DIY 5k Monitor - success :-)

[jorycz]

can you give it a try and without changing location of this web cam connect it directly to the computer and see if the problem exists?

I tried and unfortunately it’s same behavior.
Maybe it would work if speakers are connected to computer but that’s against all in one solution and with minimum chance.

 

[Jack2010]

Sounds like there is no simple solution... In general it works like this: your telco participant is talking, their voice is reproduced on your speakers, your mic is catching it and sends it to the speaking participant like it was "your" voice and so they can hear it on their end on their speakers... as that "voice travel" takes some time it is delayed a bit and so the echo effect is created.

That been said the only way to avoid it (without software intervention) is to decrease your mic sensitivity and/or to turn down your speakers volume to such levels the echo is gone. Third option is IMHO not possible to be achieved in such builds and that would be mic/ speaker's physical separation, using directional mic, etc.

Headphones are the easiest I'm afraid.

And as for the software... Are you aware of this:

It looks like a lot of people are mentioning Krisp software as good solution. There is a free trial version so you can test it.

Krisp Pricing Plans

Krisp cancels background noise, records, transcribes, and summarizes meetings and calls.

krisp.ai

Built-in macOS Features:

• System Preferences - Sound:
  macOS includes a built-in "Ambient Noise Reduction" feature in System Preferences > Sound > Input tab. This helps reduce background noise during calls.
• Use Echo Cancellation:
  macOS also provides an "Use Echo Cancellation" option in the Sound Levels window, which is designed to minimize feedback when the computer's speakers are being picked up by the microphone.

 

[jorycz]

Hello all and sending special thanks to @PaulD-UK and @Aiwi but also others, who contributed. My convert of iMac 2017 all-in-one (mics, camera, speakers) is done and finished without issues.

I spent like 14 evenings reading this thread from post number 1 to the end. I made a lot of notes and took a picture of every step I did during conversion so I can later publish it all probably on github page to make it even easier for the others.

For iMac 2017 I used R1811 with Brightness board and without Crossovers. I bought Crossover, but it sounds terrible and I found out that if I connect speakers directly to driver board in series is sound similar to original 2017 iMac which is sitting next to this one (BTW anyone wants to compare something?), just with noticeably weaker bass which I hope can be improved using eqMac.
Fan of driver board is facing outside of iMac using original Fan exhaust. 3D Print and all modifications will also be included on github later.
I wanted one cable to "do it all" so 4K camera with AF works wonderfully, speakers also, charging M1 and M4 MacBooks without issues and ony issue I have is with double MEMS microphones.

The thing is, it seems to me that they record even sound from Mars. They are SO sensitive! My neighbor whisper to his wife's ear something and I can clearly record it from another room 🤪

They are recording some sound even when I disconnect the power from it and just connect USB sound card (that Ugreen from Ali) with MICs directly to notebook.

So my question is, how did you please @Aiwi managed to insulate them from the surrounding sound?

So finally issue with echo is only when using FaceTime. There are no cancellation or other sound correction related settings in System Settings / Sound (wherever) so only resolution is to use headset or AirPods.
I tested Google Meet and that's almost OK, google is probably using WebRTC library in Chrome.

Stock fan is much quieter than Noctua (which I held between fingers) when you use 180 Ω resistor for both. After more than hour, heatsink on R1811 is still pretty cold. Only lower part of display is warmer than original iMac. It is about 6 degrees Celsius warmer (41) in room temperature like 23. Maybe I use that Noctua for display after all.

I found pretty close color settings to original iMac 2017 which is sitting next to converted. I will post my build on github and then, start converting the second iMac I have 🪛

 

[shijan]

I was looking for DIY 4K display projects (not from iMac) and find this thread! It appears that so called StoneTaskin boards are made by Chiyakeji http://chiyakeji.com/list/?138_1.html

Thinking about lower cost R9513 4K and R9516 V2 4K boards. Both have remote control option.

Also there is a interesting new model T95MV from Haijing. It have useful USB2.0 hub for mouse and keyboard. Didn't figure yet if Haijing is a real manufacturer or just a reseller/programmer
Model : Haijing T95MV (DP1.2 HDMI2.0 Type-C HDR)
Chip resolution: RTD2795UT
Interface：EDP、V-By-One
Max.resolution：3840*2160 @60HZ 4K@60HZ

I only wish to know if DisplayPort in these boards support 10 bit at 4K 60hz.

 

[PaulD-UK]

@shijan I think an earlier poster to this thread wrote that the R9513 board is only 8 bits.
So probably the R9516 as well.
Haijing is a reseller, and their boards are made by other manufacturers - possibly to their specification?

 

[shijan]

Could it be that it was an older R9513 revision? Description says that R9513 v2 http://chiyakeji.com/content/?629.html and R9516 v2 http://chiyakeji.com/content/?636.html supports HDR10. If so it also should support 10 bit, because HDR require 10 bit.

 

[PaulD-UK]

@shijan It is quite possible that the later versions have been updated.
I understand only later versions have the IR remote, so firmware must have been updated.

 

[shijan]

I guess it is not about version 2. It is just a paragraph 2.0. Here is how it looks with autotranslated page.

 

[shijan]

Haijing T95MV board real name is SG95MW_2UBTPH_U001

 

[PaulD-UK]

Here's a SG95MW_2UBTPH_U001 data sheet download link.
It says it's 10 bit.
The PCB looks similar Haijing's T18 for 5K:

https://285624.selcdn.ru/syms1/iblock/53e/53ebcea3f9f03f64bbd85ca56064d811/ee3fcff2a9c9e995ec1b6360a46e1402.pdf

 

[shijan]

So from that datasheet SG95MW_2UBTPH_U001 is not too new board. Released in the end of 2020.

I didn't read all this thread, but maybe someone who followed could share opinion about build quality of T18/19 (guess they are also made by SINOTECTRONICS?) vs R9516 and other chiyakeji boards?
For a first look chiyakeji feels more respected because at least they have company website and manufacture boards with very high-end specifications and high cost.

P.S. I ordered newest LG LM270WRA-SSA1 panel (120 Hz 3000:1 98%P3), but i probably don't need those 120 Hz, so i will try to get 60Hz board. Hope it will work like this...

 

[PaulD-UK]

@shijan It's not just the build quality of the PCB, It's also the amount of development work done on the firmware.

This is especially important in this 5K thread, because only recently have commercial 5K monitors been developed using these sort of boards. So the firmware has had to be developed by the vendors, originally to test 5K iMac panels after broken glass panels had been refurbished by fitting new glass front panels.

All these driver boards originated for use in 4K/144 monitors, and so the broken-screen vendors commisioned the firmware to run at 5K/60.

Chiya Tech. (Chiyakeji) were in at the start of this 5K process - the second manufacturer to produce boards, after an earlier one branded Paramount.
I guess they produced them on commission from someone in the retail supply chain?
They used RealTek video chips, and developed firmware for 5K.

The SG95MW data sheet implied that that PCB was produced under commission from RU-SMT. Russian?

Recently 5K driver boards have started to be made using MediaTek MT9801V video scaler chips, which are again using 4K/144 PCBs and with new firmware so they run at 5K/60.

In PCB build quality the Chiya Tech. (Chiyakeji) boards are the best build quality.
And the firmware for their 5K boards is the best, and has been rewritten in the last couple of years because of the competition from MediaTek.
(Competition is good... )

The T18 board has exactly the same Backlight driver circuitry as the SG95MW 4K board, so it is extremely likely they come from the same manufacturer - SINOTECTRONICS?
Build quality is very good, with many satisfied users in this forum.
The firmware is more basic than the Chiyakeji boards, but is perfectly usable.

The T19 board is different, and comes from a different manufacturer, DauKing (in Shenzhen).
The number is DK-8eDP.
Its build quality seems not as good as the T18 board.

I don't know if the Chiyakeji 4K boards have received the same level of firmware upgrades, but it is probable that they have good firmware, and they have IR support, which only Chiyakeji boards have, even though all the various 5K boards have IR capability in hardware.

 

[Bridge404]

I was remove them, but keep radiator. It works perfect without fan.

How did that go? I am considering doing the same

 

[Bridge404]

Thanks. I am starting to wonder if this is due to different firmware versions or the LCD panel itself. For this set up, I paired the R1811 with the D1 variant.

View attachment 1798406

The driver board serial number on mine is demoset-1 0. I will ask the seller if I can have the firmware that supports 2 x DP1.2 for 10-bit in macOS.

The issue that you are facing seems to be common for monitors with multiple inputs. As an interim solution, in macOS you can use SwitchResX to disable the display when it is not in used. In Windows, there is an option to show the desktop on PC only. The settings have to be applied manually each time when you switch input so probably not ideal unless you can bind the actions to shortcut keys.

If you are not using the driver board to charge the M1 MBA via USB-C then you might be able to solve your issue by using a DisplayPort switch (such as https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adapter-CableDeconn-Thunderbolt-Compatible-ChromeBook/dp/B076ZKZLXT/). There is a comment in the customer reviews section that confirmed the monitor completely disconnects from the source (causing all opened windows to be moved) when you switch input. If it works for your set up, this can potentially makes switching input even easier as it is done with a push of a button rather than having to use the buttons on the thin PCB strip or IR remote control to navigate the OSD which takes longer.

I have replaced the stock fan on mine with a slightly quieter Noctua fan. I don't use it for charging laptop so I wonder if I can get away with not having a fan at all.

Would you mind posting some details about how you did that?

 

[PaulD-UK]

@ Bridge404 Are you referring to a Noctua fan conversion?

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/diy-5k-monitor-success.2253100/post-30149736

My view is that it isn’t worth it. Just do what this builder did with a 150-300 ohm resistor in series with the original fan.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/diy-5k-monitor-success.2253100/post-32864339

Pictures here:

5K-iMac-Studio-Display-Stock-Look/images/image76.jpg at main · aiwipro/5K-iMac-Studio-Display-Stock-Look

Converting a 5K iMac to act as a generic 5K display is nothing new. What is yet to be found is a conversion that keeps the stock iMac look. This is what this project aims to achieve. - aiwipro/5K-i...

github.com

GitHub - aiwipro/5K-iMac-Studio-Display-Stock-Look: Converting a 5K iMac to act as a generic 5K display is nothing new. What is yet to be found is a conversion that keeps the stock iMac look. This is what this project aims to achieve.

Converting a 5K iMac to act as a generic 5K display is nothing new. What is yet to be found is a conversion that keeps the stock iMac look. This is what this project aims to achieve. - aiwipro/5K-i...

github.com

 

[shijan]

So i read near half of this thread and looked at higher level boards and i still have few questions:
1. Is it true that JRY-W9RQUHD boards somehow reset settings when powered off?
2. Is it possible to run R9A18 at 4K 120Hz 10bit with single DP cable?

From price vs my personal required options JRY-W9RQUHD-FA1 seems like perfect solution. I only need 10-bit color and native color gamut to calibrate display. 120 Hz could be nice bonus.

P.S. if someone still need to test real life bit depth of the screen, here is a very special 10 bit test gradient image. At 8-bit you will see gradient steps. At 10-bit it will look as smooth gradient.

 

[SubDriver]

@shijan I have a JRY-W9RQUHD-SA1 board. Powering down my SA1 does not reset any of the DDC settings I have adjusted for my display.

I will test the on screen display (OSD) firmware settings the next time I open my display. My OSD control board is presently not accessible at the moment as it is behind the display. I will be opening the display up again likely within the next few days to finalize my build - will be report back after.

Of course, the experience for a FA1 board might be different than for the SA1 board.

 

[shijan]

Thanks SubDriver. I guess color gamut settings should be somewhere in sRGB/P3 menu (if these presets are available in JRY boards).

Here is what i find in Wiki:
DP1.3 specs:
4K UHD display (3840 × 2160) at 120 Hz with 8-bit RGB
5K display (5120 × 2880) at 60 Hz with 10-bit RGB
8K UHD display (7680 × 4320) at 30 Hz with 8-bit RGB color.

DP1.4 speed is the same, but adds support for Display Stream Compression (algorithm designed to enable increased display resolutions and frame rates over existing physical interfaces) So i guess in theory with enabled DSC 3840×2160 120 Hz 10-bit could be possible.

 

[Kep34]

Hello guys,
After reading some post on this thread and some videos, i got the hype of building my 5k screen with an iMac.
I bought a old iMac (end of 2014), and i removed everything inside (i kept everything!).

I bought the R1811 with HDMI 2.0 on Aliexpress.

I just have some question because i'm a real newbie on building "electronical" stuff.

I see that you were able to keep using iMac origin speaker, do i need to buy something for using them?

For the webcam, i saw that we can buy also a Raspberry webcam, but some people are using the original webcam? Is that possible?
I'm receiving the motherboard monday, but i can't wait to start the build!

I'm thinking to use the switch button behind the computer for turn on the monitor, but i can't find exactly where i should solder the wire on the alimentation and connectors.

Thank for your helps guys!

 

[PaulD-UK]

@shijan ”Is it possible to run R9A18 at 4K 120Hz 10bit with single DP cable?”

I don’t think so, but it would only be possible with v1.1 of the R9A18.
You would only get 4K/60 with HDMI, and would guess DP is the same, because DSC is needed for single cable 5K, but only at 8 bits.

 

[PaulD-UK]

@Kep34 ”For the webcam, i saw that we can buy also a Raspberry webcam, but some people are using the original webcam?”

The 2014 webcam is not usable, only the 2011 or Thunderbolt Display webcams can be used as they are USB 2.

You need two crossovers for the speaker connection, which are discussed earlier in this thread.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/diy-5k-monitor-success.2253100/post-33887218

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/diy-5k-monitor-success.2253100/post-33775743

As is the soldered connections for the power button.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/diy-5k-monitor-success.2253100/page-17?post=31880509#post-31880509

 

[SubDriver]

@shijan I saw you added two boards to the table on Post #1. Am I correct in noting that these boards are only 4K resolution options? If so, I think we should move those details outside of the table and place the info elsewhere so we don't potentially confuse anyone coming to this thread looking for advice about converting their 5K monitors into standalone 5K displays as this is the intent of the thread.

If they are capable of 5K, then recommend replacing the info in the table with the 5K specifications.

 

[shijan]

They are 4K only. I thought you collect 4K boards as well. Reading the thread i noticed that many people discussed converted 4K iMacs here, so those boards could be useful. Sure you can remove those boards if you feel that they don't belong here.

 

[PaulD-UK]

@shijan Do they have firmware to run at iMac 21” retina 4096x2304 resolution?

Their specs seem to focus on PC 4K, 3840 x 2160 UHD.

If it’s wrong you get a rolling non-sync screen image.

If they are in the table this should be discussed.

 

[shijan]

Don't know about firmware