tomealvarez

Q: Mac Pro (late 2013) Multiple monitors

I have 4 monitors hooked up this computer and Ive had nothing but issues with it all.

I have the following monitors:

  1. Dell Ultra HD 4k Monitor P2715Q 27". This monitor is my main one.
  2. 27" Dell UltraSharp U2713HM. I have 2 of these.
  3. Monoprice 19" TFT Interactive Pen Display Monitor. This monitor is not recognized at all by the computer.


Here are my issues:

  1. Sometimes when the computer wakes up the main monitor does not wake up with it. Therefore causing the computer to only recognize two monitors. I have this monitor hooked up using a mini display port cable.
  2. I have one of the UltraSharp monitors hooked up using a  Active DVI to MiniDisplay Port adapter. I had read that this was going to work but all it does is it keeps flashing in and out every so often.
  3. The other monitor is hooked up using a MiniDisplay port to HDMI cable. With this setup the monitor does not use the correct resolution.
  4. The Monoprice monitor is hooked up with a MiniDisplay port to DVI cable. That monitor does not even get recognized.


Keep in mind that all of these monitors worked well before me buying this new Mac Pro. I had a Mac Pro Late 2008 with my own video card and everything worked perfectly. I am honestly very annoyed with it all. I've spent sooooo much money on this computer thinking that its going to work but all it does is the opposite. I have looked on the web and have tried several different things but nothing seems to work right. I've also called apple support but when it comes to this issue no-one seems to be able to help. The one thing that I have yet to try is buying a dual-link adapter. They are way too expensive and I don't feel like continuing to dump more money into this computer. This forum is my last hope before I return it back to apple. Also I have already looked at this page and its more confusing than helpful. PLEASE HELP.

Mac Pro (Late 2013), OS X El Capitan (10.11.3)

Posted on Jan 23, 2016 2:13 PM

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Q: Mac Pro (late 2013) Multiple monitors

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  • by lllaass,

    lllaass lllaass Jan 23, 2016 2:57 PM in response to tomealvarez
    Level 10 (188,781 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 23, 2016 2:57 PM in response to tomealvarez

    What resolution do you get and what is the resolution of the screen?

    How it the 4K monitor connected?

    You can only have a max of two monitor connected via legacy connections (DVI, HDMI) unless they are active. A dual-link mini displayport>DVI (which is active) is required for resolutions greater than 1920x1200.

    Hae yu tried connecting them to different, as much as possible, Thunderbolt buses? There are only three Thunderbolt busses, two ports for each bus with the HDMI connected to one of the three TB ports too. For ports and busses see the figure in

    Use multiple displays with your Mac Pro (Late 2013) - Apple Support

  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder Jan 23, 2016 3:12 PM in response to lllaass
    Level 9 (60,909 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 23, 2016 3:12 PM in response to lllaass

    to add to lllaass   excellent advice, the built-in HDMI counts as one of your two "legacy" connections if you decide to use it. It is not "free".

  • by tomealvarez,

    tomealvarez tomealvarez Jan 24, 2016 7:55 AM in response to lllaass
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 24, 2016 7:55 AM in response to lllaass
    1. Dell Ultra HD 4k Monitor P2715Q 27". Is at 2560x1440. It is connected using mini display port.
    2. 27" Dell UltraSharp U2713HM. Is at 2560x1440.Connected using DVI active adapter.
    3. 27" Dell UltraSharp U2713HM. Is at 1080p.Connected using thunderbolt to hdmi cable.
    4. Monoprice is connected using thunderbolt to dvi.

    None of them are connected to the HDMI port and they are all connected to different busses except for the monoprice.

  • by lllaass,

    lllaass lllaass Jan 24, 2016 8:32 AM in response to tomealvarez
    Level 10 (188,781 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 24, 2016 8:32 AM in response to tomealvarez

    Try moving the Monoprice to another bus?

    Next try disconnecting the Ultrasharp with HDMI connectionand change buses as necessary so each monitor connected is connected to different bus.

  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder Jan 24, 2016 12:06 PM in response to tomealvarez
    Level 9 (60,909 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 24, 2016 12:06 PM in response to tomealvarez

    To simply the problem, connect no more than two displays at a time. This will tell you whether each basic connection is sound.

     

    THEN try connecting additional displays. If this fails, perhaps some of the previously-working adapters are not true ACTIVE adapters.

  • by tomealvarez,

    tomealvarez tomealvarez Jan 29, 2016 3:32 PM in response to tomealvarez
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 29, 2016 3:32 PM in response to tomealvarez

    All three main monitors are working however I cannot to fix the issue that occurs when the computer goes to sleep. The main monitor sometimes does not wake up so the computer uses one of the other two 27" as the main one.

  • by Grant Bennet-Alder,

    Grant Bennet-Alder Grant Bennet-Alder Jan 29, 2016 4:12 PM in response to tomealvarez
    Level 9 (60,909 points)
    Desktops
    Jan 29, 2016 4:12 PM in response to tomealvarez

    This has been an ongoing problem with the new kinds of displays.

     

    Originally, the Mac sent a query to the display and got a reposes, and lit up a resolution based on the stored setting and the response from the display.

     

    Newer displays often have multiple inputs, and the display may not be "paying attention" when the Mac sends it query. Lately that has meant some displays stay dark, but that cannot be the long term solution.

  • by tomealvarez,

    tomealvarez tomealvarez Jan 31, 2016 6:33 AM in response to tomealvarez
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 31, 2016 6:33 AM in response to tomealvarez

    After many different tries with cables and configurations I think I found one that works.

     

    I bought two Mini Display Port (thunderbolt) to Display Port cables and I am now using those to for the side monitors. I connected the monoprice monitor using the old dvi active adapter to a mini display port. This meant  that I have to use a bus twice but so far it seems to work. As of now all 4 monitors seem to be working. Lets hope it stays that way.