Solution. QuadHD monitor with HiDPI and Mac Mini M1

[waydabber]

Hi @Falcon80,

no, you don't need XCode, just download and install the release from the BetterDummy GitHub page.

you can use this option in version 1.0.7 or higher:

Alternatively, you can add the app among your Login Items under System Preferences/Users.

 

[Fernbus]

Ηi guys!
When I open the app version 1.0.7 or v1.0.7b, freeze the screen and close the ''mac mini m1'' with button (pressing 10 seconds).

Monitor: Dell U2713HM.
macOS: Monterey

Sorry for my bad english.

 

[Falcon80]

Hi @Falcon80,

no, you don't need XCode, just download and install the release from the BetterDummy GitHub page.

you can use this option in version 1.0.7 or higher:

View attachment 1884066

Alternatively, you can add the app among your Login Items under System Preferences/Users.

Thank you very much. It has been a great app thus far.

 

[Zorast]

I just get my M1 Max 16" MacBook Pro and are shocked that I see it do not support 3840x2160 HiDPI with my Apple Pro Display XDR 32" !!!

I contact Apple for this issue and they told me, the Pro Display XDR are NOT compatible with M1 Chips !!!
Absolute outstanding Information I get.

But they will fix that, when does nobody known.
I'm on Monterey 12.0.1 and the issues is already present.

 

[Zorast]

Theres another big issue in compatibility with M1 Macs, the 32" Pro Display XDR does only Show "Million Color" instead of "Billion Color". The Internat Display from new 16" MacBook Pro M1 Max does finally shows itself "Billion Colors" but can not show this on external 32" Pro Display XDR. I report Apple for this issue.

Unbelievable for me how this Hughe bug can be present!!
I'm on Monterey 12.0.1 and the issues is already present.

 

[Pawełek]

I just get my M1 Max 16" MacBook Pro and are shocked that I see it do not support 3840x2160 HiDPI with my Apple Pro Display XDR 32" !!!

I contact Apple for this issue and they told me, the Pro Display XDR are NOT compatible with M1 Chips !!!
Absolute outstanding Information I get.

But they will fix that, when does nobody known.
I'm on Monterey 12.0.1 and the issues is already present.

Are you aware of that you can just use an app called BetterDummy?

 

[Zorast]

Yes i use that, thanks for this solution! But I think theres is a some little lag when using this. I'm right? On the other side i think the GPU usage are much higher even in gaming or something else heavy use in GPU. The duplicate mode are rendering the picture to the Pro Display. I'm right with that?

 

[waydabber]

Hi, it should not impact performance significatnly. See this.

 

[livinlicious]

Betterdummy is really a super. It fixes the problem basically of MacOS having no scaling.

Just a question, I change the Dummy to whatever resolution I want, and that resolution looks sharp(er).

I had one monitor (1440p) set to 1080p. (just natively.)
The second monitor to Dummy 1080p and compared both.

The native is just downscaled resolution, the dummy 1080p looks sharper.

BUT. Its not as sharp as any Windows or Linux maschine I have. Those scale and are sharp in all UI scalings.

Its noticeable from eye strain.

My question, is this the absolute best thats possible with that setup or do I miss something that can be improved?

 

[waydabber]

It is. Windows has a different method of scaling. Mac draws everything in high resolution and then just scales this image to the output (this is called supersampling) while Windows draws everything to match the actual resolution of the display + over that uses cleartype (subpixel rendering) to make fonts look even sharper. If properly implemented in all apps, the way Windows works is superior and results in better images (the problem for Windows is that older apps don't properly adhere so the result is somewhat inconsistent, even some of Windows's older built-in interfaces look ugly from time-to-time). The macOS way looks best if your native resolution is exactly 2x the logical resolution and even then fonts are not as sharp because of the lack of subpixel rendering (earlier macOS versions had this but it was removed because it does not work well with scaled outputs where physical pixels don't line up with the actual pixels of the display so subpixel rendering breaks down and creates artifacts - subpixel rendering also does not well with rotation).

 

[livinlicious]

I see, thanks for the confirmation+clarification.

I agree and saw it myself, on my 1440p monitor, if I go to 1280x720 it looks absolutely amazing and super sharp.
But sadly the real estate is not ideal. I need somewhere 1,25 - 1,5x not 2x.

Anyway, thanks for your development of Betterdummy!

 

[Zorast]

But perhaps on 1,25 or 1,5x upscaled it must look better at all then in native 1080p on a 1440p Monitor. I also use 4k HiDPI on 6K 32" Apple XDR.

U can also test if you can enable this:

Anpassen der Schriftglättung

help.apple.com

 

[tomstone74]

Hmm, interesting thread. As a long-term Windows users, who is thinking about purchasing its first MacOS device (MBA M1 or MBP 2021), most of the time planned to be plugged into a single external monitor. If I get that right, I will be super unhappy with sharpness, things being blurry with a reasonable real estate (1280x720 sounds stone age) etc. e.g. with my current Dell UP2516D 2560x1440?

 

[Aleksid1]

I added a link to BetterDummy software utility in my 1st post above. Thanks to the author of this great app.

 

[livinlicious]

Hmm, interesting thread. As a long-term Windows users, who is thinking about purchasing its first MacOS device (MBA M1 or MBP 2021), most of the time planned to be plugged into a single external monitor. If I get that right, I will be super unhappy with sharpness, things being blurry with a reasonable real estate (1280x720 sounds stone age) etc. e.g. with my current Dell UP2516D 2560x1440?

I got a M1Air in Mai and it just sits around because I couldnt work on the tiny UI on my 1440p monitors.
Now with BetterDummy you have more options, but yes cristal clear its only with 1280x720 on the 1440p monitors.
The only other option seems to be to have 4k monitors, and then scale them up to retina, which is defacto 1080p ui size but retina sharpness.

 

[satcomer]

I tend to think something like Yellowdog Linux needs a comeback on M1! I hoping with the release of the new Mac book Sir something like Yellowdog Linux will make a return!

 

[Zorast]

In fact is that Apple sell Devices define it self as PRO Devices but limited Pro users how they can work with them! I'm very disappointed about that, that i uses a new 2021 MacBook Pro 16 M1 MAX and a 32" Apple Display XDR (6K Display) but can not uses 4k in normal OR HiDPI on basic Systemmenü configuration! That absolutely nothing todo with Pro Device! When Apple will limited things like that they have to sell this as a endcustomer NORMAL Device not as PRO Device. Without Betterdummy there is NO way that i can use 4k in HiDPI with these Devices. Also without additional Software it also perhaps NOT possible to set 4k!! I can not believe in this but its reality...

 

[aggron12]

Hi can i ask if i use the dummy 4k hdmi emulator, will it be able to support my 2k display at 144hz? I know that better dummy can change the resolution to HiDPI but i want it to be able to use 120 hz which i know is not possible. So im wondering if using the physical emulator will allow it to run at 120 hz?

 

[waydabber]

I think if you choose a dummy that has 120/144Hz 4K in its EDID then it might be possible in the future, but Macs do not support HDMI beyond 60Hz at this time (as even the newest MacBook Pro has only HDMI 2.0 - see this for some background on this), so on a Mac, I don't think it is possible. But I stand corrected if somebody with an actual relevant setup tries this and says it works.

 

[Amethyst1]

I'm very disappointed about that, that i uses a new 2021 MacBook Pro 16 M1 MAX and a 32" Apple Display XDR (6K Display) but can not uses 4k in normal OR HiDPI on basic Systemmenü configuration!

See this thread. 3650×2053 in HiDPI is possible without BetterDummy.

 

[Zorast]

See this thread. 3650×2053 in HiDPI is possible without BetterDummy.

Thanks a lot, i switch there with my Post!

 

[aggron12]

I think if you choose a dummy that has 120/144Hz 4K in its EDID then it might be possible in the future, but Macs do not support HDMI beyond 60Hz at this time (as even the newest MacBook Pro has only HDMI 2.0 - see this for some background on this), so on a Mac, I don't think it is possible. But I stand corrected if somebody with an actual relevant setup tries this and says it works.

My macbook pro 14 connected to my 2k 144hz display via hdmi can have 144hz though. Just that all my texts are too damn small

 

[waydabber]

Hi @aggron12, yes, 144hz at QHD is within the bandwidth limits of HDMI 2.0 (it requires approx 15gbps which is similar to 4K@60Hz), the question was whether 120Hz or 144Hz can be achieved with a 4K HDMI dummy (for mirroring a 120 or 144Hz 4K HDMI dummy to a 144hz QHD display connected via DP). I still think that is not possible (the bandwidth requirement for that is approx. 36Gbps which can be handled by the M1 but cannot be handled by the MCDP2900 chip that converts the M1's DP stream to HDMI2.0 for the HDMI port). That's why I said that using a dummy will not yield better results than using BetterDummy in this regard which is also locked at 60Hz by macOS. Hope this clarifies things!

 

[deeppurple114]

not sure if i fully followed and understand -- so if i bought ASUS monitor - PG349Q
34' with mac mini m1 i will not able to do anything with him to get 4k options/scale options?

 

[yalej]

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