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How to get a 3rd external monitor to work

F

F3rk3S

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 12, 2014
10
0
Hey Guys, i am new in this forum and hope that some one of you have a idea to help me.

First of all, my englisch is not the best. I´m from germany but i will try my best to write as good as possible.

Now lets get to my problem. I have a 27" iMac (late 2013) and i use 2 external Monitors. One is a 27" Cinema Display and the other one is a 27" Thunderbolt Display. The hole setup works perfectly. But now i have added a Wacom Cintiq 13" HD to system.

If i connect this one via HDMI to Thunderbolt adapter to the Thunderbolt display i get the info that it won´t work. So i called Apple and the support says that the iMac only allows 2 external Monitors.

So i bought a HDMI to USB3.0 Adapter from CableMatters and it works. But i have some issues like a black document screen in photoshop if the image is a lot bigger.

Thats why i thought to ask you. Does anyone knows a tool, plugin, script or what ever to get the 4th monitor to work if it is connected normally through hdmi to thunderbolt? I would say that it is only a setting in the system that tells the imac "don´t let this work".

What are your thoughts about this, any ideas???

Thanks for reading my post.
 
F3rk3S said:
Hey Guys, i am new in this forum and hope that some one of you have a idea to help me.

First of all, my englisch is not the best. I´m from germany but i will try my best to write as good as possible.

Now lets get to my problem. I have a 27" iMac (late 2013) and i use 2 external Monitors. One is a 27" Cinema Display and the other one is a 27" Thunderbolt Display. The hole setup works perfectly. But now i have added a Wacom Cintiq 13" HD to system.

If i connect this one via HDMI to Thunderbolt adapter to the Thunderbolt display i get the info that it won´t work. So i called Apple and the support says that the iMac only allows 2 external Monitors.

So i bought a HDMI to USB3.0 Adapter from CableMatters and it works. But i have some issues like a black document screen in photoshop if the image is a lot bigger.

Thats why i thought to ask you. Does anyone knows a tool, plugin, script or what ever to get the 4th monitor to work if it is connected normally through hdmi to thunderbolt? I would say that it is only a setting in the system that tells the imac "don´t let this work".

What are your thoughts about this, any ideas???

Thanks for reading my post.
Click to expand...

You can connect the HDMI to an Apple TV and use it with AirPlay Display and either extend your monitor or mirror it to another one. I have a 27" Cinema Display and a Thunderbolt Display connected to my Retina iMac and then I have an old 1080P monitor connected just to an Apple TV and then I can wirelessly have that monitor serve as a 4th display.

Here are instructions how to setup the AirPlay Display (it's very easy to do) -

http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/mavericks_howto_using_apple_tv_second_display
 
Nice idea. But do you know if it will work with a wacom cintiq? The cintiq gets the infos from the usb Port but if the device is not connected to the Same Computer it maybe does not find it correctly.

Or can i connect the cintiq complete to the appletv?
 
F3rk3S said:
Nice idea. But do you know if it will work with a wacom cintiq? The cintiq gets the infos from the usb Port but if the device is not connected to the Same Computer it maybe does not find it correctly.

Or can i connect the cintiq complete to the appletv?
Click to expand...

Sorry, I thought you just wanted to get it working as another display. I don't think it'll work the way you are wanting it to with the Apple TV.
 
nrubenstein said:
Honestly, it seems like you should have a Mac Pro.
Click to expand...

It looks so right but the machine is to expensive :(

So maybe there is another workaround. Is there a "machine" or tool so switch between the monitors? Maybe i just stay with the maximum amount of 3 screens (what is totally enough) and have a device so that i can switch between the normal cinema display and my cintiq. Like the KVM switches but for monitors and not computers. Then i could switch without the problem of changing the cables on the back of the imac every time. Any idea???
 
Nosferax said:
You can buy a USB graphic adapter and plug your cintiq or your cinema display to it.

http://displaylink.com/shop/adapters
Click to expand...

I allready use one and that works. But if i use photoshop the document stays black and does not show any content. Maybe that is a problem of the beta version of the driver but for the moment it does not run perfect. But Videos in 1080p are running smooth and also lightroom has no problem.
 
F3rk3S said:
I allready use one and that works. But if i use photoshop the document stays black and does not show any content. Maybe that is a problem of the beta version of the driver but for the moment it does not run perfect. But Videos in 1080p are running smooth and also lightroom has no problem.
Click to expand...

Is your Cintiq hooked to the USB adapter or your Cinema display?
 
HDMI through the USB 3.0 SuperSpeed HDMI Adapter from Cable Matters and the USB from the Cintiq is Connected to the USB Port on my iMac.
 
F3rk3S said:
HDMI through the USB 3.0 SuperSpeed HDMI Adapter from Cable Matters and the USB from the Cintiq is Connected to the USB Port on my iMac.
Click to expand...

I personaly, would connect the cintiq directly to the mac and connect the cinema display to the usb adapter.
 
The problem is the resolution of the cinema Display. If i remember right then can the adapter only get up to 1920x1200 and not 2560x1440.
 
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Hey Guys, thank you all for your answers. I had a busy time in the last weeks so i could not check for your answers.

I Think it is a good idea to connect the 2nd Cinema Display with a USB3.0 Connector. The only Problem is that i only find a DisplayPort to USB3.0 Cable but the Cinema Display has a Mini DisplayPort. I haven´t found a Mini DisplayPort to DisplayPort Adapter.

So does anyone of you have a idea where i can find a adapter?
 
F3rk3S said:
Hey Guys, thank you all for your answers. I had a busy time in the last weeks so i could not check for your answers.

I Think it is a good idea to connect the 2nd Cinema Display with a USB3.0 Connector. The only Problem is that i only find a DisplayPort to USB3.0 Cable but the Cinema Display has a Mini DisplayPort. I haven´t found a Mini DisplayPort to DisplayPort Adapter.

So does anyone of you have a idea where i can find a adapter?
Click to expand...

http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=104&cp_id=10428&cs_id=1042803&p_id=5714&seq=1&format=2
 
Thanks for your Reply but i need it just the other way.

Female: Mini Display Port
Male: Display Port

Only then i can connect the 27" Cinema Display to a USB3.0 Display Port Graphic Card.
 
F3rk3S said:
Thanks for your Reply but i need it just the other way.

Female: Mini Display Port
Male: Display Port

Only then i can connect the 27" Cinema Display to a USB3.0 Display Port Graphic Card.
Click to expand...

the adapter connect to the minidp on your 27" ACD and you use a regular dp cable from the usb adapter to the female minidp to dp adapter... I don't see why you would need a reversed version.
 
Nosferax said:
the adapter connect to the minidp on your 27" ACD and you use a regular dp cable from the usb adapter to the female minidp to dp adapter... I don't see why you would need a reversed version.
Click to expand...

Because the ACD has a Mini Display Port Cable Male. So how should i connect it to the Adapter. I Can´t disconnect the regular cable from the ACD.
 
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