How to get 4K from my MacBook pro on a 4K TV?

[Samyaza]

Hello everyone,
I got my first Apple computer few days ago. It all started with my iPad mini 2. I bought it it's music apps capabilities and then I started to love the Apple brand, operating system, design and pretty much everything about it. I decided to get a macbook pro and that's what I did.

My configuration is as follows:

MacBook Pro Retina Display, Early 2013
Processor 3 GHz Intel Core i7
Memory 8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
Graphics Intel HD Graphics 4000 1024 MB
SSD: 512 GB
OS Yosemite 10.10.5 (installed by me, was delivered with Mountain Lion)

Was in mint condition, only 12 cycles on the battery.

However I decided to get also a TV for use it as desktop and I got a PANASONIC TX-40CX400E, is a cheap 4K TV but I got it for it's 4K display and 5 years warranty. Was not delivered yet! I'm waiting for the TV to come.

However I have a huge problem. The TV has HDMI 2.0 and the MacBook Pro early 2013 it doesn't!
My HDMI on the MacBook (as far I read about it) is only capable of doing Full HD (1080p).

Can anybody tell me how to get the 4K out of my MacBook?
There are any adapters from thunderbolt to HDMI 2.0?
I looked over the internet but the information is so misleading..
I found all kind of adapters but some had very bad ratings like 2 out of 5 and I wonder why?

I know my Notebook is capable of doing 4K but how should I connect it to my new TV?

Thanks!

 

[cariacou]

Hello everyone,
I got my first Apple computer few days ago. It all started with my iPad mini 2. I bought it it's music apps capabilities and then I started to love the Apple brand, operating system, design and pretty much everything about it. I decided to get a macbook pro and that's what I did.

My configuration is as follows:

MacBook Pro Retina Display, Early 2013
Processor 3 GHz Intel Core i7
Memory 8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
Graphics Intel HD Graphics 4000 1024 MB
SSD: 512 GB
OS Yosemite 10.10.5 (installed by me, was delivered with Mountain Lion)

Was in mint condition, only 12 cycles on the battery.

However I decided to get also a TV for use it as desktop and I got a PANASONIC TX-40CX400E, is a cheap 4K TV but I got it for it's 4K display and 5 years warranty. Was not delivered yet! I'm waiting for the TV to come.

However I have a huge problem. The TV has HDMI 2.0 and the MacBook Pro early 2013 it doesn't!
My HDMI on the MacBook (as far I read about it) is only capable of doing Full HD (1080p).

Can anybody tell me how to get the 4K out of my MacBook?
There are any adapters from thunderbolt to HDMI 2.0?
I looked over the internet but the information is so misleading..
I found all kind of adapters but some had very bad ratings like 2 out of 5 and I wonder why?

I know my Notebook is capable of doing 4K but how should I connect it to my new TV?

Thanks!

Thunderbolt/Display port adapter > display port.
There might be adapters to hdmi 2 too

 

[Samuelsan2001]

Hello everyone,
I got my first Apple computer few days ago. It all started with my iPad mini 2. I bought it it's music apps capabilities and then I started to love the Apple brand, operating system, design and pretty much everything about it. I decided to get a macbook pro and that's what I did.

My configuration is as follows:

MacBook Pro Retina Display, Early 2013
Processor 3 GHz Intel Core i7
Memory 8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3
Graphics Intel HD Graphics 4000 1024 MB
SSD: 512 GB
OS Yosemite 10.10.5 (installed by me, was delivered with Mountain Lion)

Was in mint condition, only 12 cycles on the battery.

However I decided to get also a TV for use it as desktop and I got a PANASONIC TX-40CX400E, is a cheap 4K TV but I got it for it's 4K display and 5 years warranty. Was not delivered yet! I'm waiting for the TV to come.

However I have a huge problem. The TV has HDMI 2.0 and the MacBook Pro early 2013 it doesn't!
My HDMI on the MacBook (as far I read about it) is only capable of doing Full HD (1080p).

Can anybody tell me how to get the 4K out of my MacBook?
There are any adapters from thunderbolt to HDMI 2.0?
I looked over the internet but the information is so misleading..
I found all kind of adapters but some had very bad ratings like 2 out of 5 and I wonder why?

I know my Notebook is capable of doing 4K but how should I connect it to my new TV?

Thanks!

It won't do 4K output, you'll have to do it as 1080p. Any HDMI or thunderbolt to HDMI will do this fine (HDMI 2.0 is back compatable)

Here are apples tech specs, the highest output is 2560 x 1600.

https://support.apple.com/kb/SP668?locale=en_GB

 

[RoboWarriorSr]

There is a hack mentioned on this forums that someone developed for older 13" rMBP that will enable 52 hertz 4K (I believe it is for the HD 4000 and Iris 5100 but not too sure). To connect to a 4k display, officially only the 2013+ models support 4K (2013~2014 4K on HMDI 30 Hertz, technically same with display port; 2015 model 4K on HDMI 30 Hertz, and Display port 60 Hertz).

 

[Samuelsan2001]

There is a hack mentioned on this forums that someone developed for older 13" rMBP that will enable 52 hertz 4K (I believe it is for the HD 4000 and Iris 5100 but not too sure). To connect to a 4k display, officially only the 2013+ models support 4K (2013~2014 4K on HMDI 30 Hertz, technically same with display port; 2015 model 4K on HDMI 30 Hertz, and Display port 60 Hertz).

As far as I know that is the 5100 using a thunderbolt 2 for the bandwidth.

 

[RoboWarriorSr]

As far as I know that is the 5100 using a thunderbolt 2 for the bandwidth.

Yes but the connection is still "display port" or all intents and purposes (my disport port cable for the 2009 mac fits in my thunderbolt connection in 2015 model). But that is an important distinction to make.

 

[patternjake]

I use a thunderbolt to HDMI adapter, then a HDMI cable into the TV, and my TV is a flipping whopper, 52 inches, which is set up at more than 4K. The mac works with no problems at all at that resolution.

 

[Samyaza]

I'm convinced I can get 4K out from my ports, no matter what the specification says about my MacBook pro.
The question is how? I made some researches and I found on another forum that a guy with an early 2013 just like mine put out 4K.. The thunderbolt port is able to do that.
The question remains.. how? Hey RoboWarriorSR can you give the link to that hack? I'm unable to find it. Thanks.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

I'm convinced I can get 4K out from my ports, no matter what the specification says about my MacBook pro.
The question is how? I made some researches and I found on another forum that a guy with an early 2013 just like mine put out 4K.. The thunderbolt port is able to do that.
The question remains.. how? Hey RoboWarriorSR can you give the link to that hack? I'm unable to find it. Thanks.

Maybe you can but I'm willing to bet it's a very poor experience on the HD4000 graphics.

 

[RoboWarriorSr]

I'm convinced I can get 4K out from my ports, no matter what the specification says about my MacBook pro.
The question is how? I made some researches and I found on another forum that a guy with an early 2013 just like mine put out 4K.. The thunderbolt port is able to do that.
The question remains.. how? Hey RoboWarriorSR can you give the link to that hack? I'm unable to find it. Thanks.

Umm did you use the search bar because it came up quite easily

The Thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...lock-limit-4k-over-hdmi-overclocking.1651886/

It seems you need to be on 10.8 officially for the hack to work though, someone else might have made a patch for 10.9/10.10. It doesn't seem the person is updating it anymore so best luck would be to downgrade your OS (which I don't think you would like) or ask the person directly.