Pro Display XDR True Tone Option w/ MBP

[HunterH]

Hi,

I've got my new Pro Display XDR attached to my mid-2019 15.4" MacBook Pro (i.e. the refresh of the MBP from May of this year). It's connected through a Blackmagic eGPU Pro.

The display connects fine and the system sees it but shouldn't I have the option to enable or disable True Tone on the 'Displays' panel? The checkbox isn't there... Is there a trick to it? This is on Catalina 10.15.2.

I've tried a few different scaling modes including with 'Opt' plus color profiles. No TT option appearing.

I'll ask Apple Support next but figured someone here might know.

 

[OCDMacGeek]

Hi,

I've got my new Pro Display XDR attached to my mid-2019 15.4" MacBook Pro (i.e. the refresh of the MBP from May of this year). It's connected through a Blackmagic eGPU Pro.

The display connects fine and the system sees it but shouldn't I have the option to enable or disable True Tone on the 'Displays' panel? The checkbox isn't there... Is there a trick to it? This is on Catalina 10.15.2.

I've tried a few different scaling modes including with 'Opt' plus color profiles. No TT option appearing.

I'll ask Apple Support next but figured someone here might know.

I have the Pro Display XDR connected to my iMac Pro with the Blackmagic eGPU Pro. I am seeing the True Tone option. However, I am only getting 5k. Older machines are still supposed to get 6k with the Blackmagic eGPU Pro. Yours is an older machine that needs it as well — are you getting full 6k?

And how are you connecting the display to the Blackmagic? Are you using a displayport to USB-C adapter or thunderbolt 3?

 

[HunterH]

I have the Pro Display XDR connected to my iMac Pro with the Blackmagic eGPU Pro. I am seeing the True Tone option. However, I am only getting 5k. Older machines are still supposed to get 6k with the Blackmagic eGPU Pro. Yours is an older machine that needs it as well — are you getting full 6k?

And how are you connecting the display to the Blackmagic? Are you using a displayport to USB-C adapter or thunderbolt 3?

This is a 2019 MacBook Pro so it should be fully supported at 6k even without the eGPU per Apple.com (2018 or later 15" MBP are supported along with the 16" and 2019 iMacs).

I'm all TB3. I'm getting full 6k both with and without the eGPU connected but I don't see that True Tone toggle (only on the internal display). It's odd.

 

[HunterH]

Doing a little more fiddling, sort of interesting.

1) Config A

MBP <-- TB3 --> eGPU <-- TB3 --> XDR

2) Config B

MBP <-- TB3 --> XDR

I tried again with a reboot in between and I'm seeing slightly different results in the defaults offered. With Config A, the 'Default for display' is one step below the full panel but the native size can be selected under 'Scaled'. With Config B, despite the fact that the built-in Radeon graphics aren't as powerful as the eGPU, the default is the full res of the panel. Neither shows me True Tone though.

Anyway, when I have a minute I'll reach out to Apple Support and find out what the differences are / how it's supposed to work exactly.

 

[Nomad110]

Hi,

I've got my new Pro Display XDR attached to my mid-2019 15.4" MacBook Pro (i.e. the refresh of the MBP from May of this year). It's connected through a Blackmagic eGPU Pro.

The display connects fine and the system sees it but shouldn't I have the option to enable or disable True Tone on the 'Displays' panel? The checkbox isn't there... Is there a trick to it? This is on Catalina 10.15.2.

I've tried a few different scaling modes including with 'Opt' plus color profiles. No TT option appearing.

I'll ask Apple Support next but figured someone here might know.

That is interesting. Here is what I see on the 16" MBP when connected directly to the display.

 

[inflame93]

May sound silly but have you updated os x?

 

[Nomad110]

May sound silly but have you updated os x?

He already mentioned he's running 10.15.2.

 

[HunterH]

Yeah, I'm up to date.

If I toggle True Tone on the internal display, it clearly changes the XDR as well so perhaps that's somehow related, i.e. the preferences are linked...

 

[Nomad110]

Yeah, I'm up to date.

If I toggle True Tone on the internal display, it clearly changes the XDR as well so perhaps that's somehow related, i.e. the preferences are linked...

I assume though that is only when the lid on the MBP is open. With it closed the TrueTone sensor is deactivated.

 

[joevt]

This is a 2019 MacBook Pro so it should be fully supported at 6k even without the eGPU per Apple.com (2018 or later 15" MBP are supported along with the 16" and 2019 iMacs).

I'm all TB3. I'm getting full 6k both with and without the eGPU connected but I don't see that True Tone toggle (only on the internal display). It's odd.

Can you please post the results of this command:

/System/Library/Extensions/AppleGraphicsControl.kext/Contents/MacOS/AGDCDiagnose -a > AGDCDiagnose.txt 2>&1

It will tell us how the display is connected (DisplayPort version, speed, lane count). Run it with the display connected to the eGPU and also the MacBook Pro (use a separate file name for each). I'm trying to discover why the XDR only allows 6K with an iMac Pro connected to the same eGPU. The command also gives the EDID of the display. The Apple override files have 6 possible product IDs. Maybe different modes use different product IDs...

 

[mixart]

May I ask you if this combo is a silent operation, when a MacBook Pro and a Blackmagic eGPU Pro is connected to the XDR Display?

 

[Thai Tan]

I’m having the same issue as the original poster. I have the XDR display connected to MacBook Pro 16. True Tone is not an option on the XDR display. Just the MacBook.
Anyone figure out a solution ?