI port to 165MHz - essentially the equivalent of SL DVI. I had a 27" 2560x1440 that can accept that resolution over HDMI. In windows it worked perfectly. If I booted into OSX, it refused to allow 2560. Even with switchresx, I had to make a custom resolution at 40Hz for it to work.

Shame, because it would be nice to drive two 2560 displays while keeping a thunderbolt port free

Really? Thanks for that info.

medieval1 · Oct 25, 2012

2 30" monitors

RoboTeddy said:
My RMBP drove two dell 3011 30" screens at 2560x1600 at work today via displayport with no problem.

At home I hooked up the laptop to a 30" 3007WFP via apple's usb-powered displayport to DVI adaptor, and it worked fine at 2560x1600, until I left and came back to find the laptop asleep and/or crashed. I rebooted it, and then found myself having the same problem as the OP.

I resorted to SwitchResX, which managed to successfully set the 3007WFP back to 2560x1600.

RoboTeddy, how did you actually cable up two 30" displays as I'm interested in doing the same? Thanx.

Textureboy · Nov 11, 2012

Found this post on an apple thread.

Hope this helps for anyone who is still experiencing problems.

"Update from Applecare: this problem made its way to engineering and they pointed out a 'hidden' way to fix this with no special 3rd party software:

When you bring up the resolutions for a given display, as its set to 'best for display' hold down the 'option' key while clicking 'scaled'. The scaled menu should now show all the resolutions supported by the monitor. On my Dell it shows 2560x1600 and everything works fine when I select that."

Woodcrest64 · Nov 11, 2012

I have my Retina Macbook pro hooked up to two Samsung 24" 1920x1080 monitors.

The only issues I have are:

1.) If the computer wakes from sleeping the dual displays don't come back to life at times. Need to be unplugged and plugged back in.

2.) If I shut the computer off and restart from cold, the computer hangs at the white screen with the grey Apple logo. I need to disconnect my external displays anytime I reboot my machine.

Saladinos · Nov 11, 2012

pgiguere1 said:
I have the same monitor in 24" version (1920x1200) which uses a single DVI connection. I will be able to report if I can use it at full resolution as soon as I receive my RMBP. This may be a problem with the Dual Link DVI adapter if all single-DVI monitors are fine.

----------

I think you aren't supposed to see those options at all, but just the regular screen with a list of resolutions.

Hey, I've got a 2407WFP-HC, too!

Runs fine at 1920x1200 on... ahem... VGA.

jdiamond · Apr 8, 2013

This other thread might help you...

Verxion said:
I've got a DELL 3007WFPHC monitor that is 2560x1600 resolution. Interestingly, plugged into the Retina MacBook Pro through a dual link DVI adapter, the maximum resolution available is 1600x1000 (through "Scaled"). Bizarely, if I choose "Best for display", it goes to 1280x800 (1/4 resolution), but DOESN'T use the extra pixels, so it looks horribly blocky.

Anyone have any links to information about what is really going on here? I cannot access the full native resolution of the external monitor (as I could on my MacBook Air using the SAME dual link DVI connection to this SAME monitor), even if I set the MacBook Pro to Scaled->More Space.

Not sure what to do on this.

-Verxion

Looks like there's some secret key strokes you need to do:

See this discussion and see if it works for you...
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4132529?start=0&tstart=0

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