Currently I'm running a pair of 1920 x 1080 monitors on my 2015 13" rMBP - one through a Caldigit TS2, the other via HDMI from the laptop. The Sceptre monitor was on sale a couple weeks ago for less than $250 so I figured I'd pick it up. That way, I'd have more screen real estate with this one monitor, than with my existing two - and cut down on wires and desktop clutter.
Anyway, I bought both a miniDP/TB2 to DP cable, and a miniDP/TB2 to DP adapter to use with a straight DP to DP cable if needed. According to the their specs, both the Caldigit and the 2015 rMBP are capable of driving a 4K monitor at 60Hz through their TB2 ports.
First I tried connecting the monitor through the Caldigit hub TB2 port, then to both the TB2 ports on the rMBP itself. Either way I got "No signal" displayed on the monitor. I tried this using both the TB2 to DP cable and the TB2/DP adapter with DP to DP cable. I know the cables/adapters worked because I tried them with my wife's Surface Pro 3 TB port to the Sceptre and it displayed fine without having to do anything special. I also know the Mac TB2 ports work because I have the existing, lower res monitor and Caldigit hub I use with the TB2 port.
The only way I got the rMBP to see the monitor at all was through the HDMI port - but then you can only use 4K at 30Hz - I want it at 60Hz. Unfortunately, the monitor arrived a day before our vacation, so I didn't have a lot of time to play with it before I would be past the return period....so I ended up returning it.
My question is - do you think this situation is peculiar to the Sceptre monitor, or is this something I'd run into with any 4K monitor with the 2015 13" rMBP? Did I purchase the wrong cables/adapters? Is some special hardware needed to get the Mac to even see there's a monitor connected? I'd like to try again with a different model monitor, but if it's something that just won't work - I'll forget about it.
Anyway, I bought both a miniDP/TB2 to DP cable, and a miniDP/TB2 to DP adapter to use with a straight DP to DP cable if needed. According to the their specs, both the Caldigit and the 2015 rMBP are capable of driving a 4K monitor at 60Hz through their TB2 ports.
First I tried connecting the monitor through the Caldigit hub TB2 port, then to both the TB2 ports on the rMBP itself. Either way I got "No signal" displayed on the monitor. I tried this using both the TB2 to DP cable and the TB2/DP adapter with DP to DP cable. I know the cables/adapters worked because I tried them with my wife's Surface Pro 3 TB port to the Sceptre and it displayed fine without having to do anything special. I also know the Mac TB2 ports work because I have the existing, lower res monitor and Caldigit hub I use with the TB2 port.
The only way I got the rMBP to see the monitor at all was through the HDMI port - but then you can only use 4K at 30Hz - I want it at 60Hz. Unfortunately, the monitor arrived a day before our vacation, so I didn't have a lot of time to play with it before I would be past the return period....so I ended up returning it.
My question is - do you think this situation is peculiar to the Sceptre monitor, or is this something I'd run into with any 4K monitor with the 2015 13" rMBP? Did I purchase the wrong cables/adapters? Is some special hardware needed to get the Mac to even see there's a monitor connected? I'd like to try again with a different model monitor, but if it's something that just won't work - I'll forget about it.