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LG Ultrafine only supports one input... right?

spaceballl

spaceballl

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Nov 2, 2003
2,941
365
San Francisco, CA
I will be getting a new MacBook Pro, but I also have a Chromebox and an Ubuntu box that I'd like to plug into this monitor. It looks like this monitor only has a single TB connection. I assume it's a no-go, then, right? Any creative ways to get multi-monitor input driven through some kind of hub / KVM thing?
 
I think so, I was hoping it would have two, so i could use my ps4 on it as well (when i buy one) and not worry about having to plug/unplug. Since the monitor would also be charging the laptop.
 
I am interested in knowing this as well. I assume you would need to connect this to a thunderbolt dock, which defeats the purpose of having an inbuilt one.

Edit: The other USB C ports are only USB 2 (??) so yes, you'd need some type of TB3 dock.

Oh, I think you're talking about the 5K monitor, as the 4K isn't TB at all.
 
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Floris said:
I think so, I was hoping it would have two, so i could use my ps4 on it as well (when i buy one) and not worry about having to plug/unplug. Since the monitor would also be charging the laptop.
Click to expand...

just like the original thunderbolt display, you NEED a TB3 capable machine in order for it to work and its one input only just like the original TBD.
 
Floris said:
Bummer, I was hoping I could have an all in one solution for that.
Click to expand...

Actually, just saw the the requirements for 5k, says it requires mac running os sierra, so it seems that its ONLY made for a mac with TB3 which currently limits it only to 2016 mbp.
 
Outrigger said:
Just saw the the requirements for 5k, says it requires mac running os sierra, so it seems that its ONLY made for a mac with TB3 which currently limits it only to 2016 mbp.
Click to expand...

It's worse than that. I checked with Apple and the MBP/2016 can not run any other 5k monitor, even via MST with TB3-->TB2/DP dongles etc. So if you already have the Dell UP2715k or other 5k display, then tough luck! Thou they have yet to update the applicable support pages for some reason. Meanwhile, all the other Macs are probably waiting for external (USB-C) TouchBar Keyboards, which may take a while.
 
rdav said:
It's worse than that. I checked with Apple and the MBP/2016 can not run any other 5k monitor, even via MST with TB3-->TB2/DP dongles etc. So if you already have the Dell UP2715k or other 5k display, then tough luck! Thou they have yet to update the applicable support pages for some reason. Meanwhile, all the other Macs are probably waiting for external (USB-C) TouchBar Keyboards, which may take a while.
Click to expand...

I don't think there are any 5k TB3 displays. I can see the mbp not being compatible with existing 5k displays that is not TB3.
 
Cougarcat said:
I am interested in knowing this as well. I assume you would need to connect this to a thunderbolt dock, which defeats the purpose of having an inbuilt one.

Edit: The other USB C ports are only USB 2 (??) so yes, you'd need some type of TB3 dock.

Oh, I think you're talking about the 5K monitor, as the 4K isn't TB at all.
Click to expand...
Are you sure about that? Sounds odd. Where have you read that?
 
Romf said:
You are right, thanks. Sounds quite silly though. I read the same about the LG usbc screen (not the LG/Apple one).
Maybe because it is not using TB3 for connection?
Click to expand...
Yes, USB 3.0 gen 1 just does not have enough bandwidth.
 
tryrtryrtryrt said:
Yes, USB 3.0 gen 1 just does not have enough bandwidth.
Click to expand...
Good to know. So basically the ONLY monitor that would be enough to replace a thunderbolt station (meaning ONE cable, and some USB3 ports working at full speed) would be a TB3 monitor.
So just the LG 5K then?
 
Consider the Dell displays. I loved my Apple Cinema Display, but I finally upgraded to 27" Dell 4k displays (they have 5k models available as well, on-par with the price of the LG model). I want it to be able to work with my Windows PC. The ACD would, because it used miniDP. But the thunderbolt display or the new LG UltraFine display won't work with anything else but a Thunderbolt equipped machine. That level of proprietary-ness is just unreasonable for me.

Heck, since the Dell displays have HDMI; you could plug in a Satellite TV box or video game console. I'm seriously considering adding a Sat TV box in here so I can flip my second monitor to the news or a ballgame or something while I'm working.

They don't look good. But neither do the LG Displays. So that's moot at this point. If my choices are between a pair of blocky, accountant's-desk looking monitors; each highly rated, accurate and calibrated? I'm going with the one with more inputs.

I have the "non-ultrasharp" because it fits my needs and is much cheaper. But the Dell Ultrasharp 5k displays are very much on-par with the LG UltraFine... but you can plug other stuff into it than one Mac.
 
I see your point.
But I won't use it with anything else than the macbook pro (I already have a setup with a Dell screen, happy with it, has plenty inputs but just using for the MBP).
And the BIG plus of the Dell 5K screen is the integrated USB-C station.
Which means I get rid of the TB station I have now and all the wires attached to it. Only one wire for the screen, and one between screen and MBP. Thats a huge plus
 
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Romf said:
I see your point.
But I won't use it with anything else than the macbook pro (I already have a setup with a Dell screen, happy with it, has plenty inputs but just using for the MBP).
And the BIG plus of the Dell 5K screen is the integrated USB-C station.
Which means I get rid of the TB station I have now and all the wires attached to it. Only one wire for the screen, and one between screen and MBP. Thats a huge plus
Click to expand...

In that context, go for it.
 
Romf said:
Also, I thought that Tunderbolt3/usb-c integrated displayport signal.
Am I totally wrong?
Click to expand...

It does. But it doesn't appear to be using that. For example, the Apple Thunderbolt Display only worked with Thunderbolt ports, even though Thunderbolt ports also include DisplayPort video.
 
el-John-o said:
It does. But it doesn't appear to be using that. For example, the Apple Thunderbolt Display only worked with Thunderbolt ports, even though Thunderbolt ports also include DisplayPort video.
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Because its thunderbolt, therefore, requires a thunderbolt machine to power it.
 
Outrigger said:
I don't think there are any 5k TB3 displays. I can see the mbp not being compatible with existing 5k displays that is not TB3.
Click to expand...

That's not quite what I meant.

There are a few adaptors out there that convert from TB3 to 2xDP. Which might enable another 5k monitor via MST. Unfortunately, these are all (currently) Windows-only. Eg.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/cable-solution-for-dell-5k-screen-with-tb3.2010905/

Another possibility would be to use two of the TB3 ports, via converters (to TB2). Then hook them both up for an MST 5k monitor. Thou I guess two such setups (2 x5k) would take up ALL the outputs. However, it seems that this too will not work, as per support.

Apparently, there's some specialised circuitry contained in the LG UltraFine 5k monitors, developed with Apple, which might explain why nothing else will work via the MBP. It might also account for those rumours of a mini-gpu within a display.
 
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rdav said:
That's not quite what I meant.

There are a few adaptors out there that convert from TB3 to 2xDP. Which might enable another 5k monitor via MST. Unfortunately, these are all (currently) Windows-only. Eg.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/cable-solution-for-dell-5k-screen-with-tb3.2010905/

Another possibility would be to use two of the TB3 ports, via converters (to TB2). Then hook them both up for an MST 5k monitor. Thou I guess two such setups (2 x5k) would take ALL the outputs. However, it seems that this too will not work, as per support.

I now understand that there's some specialised circuitry contained in the LG UltraFine 5k monitors, developed with Apple, which might explain why nothing else will work via the MBP. It might also account for those rumours of a mini-gpu within a display.
Click to expand...

I e-mailed two of the companies who make "windows only" TB3 to DisplayPort x2 devices and both said that they are "unsure" whether they will work with the 2016 MacBook Pro. (But they didn't say no). Since the MacBook doesn't have thunderbolt, I wonder if they simply didn't want to create confusion. Some users may see the USB-C connector and assume it 'works' with the MacBook.
 
el-John-o said:
I e-mailed two of the companies who make "windows only" TB3 to DisplayPort x2 devices and both said that they are "unsure" whether they will work with the 2016 MacBook Pro. (But they didn't say no). Since the MacBook doesn't have thunderbolt, I wonder if they simply didn't want to create confusion. Some users may see the USB-C connector and assume it 'works' with the MacBook.
Click to expand...

Based on what Plugable said about existing TB3 chipsets not working, I'm doubtful they'll work.
 
Asked LG if with the new MBP, the USB3 ports on their 27UD88 get throttled to USB2 as with the macbook 12, here is the answer:

Hello Romf,

Life’s Good! Thank you for contacting LG U.S. Electronics Email Service and I hope everything is going well with you. I understand your concern and it’s my pleasure to assist you with this.

USB-3 ports speed does not cap at USB-2 speed. All LG monitors are compatible to any operating system and any computer since it’s a plug and play device. Our monitor doesn’t have any drive; all new and old monitors are plug and play will never require using a driver for it to work.


I wish to provide you more favorable answer. Your patience is highly appreciated and we thank you for being the best part of LG! Please contact us again via Email, Live Chat or by calling 800-243-0000 if you need further assistance. LG Electronics is fully committed to customer service and satisfaction.


Sincerely,
Click to expand...
 
Romf said:
Asked LG if with the new MBP, the USB3 ports on their 27UD88 get throttled to USB2 as with the macbook 12, here is the answer:
Click to expand...

thats an easy answer. 27UD88 will not throttle down to USB 2.0 speed because the MBP has enough bandwidth. The throttling was a limitation on the 12in macbook being able to run 4k at 60hz.
 
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