MP 7,1 Alternative to the Belkin VR Cable

[ManWithAPlan]

I had to use a USB-C dock connected to the CAC-1336 to be able to use the USB-C output of the CAC-1336 with non-USB-C displays but maybe it's not necessary with your USB-C displays.

Is the CAC-1576 compatible with USB 3.x? Maybe. The CAC-1576 is a 40 Gbps USB4 cable but you only need a 10/20 Gbps (USB 3.1 gen 2 or USB 3.2 gen 2x2) cable with the CAC-1336 since the CAC-1336 is limited to DisplayPort 1.4 (8.1 Gbps per line). I think the Apple displays come with a cable that is compatible with USB 3.x?

The W5700X has a HDMI 2.0 port limited to 600MHz 8bpc RGB or 4:4:4. I don't think the Apple displays support chroma sub sampling (4:2:2 or 4:2:0). Maybe you can get full resolution 8bpc with 5K39 and 6K28.

Out of curiosity, as I await delivery of all the goodies, would the W6800X or W6900X be different, in the event I were to acquire one of those for the 2019 Mac Pro 7,1 and replace the W5700X? Or is the HDMI port on those cards still limited to HDMI 2.0? Unrelated, but I do have a straight USB 3.1 gen 2 extension cable coming just in case some of the spaghetti is too tight behind the monitors when I try them (I have the Studio Display and XDR on the bench to play with). Thanks again for all the insight. Part of my problem quite frankly is I have too many use cases to try and satisfy, which I will have to test one by one in an isolated fashion, then try and decide how best to make them 'usable without much fuss" - for preview of the use cases, here are most of them:

1. Use case #1 - 2019 Mac Pro "cheese grater" with "some high end GPU with HDMI out" running to the XDR (W5700X today, but could be 6800X or even 6900X). Again, one requirement is it *must* be HDMI from the MacPro, can be manipulated 9 ways from Sunday downstream, but leaving the MacPro it's a 48Gbps active HDMI cable from Bullet Train (in-wall).
2. Use case #2 - Macbook Air M2 running via TB to display on XDR
3. Use case #3 - Macbook Pro M2 running via TB to display on XDR
4. Use case #4 - AppleTV 4K with HDMI out running to Studio Display.
5. Use case #5 - Nintendo Switch dock with HDMI out running to Studio Display.
6 Use case #6 - XBox Series X with HDMI out running to Studio Display.
7. Use case #7 - 2019 Mac Pro "cheese grater" with "some high end GPU with HDMI out" running to the Studio Display (could be W5700X, or some other high end MPX-based GPU for the cheese grater).

There are likely other scenarios I will need to test, and again, the fun will be in trying to combine some of these in a layered fashion on the same target displays (think KVM or specialized hubs at least), but for baby steps first, I need to see each individual scenario validated stand-alone. Crawl, walk, someday run....

 

[joevt]

Out of curiosity, as I await delivery of all the goodies, would the W6800X or W6900X be different, in the event I were to acquire one of those for the 2019 Mac Pro 7,1 and replace the W5700X? Or is the HDMI port on those cards still limited to HDMI 2.0? Unrelated, but I do have a straight USB 3.1 gen 2 extension cable coming just in case some of the spaghetti is too tight behind the monitors when I try them (I have the Studio Display and XDR on the bench to play with). Thanks again for all the insight. Part of my problem quite frankly is I have too many use cases to try and satisfy, which I will have to test one by one in an isolated fashion, then try and decide how best to make them 'usable without much fuss" - for preview of the use cases, here are most of them:

1. Use case #1 - 2019 Mac Pro "cheese grater" with "some high end GPU with HDMI out" running to the XDR (W5700X today, but could be 6800X or even 6900X). Again, one requirement is it *must* be HDMI from the MacPro, can be manipulated 9 ways from Sunday downstream, but leaving the MacPro it's a 48Gbps active HDMI cable from Bullet Train (in-wall).
2. Use case #2 - Macbook Air M2 running via TB to display on XDR
3. Use case #3 - Macbook Pro M2 running via TB to display on XDR
4. Use case #4 - AppleTV 4K with HDMI out running to Studio Display.
5. Use case #5 - Nintendo Switch dock with HDMI out running to Studio Display.
6 Use case #6 - XBox Series X with HDMI out running to Studio Display.
7. Use case #7 - 2019 Mac Pro "cheese grater" with "some high end GPU with HDMI out" running to the Studio Display (could be W5700X, or some other high end MPX-based GPU for the cheese grater).

There are likely other scenarios I will need to test, and again, the fun will be in trying to combine some of these in a layered fashion on the same target displays (think KVM or specialized hubs at least), but for baby steps first, I need to see each individual scenario validated stand-alone. Crawl, walk, someday run....

The Apple W5700X is limited to HDMI 2.0.

The Apple W6800X/W6900X specs say they have HDMI 2.0 ports. Apple could be lying about that. They might disable HDMI 2.1 support for some reason.
www.techpowerup.com says they have HDMI 2.1 ports, like the AMD specs say for the RX 6800 and RX 6900.

If it doesn't output HDMI 2.1 modes (FRL) then I think there is a preference we can change to try and enable that. I don't know if it will work. Let me know if you want to try that.

 

[zemaker]

@flowrider you wouldn't happen to know if there is a KMV switch that would take a MacBook Pro via thunderbolt and a Mac Pro via this WJESOG cable to output to a Cinema Display via thunderbolt?

 

[zemaker]

Followup:

I want to add to the conversation, I ordered the WJESOG cable for my Mac Pro 2019 using an RX 6900 XT to connect to a Studio Display via a KMV thunderbolt switch, and everything works great. I got the SABRENT Thunderbolt KVM switch which is rather pricey, but everything works perfectly.

 

[ManWithAPlan]

Thanks for the update Zemaker - I just ordered the Sabrent, been eyeing it for a while - also, the CableDeconn USB-C KVM switch I bought and was sent from China to me does NOT work at all with the XDR Pro display. I've tried numerous cables, numerous Mac's, and I can't get a single one to display via the XDR. I've tried the M2 MBAir, M2MBP, even an old 2016 MBP with TB2, no signal at all...I hope to have better results with the Sabrent. I will say the XDR Pro I just hung on the wall is absolutely gorgeous, just going direct via USB-C from the MB Air or thru the CalDigit Element hub right now in style...but I need more of course - I wish Sabrent had a 4 "PC input"KVM switch, just like the one you have but with 4 instead of 2 computer inputs. Maybe someday.

 

[ManWithAPlan]

@flowrider you wouldn't happen to know if there is a KMV switch that would take a MacBook Pro via thunderbolt and a Mac Pro via this WJESOG cable to output to a Cinema Display via thunderbolt?

I have an old Cinema Display (with MiniDisplayPort in of course) where I use this adapter from Uptab and it works great. Been using 2 of these for over 2 years from TB devices, including the 2016 MBP. It's not a KVM switch of course, but it gives you half the solution anyway. For the KVM integration with the Uptab devices, I still use an old Kanex SnapX 2-Mac 'switch' that connects the Cinema Display to 2 devices and provide a clip-on button to switch between the 2 that clips to the base of the monitor. Been using it consistently since 2014 with no problem at all, for switching between MiniDisplayPort devices (or now TB devices via Uptab converter dongle noted above). I will never give up my old Cinema Display, she's an aging beauty but a beauty nonetheless. Kanex SnapX gets ya done. But probably hasn't been manufactured for eons. Not sure this helps, but maybe try and find one on the FleaBay.

 

[zemaker]

Thanks for the update Zemaker - I just ordered the Sabrent, been eyeing it for a while - also, the CableDeconn USB-C KVM switch I bought and was sent from China to me does NOT work at all with the XDR Pro display. I've tried numerous cables, numerous Mac's, and I can't get a single one to display via the XDR. I've tried the M2 MBAir, M2MBP, even an old 2016 MBP with TB2, no signal at all...I hope to have better results with the Sabrent. I will say the XDR Pro I just hung on the wall is absolutely gorgeous, just going direct via USB-C from the MB Air or thru the CalDigit Element hub right now in style...but I need more of course - I wish Sabrent had a 4 "PC input"KVM switch, just like the one you have but with 4 instead of 2 computer inputs. Maybe someday.

Makes me wonder why there aren't any other thunderbolt switches out there, surely there is enough demand with so many Mac's now-a-days.

 

[ManWithAPlan]

Followup:

I want to add to the conversation, I ordered the WJESOG cable for my Mac Pro 2019 using an RX 6900 XT to connect to a Studio Display via a KMV thunderbolt switch, and everything works great. I got the SABRENT Thunderbolt KVM switch which is rather pricey, but everything works perfectly.

Zemaker sir, I have the Sabrent now, and its working nicely to switch between an M1 MBP and an M2 MBA, both connected via Thunderbolt - everything works except one annoying problem - the Macbook Air is connected directly to an OWC Thunderbolt Pro dock, because I need the hard-wired 10G ethernet connection on it, and then I run TB out of the dock into the Sabrent for "PC1" input to the Sabrent. I can switch between the 2 Mac's, but if I have network based activities running on the Air, and I switch over to "PC2" on the Sabrent, I lose network connectivity because the Air disconnects the Dock I guess if the display isn't active - and again, my only network connection is the 10Gig ethernet on the dock itself. So I lose all my SSH sessions and other stuff. Is there a way to keep the network (aka the Dock in my case) active even when the "PC1" is not the active display to the XDR? Thanks for any ideas you or anyone has.

UPDATE: Ok, after talking with OWC and getting no real answers, I tried 2 things - I loaded my old friend Amphetamine and I hard power cycled the Macbook Air (the machine connected to the TB Pro Dock). Unfortunately this did not do the trick, the Dock still became inactive (including the 10G ethernet port within it) when KVM was switched to the opposite source Mac - then I found this feature of Amphetamine that enables Power Connect, and requires a reboot post-install - this did the trick, now when Amphetamine is active with Power Control, the closed clam-shell mode Macbook Air maintains its Dock connection and therefore 10G NIC connection even when switching the Sabrent KVM to displaying the "other" Mac. I've even tried a TB drive connected to the Dock, to ensure it doesn't become disconnected when switching and that works fine also now (a core capability of amphetamine is drive alive). So this use case anyway, which has nothing to do with the Belkin VR cable referenced in this thread, is working at least. Now I need to test the other use cases I noted in my earlier post.

 

[AgentPotato]

Followup:

I want to add to the conversation, I ordered the WJESOG cable for my Mac Pro 2019 using an RX 6900 XT to connect to a Studio Display via a KMV thunderbolt switch, and everything works great. I got the SABRENT Thunderbolt KVM switch which is rather pricey, but everything works perfectly.

I just attempted this setup. I got two WJESOG cables- both produced artifacts on my studio display at varying rates with a direct connection from my Gigabyte 6900xt to the studio display. Switching back to my Belkin VR cable things behave normally. I couldn't get the sabrent to work with the Belkin Cable (black screen) but could with the WJESOG cables. Unfortunately looks like I'll have to return the setup...

 

[zemaker]

I just attempted this setup. I got two WJESOG cables- both produced artifacts on my studio display at varying rates with a direct connection from my Gigabyte 6900xt to the studio display. Switching back to my Belkin VR cable things behave normally. I couldn't get the sabrent to work with the Belkin Cable (black screen) but could with the WJESOG cables. Unfortunately looks like I'll have to return the setup...

Interesting, makes me wonder if its not the cable that is your issue, could be something with your 6900xt since both cables were giving you the same result. I have had zero issues with my setup and the AMD Reference 6900xt.

 

[AgentPotato]

Interesting, makes me wonder if its not the cable that is your issue, could be something with your 6900xt since both cables were giving you the same result. I have had zero issues with my setup and the AMD Reference 6900xt.

Possibly! The only other thing it might be is bandwidth issues since on my cinema display I have a USB audio DAC in addition to keyboard and mouse.

 

[AgentPotato]

So update here (in case it helps anyone in the future): I tried removing my usb audio dac... it didn't help. So I am in the process of exchanging the cables with Amazon. One cable was clearly better than the other so I wonder if I got two bad ones. I also tried to use the Belkin-vr cable with the Sabrent KWM. I only got a black screen there.