Other than this flickering mac issue, I have not had any issues with burn-in. I use the monitor on both my Macbook and a PC. I am considering getting a second to dual screen!
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M1/M2 flickering, ghosting with external display [Merged]
- Thread starter aednichols
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Well, I need help on this, I'm glad I found this thread so probably it's not a display issue but MacOS instead. Today I updated do Sequoia, although this has happened once or twice with previous OS, so it doesn't seem to be directly related with Sequoia, even if this was the worst time it happened.
My MacBook is the M3 Pro and it's connected through DP. I have 2 4K LG monitors:
- 27UL500-W
- 27UL850-W
The issue only seem to affect the 27UL500-W.
This I've tried:
- Rebooting Mac & Monitor;
- Resetting monitor settings;
- Switching cables;
- Switching power brick;
Nothing helped, however, again, the issue went away on its own just like it happened before (if you keep the monitor turned on for a while... it goes away).
I don't have a single clue of what's causing it and why does that happen, but it's terrible. I was about to put the display under warranty but now seems to fit in this thread. I also have retention, vertical lines, flicker and the retention remains after rebooting. Check the video attached
.
My MacBook is the M3 Pro and it's connected through DP. I have 2 4K LG monitors:
- 27UL500-W
- 27UL850-W
The issue only seem to affect the 27UL500-W.
This I've tried:
- Rebooting Mac & Monitor;
- Resetting monitor settings;
- Switching cables;
- Switching power brick;
Nothing helped, however, again, the issue went away on its own just like it happened before (if you keep the monitor turned on for a while... it goes away).
I don't have a single clue of what's causing it and why does that happen, but it's terrible. I was about to put the display under warranty but now seems to fit in this thread. I also have retention, vertical lines, flicker and the retention remains after rebooting. Check the video attached
.
In the early Days the disabling of any DDC/CI "Display Data Channel/Command Interface" on the Monitor has helped a lot and in addition lower the Contrast can Help also.
When you notice flickering of dark grey Text on Black while scrolling then disabling GPU Dither with 3rd Party App helps.
You have also in your Monitor Menue Options for the DP Version to check and Free Sync Parameter as well as in the SystemSettings -> Display -> LG 27UL500-W you can check for:
Variable Refresh Rate...
When you notice flickering of dark grey Text on Black while scrolling then disabling GPU Dither with 3rd Party App helps.
You have also in your Monitor Menue Options for the DP Version to check and Free Sync Parameter as well as in the SystemSettings -> Display -> LG 27UL500-W you can check for:
Variable Refresh Rate...
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Where is that setting in the MacOS? Can't find anything related with VRR for my display.
Maybe your Monitor is not connected via Display Port than or if FreeSync is off in the Monitor Settings,
VRR is not showing up in the Options of Display:
Wiederholrate = Refresh Rate
After some more research i can see that you have only HDMI at this Monitor and the Manual was missleading because it showed an Option to set the DisplayPort Version.
Mac can be picky with HDMI and very Picky if you try 4K 60hz at HDMI and this Monitor is not a HighFrequency Type in any shape or form.
VRR is not showing up in the Options of Display:
Wiederholrate = Refresh Rate
After some more research i can see that you have only HDMI at this Monitor and the Manual was missleading because it showed an Option to set the DisplayPort Version.
Mac can be picky with HDMI and very Picky if you try 4K 60hz at HDMI and this Monitor is not a HighFrequency Type in any shape or form.
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No, I'm actually using DP with this monitor, it has 2 HDMI ports and 1 DP but I don't have the VRR options as you can see in the screenshot.
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Ahh oke,
there is also Software for Mac and maybe a Firmware Update:
www.lg.com
then have you checked the Monitors Menue for the FreeSync Options of the Monitor and also the Max Frequency with 4K is 60hz anywhay ?
It Should be somwhere in the Gaming Options in the Monitor Menu:
Have you checked the DP Version 1.4 selected in the Monitor Menu then ?:
Can you see the Option for 10Bit HDR ?
there is also Software for Mac and maybe a Firmware Update:
LG 27UL500-W.AEU Produktsupport: Benutzerhandbücher, Garantie und mehr | LG DE
Erhalten Sie Produktsupport für LG 27UL500-W.AEU Herunterladen 27UL500-W.AEU von Benutzerhandbüchern, Dokumenten und Software. Anzeigen der 27UL500-W.AEU Garantie-Informationen und für die Planung von Services.
then have you checked the Monitors Menue for the FreeSync Options of the Monitor and also the Max Frequency with 4K is 60hz anywhay ?
It Should be somwhere in the Gaming Options in the Monitor Menu:
Have you checked the DP Version 1.4 selected in the Monitor Menu then ?:
Can you see the Option for 10Bit HDR ?
It is easy to just inform yourself about this issue and Compatible Monitors.
I never faced it with my MBA M2 nor with my RX6600 driven Hackintosh @ Dell S2722DC or my Asus VG32AQA1A or with my TV´s aka LG NANO867NA or Hisense 43E6KT.
I would guess i had a good chance, but no, everything works.
There are also several problems created with bad Cables or just the fact that HDMI is not allways possible of things some User want to get out of it.
Therefore and in General with Mac better Use DisplayPort aka USB-C Thunderbolt which has DisplayPort.
As you can see i do not use expensive Displays but they have either USB-C TB DP or DP.
But my TV´s can also be used with HDMI and in Case of the LG up to 120Hertz.
I am also able to use the Hicense or LG TV via Airplay as OBS Preview (or anything) while using the Internal Display and the Asus 32" @ the MBA M2 so having effectively 3 Monitors at the MBA described as only capable of using 1 Monitor.
But it is only 1 External so i have also an Internal and AirPlay.
I have not tried to use 2 AirPlay but...
Sometimes it is good to be informed and creative.
I work 100% HO 24/7 with the MBA M2 since 2022 July.
I never had one Problem.
I can't say that about any of my PC Laptops.
I like my Lenovo AMD but had to glue in the display hinges 1 Day after Warranty endet.
I do not start to talk about W ... here but some can imagine...
Anyway i use mostly Zorin on this one now (2TB NVME Dual Boot)
I never faced it with my MBA M2 nor with my RX6600 driven Hackintosh @ Dell S2722DC or my Asus VG32AQA1A or with my TV´s aka LG NANO867NA or Hisense 43E6KT.
I would guess i had a good chance, but no, everything works.
There are also several problems created with bad Cables or just the fact that HDMI is not allways possible of things some User want to get out of it.
Therefore and in General with Mac better Use DisplayPort aka USB-C Thunderbolt which has DisplayPort.
As you can see i do not use expensive Displays but they have either USB-C TB DP or DP.
But my TV´s can also be used with HDMI and in Case of the LG up to 120Hertz.
I am also able to use the Hicense or LG TV via Airplay as OBS Preview (or anything) while using the Internal Display and the Asus 32" @ the MBA M2 so having effectively 3 Monitors at the MBA described as only capable of using 1 Monitor.
But it is only 1 External so i have also an Internal and AirPlay.
I have not tried to use 2 AirPlay but...
Sometimes it is good to be informed and creative.
I work 100% HO 24/7 with the MBA M2 since 2022 July.
I never had one Problem.
I can't say that about any of my PC Laptops.
I like my Lenovo AMD but had to glue in the display hinges 1 Day after Warranty endet.
I do not start to talk about W ... here but some can imagine...
Anyway i use mostly Zorin on this one now (2TB NVME Dual Boot)
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I had some changes also.
Before Sequoia i had HDR 10Bit deactivated.
After the Update i changed to HDR and magically there appeared a Slider to edit the Brightness:
I have AMD FreeSync Premium...
When i connect the Monitor via HDMI @ the RX6600XT i do not get HDR nor Variable Refresh Rate.
@firecall
How have you connected your Dell Monitors ? I have noticed that you only get Variable Sync and HDR when conected via USB-C or Displayport via a good Cable.
Your Dell S2721QS has only DP and your P2723QE has USB-C but have you deactivated DDC/CI in your Monitor Menu ?
I had done this with my Dell S2722DC but i do not use it anymore.
Had never one issue with it for Years.
Before Sequoia i had HDR 10Bit deactivated.
After the Update i changed to HDR and magically there appeared a Slider to edit the Brightness:
I have AMD FreeSync Premium...
When i connect the Monitor via HDMI @ the RX6600XT i do not get HDR nor Variable Refresh Rate.
@firecall
How have you connected your Dell Monitors ? I have noticed that you only get Variable Sync and HDR when conected via USB-C or Displayport via a good Cable.
Your Dell S2721QS has only DP and your P2723QE has USB-C but have you deactivated DDC/CI in your Monitor Menu ?
I had done this with my Dell S2722DC but i do not use it anymore.
Had never one issue with it for Years.
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I have an Eizo EV2785 and my problems aren't so big but present.
Within a year I had a ghost effect two times followed by flickering in the middle color range that lasted for several hours. The ghosting looks like a burn in into the panel.
The second ghosting/flickering was gone in around an hour by multiple changing between 60/50/30 Hz.
Now, the question: Has anyone tested to “clean” the signal over a Thunderbolt dock? I have connected my display over my Belkin TB3 dock to test it, but it can take months to get a result.
Within a year I had a ghost effect two times followed by flickering in the middle color range that lasted for several hours. The ghosting looks like a burn in into the panel.
The second ghosting/flickering was gone in around an hour by multiple changing between 60/50/30 Hz.
Now, the question: Has anyone tested to “clean” the signal over a Thunderbolt dock? I have connected my display over my Belkin TB3 dock to test it, but it can take months to get a result.
Updated to Sequoia recently and can wholeheartedly confirm now that a) Apple didn't fix it and b) disabling the GPU dithering via BetterDisplay is THE solution for that problem. Why? Because this morning when I fired up my machine the problem suddenly reappeared, after months without any issue, so I checked and noticed, that BetterDisplay was actually not running. Seems like that the version I had was not compatible with Sequoia, because when I tried to start it then it didn't come up, thus I went to download and install the latest version and as soon as I started that, the problem was gone again.
So I strongly encourage anybody who has that problem to give it a try:
1. Download BetterDisplay from https://github.com/waydabber/BetterDisplay and install it.
2. A new icon for BetterDisplay will show up in the menu bar, click it.
3. Go to "Colour Mode" and here click on "GPU Dithering" to disable it (icon of the entry is blue => it is enabled; icon is gray => it is disabled)
If you didn't use BetterDisplay before: download, install it and disable GPU dithering under "Colour Mode".
So I strongly encourage anybody who has that problem to give it a try:
1. Download BetterDisplay from https://github.com/waydabber/BetterDisplay and install it.
2. A new icon for BetterDisplay will show up in the menu bar, click it.
3. Go to "Colour Mode" and here click on "GPU Dithering" to disable it (icon of the entry is blue => it is enabled; icon is gray => it is disabled)
If you used BetterDisplay before: you might be on an old version, that has some problems with Sequoia, so update it.
If you didn't use BetterDisplay before: download, install it and disable GPU dithering under "Colour Mode".
I am sad to report that I have the similar issue with my new external display - Asus ProArt 278CGV. I bought it together with a new Macbook Air M3 15". Currently on Sonoma 14.7 and connected the monitor USB-C to USB-C (DP).
1. The picture is blurry, fonts look like they are of a low resolution.
2. Heavy ghosting effect.
3. Visible vertical lines side to side.
It is possible to reduce blurriness with Better Display app, but the ghosting effect doesn't go away. It feels like I am back to the times when iMacs had dust issues. It is unusable for the graphic design work, so I will have to return the monitor, which is a big shame.
Also, raises a question - what to do next? Try out all the monitors available in the local stores?
Apple really dropped the ball with the external display support.
Edit:
I've tried to connect the monitor to the old MBPro ('13) and the monitor retained the ghosting effect from the previous desktop. Even after the monitor settings reset, restart and unplugging. Crazy.
1. The picture is blurry, fonts look like they are of a low resolution.
2. Heavy ghosting effect.
3. Visible vertical lines side to side.
It is possible to reduce blurriness with Better Display app, but the ghosting effect doesn't go away. It feels like I am back to the times when iMacs had dust issues. It is unusable for the graphic design work, so I will have to return the monitor, which is a big shame.
Also, raises a question - what to do next? Try out all the monitors available in the local stores?
Apple really dropped the ball with the external display support.
Edit:
I've tried to connect the monitor to the old MBPro ('13) and the monitor retained the ghosting effect from the previous desktop. Even after the monitor settings reset, restart and unplugging. Crazy.
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So glad I found this thread. MacBook Pro 14" M2 Max with a Dell S3221QS monitor connected via HDMI.
I tried the Stillcolor solution, but it did not work for me. I followed the instructions and verified that all "enableDither" entries = "No". I still got flickering in dark mode.
Upon further Google searches, I found BetterDisplay (https://github.com/waydabber/BetterDisplay). This app also has a toggle for enabling or disabling GPU dithering. For my set up, BetterDisplay worked to eliminate screen flicker in dark mode.
I tried the Stillcolor solution, but it did not work for me. I followed the instructions and verified that all "enableDither" entries = "No". I still got flickering in dark mode.
Upon further Google searches, I found BetterDisplay (https://github.com/waydabber/BetterDisplay). This app also has a toggle for enabling or disabling GPU dithering. For my set up, BetterDisplay worked to eliminate screen flicker in dark mode.