DIY 5k Monitor - success :-)

[davidg5678]

Also an open question, is there a way to confirm 10bit colour from the R1811 in OSX Ventura? My System Info shows no screens and in Display settings, I only get dumbed down details. Also my display shows up as G1 27 Display, is that normal? Is it worth upgrading the firmware to the latest floating around here, but you might lose remote use?

This might be useful for testing: https://imagescience.com.au/knowledge/10-bit-output-support

My display also shows up as G1-27.

My understanding is if your Mac's GPU supports DP1.4, you are using a high quality DP1.4 cable, and you have the R1811 board, chances are likely that you are looking at 10-bit color.

 

[chrisclausie]

Displayport doesn't pass through USB signals, only video signals. The USB-C connector should send power, video, and USB all at once. If your computer supports USB-C, you can use it instead of displayport. If your computer doesn't support USB-C, you'll need to directly plug the webcam into a USB-A port on your computer (a USB 2/3 extension cable is probably fine).

Yep, you are entirely correct, I fixed it by plugging directly into Mac. Thanks so much!

 

[chrisclausie]

This might be useful for testing: https://imagescience.com.au/knowledge/10-bit-output-support

My display also shows up as G1-27.

My understanding is if your Mac's GPU supports DP1.4, you are using a high quality DP1.4 cable, and you have the R1811 board, chances are likely that you are looking at 10-bit color.

Thanks for confirming. I'll assume I have it then. As I bought the best DP cable possible.

 

[joevt]

My understanding is if your Mac's GPU supports DP1.4, you are using a high quality DP1.4 cable, and you have the R1811 board, chances are likely that you are looking at 10-bit color.

5K60 can't have 10bpc from DisplayPort 1.4 without using DSC or 4:2:2 or 4:2:0.

 

[chrisclausie]

5K60 can't have 10bpc from DisplayPort 1.4 without using DSC or 4:2:2 or 4:2:0.

A Mac Studio should include DSC right?

 

[joevt]

A Mac Studio should include DSC right?

Yes, but I don't think there's a way currently to test if a Apple Silicon Mac is using DSC or outputting 10bpc.

 

[webhdx]

Are there any huge differences between R1811 v3 and v4 boards? V4 is much more expensive given it's shipped via DHL which means additional tax and customs fees are guaranteed.

 

[StreamyUnkle]

Don't know if it's of any relevance to you guys but I just got this and it works perfectly at 5K 8bit using the two DP cables from my R9A18 on the iGPU of my Asus ZenBook UX3402 i7-1260p.
Still need to figure out a way to test the 10 bit RGB but it's a super convenient option that basically turns the iMac display into a better-looking LG 27 5K.

 

[uller6]

I just put together a second 5k display inside an Apple Thunderbolt Display housing. This time I used a 5k panel from an old, broken LG ultrafine and R9A18 control board with a 12V, 10A power supply. I skipped the webcam and speakers this time, which made my life a lot easier. The R9A18 is way smaller than the LG ultrafine control board, and has no fan, so I have the heatsink connected to the back of the display housing using a thermal pad. I ran the PSU wire and DisplayPort wire through the original power cable hole in the back of the display and saved myself the hassle of dealing with the mac's power line RF filter. I'm driving the display from my M1 Pro using a DisplayPort to USB-C cable and it works great at 5k (not sure about color depth but it's good enough for me). Now I've got side-by-side 5k "Thunderbolt" displays 🥸🥸

 

[5kScreen]

I'm trying to order all the pieces required and I was wondering if someone could confirm if the 5k image can be sent from the usb-c in the board to the usb-c in the laptop or to get image it need to be from DP to usb-c?

 

[Sigsgaard]

I'm trying to order all the pieces required and I was wondering if someone could confirm if the 5k image can be sent from the usb-c in the board to the usb-c in the laptop or to get image it need to be from DP to usb-c?

I use a Thunderbolt 3 cable from the USB-C on the R1811 v4 board to the Thunderbolt 4/USB4 on my Mac mini M2Pro, it gives me 5k60Hz, 10 bit colour depth.

 

[5kScreen]

I use a Thunderbolt 3 cable from the USB-C on the R1811 v4 board to the Thunderbolt 4/USB4 on my Mac mini M2Pro, it gives me 5k60Hz, 10 bit colour depth.

Nice, thanks for the quick response, I will order then a usb-c cable then

 

[avkdm]

Does any one know if any of the new boards support freesync 2 & HDR at 5k?
I note the older board R9A18 only supports HDR and Freesync at 4k.
If so is freesync supported at 5k over HDMI, DP and USB-C on the RA1811 & U49?
I have asked online at Aliexpress but cant get a definitive answer.
Thanks in advance.

 

[davidg5678]

Does any one know if any of the new boards support freesync 2 & HDR at 5k?
I note the older board R9A18 only supports HDR and Freesync at 4k.
If so is freesync supported at 5k over HDMI, DP and USB-C on the RA1811 & U49?
I have asked online at Aliexpress but cant get a definitive answer.
Thanks in advance.

My understanding is that while the driver boards claim to support these features, the common 5K iMac LCD panels are not compatible, so it is moot. (Most of the 5k iMac LCDs lack sufficient dynamic range for HDR, and their 60Hz refresh rates are not suited to the kind of high-speed gaming where you might want to have free sync) If you were to use the 2020 5K iMac LCD panel specifically, it might support HDR, but I haven't seen anyone who has successfully set this up to confirm.

Specification-wise, the R1811 is the most powerful driver board, so if any of them supports these features at 5K, I'd bet it would be that model. (I haven't tested these features, as I don't have a compatible LCD panel, so take all of this with a grain of salt.) Also, note that the kind of cable you use to connect your computer to the driver board dictates the amount of data that can be passed through. I imagine that USB-C and DisplayPort are more likely to support these technologies, while HDMI probably does not. I don't believe that a 5K signal can be sent to the R1811 over HDMI at all, much less one with HDR and free sync.

I'm not sure why these specific features are listed on the Aliexpress ads, but my theory is that the driver boards were designed with some general-purpose LCD controller chip that can be reprogrammed to support many different kinds of LCD panels. Some of these panels are probably models that support either HDR or free sync.

 

[avkdm]

Thanks for the reply, I was interested from a Windows gaming perspective. My panel is from a dead Late 2014 iMac - I also wondered whether the screen would have an issue with Freesync not just the controller supporting it. So these panels will not support 1440p 165hz even though the controller does? Thanks for the info.

 

[rootadmin]

Specification-wise, the R1811 is the most powerful driver board, so if any of them supports these features at 5K, I'd bet it would be that model. (I haven't tested these features, as I don't have a compatible LCD panel, so take all of this with a grain of salt.) Also, note that the kind of cable you use to connect your computer to the driver board dictates the amount of data that can be passed through. I imagine that USB-C and DisplayPort are more likely to support these technologies, while HDMI probably does not. I don't believe that a 5K signal can be sent to the R1811 over HDMI at all, much less one with HDR and free sync.

I’m not sure the R1811 is still the most powerful driver board. The Haijing T19 appears to be the new specification king with all of the features of the R1811 and the inclusion of hdmi 2.1. Since the release of the M2 pro Mac mini with an hdmi 2.1 port this newer haijing t19 board looks pretty appealing. The lack of a fan also makes it more desirable than the R1811. I have yet to see anyone on this forum review or give any feedback on this newer driver board other than a mention a few months ago. If anyone does have have any feedback or personal comparisons between the T19 and the R1811 please share.

As for the R1811, I can confirm HDR mode does work via DisplayPort and USB-C at 5k. Freesync does not appear to be a working option as I have not been able to go above 60hz with my sdc1 panel.

 

[i486dx2-66]

I’m not sure the R1811 is still the most powerful driver board. The Haijing T19 appears to be the new specification king with all of the features of the R1811 and the inclusion of hdmi 2.1.

I don't think that's true?

I've been reading back in the thread to compare the options... and from the Aliexpress page, it doesn't look like the T19 has any USB-C ports. So that and any convenience that comes with it (single-cable solution, USB-PD, downstream USB ports, etc) are not available on the T19.

I also don't see any references that it can be ordered with an IR remote control option, which is available on both the R1811 and the R9A18. Not a dealbreaker, but I presume that having the IR remote gives you a lot more retrofit flexibility if you don't want that button control board exposed.

(Also, please don't think I'm saying not to get the T19 - there are lots of other considerations besides USB-C and IR remotes, and it will take some more digging to see if losing those is an acceptable tradeoff when we weigh the pros and cons for each board...)

 

[rootadmin]

I don't think that's true?

I've been reading back in the thread to compare the options... and from the Aliexpress page, it doesn't look like the T19 has any USB-C ports. So that and any convenience that comes with it (single-cable solution, USB-PD, downstream USB ports, etc) are not available on the T19.

I also don't see any references that it can be ordered with an IR remote control option, which is available on both the R1811 and the R9A18. Not a dealbreaker, but I presume that having the IR remote gives you a lot more retrofit flexibility if you don't want that button control board exposed.

(Also, please don't think I'm saying not to get the T19 - there are lots of other considerations besides USB-C and IR remotes, and it will take some more digging to see if losing those is an acceptable tradeoff when we weigh the pros and cons for each board...)

I believe you are correct in your assessment. It appears that I may have mixed up specs when looking at the Haijing T18 which does have usb-c pd function but no hdmi 2.1 and the Haijing T19 which does have hdmi 2.1 but no usb-c. You are also correct that neither the T19 or T18 appear to have ir remote. With no fan on either I still wonder how well the T19 or T18 would compare to the R1811. Also the T19 lists it’s chipset as an RTD2718QD, does anyone know what chipset is used on the R1811 if it is indeed a better chipset?

 

[i486dx2-66]

It appears that I may have mixed up specs

Not really your fault - I think I recall that they were mis-labeled on the Aliexpress pages? Or there was some kind of confusion about what board the T18 actually was? Some info was posted a while back, I'll bump that post if I can find it again.

 

[i486dx2-66]

I saw this info as well.
There seem to be two different board layouts, both labelled H18.
I'm not sure what to make of it all. More claims, more confusion

190.0US $ |27 '' Imac A1419 A2115 5k Lcd Controller Dp 1.4 Type-c Driver Board Diy Monitor Kit For Lm270qq1 Lm270qq2 Screen Test Mainboard - Laptop Lcd Screen - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

200.0US $ |Monitor Controller Board Imac | Monitor Driver Board Imac | Imac A1419 Lm270wq1 - 27 '' - Aliexpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

This pictures in the first (cheaper) link are stamped 'Support iMac 27...'

https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/Scd246cd7be8e4ae2978d81f1d5dbcb85B/27-iMac-A1419-A2115-5K-LCD-Controller-DP-1-4-Type-c-Driver-Board-DIY-Monitor.jpg_Q90.jpg_.webp

View attachment 2030510

View attachment 2030508
There is quite a lot of small print info:
Model : Haijing T18 (DP1.4 Type-C) Max.resolution：5120*2880 @60HZ 4K@144HZ

Haijing T18 motherboard, a new all-in-one LCD motherboard that integrates LED backlight driver and the most popular Type-C interface function.

SG18MW_2P2H_KOE1 is a multi-function full HD high refresh rate display driver board, supports DSC (Display Stream Compression) function, single DP1.4, HDMI2.1 can transmit lossless 4K 144Hz (12bit) UHD images, HDMI2.1 interface can support PS5 4K 120Hz.

Support HDR high dynamic lighting rendering image output (High-Dynamic Range), which can provide more dynamic range and image details.

The LED screen backlight drive current hardware can set the maximum output current to 900mA (DC24V input), and the LED screen backlight output current below 900mA can also be adjusted and controlled by software to control the output drive current. The LED screen backlight driving voltage automatically adjusts the output according to the LED light string load of the LED screen, and the maximum backlight power is 35W. The DC input voltage is 12V/24V, the screen voltage can be 12V/10V, with headphone output, 2-way power amplifier output within 5W (8Ω speaker).
It can complete the DP signal or HDMI signal or Type-C output from the PC to the LCD module.
The Type-C port also supports external fast charging of the PD protocol...

This was it- @PaulD-UK 's post from last July.

 

[i486dx2-66]

I saw this info as well.
There seem to be two different board layouts, both labelled H18.
I'm not sure what to make of it all. More claims, more confusion

In the time since your post @PaulD-UK, it looks like perhaps the Aliexpress pages have been updated?
The photos in both still have the "T18" overlay... however, now the item descriptions have diverged...

From the current state of things on Feb 19 2023:

It looks like the T18 is the board WITH the USB-C port.
It has two HDMI 2.0 ports, one DP 1.4 port, one USB-C port, two USB 2.0 ports, an audio jack, and a DC power input.
The DC power input is specified as "24V" in the photo annotation, but the description recommends a 19V or 24V power supply be used...

The T19 looks to be the board WITHOUT the USB-C port.
It has two HDMI 2.1 ports, two DP 1.4 ports, an audio jack, and a DC power input.
The DC power input is specified as "24V/12V" in the description, and the bundle option comes with a 19V power supply...

 

[i486dx2-66]

And just in case anyone else is just joining the thread, and like myself was trying to sort things out, there appears to be five separate conversion board options available now:

R1811
R9A18
U49
T18
T19

 

[PaulD-UK]

Last year there was a series of posts from the Chinese producer of the R9A18 and R1811 boards, in which he stated that the R1811 was more expensive because it had a more fully featured - and better - video chip than the R9A18 and U49 boards.
He didn't refer directly to the T18 and T19, but implied that all the cheaper boards had inferior performance.

Apparently this contravened the MacRumors forum T & C, as the posts were soon taken down and the account terminated.

Which I think is a pity. He was giving relevant information. :-(

 

[i486dx2-66]

Oh wow, I wish I had seen those!

 

[i486dx2-66]

Quick question - when ordering one of these adapters, the sellers need to know which version of the display you have. Is the only difference in the connection cable?

I have a 2014 5k panel that I'm going to adapt - but knowing that it has the image retention issues, there's a reasonable chance I would swap it to a 2017+ panel at some point in the future. I'd rather not re-buy the whole interface PCB if possible, as the interface board costs almost as much as the base iMac!