DIY 5k Monitor - success :-)

[SubDriver]

Table Edited/Updated 12/18/2024

As promised last week, below is an updated table for quick comparison of the driver controller boards. As before, I am not 100% certain everything is accurate - I tried my best to use reputable sources (datasheets, etc., and @PaulD-UK 😁). If you see errors, please report them to me and I will update the table.

______ _____ Video Inputs (Resolution/Hz/bit depth)​ ____ _____ ____ _______ Controller Board Input Voltage​ HDMI Ports (Protocol)​ DisplayPorts (Protocol)​ USB C (PD Watts)​ Audio Amps​ Driver Chip​ Chip Maker​ USB-A / B Ports (Version)​ R1811 V.4 24 Vdc​ 2 (2.1) (5K/60/10)​ 2 (1.4) (5K/60/10)​ Y (65W)(5K/60/10)​ 10 W​ RTD2718Q​ RealTek​ 2 / 0 (2.0)​ R1811 V.3 24 Vdc​ 2 (2.0) (5K/60/8)​ 2 (1.4) (5K/60/10)​ Y (65W) (5K/60/10)​ 10 W​ RTD2718Q​ RealTek​ 2 / 0 (2.0)​ R9A18 V1 (Note 4) 12 Vdc​ 2 (2.0) (5K/60/8)​ 2 (1.2) (5K/60/10)​ None​ 10 W​ RTD2718Q​ RealTek​ None​ R9A18 V1.1 (Note 4) 12 Vdc​ 2 (2.1) (5K/60/10)​ 2 (1.4) (5K/60/10)​ None​ 10 W​ RTD2718Q​ RealTek​ None​ JRY-W9CUHD-AA1 12/24 Vdc​ 1 (2.0) (5K/30/8)​ 1 (1.4) (5K/60/8)​ Y (65W) (5K/60/8)​ 2 W​ MT9801V​ MediaTek​ 2 / 1 (2.0)​ JRY-W9RQUHD-FA1 12/24 Vdc​ 2 (2.1) (5K/60/10)​ 2 (1.4) (5K/60/10)​ None​ 3 W​ MT9801V​ MediaTek​ None​ JRY-W9RQUHD-SA1 24 Vdc​ 2 (2.1) (5K/60/10)​ 1 (1.4) (5K/60/10)​ Y (90W) (5K/60/10)​ 3 W​ MT9801V​ MediaTek​ 2 / 1 (3.0)​ Haijing T18 12/24 Vdc​ 2 (2.0) (5K/60/8)​ 1 (1.4) (5K/60/10)​ Y (65W) (5K/60/10)​ 5 W​ RTD2718Q​ RealTek​ 2 / 1​ Haijing T19 12/24 Vdc​ 2 (2.1) (5K/60/10)​ 2 (1.4) (5K/60/10)​ None​ 5 W​ RTD2718QD​ RealTek​ None​ OPDU49-4K-D7 12/24 Vdc​ 3 (2.0) (5K/60/8)​ 1 (1.4) (5K/60/8)​ Y (65W) (5K/60/8)​ 8 W​ MT9 series MediaTek​ 1 (2.0)​

General Notes:
1. Power delivery via USB C requires 24 Vdc power supply
2. Host computer’s GPU must support 5K resolution to obtain 5K on the display (every Apple silicon Mac is capable of this for at least one display)
3. USB C connection will provide 5K resolution using a single cable, but you must ensure you have a proper cable (search for “8K cable” in this thread for additional info)
4. 10 bit color depth via DisplayPort requires using two DP cables (see post #1409 for one potential solution). Single DP cable gives 8 bit color depth.
5. A 30 Hz refresh rate is generally not recommended due to choppiness of items in motion on the display (e.g., viewing videos)
6. HDMI 2.0 can only achieve 60 Hz refresh rate at 5K resolution using compression technology (e.g., Display Stream Compression, or DSC) and requires proper cables. The JRY--AA1 board appears to be limited to 30 Hz for 5K resolution over HDMI 2.0
7. All the boards will support higher refresh rates at lower resolutions (i.e., 4K or less). I did not include those details in the table as I wanted limit it to a comparison of board performance at 5K resolution only.
8. The details in the table reflect performance/capabilities when using MacOS. Windows or other operating systems may yield different results

Key posts from this thread:
- Post 1409 (R9A18 project by @Kaeslin)
- Too many great posts by @PaulD-UK to count. Here are a couple:
+ 1822 (General board info…)
+ 1602 (Lots of great overall advice…)
+ 489 (his R1811 build)
- Many from @Aiwi, the most comprehensive is 822 (R1811 Project)
- Posts 410 & 411 (Power Button)
- Post 490 (T18 Project by @pSpitzner)
- Post 180 (R1811 Project by @Gold240sx)
- Post 414 (R1811 Project by @LeMelleKH2)
- Post 512 (R1811 Project by @kevinherring)

Driver Board Manufacturer Datasheets
R1811 - http://chiyakeji.com/content/?635.html
R9A18 - http://chiyakeji.com/content/?619.html

Aiwi Github page - https://github.com/aiwipro/5K-iMac-Studio-Display-Stock-Look
Mykola’s guide (March 2022) - https://khronokernel.com/macos/2022/03/01/5K-MONITOR.html

Connector for iMac power plug - https://www.ebay.com/itm/3524571190...3726X1523008Xd8a6f1d6e9adf7e6609408b23fbc0b7a


I have also attached a .pdf of the table in case the table above is hard to read.

 

[joevt]

Probably should get post 1 converted to a wiki and append new information to the end of it.

 

[PaulD-UK]

@SubDriver
The first two R1811 lines need a tweak:

R1811 V.4 HDMI 2.1

24 Vdc

2 (2.1) (5K/60/10)

R1811 V.4 HDMI 2.0

24 Vdc

2 (2.0) (5K/60/8)

R9A18 V1 (Note 4)

12 Vdc

2 (2.0) (5K/60/8)

R9A18 V1.1 (Note 4)

12 Vdc

2 (2.0) (5K/60/8)

Whether the JRY--FA1 has full HDMI output isn't clear. It certainly does do HDMI 60Hz, as only the AA1 is restricted to HDMI 5K 8bit 30Hz.
The same for the T18 and U49, they're HDMI 8bit 60Hz as well.

The U49 board also uses a MediaTek controller chip called MT9** series.
However it is more or less EOL.

The R1811 HDMI 2.1 does HDMI 5K/60 10 bits YCbCr 4.2.2 with an M4 Pro Mac mini as sold, but 10 bits ‘Full’ RGB with Better Display.

Also the USB-C PD charging rates are dependent on the rating of the 24v PSU used. Some of the ones rated 65w can probably supply a higher rate if the laptop requires it, and an 8+ amp PSU is driving the board.

It seems that the JRY boards will work at 12 volts, at least the AA1 and FA1.

 

[antibolo]

It's unfortunate that this sort of conversion is still so complicated... I had hoped that eventually someone would come out with a "everything you need DIY kit" that neatly replaces the iMac internals and reuses the ports on the back, but it appears that's not the case. (Although I have not checked the 70+ new pages of this thread since I last visited it.)

 

[PaulD-UK]

@antibolo "I had hoped that eventually someone would come out with a "everything you need DIY kit" that neatly replaces the iMac internals and reuses the ports on the back, but it appears that's not the case."

I think that will remain so for the immediate future...
But there is a Kickstarter micro-company that reportedly say's it's on their 'to do list'.

Anyway part of the advantage of a DIY conversion is that you gain the flexibility of using DP and HDMI ports instead of just the iMac's original USB-C only limitation.

But I can't guess what the manufacturing cost would be of reproducing Apple's internal port layout for a small scale run...

 

[ColeHarris]

Hello everyone, I could really use some advice.

I recently purchased a late 2015 iMac 5K for $150 that, at least initially, appeared to be in excellent condition (it even has very minimal pink edge glow). However, upon receiving it and inspecting it more closely I discovered that it has numerous "stuck" pixels all over the display (see photo below).

At this point, I'm at a bit of an impasse. I initially set out to do this conversion because I really wanted a 5K display, but a Studio Display was simply too far out of my budget. Now after this disappointment I'm beginning to question this whole thing. I wonder if these devices are simply too old and too riddled with defects for this to make sense (pink edge, image retention, dead/stuck pixels, etc...)

It seems my options are the following:

1. Return the defective iMac (not sure if I even can) and find a different, possibly more recent model instead.
2. Keep this iMac and find a replacement display (I've seen some for around $250ish dollars).
3. Abandon this project and simply scrape together enough money for a Studio Display or possibly that Kuycon knockoff.

I'm struggling because on the one hand I love the iMac formfactor and would love to be able to continue with this project, but I also don't want to dump so much money into this that it no longer makes sense financially, but conversely I really dislike the idea of spending $1300+ dollars on a display that's already outdated in many ways and may be replaced by something better within the next year...

Anyways, sorry for the rant. I would really appreciate it if any of you could offer me some guidance based on your own experiences with this project.

Thanks so much!

 

[erihp]

Hello everyone, I could really use some advice.

I recently purchased a late 2015 iMac 5K for $150 that, at least initially, appeared to be in excellent condition (it even has very minimal pink edge glow). However, upon receiving it and inspecting it more closely I discovered that it has numerous "stuck" pixels all over the display (see photo below).

At this point, I'm at a bit of an impasse. I initially set out to do this conversion because I really wanted a 5K display, but a Studio Display was simply too far out of my budget. Now after this disappointment I'm beginning to question this whole thing. I wonder if these devices are simply too old and too riddled with defects for this to make sense (pink edge, image retention, dead/stuck pixels, etc...)

It seems my options are the following:

1. Return the defective iMac (not sure if I even can) and find a different, possibly more recent model instead.
2. Keep this iMac and find a replacement display (I've seen some for around $250ish dollars).
3. Abandon this project and simply scrape together enough money for a Studio Display or possibly that Kuycon knockoff.

I'm struggling because on the one hand I love the iMac formfactor and would love to be able to continue with this project, but I also don't want to dump so much money into this that it no longer makes sense financially, but conversely I really dislike the idea of spending $1300+ dollars on a display that's already outdated in many ways and may be replaced by something better within the next year...

Anyways, sorry for the rant. I would really appreciate it if any of you could offer me some guidance based on your own experiences with this project.

Thanks so much!

if i were in your shoes

i would get the lowest cost board, use it and what you got.

learn from this one for the next conversion attempt on a unit in actual good condition, and youll have all the confidence to have a great conversion.

seems like a good way to get your feet wet and decide if its a via path forward for you in the hunt for a 5k monitor you are happy with. then if you like the result with the board you already have, you have a lot of options. you could buy just a panel, or a whole second unit, or even add the board upgrade. plus you also have a whole slew of spare parts, depending on what you want to buy.

so if you liked it, and wanted to frankenstein two 'bad' units into one, youd be more than halfway there. if you -really- wanted, in the best case you could even re-build the imac with the bunk screen and resell it for $150

i say keep going, THEN decide.


edit: eeesh that seems like a lot of stuck pixels... not sure how you missed that! powering them on will only benefit you in negotiation on price for stuff like this.

edit 2: cut your losses and just go buy a working monitor. trust me dont listen to me! *drowning in akwardly shaped imac parts*

 

[SubDriver]

Probably should get post 1 converted to a wiki and append new information to the end of it.

I had thought about that as I am familiar with the wikis in other topic threads. However, from what I am reading about MacRumors wikis, I would have to start a whole new thread - the wiki has to be the first post in any thread. Probably not a bad thing, but it would kind of disconnect it from all the great info in this thread (aside from hyperlinking). Clearly looks like you and @PaulD-UK are in favor of it.

Give me a few days and I will dive in and create a new thread with a wiki as the first post.

 

[SubDriver]

Hello everyone, I could really use some advice.

I recently purchased a late 2015 iMac 5K for $150 that, at least initially, appeared to be in excellent condition (it even has very minimal pink edge glow). However, upon receiving it and inspecting it more closely I discovered that it has numerous "stuck" pixels all over the display (see photo below).

At this point, I'm at a bit of an impasse. I initially set out to do this conversion because I really wanted a 5K display, but a Studio Display was simply too far out of my budget. Now after this disappointment I'm beginning to question this whole thing. I wonder if these devices are simply too old and too riddled with defects for this to make sense (pink edge, image retention, dead/stuck pixels, etc...)

It seems my options are the following:

1. Return the defective iMac (not sure if I even can) and find a different, possibly more recent model instead.
2. Keep this iMac and find a replacement display (I've seen some for around $250ish dollars).
3. Abandon this project and simply scrape together enough money for a Studio Display or possibly that Kuycon knockoff.

I'm struggling because on the one hand I love the iMac formfactor and would love to be able to continue with this project, but I also don't want to dump so much money into this that it no longer makes sense financially, but conversely I really dislike the idea of spending $1300+ dollars on a display that's already outdated in many ways and may be replaced by something better within the next year...

Anyways, sorry for the rant. I would really appreciate it if any of you could offer me some guidance based on your own experiences with this project.

Thanks so much!

Some things that might be worth trying in the links below if you are willing to give them a go. I don't have any personal experience, but have heard of some who have had success. Might be worth it if you are considering abandoning the monitor anyways...

How to Fix a Stuck Pixel on an LCD Monitor (with Pictures)

This wikiHow teaches you how to fix a pixel that won't change color on your LCD monitor. Stuck pixels are usually a color other than black or white, and can often be fixed in a couple of different ways. If your pixel is dead instead of...

www.wikihow.com

 

[beginswithaJ]

Hello everyone, I could really use some advice.

I recently purchased a late 2015 iMac 5K for $150 that, at least initially, appeared to be in excellent condition (it even has very minimal pink edge glow). However, upon receiving it and inspecting it more closely I discovered that it has numerous "stuck" pixels all over the display (see photo below).

At this point, I'm at a bit of an impasse. I initially set out to do this conversion because I really wanted a 5K display, but a Studio Display was simply too far out of my budget. Now after this disappointment I'm beginning to question this whole thing. I wonder if these devices are simply too old and too riddled with defects for this to make sense (pink edge, image retention, dead/stuck pixels, etc...)

It seems my options are the following:

1. Return the defective iMac (not sure if I even can) and find a different, possibly more recent model instead.
2. Keep this iMac and find a replacement display (I've seen some for around $250ish dollars).
3. Abandon this project and simply scrape together enough money for a Studio Display or possibly that Kuycon knockoff.

I'm struggling because on the one hand I love the iMac formfactor and would love to be able to continue with this project, but I also don't want to dump so much money into this that it no longer makes sense financially, but conversely I really dislike the idea of spending $1300+ dollars on a display that's already outdated in many ways and may be replaced by something better within the next year...

Anyways, sorry for the rant. I would really appreciate it if any of you could offer me some guidance based on your own experiences with this project.

Thanks so much!

Personally I'd try and return the iMac and get a better one without all those stuck pixels. Coming from personal experience I have two immaculate displays here from 2015 so they're out there for sure

If you're just using the display to connect to another newer mac, it's definitely still worth it! It's the easiest conversion possible and will set you back 1/3 of the price for a studio display. Or less than half of the competitors:

Find a better display panel from any iMac, a cheap board from the table above, a stable 12v or 24v power supply (depending on the board, and make sure the wattage is on the top end), an extention cord and/or a good 8k USB-C cable, and of course the sticker kit from iFixit or so for closing up the display again. And you're all set.

Maybe have to tinker a bit with BetterDisplay, but it's all worth the 5K goodness in the end.

It won't be the most awesome conversion in this thread, but you'll still have a working 5K for cheap. Adn you can always expand on the work you've done up to this point a little down the line. To add a camera, audio support, more connectors and whatever if you'd like.

 

[beginswithaJ]

Anyone have any experience with the JRY-W9CUHD-AA1 board?

Works like a charm as a basic display driver and I am able to get it to work as an external monitor.

I've been having trouble getting it to dim the panel on a hardware level (so that the panel's LEDs dim when I use the brightness controls on my keyboard) with BetterDisplay. DDC doesn't seem to be retrieved as well. Only thing it does is the 'software' dimming where it just makes the birghtness of the image darker. Not the panel itself.

Also when I try and dim the screen with the buttons on the control board, everything above 50% gets slightly darker and below starts flashing. My guess is the PSU not being stable enough for the lower end but the screen would go brighter when I'd use the button panel in general, right?

For the record, I've added the booster board for good measure. Would that make a difference?


Question is: defective board, unstable PSU, or just a board that doesn't have the same features as an R1811?

 

[PaulD-UK]

@beginswithaJ : "...or just a board that doesn't have the same features as an R1811?"

When these conversion boards first appeared in ~2019 the first versions didn't support DDC control of brightness etc.
User feedback meant that the R9A18 was very quickly given a firmware update to allow control, and when that board was revised in about 2020, it developed into the R1811.
Since then the R1811 has received several software revisions to improve its performance, and because of this support it commands a premium price...

Because of the success of this process, other monitor board manufacturers and vendors on AliExpess/Tabao etc sought to compete with a cheaper equivalent.

The JRY-W9CUHD-AA1 is a 'first generation' of an ultra-cheap alternative, and as such it has less featured firmware.
So it seems that the brightness control features are fairly primitive, and DDC doesn't work.

Whether there has been enough user feedback to ensure that the subsequent JRY products, the FA1 and SA1 boards, have better control - we have to await reports of their performance. There have been no bad reports as yet...

So I guess you don't have a defective board, and, yes, a stable adequately-rated PSU is essential.

 

[PaulD-UK]

@ColeHarris I've not seen a screen panel as bad as that
It would definitely be worthwhile trying to rectify the problem if you can't return it.

The Eizo Monitor Test webpage is a good way of testing for any pixel defects.

Just a slight word of caution about purchasing an iMac screen panel:
There appear to be some online sellers who are selling 'new' screen panels, and who are actually selling rebuilt screen panels sourced in China where a broken glass front panel has been replaced on a used panel.
If this 'refurbishment' hasn't been done properly then the screen can end up with diminished backlight brightness, and the screen will only give a usable picture with the Constant Current Backlight board - which is sold to rectify this very problem.

The easiest way to check if a 'new' screen panel is original is to check it has its serial number sticker in place, and the backlight cable, which is stuck on and goes round three sides of the panel, looks in original condition.
These remanufactured screens can be absolutely fine, but not all of then are...

There were three generations of 5K iMac screen:
2014 LM270QQ1 SD(A1) (A2) or (A3) panels were 16.7M colours- 8 bit.
2015 (B1) panels were originally sold as 16.7M colours, but with Mac OS High Sierra were upgraded to 10 bit 1.07 Billion colours.
2017 (C1) (D1) iMac Pro or 2019/20 (E1)/(F1) panels followed, 10 Bit DCI-P3, with far less reported developing panel faults.

For anything later that the (D1)) panel I would recommend using a R1811 controller board.
Because the results are stunning...

 

[PaulD-UK]

@SubDriver "Give me a few days and I will dive in and create a new thread with a wiki as the first post."

Go for it!
I've thought about doing it, but there a lot of different aspects to the whole problem of DIY monitor building - as is obvious from the complexity of this thread.
Looking back over all the posts there seem to be as many different variations of the build process as there are contributors haha.

Factual info as to what has to be purchased.
Design Objectives.
Problems of planning the design.
The best solutions for achieving the design objective.
Construction skills needed.
3D printing resources.
Etc etc.

Not to mention the various cautions needed when handling live electrical equipment - for people new to DIY solutions, and to avoid damaging the equipment...

 

[joevt]

I had thought about that as I am familiar with the wikis in other topic threads. However, from what I am reading about MacRumors wikis, I would have to start a whole new thread - the wiki has to be the first post in any thread. Probably not a bad thing, but it would kind of disconnect it from all the great info in this thread (aside from hyperlinking). Clearly looks like you and @PaulD-UK are in favor of it.

Give me a few days and I will dive in and create a new thread with a wiki as the first post.

There's a WikiTools menu at the top right of the post. It has a "Suggest to enable WikiPost" option.

I used that for https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...l-work-in-a-beige-power-macintosh-g3.2303689/

I kept the original text of the original post at the top of the wiki post since it was a small amount of text that leads to the rest of the content. The post will continue to have the name of the original poster. The wiki history (at the bottom of the post) will show who made which changes (though sometimes it's not accurate?).

 

[SubDriver]

There's a WikiTools menu at the top right of the post. It has a "Suggest to enable WikiPost" option.

I used that for https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...l-work-in-a-beige-power-macintosh-g3.2303689/

I kept the original text of the original post at the top of the wiki post since it was a small amount of text that leads to the rest of the content. The post will continue to have the name of the original poster. The wiki history (at the bottom of the post) will show who made which changes (though sometimes it's not accurate?).

Cool... I just made the suggestion. We'll see what happens. I assume the OP or a macrumors moderator has to take action to make the change?

 

[yurazazik]

Hello everyone, I finally got my turn to try my iMac 27 2017 with the R1811 board, and unfortunately, the attempt was unsuccessful so far. After connecting, the board seems to be working, but my LM270QQ1 doesn’t light up. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[PaulD-UK]

@yurazazik Everything seems connected correctly.
I don't think you get the green light on the Control Strip if the board is faulty.

Can you see anything on your (dark) screen by shining a torch at it and looking closely?
If the R1811 is displaying an image, and it is the backlight that is not working, you should see something on the screen.

 

[Regulus67]

Hello everyone, I finally got my turn to try my iMac 27 2017 with the R1811 board, and unfortunately, the attempt was unsuccessful so far. After connecting, the board seems to be working, but my LM270QQ1 doesn’t light up. Does anyone have any ideas?

Did they change the cables included with the R1811 boards?

And the backlight cables have a red cable to both connectors?

It looks different on your photos

edit: never mind. You have a newer display than I have Mine is late 2015

 

[traxap]

iMac 27" 2017 to 5K Monitor using the original power supply - "ADP-300AF T"

Hello everyone and thank you all for making this conversion possible.

I have the ADP-300AF T PSU board and my intent is to wire it directly to the JRY-W9RQUHD-SA1 board, similar to what is shown in the post on page 57, however, I have some questions regarding the wiring set up.

Additional info: I tested the board’s Molex Micro-Fit 3.0 connector when plugged in and I get 12.14V.
I will also use the board to run the iMac built in speakers and the fan.

· How many wires would be necessary to connect to the female Molex Micro-Fit 3.0 connector, shown in the picture, to achieve the necessary voltage and amperage that the SA1 board needs? I believe the board can work with 12v or 24v and 8A or 9A, or it could be more amperage but I am not sure.

-Do I need to connect all 12 wires, 6 on each side of the 6x2 connector. Would 6 wires be enough, top or bottom rail, to be able to run the SA1 board?

Thank you in advance for any suggestions.

 

[yurazazik]

@yurazazik Everything seems connected correctly.
I don't think you get the green light on the Control Strip if the board is faulty.

Can you see anything on your (dark) screen by shining a torch at it and looking closely?
If the R1811 is displaying an image, and it is the backlight that is not working, you should see something on the screen.

Unfortunately, nothing is visible on the screen at all. Could I have damaged the backlight by connecting the plug the wrong way?

 

[PaulD-UK]

@yurazazik There have been no reports that it does permanent damage to plug the backlight cable in the wrong way.
The wrong way just doesn't light the screen up. Your picture shows is correct way.

Can you see the OSD on the screen with the torch?
If so maybe you could check that is showing OK.
If the cable between the Mac and the R1811 is faulty the OSD shows either the input settings horizontal menu, or the Reset option.

If you still see nothing, then there is a backlight problem, either in any of the cables or maybe on the board.

 

[PaulD-UK]

@Regulus67 Yes the cables StoneTaskin supply have changed to the ones you see in the pics from @yurazazik .
The eDP video cable is longer (which helps mounting the R1811 lower in the case) but it is not so well protected...

 

[Regulus67]

The eDP video cable is longer (which helps mounting the R1811 lower in the case) but it is not so well protected...

I think it might be better this way. The old was so stiff. And I probably broke mine by bending it a bit too far by mistake.
So good job there StoneTaskin, improving the design

 

[PaulD-UK]

@traxap The JRY--SA1 is a USB-C PD board, so it is designed to power a laptop and needs 24v to do that.
Do you know that it will work with 12 volts?

Apple use 12 wires from the PSU because the iMac needs up to 28 amps.
Now you need less than 10 amps for your JRY--SA1 (if it works with 12v...) so half the wires (or less) would be fine.