MacPro Late 2013 + eGPU Blackmagic + LG 5K

[gp313]

Hi,

Could I branch an eGPU Blackmagic via the Apple Thunderbolt 3-Thunderbolt 2 adapter to a nMP (Quad Core/D300) in order to make use of the 5K Retina mode on the LG Ultrafine?

If I well understood there should be a working terminal command for those external GPU (which are not supported via TB2), but it is unclear to me if such a solution will work with the LG 5K at full resolution.

Thanks,

giampiero

 

[MarkC426]

I thought you could connect 3 5k displays to a nMp, out of the box?

 

[gp313]

It’s different: one could connect up to theee 5K displays via double miniDisplay Port cables. Unfortunately there are basically no 2-miniDisplay Port 5K displays available (except one Ilyama model - I guess). However, the LG 5K ultrafine display needs one USB-C/Thunderbolt 3 which is missing in the nMP. By using just the Apple TB3-TB2 adapter the nMP does not have enough band for 5K retina setting. For this, I wonder if one can use such an adapter together with the new eGPU by Blackmagic.

Best,

Giampiero

 

[h9826790]

Hi,

Could I branch an eGPU Blackmagic via the Apple Thunderbolt 3-Thunderbolt 2 adapter to a nMP (Quad Core/D300) in order to make use of the 5K Retina mode on the LG Ultrafine?

If I well understood there should be a working terminal command for those external GPU (which are not supported via TB2), but it is unclear to me if such a solution will work with the LG 5K at full resolution.

Thanks,

giampiero

If you mean the 5K LG display that Apple sold, my understanding is NO. That looks like a pure Thunderbolt monitor, never heard that it can accept DP connection. If it can, quite a few of us should already using it.

That monitor available for a while already, plenty of us have RX580, Vega 64, 1080Ti, Titan Xp... I will be extremely surprise if this is a super simple and reliable 5k monitor solution for us and no one know about it (or utilise it).

I know the nMP has Thunderbolt, but once the connection via the eGPU, that should revert back to normal DP connection.

 

[gp313]

If you mean the 5K LG display that Apple sold, my understanding is NO. That looks like a pure Thunderbolt monitor, never heard that it can accept DP connection. If it can, quite a few of us should already using it.

Italian Apple stores exhibit the LG Ultrafine 5K connected via the Apple TB3-TB2 to the nMP, and this is a bit weird, since via such a mono link one cannot use the full 5K retina type resolution (thus the result is good but not optimal).

I know the nMP has Thunderbolt, but once the connection via the eGPU, that should revert back to normal DP connection.

My question is different: can one make use of the new eGPU Blackmagic (which is perfect for a LG Ultrafine) via the TB3-TB2 adapter and joy the full Retina 5K monitor? I would say that this is not possible because of lack of band, but perhaps I am wrong. So this thread. I hope that there is a nMP owner who is able to test such a configuration.

Thanks.

giampiero

 

[h9826790]

Italian Apple stores exhibit the LG Ultrafine 5K connected via the Apple TB3-TB2 to the nMP, and this is a bit weird, since via such a mono link one cannot use the full 5K retina type resolution (thus the result is good but not optimal).





My question is different: can one make use of the new eGPU Blackmagic (which is perfect for a LG Ultrafine) via the TB3-TB2 adapter and joy the full Retina 5K monitor? I would say that this is not possible because of lack of band, but perhaps I am wrong. So this thread. I hope that there is a nMP owner who is able to test such a configuration.

Thanks.

giampiero

I think I was answering your question, the answer should be NO (with the explanation).

But I am more than happy to see anyone can prove me wrong.

Yeah, I know that TB3 to TB2 adaptor can let the nMP drive the LG 5K display at 4K. Because that’s still a Thunderbolt connection.

 

[gp313]

Thanks, but you wrote that “I know the nMP has Thunderbolt, but once the connection via the eGPU, that should revert back to normal DP connection.”, and this sounds a bit weird to me, since the eGPU by Blackmagic does act as a dock too, by dialoguing with the Mac via Thunderbolt (and together with other external Thunderbolt eGPU compatibile via a special terminal command). For this, I still have a small hope to receive a positive answer, even if my bet is that the nMP Thunderbolt 2 band could not suffice.

I hope that there is some friends who tested such a configuration, in order to have a definitive response.

Thanks. Best,

giampiero

 

[h9826790]

I just check that eGPU spec again, you are right, the output is Thunderbolt output indeed, amen it says it can be used with the LG 5K display.

So, if the 5k signal is generated inside the eGPU, there is a chance that it can drive the 5K display indeed.

No sure who has this setup to test, but if anyone know which Apple store has all these items displaying, may try to ask them to put everything together and see how it goes.

 

[gp313]

Unfortunately, Apple dropped the support for non-TB3 Mac, but there is a simple script to deal with this. The only fear is that the inferior speed (16 or 20Gbps) of the Thunderbolt 2 will be not enough. Let us wait for some confirmation.

[doublepost=1534606774][/doublepost]

No sure who has this setup to test, but if anyone know which Apple store has all these items displaying, may try to ask them to put everything together and see how it goes.

This is a good advice. However one should find a kind Apple guy who will permit you to launch the hack to use the TB3 eGPU via the TB2 adapter. We will see.

Thanks,

Giampiero

 

[h9826790]

Unfortunately, Apple dropped the support for non-TB3 Mac, but there is a simple script to deal with this. The only fear is that the inferior speed (16 or 20Gbps) of the Thunderbolt 2 will be not enough. Let us wait for some confirmation.

[doublepost=1534606774][/doublepost]

This is a good advice. However one should find a kind Apple guy who will permit you to launch the hack to use the TB3 eGPU via the TB2 adapter. We will see.

Thanks,

Giampiero

Prepare your own external boot drive with FCPX (and some project on it) etc, then tell them you want to test “the whole setup”. I don’t think they will realise that’s a hacked OS. (Or they simply don’t care)

 

[gp313]

After further reading here and there, perhaps I will opt for one of those 27" 5K displays listed as compatible by Apple, in order to safely connect it via two thunderbolt 2(mDP) cables to the nMP.

In the meanwhile, I still hope to have a direct feedback about the eGPU Blackmagic + LG Ultrafine solutions.

Thanks for the tips.

Giampiero

 

[foliage]

This user was able to get a 4k monitor working from the nMP hooked up through the Blackmagic eGPU with a TB3 - TB2 adaptor (with the terminal command to allow eGPU usage over TB2).

https://egpu.io/forums/builds/late-...s-tb2-blackmagic-egpu-macos10-13-6-theitsage/

The user shows that the eGPU can provide Thunderbolt 3 monitor output in the system report screenshot, but I can't find this combination in the wild.

So - if the Blackmagic eGPU is able to drive the LG 5k directly (opposed to via the connected mac's TB controller), then this means other Thunderbolt 2 macs should be able to drive the LG 5k via the Blackmagic eGPU, eg the rMBP's before the TB3 refresh.

 

[gp313]

Thanks. I just bought a Blackmagic eGPU, and I installed in my rMBP (Mid 2014) the aforementioned hack to use it via Thunderbolt 2. Via the Apple TB2-TB3 adapter, the Blackmagic is recognized by macOS, but unfortunately every displays (both via HDMI and TB3) show a black image. I read here and there in the forum you listed above, and tried to resolve by installing some “legacy AMD drivers”, but this brought a Kernel Panic at boot.