HDMI Looks Different From USB-C - Mac Mini M1 - Is This Normal?

[Sovon Halder]

Display: LG 27UK850 4K Monitor
Keyboard: Logitech K380

1. Just got the mac mini. The picture via HDMI looks more contrasty and pleasing to look at whereas the USB-C looks washed out. Is this normal?

2. I've been using this monitor with my MBP 2017 for years and never used anything but USB-C because of the power delivery. And used MonitorControl to adjust brightness. But in mac mini m1 nothing seems to work - I've tried hdmi, usb-c, logi options custom keys etc. What do you folks use?

 

[matrix07]

1. Just got the mac mini. The picture via HDMI looks more contrasty and pleasing to look at whereas the USB-C looks washed out. Is this normal?

Must be different color profiles. I used to connect my 2012 Mac mini to my TV through hdmi at the same time I connected my Apple TV to the same TV on another hdmi and Apple TV is just more pleasing to the eyes than Mac mini which looked washed out compared to it.

 

[robbieduncan]

Check the screen. Quite often they have settings per input stored. You may have changed the settings on HDMI to be pleasing to you. These settings are probably not being applied to USB-C input

 

[Sovon Halder]

Must be different color profiles. I used to connect my 2012 Mac mini to my TV through hdmi at the same time I connected my Apple TV to the same TV on another hdmi and Apple TV is just more pleasing to the eyes than Mac mini which looked washed out compared to it.

Well my monitor didn't break suddenly that's for sure because I just checked with my 2018 MBP and colors look fine with USB-C as it has been for the past 2 years.

But in mac mini m1, I can see that the HDMI and USB-C are both selected to the same color profil "LG HDR 4K". Then why this difference in picture?

Also I've always thought there are a certain set of profiles pre-installed in macos but now I see that my 2 year old macbook has way more (about double) color profiles. I wonder why.

 

[ProfessionalFan]

There is an intermittent issue with this monitor and the M1 via USB-C, it sometimes comes up looking right and other times doesn't. Until there is a fix (hopefully one comes), I discovered a workaround though.

Go to scaling in system prefs, choose any other scaling option and then go back to your normal one. It makes the washed out issue go away. At least until the next time it happens. This works for me 100% of the time.

 

[Sovon Halder]

There is an intermittent issue with this monitor and the M1 via USB-C, it sometimes comes up looking right and other times doesn't. Until there is a fix (hopefully one comes), I discovered a workaround though.

Go to scaling in system prefs, choose any other scaling option and then go back to your normal one. It makes the washed out issue go away. At least until the next time it happens. This works for me 100% of the time.

Sadly that didn't work for me. I tried changing scale, defaulted to display, rotated it but nothing seemed to take away the washed out look. What sort of particular issue is this - Can you please share any link where this issue has been discussed? I couldn't find any.

Check the screen. Quite often they have settings per input stored. You may have changed the settings on HDMI to be pleasing to you. These settings are probably not being applied to USB-C input

That's what I thought at first. I checked everything I could like. gamma mode, color temp, rgb colors, color mode and all of that. There is no difference, at least not that I could find. I'm an experience designer who does UI design for a living. If I now have to worry about colors looking wrong, I have so much pain coming my way.

 

[ProfessionalFan]

Sadly that didn't work for me.

Crap, sorry to hear that. Just making sure, you do have HDR off right? HDR also looks washed out to me via USB-C, I haven't tested via HDMI yet.

 

[Pressure]

USB-C / ThunderBolt 3 outputs from he M1 forces many monitors into YPbPr color format instead of RGB.

Apple is supposedly working on a solution.

 

[Sovon Halder]

Crap, sorry to hear that. Just making sure, you do have HDR off right? HDR also looks washed out to me via USB-C, I haven't tested via HDMI yet.

I am not using HDR. I've never used HRD. The colors and the entire UI of the OS looks weird and fatiguing to me.

USB-C / ThunderBolt 3 outputs from he M1 forces many monitors into YPbPr color format instead of RGB.

Apple is supposedly working on a solution.

That is a solid new information to me. Thank you. Looking forward to the update that fixes them.

 

[mpennin33]

I had this exact issue with my new Mac mini. USB-C connection looks terrible compared to HDMI as I'm using dual monitors that are the exact same LG models. I tried buying a couple of different cables but it didn't matter. The fix was that I bought the Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter then hooked up another HDMI and now both monitors look the same with great contrast. Clearly something that wasn't really tested before it was sent out the door but got it fixed. I suspect you could get a cheaper adapter than the Apple one but at this point I'm tired of having to jack with it.

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[Sovon Halder]

I had this exact issue with my new Mac mini. USB-C connection looks terrible compared to HDMI as I'm using dual monitors that are the exact same LG models. I tried buying a couple of different cables but it didn't matter. The fix was that I bought the Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter then hooked up another HDMI and now both monitors look the same with great contrast. Clearly something that wasn't really tested before it was sent out the door but got it fixed. I suspect you could get a cheaper adapter than the Apple one but at this point I'm tired of having to jack with it.

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I have the Apple's stupidly priced multiport adapter, bought it 2 years ago on another need.

BTW it's not 60hz is it, over HDMI with the adapter? Are you getting 60Hz using the adapter?

 

[mpennin33]

According to System Information and the built in information menu on the monitor they both report 60hz

 

[Sovon Halder]

According to System Information and the built in information menu on the monitor they both report 60hz

Oh. Apologies. Just remembered. It's 30Hz only on UHD monitors.

 

[jdb8167]

I have the Apple's stupidly priced multiport adapter, bought it 2 years ago on another need.

BTW it's not 60hz is it, over HDMI with the adapter? Are you getting 60Hz using the adapter?

The newer version of Apple's USB-C to HDMI adapter does 4K at 60 fps. The older model does not.

 

[malcky77]

But in mac mini m1, I can see that the HDMI and USB-C are both selected to the same color profil "LG HDR 4K". Then why this difference in picture?

You mention the input colour profile name as “LG HDR 4K”.....is there a colour profile called “LG SDR 4K”? Or anything that does NOT have HDR in the name?

 

[Superhai]

I am not using HDR. I've never used HRD. The colors and the entire UI of the OS looks weird and fatiguing to me.


That is a solid new information to me. Thank you. Looking forward to the update that fixes them.

You should check anyway, because macOS might have turned it on for you.

 

[Sovon Halder]

I checked, it's not HDR. As other people are noticing this issue as well, it's a color format issue with M1 chips. It's YPbPr instead of RGB, hence the washed out look.

 

[Sovon Halder]

Did they fix this is yesterday's update?

 

[abhi182]

I have the Apple's stupidly priced multiport adapter, bought it 2 years ago on another need.

BTW it's not 60hz is it, over HDMI with the adapter? Are you getting 60Hz using the adapter?

The multiport adapter does 4k60 for me - The new model came out sometime in 2019 so you may want to check what the model # on your adapter is.
Since the mini already has a HDMI port, I'd use that if I were you and call it a day
Lesser conversions and handshakes are always better - and you also get to free up a port

 

[Sovon Halder]

The multiport adapter does 4k60 for me - The new model came out sometime in 2019 so you may want to check what the model # on your adapter is.
Since the mini already has a HDMI port, I'd use that if I were you and call it a day
Lesser conversions and handshakes are always better - and you also get to free up a port

I use HDMI only. And I can't quite figure out which box I put the USB-C cable (that came with monitor) in when I was relocating stuff. I wanted to know whether the "washed out" issue of the YPbPr color format has been resolved or not.

If someone else with a usb-c monitor could confirm this.

 

[vitamins]

Sorry to hear about your problem. I'm having minor issues with my external monitor (DELL U2520D) and my MacBook Pro M1 as well.

This is how I trigger the problem: I connect the monitor via USB-C. If I click on 'high dynamic range' under System Preferences > Displays, my external monitor looks very washed out. Also, by clicking this option, I noticed the monitor changes its input color format from RGB to YPbPr (they look slightly different to me).

By trial and error, this is how I found out how to get back to RGB:
1) Using the DELL monitor menu, I turn the 'Smart HDR' option off.
2) I use the Apple USB-C multiport adapter and connect the MacBook with the monitor via HDMI.
3) I go back to the DELL monitor menu and turn 'Smart HDR' on again.
4) Now the color format is RGB. If I use the USB-C cable, it will still show RGB.

I know your display is a LG, but can you try something similar?

Since the update to 11.2, I can use the monitor via HDMI and scale the text to a pleasant readable size. Via USB-C, I can either use the native resolution (text looks too small) or scale the resolution to 1080p (text looks fuzzy).

 

[Caliber26]

I had this exact issue with my new Mac mini. USB-C connection looks terrible compared to HDMI as I'm using dual monitors that are the exact same LG models. I tried buying a couple of different cables but it didn't matter. The fix was that I bought the Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter then hooked up another HDMI and now both monitors look the same with great contrast. Clearly something that wasn't really tested before it was sent out the door but got it fixed. I suspect you could get a cheaper adapter than the Apple one but at this point I'm tired of having to jack with it.

I'm running across this exact issue as well. Have two identical HP monitors hooked up to my mini. One via HDMI an the other using a HDMI to USB-C. The one connected via USB-C looks washed out and has no contrast at all. The one hooked up via HDMI looks great. So I switched them up and, bingo, the washed out now looks great when connected via HDMI.

I, too, thought about buying the Apple adapter as the solution to this but since that adapter connects via USB-C wouldn't I end up having the same issue again and possibly end up with both monitors looking washed out?

 

[brianjolson]

I'm running across this exact issue as well. Have two identical HP monitors hooked up to my mini. One via HDMI an the other using a HDMI to USB-C. The one connected via USB-C looks washed out and has no contrast at all. The one hooked up via HDMI looks great. So I switched them up and, bingo, the washed out now looks great when connected via HDMI.

I, too, thought about buying the Apple adapter as the solution to this but since that adapter connects via USB-C wouldn't I end up having the same issue again and possibly end up with both monitors looking washed out?

Me too...Mac mini M1, running Ventura. Two Samsung monitors, one on HDMI direct, one on USB-C to HDMI adapter. Monitor on USB-C is warmer despite all same settings. Tried everything on this thread. Small addition (I think), and perhaps unique to Ventura, in the control panel/display section, selection one monitor I get options for refresh rate and HDR where I do not get them on the other. Haven't tried swapping connections, but I suspect this is either 1) cheap adapter or 2) USB-C ?? Any further thoughts or updates.