M1 MBP & LG 34 inch ultra wide 5K2K

[Marco.como]

Hi Guys,

I've been following this thread because I was interested in getting the LG 5K Ultrawide for my new M1 MacBook.
After many delays of delivery times I eventually went for the MSI PS341WU which has the same 5K panel from LG.

It runs a ton of resolutions including 3840x1620 when using resolutionator.

Am I missing something or is there only a problem with the LG monitors ?

./M

 

[joevt]

Keep in mind this was an issue I resolved over a year ago, I don't know if this is still a problem that exists or if this is the problem that you guys are all experiencing. I guess I wouldn't be surprised if that's the missing piece people are having here, but it'd be disappointing that LG/Apple haven't resolved it after this long. You'll also have to reapply this fix every time you do a MacOS update.

Problem is, M1 Macs seem to ignore most of the info in the overrides file that you are modifying. The overrides file does allow the display name to be changed, so I guess it means something else in the overrides file could also work, but no-one has tried each type of modification that can exist in an overrides file to be sure.

 

[anchoricex]

Based on phil's communications with Apple and their claim that the m1 mac has trouble "identifying ultrawides" I suppose it could still be a possibility that failling to identify = failing to generate the right .plist file and perhaps there's a shot that making an override fixes this, but I don't have my hopes up.

If no one can give that fix a try I'll see if I can do it on Friday when my m1 MBA shows up.

Curious: Does anyone know if this monitor still has issues on wake with Windows laptops? If this monitor isn't going to work out for the m1 air I'll probably be donating it to my father but he's primarily Windows.

 

[anchoricex]

Hi Guys,

I've been following this thread because I was interested in getting the LG 5K Ultrawide for my new M1 MacBook.
After many delays of delivery times I eventually went for the MSI PS341WU which has the same 5K panel from LG.

It runs a ton of resolutions including 3840x1620 when using resolutionator.

Am I missing something or is there only a problem with the LG monitors ?

./M

Very much a problem with the LG 5k ultrawide specifically (either Apple genuinely hates this monitor or LG designed this monitor wonky and can't figure out how to get it to play nice with MacOS), which has been a huge problem child pretty much for its entire existence.

 

[Volodymyr Shuvayev]

Experiencing an issue with Mac mini M1 16/256 & MSI PS341WU 5K2K (same panel as in 34" LG) here. Auto-detection of display worked only with HDMI cable, got low resolution; USB-C connection would work only after successful HDMI startup. Update to 11.3 beta made it ever worse: USB-C connection would be detected from 4th or 5th plug in (tried multiple cables and ports)

 

[itsphilgeorge]

Thanks for the assistance and suggestions @Marco.como & @anchoricex

Firstly, tools like resolutionator and ResXtreme worked perfectly on Intel Mac's but due to the way M1 based machines handle device detection, it appears that some functionality is lost. The previous solution that worked on Intel Mac's was to use SwitchResX to add custom resolutions using Scaled Resolutions tool. This method no longer works as MacOS Big Sur running on M1 appears to completely ignore or no longer understand the pList format. I am unsure which one it is as all of my attempts have led to inconsistent failures.

Essentially, on Intel Mac's (which I have to test with ~2020 Macbook Pro), the configuration works perfectly. Meaning I can operate the LG 34" at a scaled resolution of 3840x1620.

Using the exact same configuration but switching in the M1, I lose the option of usable scaled resolutions.

UPDATE: Setting the LG to DisplayPort 1.2 from 1.4 on the monitor has resolved the kernel panic that was causing reboots. It has not resolved the resolution related issues.

@Marco.como When you are next able while running at 3840x1620 are you able to take a screenshot of the System Report under Graphics/Displays. You do this by click on the top left hand Apple icon on the MacOS interface, then clicking System Report within the Overview tab and then choosing Graphics Displays on the left-hand menu. I have attached mine as an example.

I suspect that you are able to drive the display running natively at 3840x1620, but not in scaled mode.

If you are actually running that Display in scaled mode, then to my knowledge you are the first person to be able to drive anything on an M1 at a native resolution greater than 6016 pixels wide! Additionally, I shall become the proud owner of an MSI!

@anchoricex With regards to this problem being isolated to LG specifically, I don't think that is solely the issue. Specifically, the LG 34" has had numerous issues since release, mostly relating to being driven using the dedicated GPU in the 16" Macbooks.

However, the current issue of higher scaled resolutions being unavailable is plaguing not just LG monitors, but other manufacturers such as MSI and BenQ as well as in my opinion, Apple's own displays. Numerous XDR owners are reporting issues with their monitors using Big Sur on an M1 and the fact that you cannot drive a $7000 display at a resolution higher than 3008x1692 (Native Resolution of 6016x3384). Furthermore, users who have both the XDR and the LG Ultrafine 5k series of monitors, sold directly by Apple, have now lost the ability to drive their monitors at the higher scaled resolutions that the previous Intel Mac's could drive flawlessly. (See below)

Hopefully, we are getting somewhere here. Thanks for everyone's work on trying to get the attention of Apple!

Cheers.

 

[anchoricex]

Damn it was worth a shot. I'll stay tuned here because there is no way Apple can just obsolesce ultrawides like this because their engineers went and goofed things up this hard.

Cheers for providing the information, I'll be submitting feedback as well. Very annoying they didn't deliver a fix in the latest release.

 

[nikosl7]

Did anyone try the latest Big Sur Beta to see if it fixes the problem?

 

[kikote]

Did anyone try the latest Big Sur Beta to see if it fixes the problem?

I am on the latest beta - no problem has been solved so far. I am even having more problems (Monitor recognition, power supply recognition) then before... ANd there is still no higher HiDPI resolution than 3008x1269
I have started to use my Intel-Mac again, and I have also downgraded to Catalina.
At this moment I keep my M1 MacBook Air and BigSur for beta testing. I hope they get the problems polished out soon, so that I am able again to go back to the M1 Mac... If not, I will sell the M1 MacBook Air...

 

[suxus]

I'm already thinking about whether I should sell my Macbook Pro M1 again and buy a Macbook Pro 16 ". I have a Dell U4320Q and find the 3008x1269 a bit weak. Hopefully more will be possible again with an Intel Mac.
Sometimes you don't know whether you want to fix it and if so when!

 

[Usernotmaker]

I thought I would drop this here: LG just released OnScreen Control 4.48. It is not Apple Silicon fat binary but at least it works on Big Sur and detects my 34wk95u and previous 4.40 did not.

Back in the Catalina days, this software helped to resolve res and wakeup issues so maybe worth trying.

Mac_OSC_4.48.zip

Brilliant! Many thanks for this. You've solved my problem with the monitor's speakers.
Until reading your post I had no idea how to update the firmware...
After updating the firmware I did a reset and the sound was back.
However, when I changed from DisplayPort 1.2 to 1.4 I lost sound again so had to switch back to DP 1.2!
Also, noticed that when I close my laptop's screen, the monitor changes to a different resolution...
Btw this is using a 2018 MBP 13" on OS 11.2. I haven't tried with my base M1 MBA yet.

 

[xszuflax]

Brilliant! Many thanks for this. You've solved my problem with the monitor's speakers.
Until reading your post I had no idea how to update the firmware...
After updating the firmware I did a reset and the sound was back.
However, when I changed from DisplayPort 1.2 to 1.4 I lost sound again so had to switch back to DP 1.2!
Also, noticed that when I close my laptop's screen, the monitor changes to a different resolution...
Btw this is using a 2018 MBP 13" on OS 11.2. I haven't tried with my base M1 MBA yet.

The 34wk95u is stable when using DP 1.2 . DP 1.4 works until it sleeps there I only had crashes and black screens when using 1.4.

None resolves the issue of waking up in close lid mode, though.

 

[The-Aviator]

Quick update from me - I installed Resolutionator as per @Marco.como suggestion to use a bit higher resolution.
Not 100% sure if it's because of that, but I am experience less problems waking up the display with lid closed and also zero restarts.

Let me know if you try it.

 

[jlcara]

@itsphilgeorge I just installed resolutionator.

Here's the screenshot on the 34WK95U monitor

BTW, it's my first time as a mac owner. So I'm not pretty sure if that's ok.

 

[theSeb]

So you are not using a scaled resolution unfortunately.

 

[suxus]

But with the Resolutionator, i don't have HiDPI, with Retina resolution option i have only 1920 x 1080.

 

[joevt]

Does Resolutionator claim to do more than SwitchResX currently can on M1 Macs?

The product page says "Resolutionator relies on a non-published programming interface within macOS". But do any of those non-published programming interfaces allow adding arbitrary resolutions and timings? The method SwitchResX uses to do that is to create and modify an overrides file for a display. macOS comes with overrides files from Apple for its displays and some third party displays but it is unknown how much of the info that an overrides file can contained is used on an M1 Mac (currently, only the display name is known to be used for sure).

This is the info contained in existing overrides files:

/DisplayBacklight
/DisplayBlueGamma
/DisplayBluePointX
/DisplayBluePointY
/DisplayBrightReflection
/DisplayDarkReflection
/DisplayGammaChannels
/DisplayGammaEntryCount
/DisplayGammaEntrySize
/DisplayGammaTable
/DisplayGreenGamma
/DisplayGreenPointX
/DisplayGreenPointY
/DisplayHasHardwareBrightnessSmoothing
/DisplayHorizontalImageSize
/DisplayIsTV
/DisplayLeakage
/DisplayLowestLevel
/DisplayLowestMeasured
/DisplayPixelDimensions
/DisplayPort/DisableDSC
/DisplayPort/FWNeedsDefaultPowerValue
/DisplayPort/PowerValue
/DisplayProductID
/DisplayProductName
/DisplayRedGamma
/DisplayRedPointX
/DisplayRedPointY
/DisplayVendorID
/DisplayVerticalImageSize
/DisplayWhitePointX
/DisplayWhitePointY
/IODisplayEDID
/IOGFlags
/ThermalCorrection/ThermalDataPoints/[0]/blue
/ThermalCorrection/ThermalDataPoints/[0]/green
/ThermalCorrection/ThermalDataPoints/[0]/red
/ThermalCorrection/ThermalDataPoints/[0]/temperature
/[0]/IODisplayOverrideMatching/IODisplayIsDigital
/[0]/default-resolution
/[0]/tovr/250
/cal-adjustment-step
/cal-adjustment-table/[0]
/default-resolution
/display-refresh-rate-policy
/display-rotation-policy
/dmdg
/dspc/[0]
/edid-patches/[0]/data
/edid-patches/[0]/offset
/hdcp-restrictions
/is-hmd
/scale-resolutions/[0]
/sync
/target-default-ppmm
/tinf/140
/tovr/130

 

[itsphilgeorge]

@itsphilgeorge I just installed resolutionator.

Here's the screenshot on the 34WK95U monitor

View attachment 1727982

BTW, it's my first time as a mac owner. So I'm not pretty sure if that's ok.

Thanks for doing that @jlcara

Unfortunately, you appear to be having the same issue as the rest of us.

If you browse to System Preferences > Display you will see a selection of resolutions.

If you hold the Option Key while clicking on Scaled you may be offered additional resolutions. The best available currently is 3008 x 1269. If you configure it to this you will hopefully notice a substantially clearer resolution.

I would also recommend using the Thunderbolt 3 cable supplied with the monitor and setting the DisplayPort setting on the monitor to 1.2 from 1.4.

You can do this by Pressing the Button on the bottom of the monitor, Navigating to Settings, General, then changing the Version to 1.2.

The screen may go black and should return. This appears to be the optimal setup for now until Apple resolves the larger issues.

But with the Resolutionator, i don't have HiDPI, with Retina resolution option i have only 1920 x 1080.

Resolutionator really just is a shortcut application for the M1. It doesn't unlock additional resolutions at all.

@joevt See above. To my knowledge, SwitchResX doesn't and potentially will never work on M1.

 

[Machspeed007]

Experiencing an issue with Mac mini M1 16/256 & MSI PS341WU 5K2K (same panel as in 34" LG) here. Auto-detection of display worked only with HDMI cable, got low resolution; USB-C connection would work only after successful HDMI startup. Update to 11.3 beta made it ever worse: USB-C connection would be detected from 4th or 5th plug in (tried multiple cables and ports)

I have an Intel Mac mini and have the same behavior.

 

[circa7]

Just got my mini yesterday and it looks like I’m sending it right back. 3008x1269 max just is not acceptable.

 

[The-Aviator]

Resolutionator really just is a shortcut application for the M1. It doesn't unlock additional resolutions at all.

Disagree. It does when you set to Displayport 1.4.

 

[itsphilgeorge]

Disagree. It does when you set to Displayport 1.4.

Yep! You are correct, it unlocks additional native resolutions such as those you have captured. I should have been clearer.

Importantly, none of those resolutions are the scaled resolutions most people are after.

Previous versions of SwitchResX allowed you to insert custom resolutions into MacOS, I was hoping for that sort of functionality in Resolutionator.

Are you experiencing crashes using DP 1.4?

 

[The-Aviator]

Yep! You are correct, it unlocks additional native resolutions such as those you have captured. I should have been clearer.

Importantly, none of those resolutions are the scaled resolutions most people are after.

Previous versions of SwitchResX allowed you to insert custom resolutions into MacOS, I was hoping for that sort of functionality in Resolutionator.

Are you experiencing crashes using DP 1.4?

Yes, keep crashing

BTW, with my other Mac - Mini 2018, I've never had the option for great HiDpi resolutions for 5k2k. I had to use the eGPU for that (which sets higher resolution and downscales it).
So I am not hopeful that Apple will introduce them. At least I hope they will fix the restart panic problem...

 

[itsphilgeorge]

Yes, keep crashing

BTW, with my other Mac - Mini 2018, I've never had the option for great HiDpi resolutions for 5k2k. I had to use the eGPU for that (which sets higher resolution and downscales it).
So I am not hopeful that Apple will introduce them. At least I hope they will fix the restart panic problem...

Yep. I also used an eGPU to achieve it on the 2018 Macbook Pro I had. But when I upgraded to the 2020 MacBook Pro 13" I was able to drive it on the MacBook without the eGPU (slowly).

The M1 can definitely drive it in terms of raw pixels, as it is driving more pixels when running an XDR and the laptop screen - but like you, I am not holding my breath for them to fix it.

What I would like back, is the ability to fix it myself using tools like SwitchResX.

Out of further curiosity - does the MacMini 2018 still work with those higher resolutions using the eGPU? I have sold my Intel Macbook and eGPU so can no longer test it.

 

[The-Aviator]

Out of further curiosity - does the MacMini 2018 still work with those higher resolutions using the eGPU? I have sold my Intel Macbook and eGPU so can no longer test it.

Yes, it works, but I haven't updated it to Big Sur yet.