# Anyone using a LARGE 4K display on a Mac?



## whinecellar (Oct 16, 2014)

Howdy,

Now that 4k displays are a reality, I would LOVE to jump in... I drool at the thought of all that extra real estate, especially for a large scoring template. So, anyone doing it? Only a few of the latest Macs support it, and since my main Mac has been a Mac Mini for the last year (with 3 others as slaves), I'm entertaining the idea of a new tricked-out Retina MBP so I can get real work done while traveling, then plug into a big 4K panel when home in the studio.

Thoughts?

Thanks,


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## markstyles (Oct 18, 2014)

It should be AMAZING.. I've been using a Gateway 30" 2560 X 1600 for years ($1000) and I absolutely love it.. 

If you're going to be using primarily for DAW work, super refresh nor perfect color tone balance is not important.. Someone else's high fidelity monitor might satisfy you for a lot less.


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## Nathanael Iversen (Oct 18, 2014)

I have a Dell 2815Q. It is great. The first time you use it it, the amount of pixels is just amazing. Especially compared to a MBP Retina. There are a couple of things you need to know.

1) the new MBP's go to sleep when you close the lid. You can look up hacks on how to deal with it. But by default, it won't just do the big screen.

2) Wireless reception is not as good with the lid closed. May or may not be an issue.

3) there is no comparison on a big template between a modern i7 something and a MBP. I have been using a MBP for about 6 months and am going to build a Cubase PC. There just aren't enough ports on it. I have a 7 port USB expander, etc. But every port on the thing is full, and I have to disconnect stuff to hook up backup drives, etc. The MBP is going to be used for laptop duties, general internet, and truly mobile stuff. Anytime I am in my studio, I want a full DAW. 

4) Windoiws 8 does a better job scaling content to the 4k than OSX. I have my OSX scaled slightly until I get glasses. This isn't a big deal, just something I noticed.

I like the 4k so much, I'm planning to buy another. At $450 @ Dell, they aren't that bad.

Cubase is amazing on a 4k - there is room for everything. I haven't tried rotating this to portrait mode yet, but I think I can fit a full orchestral score vertically on it.


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## Nathanael Iversen (Oct 19, 2014)

https://code.google.com/p/macosx-nosleep-extension/

This is what I use to close the lid and just use the 4k display. You'll need something like this.

Still, unless you really are going to have your whole environment just on the laptop, and need everything you have on the road, I think you might be happier with a regular PC/Mac Pro. 1TB is just not much space (just Berlin Strings is ~250GB). Start adding external drives, multiple monitors, wired ethernet for VEP slaves, and it just gets silly. It has 4 cores, yes, it has 16GB of RAM. But it exhausts very quickly. 

The reality is that my speakers, room, and setup are fixed. The laptop, for me, is a poor choice for a primary DAW. It is fine for sketching out harmony or something on the go, but I am not really doing mockup outside my studio. I have great in-ear monitors, but it is much preferable to work on speakers in a treated room.

I am going to move to a proper rack-mount DAW where I can have 10 USB3 ports, scads of SATAIII ports, lots of RAM, etc and drive two 4k monitors+ an HD display simultaneously. The new Core i7 5820k looks great. 6x3.3Ghz cores, and because it comes from the Xeon line, it isn't limited to 64GB of RAM. 

In all such things, YMMV. If you have a basic library or two, a bunch of softsynths and it all fits and works for you, go for it. My rig is moving the opposite direction.


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## whinecellar (Dec 1, 2015)

Update - been researching like crazy and a handful of you are using smaller (27-32") 4k displays, but to my aging eyes that seems like a step backward... I don't want to squint. Can anyone recommend a Mac-happy 4k monitor that's at least 40-50"? There are myriad TV options but then you have to watch out for connections (Displayport vs. HDMI), input lag, game mode, consumer processing, 4.4.4 chroma issues, etc. I just want a large 4k panel that works and looks great. Anyone? Thanks!


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## mc_deli (Dec 1, 2015)

Asus 4k here. Only 28" but right in front of my face. Tb over display port 1.2.

I don't close the lid. I like the 2nd screen for mixer, spectrum analysis etc.

Owc tb2 dock for 5 more Usb3, ethernet, more tb. 

And I now use Display Menu, a little app to turn off retina (hidip) on both screens because Logic works better with less lag. 

I haven't tried VEPRO through the dock with a slave though that day will come.

All that said i would not recommend a rMBP as a main studio DAW unless you have to be mobile because THE FUNKERS GLUED THE BATTERY. Should be illegal imho.


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## whinecellar (Dec 1, 2015)

Thanks mc-deli. I love that OWC TB2 dock - I have one myself. Great piece of kit! And I can tell you VE Pro works fine through it - one of my rMBP's is one of my sample slaves as well as my office/email/web machine and I have much of LASS dedicated to it, running off the internal SSD no less.

Anyway, like I said above, I want at least a 40" 4k simply due to my aging eyesight - I'm used to a 40" 1080p for years so even a 40" 4k will be a downgrade in pixel size, but I'm willing to trade that for the massive real estate upgrade. Still, I appreciate your input!

Jim


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## rpaillot (Dec 1, 2015)

http://www.boulanger.com/ref/1051923?xtor=SEC-1294-GOO&xts=171153&origin={adtype}&kwd={keyword}&gclid=CjwKEAiAp_WyBRD37bGB_ZO9qAYSJAA72IkgsvWkH03p81gaKpyDFYpjQ2Z2glDG6k6iy18YgxnMPBoCRFnw_wcB#xtor=SEC-6177-GOO-[{keyword}]

40'' Philips 4K.

I have it, and its truly amazing.
I dont think there are affordable 4K Monitor which are bigger than 40'' yet.


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## wbacer (Dec 1, 2015)

I just purchased a Samsung 32" UHD Professional LED Monitor U32D970Q ($949 on Amazon)

I have it plugged into my 2013 Mac Pro via Display Port to mini Display port cable. (cable included)
Since the display supports multiple inputs, I also have my FIOS cable box plugged into the HDMI port so it doubles as a full screen 4K TV monitor. (HDMI cable also included)
You can also set up the monitor so that you can view live broadcast TV via PIP which can be configured to any corner of the screen.

Screen resolution is clear and detailed with no lag time. The display also as serves as a four port USB3 hub.
Two of the USB ports can also be set up as charging hubs for your iOS devices.

I also have a Mac Thunderbolt display as my now second display. Moving between the two displays is seamless.
I did have to set the screen resolution on the Samsung display to one resolution larger via the Mac display preference. Text at the default setting is too small for my aging eyes but at one resolution larger it's about the same size as the text on my Thunderbolt display's default setting and I still get a lot more screen real estate to work with. I was amazed as to how many more tracks I can now view in Logic X.

Highly recommended.

Wayne


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## Gerhard Westphalen (Dec 1, 2015)

I'm using the Philips 40" monitor. The only issue I've had with it is that you can't get the monitor off without it disconnecting from the computers so the only way to get it off without disconnecting is to have the computer "turn off display after..." or sleep. I think it might be an issue with Displayport. 

The multiview is great for accessing multiple computers. 

This also happens to be the monitor that Trevor Morris is using. I used to have an LG one but the latency was far too much so I sold that one and picked up this one on sale. 

This weekend I got rid of my secondary display since I wasn't using it (but left the cables so I can easily pop it back in) so now I'm essentially working with only 1 monitor (plus my touchscreen and TV in the back). I kinda miss being surrounded by 5 monitors a few years back. Kinda makes my studio just look like an office and not the impressive Zimmeresque setup.


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## Jason_D (Dec 1, 2015)

I am a big proponent of 4K or 5K . I think it is one of the biggest improvements a composer can make to their workflow since SSDs. I like having 6 midi CC windows open in the piano roll at once.



Gerhard Westphalen said:


> I'm using the Philips 40" monitor. The only issue I've had with it is that you can't get the monitor off without it disconnecting from the computers so the only way to get it off without disconnecting is to have the computer "turn off display after..." or sleep. I think it might be an issue with Displayport.
> 
> The multiview is great for accessing multiple computers.
> 
> ...




That looks like a great setup Gerhard.


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## whinecellar (Dec 1, 2015)

Thanks rpaillot, that's the main contender I've been looking at. It has some mixed reviews and a handful of people complaining about color banding/artifacts... any compromises as far as you're concerned? If I've gotta look at it all day long, I want it to look great! Thanks again...


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## rpaillot (Dec 1, 2015)

whinecellar said:


> Thanks rpaillot, that's the main contender I've been looking at. It has some mixed reviews and a handful of people complaining about color banding/artifacts... any compromises as far as you're concerned? If I've gotta look at it all day long, I want it to look great! Thanks again...



Color quality is great as well as black . Black is really black. Really great contrast.
There's indeed some banding artifacts, but they're nearly invisible in a DAW context....And it might depends of the unit you buy. Some seem affected, some not.

Check out the banding artifact here: Only happens if you scroll a big white picture. Which nevers happens in a DAW 


https://www.dropbox.com/s/c8dvodct6kft7ib/bandingphilips4k.mp4?dl=0


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## samphony (Dec 1, 2015)

To anyone who is researching a 40" or bigger 4K display I can recommend CROSSOVER. I've bought the crossover 40" 44k for 600€ a couple of months ago and will buy their new 43" version for the wall soon. I went from a three display setup to a massive one display setup. It's just mind blowing.

The successor of the crossover 44k is the 404k only difference is HDMI 2.0 instead of 1.4.

To run the display at 60hz you need to connect it via (mini) DisplayPort.


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## whinecellar (Dec 1, 2015)

Thanks much for the helpful video rpaillot! Yeah, some of the really reputable reviews don't even mention that, so I'm assuming maybe not all units are affected? I also assume that wouldn't be an issue with a white text doc (for example) against a light background - only dark ones? Again, if I'm gonna spend the cash and have this as my main display, I don't want to compromise... but since Best Buy carries these I could probably take the risk since it would be an easy return 

Thanks again!


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## JMDNYC (Dec 1, 2015)

Here you go. It's an LG 34UC87M. Important to get the Display Port connection to get the higher resolution.


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## gsilbers (Dec 1, 2015)

interesting to see 4k. I guess more tracks will fit on the screen.

I can say the future holds a lot of bets on the HDR format as the next big thing.
but.. who knows... but there is a lot of bets.


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## mickeyl (Dec 1, 2015)

JMDNYC said:


> Here you go. It's an LG 34UC87M. Important to get the Display Port connection to get the higher resolution.


That looks like an efficient desk -- what model is that?


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## JMDNYC (Dec 1, 2015)

mickeyl said:


> That looks like an efficient desk -- what model is that?


Designed by my wife and custom built. You'll note the wood matches the wall. The midi keyboard slides in and out.


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## TintoL (Dec 1, 2015)

I have been thinking a lot lately about this. I used to have 5 monitors connected together because I couldn't pay for a big one 4k. Now that my basement with my studio burnt on a fire, I have to buy all my studio again.

I was tired of the mouse and my hand was getting tired because I write a lot the notes in the piano roll. I changed to a wacom tablet but still hated the disconnection with the monitor.
I am used to using a cintiq to work as a designer. So, now I am thinking that I rather have a 27 inch cintiq in 2k so I can draw my notes and dinamics in the monitor.

I found this musician's video on youtube using a 13 inch cintiq. And I think this is even better than a 4k monitor. You can draw on the monitor with the pen and you can also use it as a touch monitor. This thing is a digitizer and a touch capacitor at the same time.

There are a 13hd, a 22hd and a 27 2k cintiq. But they are mega expensive.

Is anyone using a cintiq for the orchestral stuff?


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## samphony (Dec 2, 2015)

Also keep in mind that the Phillips 40" suffers from PWM which the crossover 404k does not.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Perfect-Pixel-CROSSOVER-404K-UHD-HDMI2-0-40-LED-3840x2160-4K-VA-Monitor-Remote-/400953352143?rmvSB=true&ul_ref=http%253A%252F%252Frover.ebay.com%252Frover%252F1%252F711-53200-19255-0%252F1%253Ficep_ff3%253D2%2526pub%253D5574933636%2526toolid%253D10001%2526campid%253D5337487963%2526customid%253D%2526mpre%253Dhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww%25252Eebay%25252Ecom%25252Fitm%25252FPerfect-Pixel-CROSSOVER-404K-UHD-HDMI2-0-40-LED-3840x2160-4K-VA-Monitor-Remote-%25252F400953352143%2526srcrot%253D711-53200-19255-0%2526rvr_id%253D942168876070&ul_noapp=true (Crossover 404k)


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## mickeyl (Dec 2, 2015)

Interesting choices. I actually wonder why there is still a distinction of the product lines "monitor" and "tv" given that the TVs now feature such massive resolutions as well. Are there any disadvantages to buying a "tv" instead of a "monitor" left these days? I can only think of a TV not featuring a thunderbolt port, but other than that...?


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## samphony (Dec 2, 2015)

mickeyl said:


> Interesting choices. I actually wonder why there is still a distinction of the product lines "monitor" and "tv" given that the TVs now feature such massive resolutions as well. Are there any disadvantages to buying a "tv" instead of a "monitor" left these days? I can only think of a TV not featuring a thunderbolt port, but other than that...?



That's why I choose the model mentioned. I personally don't need a tv that is talking to the outside world  

Also the TV before HDMI 2.0 only supported 30hz refresh rate. Also TVs are still more expensive. You pay for stuff you might not need.


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## mickeyl (Dec 2, 2015)

samphony said:


> That's why I choose the model mentioned. I personally don't need a tv that is talking to the outside world
> 
> Also the TV before HDMI 2.0 only supported 30hz refresh rate. Also TVs are still more expensive. You pay for stuff you might not need.



Right, however a big bonus for me would be that you have a much greater choice in physical size. High resolution is great, but with increasing age and fading eyesight, e.g. 5K @ 27" (5K iMac) do not make much sense for me. I'd rather have 4K at 38" or so.


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## samphony (Dec 2, 2015)

mickeyl said:


> Right, however a big bonus for me would be that you have a much greater choice in physical size. High resolution is great, but with increasing age and fading eyesight, e.g. 5K @ 27" (5K iMac) do not make much sense for me. I'd rather have 4K at 38" or so.


That's why I bought a crossover 44k 40" PWM flicker free low blue light screen and will add another 43"


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## whinecellar (Dec 2, 2015)

The problem with TVs vs monitors is that few are really designed for computer use. You have to be very careful about input lag, goofy image processing, lack of 4.4.4 chroma support, connectivity (Mac users will need DisplayPort or Thunderbolt), etc. 

Still very few great options, at least for the Mac side of the fence at the moment...


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## chrysshawk (Dec 2, 2015)

This thread is far better than porn. I will pick up my 40" Philips today and might post a pic later


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## whinecellar (Dec 2, 2015)

Ha - do report back! Enjoy


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## kdm (Dec 2, 2015)

For the Philips 40" owners, how is the glare? Supposedly this is semi-gloss screen. Even with full control over my studio lighting, the one semi-gloss LED display has rather distracting and noticeable glare. One reason I'm looking for a reasonable 40" 4k monitor option instead of TV (other than lag) is to get away from potential glare problems.


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## Jason_D (Dec 2, 2015)

I have a semi-gloss panel and I don't notice any glare until a really dark image is on screen. There is not a huge difference between TVs and monitors these days. I don't like TN panels, which a lot of computer monitors are. Most of the time TVs are either VA or IPS screens. You won't find a TV with Displayport either which makes that Philips a unique panel, and the Korean models for that matter.


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## whinecellar (Dec 2, 2015)

One thing's for sure - the reviews are really mixed on both the Philips and Crossover panels. As much as I want a 4k monitor, I want a *good* one if I'm gonna stare at it all day. I don't want color banding, inconsistent backlight or color issues, PWM flickering, etc. Maybe I'm OCD, but I'm unwilling to compromise and stare at a crappy screen. Without a doubt the most important things in my studio are my monitor system, my chair and my screen - everything else is moot if those aren't right 

That said, I may be willing to order one from Best Buy - that would mitigate any risk as opposed to dealing with Ebay, etc. Looking forward to more options in this area!


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## Nick Batzdorf (Dec 2, 2015)

Yeah, I was just going to ask what Jim is asking - whether these TV monitors are designed to be used for computers.

The thing is, there's absolutely nothing wrong with 15-year-old computer monitor technology (I'm still in love with my 10-year-old Apple 30" Cinema Display).

Sometimes things get cheaper with the economy of scale - and TVs are an extreme example of that - but other times they just get cheaper. Which is this?


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## whinecellar (Dec 2, 2015)

The two we're discussing here - the Philips and the Crossover - are definitely designed as monitors Nick - they don't have tuners or consumer processing, etc. in them. But they do reportedly have some issues that may bother some more than others. I am admittedly on the extremely picky side


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## Nick Batzdorf (Dec 2, 2015)

One should be picky about monitors. We stare at them all day long for years.


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## whinecellar (Dec 2, 2015)

Bingo - my thoughts exactly. I've been dreaming about a 4k canvas for years, but not at the expense of quality...


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## Jason_D (Dec 2, 2015)

I had the same thoughts as you guys. Plus it is a big risk if your unsure what you're getting. I decided to get a Samsung from Amazon because of that. If I didn't like it I would return it. Turns out I really like it and it is staying in the studio.


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## charlieclouser (Dec 2, 2015)

I use a Samsung 32" 4k computer monitor on the new Mac Pro cylinder, and it's great. Connected via a Mini DisplayPort > DisplayPort cable ($15) plugged into Thunderbolt on the cylinder and DisplayPort on the monitor. I felt that anything smaller than a 32" size made the text too small at the full 4k resolution. Even still, stuff gets pretty tiny on screen, so I'm glad I don't have any fader controllers or a console in between me and the display. If I did I'd be looking at a large 4k television, but I'd be worried about display lag. The Samsung I got was around $1,500 a year ago and it's been amazing. There were many cheaper 4k displays for around $500 but they were all around 27 inches, and Logic X would be just too tiny at that dot pitch.


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## samphony (Dec 2, 2015)

@whinecellar @Nick Batzdorf

I own that crossover display (nick it's a display not a TV) since 6 months or longer and I wouldn't go back to anything smaller than that. It has a LG VA panel. It's of great quality especially when looking at it 11-16 hours a day. No headaches, no eye sore, nothing to complain about. It comes with a remote control for easy set up.

I've installed it on an Ergotron flexible arm and adjusted it to my liking. I never use stands that come with screens anyway.

Also a good add on for anyone who is working long hours is to install f.lux it helps to get rid of that *eerie blue glow!*


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## whinecellar (Dec 2, 2015)

@charlieclouser - thanks for the info. Followed your posts on the other 4k thread. Your eyesight must be great, even with that 32" up close! I'd be toast trying to read everything at that pixel size, especially all my Kontakt-based libraries... heck, I'd almost do a 55" panel if I could


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## Nick Batzdorf (Dec 2, 2015)

How many pixels per inch is a 32" 4K monitor? The 30" Cinema Display is I think 100, about 3/4 of actual size if you're looking at a piece of paper. It's very comfortable for me to see at a little over 2' away.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Dec 2, 2015)

Here you go, Batzdorf:

http://www.noteloop.com/kit/display/pixel-density/

So according to that you'd need about a 42" 4K monitor for the image to be the same size as the 30" HD display. Of course, it would also have a lot more space.


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## whinecellar (Dec 2, 2015)

Here you go @Nick Batzdorf 

http://www.noteloop.com/kit/display/pixel-density/


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## whinecellar (Dec 2, 2015)

Whoa - did we just cross our streams?


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## Nick Batzdorf (Dec 2, 2015)

Yup.


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## madbulk (Jan 25, 2016)

charlieclouser said:


> I use a Samsung 32" 4k computer monitor on the new Mac Pro cylinder, and it's great. Connected via a Mini DisplayPort > DisplayPort cable ($15) plugged into Thunderbolt on the cylinder and DisplayPort on the monitor. I felt that anything smaller than a 32" size made the text too small at the full 4k resolution. Even still, stuff gets pretty tiny on screen, so I'm glad I don't have any fader controllers or a console in between me and the display. If I did I'd be looking at a large 4k television, but I'd be worried about display lag. The Samsung I got was around $1,500 a year ago and it's been amazing. There were many cheaper 4k displays for around $500 but they were all around 27 inches, and Logic X would be just too tiny at that dot pitch.



I just grabbed the same monitor as you, Charlie (unless I'm mistaken) and I have to ask... did you ever have trouble getting it to wake up? Unpacked a brand new cylinder and the samsung, and I'm not using the same cable as you... I'm using the adapter that came with the monitor display port to thunderbolt. I'm gonna order a cord that's prefabbed to convert today, but while I wait the two days, I wondered if you might give me cause for optimism.

The thing looks great. Logic is tiny but sharp and it's sure nice having that much visibility.


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## madbulk (Jan 25, 2016)

madbulk said:


> I just grabbed the same monitor as you, Charlie (unless I'm mistaken) and I have to ask... did you ever have trouble getting it to wake up? Unpacked a brand new cylinder and the samsung, and I'm not using the same cable as you... I'm using the adapter that came with the monitor display port to thunderbolt. I'm gonna order a cord that's prefabbed to convert today, but while I wait the two days, I wondered if you might give me cause for optimism.
> 
> The thing looks great. Logic is tiny but sharp and it's sure nice having that much visibility.



I'll partially answer my own question... it would seem that el capitan updates over the past couple of months have created lots of problems between cylinders and 4k's in general. The newest OS updates might resolve it. Downloading it now and will edit this with results in a bit.


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## mickeyl (Jan 26, 2016)

4 out of 5 times my thunderbolt display does not wake up. I switch it to another input, then it autodetects a valid input again. It's somewhat annoying, but bearable. It worked fine with 10.11 but has been broken in a service release...


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## madbulk (Jan 26, 2016)

And appears, to me, to be fixed by this latest one. Looks like I just unwrapped my new cylinder and monitor on an unlucky weekend before they put out a fix.


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## azeteg (Jan 27, 2016)

I am using the Philips BDM4065UC display, mainly for coding. The amount of things you can fit on the screen is simply staggering. I am not bothered by the reflectivity at all. Logic Pro X, that is usually a space-eater, thrives on this monitor.

One should be aware that this display is using a BGR subpixel layout however. I haven't found a way to get Mac OS X to apply font smoothing for BGR subpixels, turning font smoothing off is the only real alternative.

In Windows the situation is a bit better, since you can tune cleartype for BGR layouts. Unfortunately, not all software respect this tuning. PDF renderers, Chrome and a lot of other software keeps rendering text for RGB layouts regardless of cleartype tuning.

I am even considering turning the display upside-down to correct this.

The upside of this display for me is, that I'm correcting our software to optimize for BGR as well


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## rpaillot (Jan 27, 2016)

Azeteg,

I'm on OSX with the same monitor, and I don't have any issues regarding font display.. Don't really get what's wrong with this. Any examples ?


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## azeteg (Jan 27, 2016)

rpaillot said:


> Azeteg,
> 
> I'm on OSX with the same monitor, and I don't have any issues regarding font display.. Don't really get what's wrong with this. Any examples ?



Please check the bottom images at:
http://www.lagom.nl/lcd-test/subpixel.php

The text that looks best on your display should be the "subpixel BGR". Looking at the same image on an RGB display would yield the best result for "subpixel RGB".

Since most software optimizes for "subpixel RGB", text (and certain image resizing etc) will look worse on BGR displays. For instance, we have used a subpixel resizing on the backgrounds of some of our plugins, like "Vienna Imperial" or "Vienna Instruments". They will look worse (or "fuzzy/fringy") on BGR displays.


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## madbulk (Jan 31, 2016)

The 32 is pretty darn small, but logic looks great and having lots of stuff is kool. Here's the thing though ... it sits three inches above the desk at it's lowest setting. And THAT means it sits higher than the two 22's I have flanking it. And THEY can't be moved higher because they're just an inch below the near fields now. I might have to return it over this and go back to my 30 inch dell. Which, like Nick's apple 30", was just fine!


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## madbulk (Feb 2, 2016)

"Logic Pro X is scanning your system for audio devices, and has detected a device named “DisplayPort”.
I've had about enough of this too. The system does this periodically and breaks the relationship with my audio interface. My display port monitors don't even have speakers.


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## whinecellar (Feb 19, 2016)

After researching this to death for over a year I finally took the plunge on a Philips BDM4065UC. It is the only 40" 4k panel officially on the market in the U.S., unless you're open to ordering one of the Korean panels on Ebay - but that just felt too risky to me. You can get the Philips on Amazon or Best Buy. No-hassle returns, and thank goodness, because the first one showed up badly damaged from shipping. 2 days later I had a replacement.

Anyway, I haven't even calibrated it yet and it is simply stunning. This may be the biggest workflow/productivity boost for me since SSDs. I can now see 6 full score pages at once. A piano roll editor with all 127 notes, a CC lane and a good bit of my track list. And so on. More details & pics later, but so far I'm seeing none of the issues I was concerned about, and all the advantages I was hoping for.

Fingers crossed!


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## wcreed51 (Feb 19, 2016)

thanks for sharing this. I've been researching in lieu of being able to buy, and settled on this one in my mind.

How far back do you sit from the screen?


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## Creston (Feb 19, 2016)

whinecellar said:


> After researching this to death for over a year I finally took the plunge on a Philips BDM4065UC. It is the only 40" 4k panel officially on the market in the U.S., unless you're open to ordering one of the Korean panels on Ebay - but that just felt too risky to me. You can get the Philips on Amazon or Best Buy. No-hassle returns, and thank goodness, because the first one showed up badly damaged from shipping. 2 days later I had a replacement.
> 
> Anyway, I haven't even calibrated it yet and it is simply stunning. This may be the biggest workflow/productivity boost for me since SSDs. I can now see 6 full score pages at once. A piano roll editor with all 127 notes, a CC lane and a good bit of my track list. And so on. More details & pics later, but so far I'm seeing none of the issues I was concerned about, and all the advantages I was hoping for.
> 
> Fingers crossed!



Could you post of a pic of maybe your Logic X screen? Seems quite cheap here in the UK for a monitor that size.


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## whinecellar (Feb 19, 2016)

Yeah guys, I'll post some screen shots ASAP. It will probably be Monday or so - I'm traveling a lot this weekend. My eyes are 24-36" from the screen. Happy to post a thorough review - good ones are hard to come by for what we do 

Jim


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## whinecellar (Feb 19, 2016)

OK, this just took a minute - rough idea. Just copied some screenshots to dropbox - hopefully this works:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/q3alkaoroy2xd5t/arr-alt.png?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/3zh9iiyjrf1240i/arr-mixer.png?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ppsqhpgbhfawdvh/arr-pr.png?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/v6urka8toe40l8j/score.png?dl=0


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## Jason_D (Feb 19, 2016)

Good to hear that you are happy with the monitor Jim.

A problem I ran into is getting the mouse to move faster. I have the speed setting full blast and I feel like it should go even faster.


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## whinecellar (Feb 19, 2016)

Jason_D said:


> A problem I ran into is getting the mouse to move faster. I have the speed setting full blast and I feel like it should go even faster.


How are you connected to it? HDMI limits you to 30Hz which is awful and laggy for sure; using a Mini DP > DP cable should give you full 60Hz refresh as on any other proper display. I have yet to test this as I'm waiting on my cables, so at the moment I'm just using HDMI, which of course is terrible


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## Jason_D (Feb 19, 2016)

By moving faster I mean getting from one side of the screen to the other with a smaller wrist movement.


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## whinecellar (Feb 19, 2016)

Ah – Got it. I've always used Kensington Expert Mouse trackballs and I probably will have to change acceleration speed now


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## whinecellar (Feb 21, 2016)

Here's a screen shot of the Logic demo project. 84 tracks in the arrange window with the full mixer visible along the bottom, and even at 4k (3840 x 2160), everything is a good bit bigger on the 40" panel than on my MacBook Pro 15" set to 1920 x 1200. Needless to say, it is AWESOME to have this large of a workspace to spread things out.

My only complaint so far is that the Philips doesn't quite have the grayscale quality of an Apple display, but that's only obvious when you're sitting super-close, and it's only really apparent when staring at a largely gray GUI like Logic. On an Apple panel, everything looks tangibly solid if that makes sense; color consistency across the whole panel is rock-solid. On the Philips, it's more of a challenge to see that consistency across such a large space. Note that I'm being VERY picky. On the other hand, the contrast ratio of the Philips blows away anything I've ever seen, which most reviewers go on about; the blacks look like ink. ZERO backlight bleed. Looking at high-res photos is pretty mind-blowing, really. If you could only tweak Logic's background color like you could in 9, it wouldn't be an issue; but 40" of that dark gray is going to reveal a slight color shift on extreme viewing angles. Again, I'm being extremely picky, because otherwise I can't find anything wrong with this display. Just the opposite - there's a LOT to love. Literally.

Hope this helps. I've been waiting for this a long time!


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## Jason_D (Feb 21, 2016)

I am not too familiar with Logic. How do you have the piano roll window setup?

I like to snap the window to take the left side of the screen vertically so I can see all of the midi channels.


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## samphony (Feb 22, 2016)

whinecellar said:


> Here's a screen shot of the Logic demo project. 84 tracks in the arrange window with the full mixer visible along the bottom, and even at 4k (3840 x 2160), everything is a good bit bigger on the 40" panel than on my MacBook Pro 15" set to 1920 x 1200. Needless to say, it is AWESOME to have this large of a workspace to spread things out.
> 
> My only complaint so far is that the Philips doesn't quite have the grayscale quality of an Apple display, but that's only obvious when you're sitting super-close, and it's only really apparent when staring at a largely gray GUI like Logic. On an Apple panel, everything looks tangibly solid if that makes sense; color consistency across the whole panel is rock-solid. On the Philips, it's more of a challenge to see that consistency across such a large space. Note that I'm being VERY picky. On the other hand, the contrast ratio of the Philips blows away anything I've ever seen, which most reviewers go on about; the blacks look like ink. ZERO backlight bleed. Looking at high-res photos is pretty mind-blowing, really. If you could only tweak Logic's background color like you could in 9, it wouldn't be an issue; but 40" of that dark gray is going to reveal a slight color shift on extreme viewing angles. Again, I'm being extremely picky, because otherwise I can't find anything wrong with this display. Just the opposite - there's a LOT to love. Literally.
> 
> Hope this helps. I've been waiting for this a long time!



You will get used to it and will soon ask yourself how you could work with something smaller than 40" before.

One quick tip. If you haven't done so install this little free software called f.lux. https://justgetflux.com/

I like what it does to the screens color space! Especially when working nights. I use it everyday. It prevents that ugly blue light effect you usually have when starring at a screen!

I my opinion Logics colors look so much better thanks to it


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## whinecellar (Feb 22, 2016)

Jason_D said:


> I am not too familiar with Logic. How do you have the piano roll window setup?



Generally I just have a key command that opens a piano roll on the bottom half of the screen; selected regions are shown in the piano roll. This is why I wanted a 4k display so bad: I have room for a complete piano roll with a CC lane below a functional portion of my arrange window


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## whinecellar (Feb 22, 2016)

samphony said:


> You will get used to it and will soon ask yourself how you could work with something smaller than 40" before.



Yeah, I've had a 40" panel for years, but at 1080p. 4k is a whole new world!


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## owenave (Feb 28, 2016)

I have the new LG Ultra-wide 29" w Display port.. Looks great.
Going to get a 2nd one and have them side by side. Only paid $250 at Newegg over the 
Christmas Holidays.... That LG 34" looks sweet also ..... was tempted but was stretching 
Money. Need one of those Money Stretchers lol.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Feb 29, 2016)

Jim, you can speed up the acceleration rate of any input device with BetterTouchTool. It was originally free, now they ask for a donation, but it's fabulous.

And changing the tracking speed is a small part of what it does. Its main function is assigning shortcuts to gestures.


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## Audio Birdi (Feb 29, 2016)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> Jim, you can speed up the acceleration rate of any input device with BetterTouchTool. It was originally free, now they ask for a donation, but it's fabulous.
> 
> And changing the tracking speed is a small part of what it does. Its main function is assigning shortcuts to gestures.


+1 for BetterTouchTool.

I've been using it for years and the customisability definitely speeds up one's workflow. No touchpad for Windows is as customisable, even the Apple Trackpad with trackpad++ on Windows. Since it only allows custom gestures, you can't add additional key bindings for custom shortcuts like BTT.


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## whinecellar (Feb 29, 2016)

Nick Batzdorf said:


> Jim, you can speed up the acceleration rate of any input device with BetterTouchTool. It was originally free, now they ask for a donation, but it's fabulous.
> 
> And changing the tracking speed is a small part of what it does. Its main function is assigning shortcuts to gestures.



Thanks Nick. I've totally adjusted to this massive workspace - and am spoiled forever! I have a Contour Shuttle Pro and have all kinds of slick macros set up on that for navigation - been using one for a decade along with the Kensington trackball. Match made in heaven...


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## owenave (Mar 1, 2016)

Btw I have one of these newertech boxes to run USB 2 or 3 to a Display Port and I use it when I want to use my larger display with my Mac Book Pro and it works amazing. I was surprised.
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Newer Technology/VIDU3MDP/ And I am only on a USB2.0 out of my MBP.


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## autopilot (Mar 1, 2016)

Reading with envy and would love to go down this road. 

I have an older Mac pro - circa 2010 - Any ideas will it go running one of these 4k beasts. 

The video card that came with the mac has DVI and mini display port out. Would it run 4k or should I look at a card as well? Any ideas what? 

Thanks in advance !


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## whinecellar (Mar 1, 2016)

autopilot said:


> I have an older Mac pro - circa 2010 - Any ideas will it go running one of these 4k beasts.



https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202856


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## Jason_D (Mar 1, 2016)

autopilot said:


> The video card that came with the mac has DVI and mini display port out. Would it run 4k or should I look at a card as well? Any ideas what?


You want a card that has HDMI 2.0 or Displayport 1.2. Thunderbolt and Displayport are sort of synonymous.



whinecellar said:


> https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202856


Great link!


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## autopilot (Mar 1, 2016)

Sounds like a no then. *sadface* - oh but thanks for the link!


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## Creston (Mar 1, 2016)

There are cards to use with the older Mac Pros. Do some research. You can output 4k at 60.


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## pdub (Mar 1, 2016)

This should do it on a Mac Pro tower. 

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Sapphire/100352MAC/


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## owenave (Mar 1, 2016)

pdub said:


> This should do it on a Mac Pro tower.
> 
> http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Sapphire/100352MAC/



I have this one from macsales and works perfect on Laptop or Mac Pro 1.1 tower even
Make sure to download the driver for mac or windows on the page where it is listed on MacSales 
Runs on USB to Display Link. 
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Newer Technology/VIDU3MDP/


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## pdub (Mar 2, 2016)

Wow! That looks like a nifty little box. Amazing considering the price.


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## owenave (Mar 2, 2016)

pdub said:


> Wow! That looks like a nifty little box. Amazing considering the price.


Yeah I was amazed when I got mine. I figured for that cheap it might work but didn't think it would look great but it does and so simple to hook up and use.


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## wcreed51 (Mar 4, 2016)

I just took a deep breath and placed an order for the Phillips. I'll be using on a Win10 PC.


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## whinecellar (Mar 4, 2016)

wcreed51 said:


> I just took a deep breath and placed an order for the Phillips. I'll be using on a Win10 PC.


Funny - I just took a deep breath and ordered a Win10 PC 

Hope you like the Philips. It's a remarkable leap in productivity!


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## wcreed51 (Mar 4, 2016)

Thank Jim. Amazon tells me it's arriving on Monday, so I'll soon find out!


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## DR BOOWHO (Mar 5, 2016)

Only came on to have a quick nose.......Ended up buying a monitor. This is why I never go shopping with the wife haha


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## Vischebaste (Mar 7, 2016)

I also browsed this evil thread out of casual interest and am now about to buy a 4K monitor and upgrade my graphics card for my early 2009 Mac Pro. Does anyone have experience of the Iiyama X4071UHSU-B1 40"? It seems to be insanely good value, even cheaper than the Philips.

Also, any advice on any pitfalls of getting a 4K monitor working on the aforementioned Mac Pro would be much appreciated  I have a flashed Radeon R9 270X on its way, but no guarantee it's going to work, apparently.


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## whinecellar (Mar 7, 2016)

Vischebaste said:


> I also browsed this evil thread out of casual interest and am now about to buy a 4K monitor and upgrade my graphics card for my early 2009 Mac Pro. Does anyone have experience of the Iiyama X4071UHSU-B1 40"? It seems to be insanely good value, even cheaper than the Philips.



I'm not familiar with that monitor, but the only one in the US right now that works with Macs as a proper computer monitor is the Philips. Unless the Iiyama has a DisplayPort input and no consumer processing, you're going to have a slow refresh rate at best - you may want to check!


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## owenave (Mar 8, 2016)

whinecellar said:


> Funny - I just took a deep breath and ordered a Win10 PC
> 
> Hope you like the Philips. It's a remarkable leap in productivity!



Jim what is the model # of the Phillips? I am tired of using reading glasses
all day when I am working.


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## owenave (Mar 8, 2016)

wcreed51 said:


> Thank Jim. Amazon tells me it's arriving on Monday, so I'll soon find out!


What was Amazon's price? They have some great deals. And free Prime 2 day shipping.
I have to quit clicking on the Amazon link so often lol.


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## Vischebaste (Mar 8, 2016)

whinecellar said:


> I'm not familiar with that monitor, but the only one in the US right now that works with Macs as a proper computer monitor is the Philips. Unless the Iiyama has a DisplayPort input and no consumer processing, you're going to have a slow refresh rate at best - you may want to check!



Thanks! I'm pretty sure it's an office monitor, rather than a domestic one, I'll double check on the refresh rate, but think I remember reading that it's the same as the Philips.


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## whinecellar (Mar 8, 2016)

Here's a good review of the Philips, and there is some really helpful info throughout this thread. As I said earlier, you really need to make sure you are using a DisplayPort input with a Mac; HDMI limits you to a 30Hz refresh rate at 4k, which is awful. There are other issues to be aware of as well, and the Phillips is the only panel in the U.S. that doesn't have any of these issues.

As for needing reading glasses, you may want to reconsider a 4K panel - even with the panel close to your face, everything is pretty small. The tradeoff is tons of real estate 

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/philips-bdm4065uc-40-inch-ultra-hd-monitor,4302.html


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## Ashermusic (Mar 8, 2016)

I have my 41" Seiki Ultra HD 4k plugged into an HDMI port on my CalDigit Thunderbolt hub and I cannot see it well at the best resolution so I have it set like this, and it is easily good enough for me with Logic Pro X.

It is a huge help, I just wish that it did not periodically, force me to click a button on the remote to prevent auto shut-off. I called Seiki tech support and they did not know how to disable that


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## whinecellar (Mar 8, 2016)

Yeah, I've had the Philps for about 3 weeks now and I'm just not sure I can handle it at full 4K (3840 x 2160) - I find myself squinting and leaning in; everything is just a bit too small. So, I backed it down one notch to 3200 X 1800 and that seems like a good compromise; still a massive canvas but everything is much more comfortable to read. Sign of aging eyes


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## stonzthro (Mar 8, 2016)

Jay, are you experiencing a refresh rate problem going through HDMI?


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## Ashermusic (Mar 8, 2016)

stonzthro said:


> Jay, are you experiencing a refresh rate problem going through HDMI?



Not that is evident to me.


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## whinecellar (Mar 8, 2016)

stonzthro said:


> Jay, are you experiencing a refresh rate problem going through HDMI?



Again, the 30 Hz refresh limit over HDMI is only an issue when you're running at full 4k resolution; Jay is running at 2560 x 1440, so he can run at 60 Hz without issue. HDMI 2.0 overcomes this, but no current Mac is compatible with HDMI 2.0, so you're limited to DisplayPort if you want a true 4k experience. This may be helpful:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202856


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## Jason_D (Mar 8, 2016)

I have HDMI 2.0 from end to end but I got better results using a DP 1.2 adapter. The adapter's great because you can virtually use any computer (DP 1.2) with any modern 4K TV (HDMI 2.0) with full capabilities.

http://www.accellcables.com/products/displayport-1-2-to-hdmi-2-0-adapter

The difference was dynamic range. I was only getting limited with HDMI 2.0 and I was able to get full dynamic range with the adapter.


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## whinecellar (Mar 8, 2016)

Jason_D said:


> I have HDMI 2.0 from end to end but I got better results using a DP 1.2 adapter. The adapter's great because you can virtually use any computer (DP 1.2) with any modern 4K TV (HDMI 2.0) with full capabilities.
> 
> http://www.accellcables.com/products/displayport-1-2-to-hdmi-2-0-adapter
> 
> The difference was dynamic range. I was only getting limited with HDMI 2.0 and I was able to get full dynamic range with the adapter.


Interesting. What computer are you using this with? No Mac has a full-size DisplayPort output, so you would need an additional Mini DisplayPort (Thunderbolt) to DisplayPort adapter to make this work. Still, if it did, that's a cool solution and would allow even larger displays! I originally wanted a 50 or even 60" 4k panel, but such a beast doesn't exist with Mac-compatible inputs!


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## DR BOOWHO (Mar 8, 2016)

So my Display arrived yesterday and is now setup. First impression when plugging in was disappointing..
I was using a LG 34" and the Phillips didn't look too good in comparison......BUT....After changing a few setting and a tweak here and there things improved.
Display port comes default at 1.1 so had to swap to 1.2 for 60hz and the biggest improvement was getting out my Sony handycam and Pinnacle studio manuals..........and sticking them at the back of the monitor to tilt it forward. ☺; )☺☺.....What a difference!!.
Will have to come up with a more adequate solution but for now it will make do..
Thanks from me for starting this thread and the gentle persuasion that convinced me to buy..
And the wife asks if someone can start a thread about Louis Vuitton Handbags.....

p.s Came across another detailed review that might help http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/reviews/philips_bdm4065uc.htm


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## Jason_D (Mar 8, 2016)

There's a mini DP option as well. I don't see why a mini DP to DP wouldn't work. Some people on Amazon are saying it works great on a Mac, but you may have to set up a custom resolution profile. I'm using an aftermarket gfx card on windows with the adapter.

@DR BOOWHO: Yeah let's start a thread on Louboutins and Bosendorfers too.


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## wcreed51 (Mar 8, 2016)

Mine arrived this afternoon, and it's gorgeous. I'm not able to get it to 60hrz, so using at 30 for now. Not sure what the problem is; I changed it to PD 1.2 and tried a couple of different cables. I'm using the EVGA GTX 950. 

One unexpected annoyance is that dialog boxes open in the center of the screen, rather than centered in an application window.

But, I'm VERY happy with it!


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## Jason_D (Mar 8, 2016)

Imagine what you could do with 2 or 3 UHD monitors.

@wcreed51: Is the [email protected] resolution not available in the Nvidia control panel?

The new Thunderbolt 3 looks exciting. It can daisy chain two 4K monitors at 60hz through USB type C.


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## wcreed51 (Mar 9, 2016)

I was able to solve the problem. In the Nvidia control panel there's a second set of resolutions for PC father down the list that give 4k at 60hrz.


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## wcreed51 (Mar 9, 2016)

Here's a question for those with the Phillips:

If you drag your mouse down from the top of the screen, the image shrinks to a thumbnail, and you can place it on the left, slipping the screen in half. I don't see any way to fill the right side of the screen with another input. None of the MultiDisplay settings do the trick.

Has anyone figured this out? There's no mention of this in the manual.


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## whinecellar (Mar 9, 2016)

wcreed51 said:


> Here's a question for those with the Phillips:
> 
> If you drag your mouse down from the top of the screen, the image shrinks to a thumbnail, and you can place it on the left, slipping the screen in half. I don't see any way to fill the right side of the screen with another input. None of the MultiDisplay settings do the trick.
> 
> Has anyone figured this out? There's no mention of this in the manual.


No idea... is this a Windows thing or a feature of the display? I know it does picture-in-picture and multiple inputs, I just haven't tried any of that as I have no need for it...


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## DR BOOWHO (Mar 9, 2016)

I can get 2 inputs center of screen or 4 in quarters but not split right down the middle.Is that how far you have got also?


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## wcreed51 (Mar 9, 2016)

Dragging down and to the left. When released, it fills the left of the screen. The splitter bar can be adjusted for size. The PIP/PBP doesn't give input to the right side of the screen.


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## Vischebaste (Mar 11, 2016)

Does anyone have experience of their 4K monitor just not displaying a picture?

I got my Iiyama X4071UHSU-B1 40 delivered today, along with a Radeon R9 270X flashed to work on my 2009 Mac. I can't get any picture with this combination, either using displayport to displayport, or using DVI (from the graphics card) to displayport on the monitor (using a little displayport to DVI converter box supplied with the graphics card).

The graphics card is working, at least to some extent, as it will output DVI to DVI using my old monitor. The monitor is also working to some extent, as I can successfully connect a PC laptop to it using HDMI. 

The monitor allows me to choose from displayport 1.1 or 1.2, I have 1.2 selected.

Any thoughts would be much appreciated.


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## Jason_D (Mar 11, 2016)

http://www.iiyama.com/gl_en/products/prolite-x4071uhsu-b1/

Is this the monitor? Can you get picture with something other than your computer on the monitor? Is there a software update option in the TV's menu? After a quick glance at the specs, it looks like it gets 4K via HDMI, not the displayport.


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## Vischebaste (Mar 12, 2016)

Jason_D said:


> http://www.iiyama.com/gl_en/products/prolite-x4071uhsu-b1/
> 
> Is this the monitor? Can you get picture with something other than your computer on the monitor? Is there a software update option in the TV's menu? After a quick glance at the specs, it looks like it gets 4K via HDMI, not the displayport.



Hi Jason,

Thanks for the reply, yes that's the monitor 

I don't think there's an update option, but I'll check.

It looks as though the displayport offers (nearly) 4K, according to the spec: "
Maximum resolution VGA: 2048 x 1152 @60Hz, HDMI: 3840 x 2160 @60Hz, DisplayPort 3840 x 2160 @60Hz ( 8.3 megapixel)"


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## wcreed51 (Mar 12, 2016)

Do you need to specifically choose the DP input in the OSC?


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## Vischebaste (Mar 12, 2016)

It's set to select automatically, but I've tried over-riding that in case it isn't working by setting the input manually, but with no success.


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## wcreed51 (Mar 12, 2016)

Have you tried connecting with HDMI?


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## Vischebaste (Mar 12, 2016)

This is where it gets a bit complicated. I bought the card from a specialist company who flash new graphics cards to function fully on old (in my case, 2009) Macs. However, in this process, the HDMI port on the card becomes redundant, leaving me with 1x DVI and 1x Displayport connections. I figured this was preferable to buying a non-flashed card which either wouldn't display the boot up or possibly not work at all (the irony of this isn't lost on me).


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## wcreed51 (Mar 12, 2016)

Do you have a friend with a newer MAC (with DP output) so you can confirm that the monitor's DP works? I would hope the specialist who flashed the video card tested to make sure the DP output works.


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## Vischebaste (Mar 12, 2016)

Thanks, yes that's going to be my next step, but I thought I'd just check in here first in case anyone had any quick fixes before boxing it up


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## Vischebaste (Mar 14, 2016)

I'll give you the resolution to this, just in case anyone has been following my posts above and ends up with a similar situation. Given that the Iiyama is ~£100 cheaper than the Philips in the UK, this might be useful to someone.

I took my Iiyama X4071UHSU-B1 40, plus 2009 Mac with my flashed Radeon R9270X graphics card to the dealer I bought the monitor from. They could get a 4K displayport to displayport picture using the Iiyama and a different computer. They could also get a displayport to displayport picture using my Mac and a different monitor. So there is obviously a compatibility issue specific to my setup. Eventually, we managed to get a satisfactory 4K/30Hz solution using a displayport to HDMI converter, and going displayport out of my Mac into the Iiyama's HDMI port. Bizarrely though, it only works flawlessly in the HDMI1 port - if I use HDMI2 or 3 in the Iiyama, I get random white pixel noise in quite specific sections of the screen (in HDMI2, around black edges, in HDMI3, predominantly in the top right corner of the screen). I was surprised and pleasantly puzzled by the outcome, as I didn't think HDMI supported this res.

I imagine the whole thing would work flawlessly with none of this faffing around on a new Mac though.


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## Jason_D (Mar 15, 2016)

@Vischebaste That's normal for some TVs, to have their best HDMI port as 1 and the other HDMI ports to be lower throughput.

Here is an interesting video for those that have a pre 2013 Mac Pro.


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## pdub (Mar 17, 2016)

This thread is inspiring me to update my setup. I'm seriously considering getting the Phillips 40" and upgrading the video card in my Mac Pro (2009 4,1 8 Core converted to a 5,1 12 Core). Looking at the GTX 960. I'm thinking of getting the video card first just to make sure I can get it to work. 

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!


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## Vischebaste (Mar 17, 2016)

pdub said:


> This thread is inspiring me to update my setup. I'm seriously considering getting the Phillips 40" and upgrading the video card in my Mac Pro (2009 4,1 8 Core converted to a 5,1 12 Core). Looking at the GTX 960. I'm thinking of getting the video card first just to make sure I can get it to work.
> 
> Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!



Hi pdub,

Your Mac is similar to mine (2009 2.26gHz Nehalem 4,1 8 core , upgraded to 5,1 3.46gHz 12 core). I managed to get a 4K monitor working with a new graphics card after a fair amount of hassle, you can read my posts above for more detail and feel free to ask any questions


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## azeteg (Mar 17, 2016)

I'm using the Philips 40" with an Asus 960 STRIX card in my Hackintosh, which works just fine with the Nvidia Web drivers. Just boot in safe mode for installing the Nvidia drivers, and for any troubleshooting.

I would expect the experience on a real mac to be very similar...

I can recommend this card, the fans are only in use in case one does heavy 3D work or gaming (which I never do).


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## pdub (Mar 17, 2016)

Cool thanks for the replies! I've read the whole thread and feel ready to give it a shot!


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## pdub (Mar 17, 2016)

Ok I pulled the trigger on the Phillips 40" and an MSI GTX 960 4GB. I purchased from jet.com and got $50.00 off the whole order free shipping and no tax. Plus they pay for shipping on returns! Kind of a no brainer to test it all out. I'll report back after I receive everything in a few days. Thanks!


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## wcreed51 (Mar 17, 2016)

I hope your head doesn't explode as in the Jet.com ads on TV!

You're going to love the Phillips. I have yet to get over being amazed!


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## pdub (Mar 17, 2016)

Haha! I haven't seen that! Super excited!


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## wcreed51 (Mar 17, 2016)




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## pdub (Mar 17, 2016)

Haha!

As long as it explodes in 4K resolution and a billion colors I'm cool with it!


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## Vischebaste (Mar 18, 2016)

wcreed51 said:


> I hope your head doesn't explode as in the Jet.com ads on TV!
> 
> You're going to love the Phillips. I have yet to get over being amazed!



Just to put a slightly different angle forward, although my 4K experience so far has been fairly positive (setting aside the problems in getting the thing working in the first place), in all honestly, it's not the revolution I'd been hoping for. It might be due to a lack of imagination on my part, but I hadn't really considered that there would be a number of downsides in the leap to a large 4K screen.

Plus points are:
- Vast amount of screen space. This is a huge boost, probably - just - enough to justify the expenditure alone. Being able to see most, if not all tracks in Logic makes dragging and dropping so much easier than before. Plus, I can have pretty much every window I use open at once, without needing to use screensets.

Minus points:
- Squinting to read text

- A lot more head movement required. Trying to adjust parameters that are hidden in a bottom corner of a screen (for example, Logic's track settings) leaves me either having to crane forward to see what I'm doing. Actually, I'm spending a lot of time dragging windows to the centre of the screen for these reasons, which actually is a time-waster, rather than a time saver. I'd always thought curved screens were a gimmick, but can now see that they'd offer some benefit, as the far edges of the screen look like uncharted parts of a 10th century map.

- mouse pointer movement. Just physically getting the mouse around so much screen space is much slower work than in a confined space. I know this has been mentioned in previous pages, and that there are acceleration options, but more speed = less precise, and finding the right balance on a large 4K monitor is just fundamentally harder than on a smaller, lower res one.

- running 4K with 30Hz and/or a slightly underpowered graphics card. This won't apply to everyone, but probably to a fair few, such as me, with mid-range graphics cards. By far the biggest downside has been the introduction of a laggy, latent feel into using Logic and the OS. Movements are less precise, there's a constant feeling that the everything is running just behind me, that clicks sometimes don't register. Even, bizarrely, when renaming a file within Logic and hitting return, there is now sometimes a 5 second delay before that filename change is registered, which suggests to me some extra strain on the CPU. I've had other weird oddities that are far too unlikely to be a coincidence - stuck notes in Logic for the first time. Of course, I'm not blaming the monitor for this, but my point is that anyone who is thinking of upgrading their graphics card to accommodate 4K might find that this is accompanied by some weird and unwelcome gremlins.

Reading the above back, it does look like a horribly entitled set of first world complaints, but the crux is that the switch to a big 4K screen hasn't noticeably sped up my workflow - yet. And given that I didn't buy it just as an indulgence, but to improve my efficiency, in that sense, it's failed its key test for me. Fingers crossed, it could be that I need just need some more adjustment time.


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## Ashermusic (Mar 18, 2016)

Just because you _can_ use the highest resolution doesn't mean you _must_. I set mine to less than optimal one so as not to have to squint.

Logic feels fine here on my iMac, but then, I am not a really visually oriented person.


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## jononotbono (Mar 18, 2016)

Hmmm, I think I am just going to upgrade to 2.5k Displays. It seems like the happy Medium.

I am unfortunately using a 50 inch 1080p TV screen and a smaller 720p TV for a second display at the moment. I really need to get a couple of decent screens as everything is blurry. It's rubbish and eyes hurt after a long day. I have contemplated a 4k display but is the risk the opposite to what I am already experiencing? Such a high res that I can't read anything because everything is too small, as opposed to everything being massive and blurry and still not being able to read anything?

3 x 27inch 2.5k screens sounds good for me but I do quite like the idea of having a larger 38inch+ 4k display for the main screen and perhaps a couple of smaller 2.5k displays next to the 4k. God, so many options!


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## wcreed51 (Mar 18, 2016)

I have a pair of glasses that focus at about 28" which I got for sitting at the piano, but also perfect for computer screen distance.


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## pdub (Mar 18, 2016)

On my laptop system I use a Dell U2713HM running at 2560x1440. From everything I've read the 40" at 4K will be similar in viewing size just more of it. If text is too small in a browser or PDF I just magnify it. In my DAW it hasn't been a problem.

I'm probably a candidate for readers now anyway.


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## Gerhard Westphalen (Mar 18, 2016)

jononotbono said:


> Hmmm, I think I am just going to upgrade to 2.5k Displays. It seems like the happy Medium.
> 
> I am unfortunately using a 50 inch 1080p TV screen and a smaller 720p TV for a second display at the moment. I really need to get a couple of decent screens as everything is blurry. It's rubbish and eyes hurt after a long day. I have contemplated a 4k display but is the risk the opposite to what I am already experiencing? Such a high res that I can't read anything because everything is too small, as opposed to everything being massive and blurry and still not being able to read anything?
> 
> 3 x 27inch 2.5k screens sounds good for me but I do quite like the idea of having a larger 38inch+ 4k display for the main screen and perhaps a couple of smaller 2.5k displays next to the 4k. God, so many options!



If you get a 40" 4k I'd suggest not having monitors on the side. I find it looks ridiculous to have the massive screen plus 1 on each side (to keep things symmetrical). Especially if they're smaller than 30". I think Trevor Morris pulls it off because he has quite a bit of room between the monitors.


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## jononotbono (Mar 18, 2016)

Well, I'm not really fussed about how the screens look to be honest. It's just whether they work! Different strokes for different folks!


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## pdub (Mar 19, 2016)

Everything is arriving today and I only ordered on Thursday. Of course I'm out at a wedding all day. I've downloaded the web drivers for OSX 10.10.5 and also have a 6 to 8 pin power cable coming for the GTX 960. So I think I should have everything I need. I believe the Phillips comes with a display port cable. 

I've found some helpful links and videos that seem to cover the whole process. Wish me luck!

Thanks for all the support so far.


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## whinecellar (Mar 19, 2016)

You know, @Vischebaste makes some valid points. I've had some of these same thoughts in the month or so I've had mine. I do think there's a sweet spot for high-res displays, and they're dependent on several factors. For me, running at full 4K is simply a bit too much - I found that I was just blowing everything up to about the same size I was used to on a 1080p display, or moving everything to the center of the screen, which defeats the whole purpose.

So, I backed off to 3200x1800 which feels much better to me while still giving me a lot more elbow room than I had. I do think curved screens may help a little, again dependent on other factors - but for now, know that there are definitely tradeoffs to super-hi-res displays. Still glad I got one though - worth it for me!


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## pdub (Mar 19, 2016)

It's all setup! Piece of cake with the web drivers and video card install. Took less than an hour. Looks great! I'll need to spend some time with it but I'm pleased so far. I do know I need to Elevate it a bit.


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## pdub (Mar 20, 2016)

Here it is in the setup. Liking it so far. I can see how the corners get lost a bit and why curved displays are appealing. It's also a different mindset dealing with this much space so I'll just work with it a few days and see how it feels. It is a beautiful display and seems to be playing nicely with the video card and OSX.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Mar 20, 2016)

I'm still sexually attracted to my 10-year-old 30" Cinema Display, but this thread has me confused about current MacBook Pros (since that's my next update): will it drive the 2560 x 1600 display with a MiniDisplayPort-> DVI-D adapter (or whatevever the frick they have now -> DVI-D adapter)? What about its HDMI port?


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## Jason_D (Mar 20, 2016)

That's a tough question. Apple wants you to do this.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201927

But I don't see why a standard HDMI to DVI cable wouldn't work. One like this.


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## whinecellar (Mar 21, 2016)

@Nick Batzdorf - short answer: yes. Either port should drive your 30" beauty, but your better option would be a MiniDP > DVI adapter.


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## Nick Batzdorf (Mar 21, 2016)

Okay, thanks.

It has to be DVI-D, by the way - dual-link DVI. That's why an HDMI->DVI adapter wouldn't work, or wouldn't work at full res.


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