# Help to fix a Philips monitor or to choose a new large display for Mac Pro 6.1



## stigc56 (May 5, 2020)

Hi
I have been using a Philips BDM4350 43" display for about 2 years. A couple of weeks ago I suddenly became aware of a strong light in the left side of the display and a week later another white spot in the right side.
I'm in the middle of a project where I write a lot of notes in Dorico so I decided to buy a new one, roughly with the same specs.
I went with another Philips - this time a 436M6VBP, from the specifications quite the same display, but new.

My old display was connected to my Mac Pro via HDMI and this connection allowed full 4k resolution on the monitor. This is not the case with the new one! The built in software in my Mac Pro - running Catalina - only allows the 3360 - 1890 resolution and the result is FAR from the standard, that my old display showed.

I installed SwitchResX and now I have the 3360 - 1890 resolution in HDPI mode, and sharpness was improved. BUT the refreshment rate is only 24Hz! And the colors are almost impossible to tune to a satisfactory result.

I contacted Philips support here in Denmark, and as you know, they always starts with the basic and in the end they can't help you!

According to the specifications both displays should be Plug & Play on MacOS, but it hardly seems to be the case.
Apparently my Mac Pro 6.1 only supports HDMI 1.4, but nevertheless Apple claims that it is capable of up to 6 5k monitors! So I gather that it can't be a problem with the Mac, it is by the way the model with the dual AMD Firepro D500 I have. 
I have 2 other displays connected to my Mac, a 27" and a 32" also Philips, and they work just fine.

I need an advice:
1) Help to set-up my NEW Philips display with my Mac - the colors are just too pink!! - the refreshment rate should be 60Hz right?
2) Or any recommendation for another large display around 40", that will work with my Mac Pro.

Any help much appreciated!


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## Technostica (May 5, 2020)

HDMI 1.4 doesn't support 4K at 60Hz so you'll need to use a different connector type if not already.
TB3 and DP support 4k/60.


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## stigc56 (May 5, 2020)

Well I have just tried to connect my OLD display and you are right  It also works with 30Hz!
That leaves me with the need for an advice for buying a new 40" 4K monitor for my Mac Pro 6.1!
Hope anyone can help!


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## Virtuoso (May 5, 2020)

You don't need to look for a new monitor - just a different cable. Connect Mini DisplayPort to one of your Mac Pro Thunderbolt ports and (probably) full size DisplayPort to your monitor (check the size on your monitor).

It should work perfectly at 4k (3840x2160 @ 60Hz).

Something like this:-


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## stigc56 (May 5, 2020)

Virtuoso said:


> You don't need to look for a new monitor - just a different cable. Connect Mini DisplayPort to one of your Mac Pro Thunderbolt ports and (probably) full size DisplayPort to your monitor (check the size on your monitor).
> 
> It should work perfectly at 4k (3840x2160 @ 60Hz).
> 
> Something like this:-



Yes I will try that, but I don’t think the colors will improve though?


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## Technostica (May 5, 2020)

stigc56 said:


> Yes I will try that, but I don’t think the colors will improve though?


That might just have been a glitch due to using a non standard setting for the monitor.
Most monitors come with a bunch of cables in the box so see what you have.


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## onebitboy (May 5, 2020)

stigc56 said:


> Yes I will try that, but I don’t think the colors will improve though?


They probably will. macOS often mistakenly assumes that displays connected via HDMI are TVs and chooses the wrong colour profile for them. Sometimes it even outputs YCbCr instead of RGB. Using DisplayPort instead will fix that.


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## whinecellar (May 5, 2020)

I had the Philips 40" that a lot of folks here liked about 4 years ago, and I loved it until it started developing blotchy spots around the screen. I finally replaced it last summer with an off-the-shelf Samsung 55" curved 4k TV from WalMart that is STUNNING. I actually brought several models home to try (knowing I could return them) and the Samsung won by a long shot. The curve makes it so immersive - I absolutely love it. It was only about $550.

I needed a good HDMI 2.0 cable from Amazon and an active adapter to make it work at full 60Hz with my MacBook Pro - that can be trial and error - but so worth it.


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## Nick Batzdorf (May 5, 2020)

Oh. I see you already tried SwitchResX. Never mind.

But I will say that I have an MSI Radeon RX 560 - the cheapest card that would let me install Mojave - and it does 4K60 no problem. It's not clear whether its HDMI is 2.0 or 1.4.


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## stigc56 (May 6, 2020)

Well I have spend a lot of time trying to get shop to accept a return. They won't let me do it, so I tested the display again, and finally I have managed to make a set-up - using a display to mini display cable - where the colors are acceptable. Now it's working okay, 60 Hz and RGB, the white's kind of "pinky", so it's not a photografers choice, but it is very sharp.
My Mac calls it a TV though!
Thank you for your help!


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## Carlos Lopez-Real (Nov 20, 2020)

whinecellar said:


> I had the Philips 40" that a lot of folks here liked about 4 years ago, and I loved it until it started developing blotchy spots around the screen. I finally replaced it last summer with an off-the-shelf Samsung 55" curved 4k TV from WalMart that is STUNNING. I actually brought several models home to try (knowing I could return them) and the Samsung won by a long shot. The curve makes it so immersive - I absolutely love it. It was only about $550.
> 
> I needed a good HDMI 2.0 cable from Amazon and an active adapter to make it work at full 60Hz with my MacBook Pro - that can be trial and error - but so worth it.


Hey Jim, I'm thinking of replacing 3 displays with one large one, and really like the sound of that Samsung. Which model is it? Also I wondered about the HDMI cable and 'active adapter' you mentioned. I'm using a 6.1 Mac Pro like @stigc56 so I guess the HDMI spec may be an issue. Is your laptop natively HDMI 2.0? Maybe for the 6.1 Mac Pro I'd be better off looking to connect via DisplayPort / Mini DisplayPort?


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## stigc56 (Nov 20, 2020)

Well this story ended like this:
I sold the new Philips and bought a 43" Dell U4320Q running 3360 x 1890. It's really good an it's connected via display port, I think it's called. More expensive but worth the it.


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## whinecellar (Nov 20, 2020)

Carlos Lopez-Real said:


> Hey Jim, I'm thinking of replacing 3 displays with one large one, and really like the sound of that Samsung. Which model is it? Also I wondered about the HDMI cable and 'active adapter' you mentioned. I'm using a 6.1 Mac Pro like @stigc56 so I guess the HDMI spec may be an issue. Is your laptop natively HDMI 2.0? Maybe for the 6.1 Mac Pro I'd be better off looking to connect via DisplayPort / Mini DisplayPort?



Hey Carlos, sadly I can't get to the model number easily, but anything in Samsung's current line should perform as well or better - they've always been great TV-as-monitor solutions. And I can't stress enough how much I love the curve. Given its placement in my setup, it is absolutely perfect and the curve makes a huge difference when working in the corners! 

I don't use HDMI out of my laptop though. My MB Pro connects via TB3 to a Caldigit TS3+ dock, and I use its DisplayPort output with a "Plugable" brand DisplayPort to HDMI 2.0 active adapter I got on Amazon, along with a high quality HDMI 2.0 cable to the TV. Sorry I don't have specific part numbers, but if you look at Amazon reviews, search for "MacBook Pro 4k 60 Hz" and they won't be hard to find. You want ones that support those specs.

Hope that helps a little!


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## Carlos Lopez-Real (Nov 20, 2020)

whinecellar said:


> Hey Carlos, sadly I can't get to the model number easily, but anything in Samsung's current line should perform as well or better - they've always been great TV-as-monitor solutions. And I can't stress enough how much I love the curve. Given its placement in my setup, it is absolutely perfect and the curve makes a huge difference when working in the corners!
> 
> I don't use HDMI out of my laptop though. My MB Pro connects via TB3 to a Caldigit TS3+ dock, and I use its DisplayPort output with a "Plugable" brand DisplayPort to HDMI 2.0 active adapter I got on Amazon, along with a high quality HDMI 2.0 cable to the TV. Sorry I don't have specific part numbers, but if you look at Amazon reviews, search for "MacBook Pro 4k 60 Hz" and they won't be hard to find. You want ones that support those specs.
> 
> Hope that helps a little!


Really helpful Jim, thanks so much for taking the time to write it! Also just to check - is this your main display for working in your DAW? If so, how far away do you sit, and are your audio monitors further to the left/right of the display (or slightly above)?


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## colony nofi (Nov 21, 2020)

The 49" curved 5k x 1440 monitors are pretty pretty good for DAW use especially if you need a center speaker. I've been on a 43" 4k for a few years too and just tried the 49"... it is less pixels, but curved (like jim's) really does help, and for me the lower height is a MASSIVE help. Allows a good placement for a C speaker, and a 55" TV (not curved) above it for pics.


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## Carlos Lopez-Real (Nov 21, 2020)

colony nofi said:


> The 49" curved 5k x 1440 monitors are pretty pretty good for DAW use especially if you need a center speaker. I've been on a 43" 4k for a few years too and just tried the 49"... it is less pixels, but curved (like jim's) really does help, and for me the lower height is a MASSIVE help. Allows a good placement for a C speaker, and a 55" TV (not curved) above it for pics.


Sounds good! Which models of display do you have? A pic would be great too if you're able.


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## colony nofi (Nov 22, 2020)

I'll post a pic when I get one in permanently. We have had a fair bit of hardware come and go on various tests / projects the last 6 months. Right now I'm on an LG 43" - and we've got a speaker "shelf" in higher for the center. But it has meant that the main 55" TV has had to go higher / further back.

I've got another 43" in a composing room - but thats just quad. (Its my personal rig). We'll hopefully have the samsung 49" in here to test this/next week - but I really did like the LG!

(Here's the 43" setup with 50" TV and 55" client monitor on the side. 
I use the same 55"monitor for pics in the composition room(well, usually - funnily enough I've got a tiny 24" in there right now as it allows more natural light, and its fine for the project I'm on. Putting in a pic of that as it is too. 
The 49" is too wide for the speakers to be so low. So instead I use a shelf - which allows the three to be at the same level. Same concept as the larger room below. The height of the 49 is roughly up to the mid point of the bottom woofer in the twin 6BE's (second pic). The saves vertical room is a godsend.


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## Carlos Lopez-Real (Nov 27, 2020)

colony nofi said:


> We'll hopefully have the samsung 49" in here to test this/next week



Hi there, just wondering if you've got hold of the 49" Samsung yet? Very curious about how you find it. I've just got a Philips 43" which I really like, gives me 4k @60hz via DisplayPort, but I'm definitely interested in potentially going a bit bigger. Width is what I think I'd most benefit from, not necessarily height (and a little concerned about neck ache!).


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## colony nofi (Nov 27, 2020)

Even better than a test - I've ordered samsung 49" 5k*1.4k. I'll be putting it in the small room for now - but will take photos when it arrives.
There are issues with our mac pros (but a way around it) meaning it only works at 30Hz even with custom timings - it needs to be fed two different signals and treated as two monitors as far as osx is concerned. But we have it covered enough for me to be happy getting it. We're not using the monitors for gaming!
Many ergonomic bits and pieces still to work out too...

Cheers.


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## Carlos Lopez-Real (Nov 28, 2020)

colony nofi said:


> samsung 49" 5k*1.4k.


Sounds good! Which model is it?



colony nofi said:


> I'll be putting it in the small room for now - but will take photos when it arrives.
> There are issues with our mac pros (but a way around it) meaning it only works at 30Hz even with custom timings - it needs to be fed two different signals and treated as two monitors as far as osx is concerned. But we have it covered enough for me to be happy getting it.


So have you worked out a way to run it at 60Hz from the Mac Pro? Is that what you meant by running two different signals?

Thanks!


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## Carlos Lopez-Real (Dec 2, 2020)

whinecellar said:


> Hey Carlos, sadly I can't get to the model number easily, but anything in Samsung's current line should perform as well or better - they've always been great TV-as-monitor solutions. And I can't stress enough how much I love the curve. Given its placement in my setup, it is absolutely perfect and the curve makes a huge difference when working in the corners!
> 
> I don't use HDMI out of my laptop though. My MB Pro connects via TB3 to a Caldigit TS3+ dock, and I use its DisplayPort output with a "Plugable" brand DisplayPort to HDMI 2.0 active adapter I got on Amazon, along with a high quality HDMI 2.0 cable to the TV. Sorry I don't have specific part numbers, but if you look at Amazon reviews, search for "MacBook Pro 4k 60 Hz" and they won't be hard to find. You want ones that support those specs.
> 
> Hope that helps a little!



Hey Jim, I've just picked up a 55" curved Samsung, and it's giving me 4k @ 60Hz which is great. The only thing is that now it's sat on my desk it's so high!! I'm a bit concerned about neck issues. I wondered about removing the feet, and simply having it resting on the desk secured by my VESA monitor arm at the back. But I'm not sure if that's great in terms of airflow. How do you have yours mounted?


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## thevisi0nary (Dec 2, 2020)

Carlos Lopez-Real said:


> Hey Jim, I've just picked up a 55" curved Samsung, and it's giving me 4k @ 60Hz which is great. The only thing is that now it's sat on my desk it's so high!! I'm a bit concerned about neck issues. I wondered about removing the feet, and simply having it resting on the desk secured by my VESA monitor arm at the back. But I'm not sure if that's great in terms of airflow. How do you have yours mounted?



Samsung has a habit of not being vesa compatible, check the back of yours and make sure it is before you buy. You may need an adapter.


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## Carlos Lopez-Real (Dec 2, 2020)

thevisi0nary said:


> Samsung has a habit of not being vesa compatible, check the back of yours and make sure it is before you buy. You may need an adapter.


Thanks for the heads up. Yes this one takes 200 x 200 VESA. The monitor arm wouldn't be taking much weight though, it's more for stability, as the display is sitting right on the desk. I'm just not sure if it's OK to remove the little legs and have it sitting directly on the desk (rather than on its feet). It'd bring the overall height down about 10cm which would certainly help in terms of not having to look up so much.


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## Carlos Lopez-Real (Dec 7, 2020)

In the end I just got a standard TV stand, which is working great. It takes the weight of the 55" display more comfortably than my existing monitor arm could have, and I've got it so that there's only an inch of clearance between the display and the desk - enough for air circulation, but nicely brings the overall height down.


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## colony nofi (Jan 26, 2021)

Reviving an old thread - but I promised pics that I never sent.

here’s the 49.

For a Mac Pro prior to current gen, in order to drive it at 5k * 1440p you need to set the screen in side by side mode. This converts it to two 2560*1440 monitors - on separate display port inputs. You run two cables back to the Mac, plugged in via mini display port.
This runs at 100htz. Win. 

However it also means they run as totally separate screens and you can’t have things over the middle line. It’s a pain for some things and you don’t notice it with others.

Next test for me is 5k 2k at 34 inches. LG has one that looks good. We have one here at 3840*1440 on a producers machine and it’s lovely and might well be better for ergonomics.


For me, the problem remains that the smaller screen means it needs to be much closer, which plays havoc with my eyes. I do have new glasses though...

It is a constant journey.

(as is fitting in a 5.1 system in this small room... but thats


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## Carlos Lopez-Real (Jan 27, 2021)

@colony nofi thanks for posting this, it's good to see how this is working. For myself, I've ended up going with a Samsung 55" (slightly curved). It's only 4k but actually that works well for me at my viewing distance (about 33"). Overall I prefer this aspect ratio (16:9) as I get a higher vertical track count in view. But definitely all still a learning curve...

By the way what's that controller to the right of your Streamdeck?


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## colony nofi (Jan 27, 2021)

Its an ATEM mini pro - for doing remote sessions. It is set up to stream the pics (I run a separate blackmagic system for pics + the TV is not up in that pic) + the mix in high quality, which we are able to combine with video conferencing very nicely. It usually doesn't sit there - I'll take a new pic now to show you how it is in working mode.

Having the screens take up less vertical space is awesome, even if i loose the vertical resolution / space inside nuendo. I'm getting used to it.

I sometimes need to fit a 5.1 system in this room - as well as a TV above it. This monitor makes it possible.

(But like I said, the LG 5k*2k monitor might even be a better fit, even at 34". They just announced a new one at 40", but it could be a long way from being for sale, and probably VERY expensive. The Dell 40" version is available as of this weekend, at $2kUSD RRP..... too much for this little black duck. But kinda feels like it could be the sweet spot for music composition.)









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## colony nofi (Jan 31, 2021)

Oh - and this is the monitor I think could really work incredibly well for composers.








Dell’s new 40-inch curved ultrawide monitor is packed with pixels and ports


It claims this is the "world’s first 40-inch ultrawide curved WUHD (5K2K) monitor."




www.theverge.com




5k * 2k, 40", gentle curve - but not TOO wide (like my 49" feels)
Thunderbolt for all the mac heads (and new PC's). 
Just expensive.
But looks like its released now.
(And there's an LG with the same panel coming soon too - looks like LG actually makes the panel inside the Dell version)


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