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maximlos

macrumors member
Nov 22, 2016
60
35
I bypassed the problem by going back to Catalina from Big Sur using Time Machine.
If I had known I would never have upgraded to this crap, shame on Apple! How you do it! Complaint stuff! they are making us lose resources and money!
 

skiabox

macrumors regular
Jul 27, 2010
171
102
Larisa, Greece
External 4K Benq 32 inch monitor is working fine after installing Big Sur 11.2 and restarting.
Let's hope that it will keep this good behaviour after waking up from a sleep (so that I don't have to close the monitor from the on/off switch as I do after Big Sur 11.1 update).
My machine is a MacBook Pro 16.
 

alksv

macrumors newbie
Feb 2, 2021
7
3
External 4K Benq 32 inch monitor is working fine after installing Big Sur 11.2 and restarting.
Let's hope that it will keep this good behaviour after waking up from a sleep (so that I don't have to close the monitor from the on/off switch as I do after Big Sur 11.1 update).
My machine is a MacBook Pro 16.
Could you please specify which BenQ monitor you're using?

BenQ SW321C and M1 MacBook Pro here. Used via the USB-C port with the official TB3 Apple cable. Latest Big Sur build.

Stuck at 30Hz, any resolution except the lowest ones. No fixing this one with usual tricks. Very frustrating.
 
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skiabox

macrumors regular
Jul 27, 2010
171
102
Larisa, Greece
I can confirm that the first wake up from sleep went smoothly with my Benq 32 inch monitor (always with usb-c cable).
MacBook Pro 16 here (Big Sur 11.2)!
 
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Wh1983

macrumors newbie
Feb 2, 2021
4
3
I have now try like 3 hours to get 60hz working but no... i got only 30hz with usb-c with big sur 11.2 , 11.0 and catalina is working normally.

This is a joke.. apple is a huge company and they can't get to external monitors to working in their operating system..
 
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kull1ratzer

macrumors newbie
Feb 2, 2021
3
4
Today I installed macOS 11.2 on a MBP 16“ with an external monitor USB-C LG 32UD99-W.

The ‚highest‘ resolution in the external monitor is now „1080p“ (1920 x 1080, 60 Hz) whereas before I used to use a resolution of 2880 x 1620, 60 Hz, or higher. The same problem plagued me already with 11.1 (and the last version that worked was 11.0.1).

From Apples support on Twitter I got the following tips for a "temporary" workaround:

a.) Reset the windowsever by removing a couple files. Please open Finder and from the menu bar select Go > Go To Folder to locate the following:

/Library/Preferences/com.apple.windowserver.plist​

~/Library/Preferences/ByHost/com.apple.windowserver.XXXXX.plist (not always there)​

Note: "XXXXXX" in the example above represents a variable string of letters and numbers.​

b.) Please move those files to the trash. Then restart and reset the NVRAM using the steps found here: https://s.apple.com/dE4l1d7i4H

After performing the two steps as advised System Preferences > Display shows me more/all missing resolutions.

But the clocking (Hz) isn't correct (still to low) and after a reboot I have to perform the mentioned to steps again ...
 
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maximlos

macrumors member
Nov 22, 2016
60
35
We have to send every day to Apple also via private message on the apple support Twitter account to resolve as soon as possible. It is not conceivable that a company like Apple cares because of their incompetence. Not being able to use 4k usb c monitors is very serious, we are wasting time and therefore money, then in this pandemic period, absurd! I don't believe it, perhaps the most serious bug ever!

This issue started December 14th with the release of 11.1., after 46 days of inconvenience still nothing, but are we kidding? we must ask for damages!
 
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Pixege

macrumors newbie
Jan 5, 2020
14
11
Many people write to use an HDMI adapter because thanks to this you can get 4K@60Hz. I agree with that, but I don't have such an adapter. I have paid a lot of money for an adapter that only supports 4K@30Hz, so I have to spend another money because of the problem Apple has created? Thanks to USB-C, I can comfortably use my MacBook Pro 16” as a clamshell. After powering on the monitor, the computer started automatically. With HDMI it doesn't work. I have to take the MB out of the stand and open it to turn on. Apple has broken the ability to comfortably use the monitor connection via USB-C, and the worst of all is that no way of reporting a problem works.
 

alksv

macrumors newbie
Feb 2, 2021
7
3
The whole point of modern Thunderbolt monitors is the ability to run single-cable USB-C setups and have accurate colours which HDMI may not provide.

Big Sur 11.3 DB1 + MacBook Pro M1 + BenQ SW321C, still locked at 30Hz. This is getting really frustrating.
 

DaveXX

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 17, 2020
222
199
Many people write to use an HDMI adapter because thanks to this you can get 4K@60Hz. I agree with that, but I don't have such an adapter. I have paid a lot of money for an adapter that only supports 4K@30Hz, so I have to spend another money because of the problem Apple has created? Thanks to USB-C, I can comfortably use my MacBook Pro 16” as a clamshell. After powering on the monitor, the computer started automatically. With HDMI it doesn't work. I have to take the MB out of the stand and open it to turn on. Apple has broken the ability to comfortably use the monitor connection via USB-C, and the worst of all is that no way of reporting a problem works.
In general i agree with that its a nogo apple don't care about that but:
1) i got the original hdmi adapter by apple for free
2) i just have to press a button on my external keyboard or mouse and my computer awake. i don't see any difference with hdmi or usb-c.

in my case its even the opposite because the lg monitor provide just 60 Watt with power deliver over usb-c. it should be enough for a MBP 16 in idle but in most of the cases it made always problems after waking up (black screen, usb-devices connected to the monitor are not working). I had always to disconnect and connect the monitor until everything was working. with the apple adapter i can use my original apple power adapter with 96W which is working very well. before i had to plug it in on a second usb-c port to avoid the wake up problems.


This should not excuse apples bad support but the fact is the only thing what we can do is currently to use this solution which is not the worst.
With the adapter its even possible to use a single port solution and there is no limitation of hdmi compared to DP(usb-c) or tb connections.
Btw i don't think it will be ever fixed. They didn't cared about that with 11.2 so they will not care about it later (this is my experience). I wait for an apple watch unlock fix since years (slow/unusuable wifi if apple watch unlock is activated).
 
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alksv

macrumors newbie
Feb 2, 2021
7
3
With the adapter its even possible to use a single port solution and there is no limitation of hdmi compared to DP(usb-c) or tb connections.
There are possible/probable/confirmed limitations concerning colour gamuts and HDMI is not preferred for any colour critical work past sRGB. Although I understand where you're coming from, please avoid overgeneralisation such as this, as this issue is affecting many users who depend on colour accuracy in their workflow.
 
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DaveXX

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 17, 2020
222
199
There are possible/probable/confirmed limitations concerning colour gamuts and HDMI is not preferred for any colour critical work past sRGB. Although I understand where you're coming from, please avoid overgeneralisation such as this, as this issue is affecting many users who depend on colour accuracy in their workflow.
This is not true.
You can have a Full RGB signal 4-4-4 without any limitations. I don't know how where you get this information from... there was a time that you had to manual set the rgb to full range on windows pc's.
 

skiabox

macrumors regular
Jul 27, 2010
171
102
Larisa, Greece
My monitor is the BenQ EW3270U and this morning when I woke up I was forced to close it again from the on/off switch so I can say that the situation is improved but not solved 100%.
 

maximlos

macrumors member
Nov 22, 2016
60
35
There are possible/probable/confirmed limitations concerning colour gamuts and HDMI is not preferred for any colour critical work past sRGB. Although I understand where you're coming from, please avoid overgeneralisation such as this, as this issue is affecting many users who depend on colour accuracy in their workflow.
I confirm, via hdmi -> usb c sucks, only 8 bit, dull colors.

929767-e5ab06c3d95367cae807933f2d92ed63.jpg


Recommended for professionals directly thunderbolt 3 which unfortunately Apple no longer allows us to use because it releases crap!

Big sur is absolute crap!
 
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DaveXX

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 17, 2020
222
199
I confirm, via hdmi -> usb c sucks, only 8 bit, dull colors.
What should proof this? The limitation is your hdmi adapter or maybe even the monitor which has a problem with the hdmi implementation.

There are good reasons to judge what apple is doing here and its definetely one of the worst support a company can offer but please don't spread misinformations.

HDMI 2.1 has 48Gbps Bandwidth vs DP 1.2 17.82 and DP 1.4 with 32.4Gbps with a maximum data rate of 25.92Gbps.

So HDMI can even transport 4K 120hz 12Bit signals without any problem what display port cannot. With LG Ultrafine monitor they are using even 2 Display ports lanes just to get the 5k Signal....
 

Wh1983

macrumors newbie
Feb 2, 2021
4
3
I found a small solution to fix this:

- Open "about this mac"
- Click the Displays
In displays features you should see a wrong display / wrong resolution? i see 7000x6000 and 61"

The solution was that i power off the display so many times that i got correct display model and resolution. After that it opens the 3840x2160 60Hz option.

There is still a "small" problem - the display go black like every 2-5mins and when the display goes sleep / you reboot macbook you need make this everytime again.
 

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maximlos

macrumors member
Nov 22, 2016
60
35
What should proof this? The limitation is your hdmi adapter or maybe even the monitor which has a problem with the hdmi implementation.

There are good reasons to judge what apple is doing here and its definetely one of the worst support a company can offer but please don't spread misinformations.

HDMI 2.1 has 48Gbps Bandwidth vs DP 1.2 17.82 and DP 1.4 with 32.4Gbps with a maximum data rate of 25.92Gbps.

So HDMI can even transport 4K 120hz 12Bit signals without any problem what display port cannot. With LG Ultrafine monitor they are using even 2 Display ports lanes just to get the 5k Signal....
My monitor benq PD2720U is hdmi 2.0 (not 2.1) waiting for the fix from Apple I bought a premium 4k 60hz cable, but as you can see in the screen the colors suck and I only get 8 bits.
 

alksv

macrumors newbie
Feb 2, 2021
7
3
This is not true.
You can have a Full RGB signal 4-4-4 without any limitations. I don't know how where you get this information from... there was a time that you had to manual set the rgb to full range on windows pc's.
I get this information from my MBP13 2015 which outputs truncated HDMI signal for example, and I use that machine sometimes.

I don't really understand your argument and attempts to somewhat justify this situation with botched outputs. Again, the whole point of TB3 displays is to use one single cable for everything including an optional hub on the display itself for example. This cannot be achieved with adapters that add clutter. Monitors mentioned above support required resolutions and refresh rates, and were working fine before.

What HDMI can and cannot do is beside the point. Users want full compatibility using any and all available ports and connection types. Which they do not presently have yet had on previous macOS releases.
 
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DaveXX

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 17, 2020
222
199
I don't really understand your argument and attempts to somewhat justify this situation with botched outputs. Again, the whole point of TB3 displays is to use one single cable for everything including an optional hub on the display itself for example. This cannot be achieved with adapters that add clutter. Monitors mentioned above support required resolutions and refresh rates, and were working fine before.

It has nothing to do to justify anything as i mentioned already multiple times. The point is apple will not support you and you will never know when or if they fix the problem (they don't even have a transparent ticket system like anyone else).
I fought for years that they fix the apple watch unlock issue without success because they give a **** about that and big apple sites will usually conceal problems like this. In the end my lawyer let them replace my MBP 2018 to a new MBP 16 2019 which doesn't fix the problem as well so it was not really a success (had to pay extra for the graphic card btw).

But for ppl who need now a solution is it really bad that they don't know the options and get informations like this. The point is -> apple adapter ONE port with power delivery and USB-A HUB (ofc daisy chaining would be another story):
IMG_0703.jpeg


Second:
4K 60hz with 10Bit and HDR with HDMI 2.0 and full RGB:
Screenshot 2021-02-03 at 11.09.53.png
 
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