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M1 Mac External Display - Fuzzy Fonts & Colors - YPBPR vs RGB

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The first post of this thread is a WikiPost and can be edited by anyone with the appropiate permissions. Your edits will be public.
Donza said:
I am happy to say that 11.3 Beta 7 has finally fixed this for me.

My Dell U3219Q via DisplayPort is now showing RGB color mode! 🎊🥳

I still had to enable HDR in display's OSD settings like as with USB-C cable to get the RGB mode on. I don't mind this though since actual HDR output is still controlled in macOS display preferences.

Update:

Don't know if I was celebrating too early - after waking up the screen few times the colors switch back to YpBpR. Toggling HDR mode restores RGB mode. So although finally I'm getting RGB mode, it is not flawless yet.
Click to expand...
Try to switch color profile to Display P3 or Generic RGB (by uncheck Show profiles for this display only), then switch back to Dell's profile. It'll be fixed on RGB. That's how I got my U2720Q always in RGB mode. HDR mode doesn't matter.

By the way, I'm still at Big Sur 11.2.3.
 
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Bob418 said:
Try to switch color profile to Display P3 or Generic RGB (by uncheck Show profiles for this display only), then switch back to Dell's profile. It'll be fixed on RGB. That's how I got my U2720Q always in RGB mode. HDR mode doesn't matter.

By the way, I'm still at Big Sur 11.2.3.
Click to expand...
Thanks, switched the profiles and let’s see if it helps. Oddly, this morning - even before I had changed a thing - display woke up correctly in RGB mode 🤷‍♂️ Super inconsistent issue.
 
Donza said:
I am happy to say that 11.3 Beta 7 has finally fixed this for me.

My Dell U3219Q via DisplayPort is now showing RGB color mode! 🎊🥳

I still had to enable HDR in display's OSD settings like as with USB-C cable to get the RGB mode on. I don't mind this though since actual HDR output is still controlled in macOS display preferences.

Update:

Don't know if I was celebrating too early - after waking up the screen few times the colors switch back to YpBpR. Toggling HDR mode restores RGB mode. So although finally I'm getting RGB mode, it is not flawless yet.
Click to expand...

Good to hear the Apple is working on this issue! So do you see any differences now that you're using RGB?
 
redlob said:
Good to hear the Apple is working on this issue! So do you see any differences now that you're using RGB?
Click to expand...
To be honest - not really 😅

I've been playing with multiple display cables / adapters since I got my M1 Mini in January and with some cables I got clearly limited color palette and poor quality. Finally I managed to find good DisplayPort cable and despite I couldn't get it to output in RGB before the latest beta I was quite happy with the colors even in YpBpR.

Now that RGB mode seems to work with my DP cable I still need to open up the OSD menu to confirm which mode I'm in as I don't think I'd be able to tell otherwise.

Bob418 said:
Try to switch color profile to Display P3 or Generic RGB (by uncheck Show profiles for this display only), then switch back to Dell's profile. It'll be fixed on RGB. That's how I got my U2720Q always in RGB mode. HDR mode doesn't matter.

By the way, I'm still at Big Sur 11.2.3.
Click to expand...
By the way, after doing this display has not dropped off from RGB mode - looking good so far...
 
OK. I can now confirm that macOS 11.3 betas have fixed RGB mode and I don't see it dropping anymore to YpBpR after this tip:
Bob418 said:
Try to switch color profile to Display P3 or Generic RGB (by uncheck Show profiles for this display only), then switch back to Dell's profile. It'll be fixed on RGB. That's how I got my U2720Q always in RGB mode. HDR mode doesn't matter.

By the way, I'm still at Big Sur 11.2.3.
Click to expand...

Thanks Apple for finally fixing this issue!
 
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Good for you :)

I'm running Big Sur Beta 11.3 but my Dell UP3216Q still only looking ok in YPbPr (switching to Input Color Format = RGB, makes it look purple).
 
javiercarrillo said:
Good for you :)

I'm running Big Sur Beta 11.3 but my Dell UP3216Q still only looking ok in YPbPr (switching to Input Color Format = RGB, makes it look purple).
Click to expand...
I think this is the only way to switch SRGB with HDR function and 4k models.
My Dell 2715Q is also pinkish purple in SRGB mode ....
 
javiercarrillo said:
Good for you :)

I'm running Big Sur Beta 11.3 but my Dell UP3216Q still only looking ok in YPbPr (switching to Input Color Format = RGB, makes it look purple).
Click to expand...
Same with Dell P2415Q. Still colours are looking good IMO.
Any chance the OSD menu is going wrong and the output is actually RGB?
 
Running 11.3b8 (even though I swore I wouldn't install beta OS versions). I have a Dell UP3216Q for my WFH PC and I'm unable to get it to pop into RGB mode when connected to my M1 MacBook Air via a Thunderbolt 3 dual DisplayPort adapter (obviously with only one display connected). Changing color profiles, unplugging and re-plugging the monitor into the computer, etc., but still no go in getting the MBA in to RGB mode. Same purple tint as everyone else when forcing the monitor into RGB. Even forcing the monitor into RGB mode, then plugging the monitor back in does nothing. Goes right back to YPbPr.

However, I will say that to my non-photographer eye, the image looks perfect in YPbPr mode, so the whole thing personally doesn't bother me. But had some free time so I thought I'd experiment. Font smoothing is perfect at 'looks-like' 2560x1440 and 3008x1692 (my preferred resolution on this 32" 4K display).
 
Have new Dell P3221D.
Previously work perfect throught DP on my old MacBook Pro 2014.
When connect to MBA M1 with type-c->type-c cable see the same YPbPr problem and fuzzy fonts and colors.

After researching change DP from 1.2 to 1.1 in OSD Menu.
Change profile to sRGB IEC61966-2.1.

Disable font smooting in terminal with:

defaults write -g CGFontRenderingFontSmoothingDisabled -bool NO

and

defaults -currentHost write -g AppleFontSmoothing -int 0

Restart computer and now I have perfect colors and fonts.
But OSD still show YPbPr instead RGB
 
romanvintish said:
Have new Dell P3221D.
Previously work perfect throught DP on my old MacBook Pro 2014.
When connect to MBA M1 with type-c->type-c cable see the same YPbPr problem and fuzzy fonts and colors.

After researching change DP from 1.2 to 1.1 in OSD Menu.
Change profile to sRGB IEC61966-2.1.

Disable font smooting in terminal with:

defaults write -g CGFontRenderingFontSmoothingDisabled -bool NO

and

defaults -currentHost write -g AppleFontSmoothing -int 0

Restart computer and now I have perfect colors and fonts.
But OSD still show YPbPr instead RGB
Click to expand...
I used TinkerTool to change font smoothing to Light and to enforce "old style" subpixel smoothing. Fonts are much improved on non-HiDPI external monitors. Looks more like Windows font smoothing on non-4K displays (which I find otherwise superior to Apple's current Big Sur implementation).
 
Finally got RGB on my Dell U3419W with the new 11.4 Beta 1 on my Macbook Pro M1

Flawless, better picture than Macbook Pro i7 with stable release.
 
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Bingolotto said:
Try it out, I have been so frustrated.

Will install the Beta on the i7 later today also too see if picture are improved.
Click to expand...
I'm not too keen on running early beta releases as this is my main machine. Hopefully the 11.4 development period is shorter than the 11.3 period has been.
 
Was usally my way of working also, but the 11.3 had soo many bugs and especially the blurry display that I was desperate to be able to move away from my old one when using external monitor.
xraydoc said:
I'm not too keen on running early beta releases as this is my main machine. Hopefully the 11.4 development period is shorter than the 11.3 period has been.
Click to expand...
 
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Well, I tried 11.4 Beta 1 and my UP3216Q still only works with YPrPb. Switching to RBG still makes everything look purple :/
 
javiercarrillo said:
Well, I tried 11.4 Beta 1 and my UP3216Q still only works with YPrPb. Switching to RBG still makes everything look purple :/
Click to expand...
OK, I don't know what the hell I did, but my monitor is now running in RGB mode. Big Sur 11.3 RC.

See here:
IMG_1529.jpeg


I was playing with the monitor settings the other day, settling on Color Temp preset mode @ 6500º. Then put my MBA to sleep and disconnected it. Was using it on the couch last night, then connected it again this morning (no reboot in between).

This is what the monitor is now showing me.

🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️
 
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macOS 11.3 hasn't fixed the YUV output to RGB monitors issue for me – I still get the wrong colour space (and crappy image quality) when connected via USB to HDMI or USBC to DisplayPort.

This is a separate issue to the 4K display one also being reported here – I am not using 4K monitors.

I've had a support case open with Apple with this for months and the last contact I had a few weeks ago assured me that this issue was on Apple's radar and would be fixed in 11.3. No idea yet if 11.3 also fixes the wake-from-sleep issue, but that's a different problem.
 

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Adlopa said:
macOS 11.3 hasn't fixed the YUV output to RGB monitors issue for me – I still get the wrong colour space (and crappy image quality) when connected via USB to HDMI or USBC to DisplayPort.

This is a separate issue to the 4K display one also being reported here – I am not using 4K monitors.

I've had a support case open with Apple with this for months and the last contact I had a few weeks ago assured me that this issue was on Apple's radar and would be fixed in 11.3. No idea yet if 11.3 also fixes the wake-from-sleep issue, but that's a different problem.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure I can explain how it fixed itself for me (11.3). I did change the monitor's picture preset mode from Standard to Color Space 6500K (an option on my monitor). After disconnecting my MBA, using the built-in screen a while, then reconnecting, it seems to be sending out an RGB signal now.

Otherwise I didn't do anything else. I have the MBA plugged into a Thunderbolt 4 hub ( https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/owc-thunderbolt-dock ) with a USB-C to DisplayPort adapter connected to one of the Thunderbolt ports on the hub.
 
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Anyone here using Dell U2518D with Mac Mini M1 and is it working correctly?
I'm planning to get Mini but not sure if I can get it working in RGB mode with my current Dell monitor and which connections I should use (M1 HDMI to U2518D HDMI or M1 USB-C to U2518D DP) to get RGB for sure?

Also how does native 1440 without scaling look like (is it even possible to run in native mode)? Is it like it works in Windows or does MacOS make font too small or something like that? I have no problem with this display on Windows 10 running native 2560x1440 resolution.
 
0906742 said:
Anyone here using Dell U2518D with Mac Mini M1 and is it working correctly?
I'm planning to get Mini but not sure if I can get it working in RGB mode with my current Dell monitor and which connections I should use (M1 HDMI to U2518D HDMI or M1 USB-C to U2518D DP) to get RGB for sure?

Also how does native 1440 without scaling look like (is it even possible to run in native mode)? Is it like it works in Windows or does MacOS make font too small or something like that? I have no problem with this display on Windows 10 running native 2560x1440 resolution.
Click to expand...

I have an M1 Air running Big Sur 11.3. No luck as of now with Dell U2518D. Tried both USB-C to DP and HDMI (with hub), and it still connects in YPbPr mode.

There are no Hi-DPI scaling options either on a 1440p monitor.

I also use this monitor at 100% scale on Windows 10 and a 2018 MacMini running Mojave (with RGB fix). They both look much better than M1 Air. I returned a M1 Mac Mini last year for this reason. It’s unfortunate that there isn’t a fix or a patch solution yet for this issue. 😑
 
Sarpanch said:
I have an M1 Air running Big Sur 11.3. No luck as of now with Dell U2518D. Tried both USB-C to DP and HDMI (with hub), and it still connects in YPbPr mode.
Click to expand...
Did you try plain USB-C to DP cable or was that with hub too (which I suspect could be culprit)? Also did you try turning on MST setting in U2518D? I believe that enable DP 1.2 mode.


There are no Hi-DPI scaling options either on a 1440p monitor.
Click to expand...
Does it still allow native 2560x1440 resolution and how does fonts look like then compared to Windows running in the same mode?
 
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