quad_bx

Q: How can I improve Mac Mini (late 2014) support for Dell UP2516D?

Hi,

 

I am working to make the most of my Mac Mini (late 2014) running OS X 'El Capitan' 10.11.5 and my Dell with PremierColor UP2516D, but I ran into some... uncertainties.

 

1. Why does OS X sees the UP2516D as Television: Yes? Could this have something to with fonts not looking as... pleasing as they should?

 

Provided LCD font smoothing setting in System Preferences doesn't help much. The monitor is connected via supplied DP to mDP cable to one Thunderbolt port on MacMini. Resolution is natively working at 1440p@59Hz.

There is an EDID fix in the form of a Ruby script floating around the interwebs, but that one is supposed to mostly fix colour issues; my monitor behaves normally, colour-wise, and I am not confident running scripts not specifically written for my monitor. Wish I could understand better what that script does...

 

2. Why isn't 10-bit colour available for my monitor, given that it advertises 1.07 billion colours?

 

Thanks in advance for your thoughts on this!

CG

 

Screen Shot 2016-05-17 at 00.40.00.png

Mac mini, OS X El Capitan (10.11.5)

Posted on May 16, 2016 2:48 PM

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Q: How can I improve Mac Mini (late 2014) support for Dell UP2516D?

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  • by lllaass,

    lllaass lllaass May 16, 2016 3:14 PM in response to quad_bx
    Level 10 (187,759 points)
    Desktops
    May 16, 2016 3:14 PM in response to quad_bx

    Apple does not support 10-bit color for you Mac

    ATI Radeon HD 4870 and 10-bit Color

    Does the monitor have sharpness or similar setting?

  • by quad_bx,

    quad_bx quad_bx May 16, 2016 3:34 PM in response to lllaass
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    May 16, 2016 3:34 PM in response to lllaass

    Hi lllaass,

     

    Thanks with the speedy response. I'm familiar with that thread. The only reference to my setup is "the Mac mini cannot do 10bit. The Intel Iris graphics is a comparatively feeble GPU" This definitely does not sound like an expert or official solution, more like a personal opinion.

     

    Also, doing the 10-bit .psd test: Adobe Photoshop CC (latest) shows no banding while the file is viewed at 100%, whereas Preview shows a distinct banding. This can only mean that:

    1. System Report... shows only if 10-bit colour is available system-wide.

    2. Adobe Photoshop makes use of 10-bit colour by other means(private APIs, dunno)

    3. Intel Iris graphics could support 10-bit colour system-wide, if Apple wanted it to.

     

    Monitor does have a Sharpness setting, but I left that setting unchanged. The text is sharp, however I would like it to look more...crisp. Here are the differences:

    ps_anti-alias-text-2.png
    I would say that crisp is like sharp, but smoother.

     

    Cheers!

    CG

  • by lllaass,

    lllaass lllaass May 16, 2016 3:47 PM in response to quad_bx
    Level 10 (187,759 points)
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    May 16, 2016 3:47 PM in response to quad_bx

    Try adjusting the Sharpness setting on the monitor

  • by quad_bx,

    quad_bx quad_bx May 16, 2016 4:00 PM in response to lllaass
    Level 1 (4 points)
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    May 16, 2016 4:00 PM in response to lllaass

    I tried, but that's not the solution. Only large text gets improved, normal and small text becomes blurry edged.

  • by quad_bx,

    quad_bx quad_bx May 29, 2016 4:51 AM in response to quad_bx
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    May 29, 2016 4:51 AM in response to quad_bx

    Any other opinions on this? I find it hard to believe that I am the only one struggling with it.

  • by Lanny,

    Lanny Lanny May 29, 2016 4:06 PM in response to quad_bx
    Level 5 (7,895 points)
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    May 29, 2016 4:06 PM in response to quad_bx

    Which video connection are you using, MDP or HDMI?

  • by quad_bx,

    quad_bx quad_bx May 29, 2016 4:18 PM in response to Lanny
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    May 29, 2016 4:18 PM in response to Lanny

    The monitor is connected via Dell supplied DP to mDP cable to one Thunderbolt port on MacMini.

  • by WZZZ,

    WZZZ WZZZ May 29, 2016 6:08 PM in response to quad_bx
    Level 6 (13,087 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 29, 2016 6:08 PM in response to quad_bx
    1. Why does OS X sees the UP2516D as Television: Yes? Could this have something to with fonts not looking as... pleasing as they should?

    "Television" is the default for an HDMI connection. I'm supposing that that's how it regards your connection, and I'd ignore that. It's not a problem, and you don't need that script. My 2010 Mini to Dell, from HDMI, shows "television." If the Dell has an HDMI port, why don't you try going straight HDMI?

     

    Also on the Dell try turning off the enhanced settings, if it has those. Those usually destroy an image. Stick with Standard or Standard Multimedia and avoid the other presets.

  • by quad_bx,

    quad_bx quad_bx May 30, 2016 1:45 AM in response to WZZZ
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    May 30, 2016 1:45 AM in response to WZZZ

    If I use HDMI, the OS X has troubles recognising correct resolution and refresh rate for this monitor(and several others from Dell), and it is a well known problem on the forums. I don't use any enhancing or fancy settings, like "Fast" mode for the Response Time and whatnot. I agree, however, that this is a rather new monitor, less than 1 year on the market, so maybe things will change. Thinking about it now...there's a change Apple does not actually monitor these discussions, so maybe I will have to send them an e-mail or something. A problem that nobody mentions is a problem that does not exist, right?

  • by WZZZ,

    WZZZ WZZZ May 30, 2016 6:15 AM in response to quad_bx
    Level 6 (13,087 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 30, 2016 6:15 AM in response to quad_bx

    Dell has a forum for monitor issues attended by Dell staff, although I'm not sure how OS X knowledgeable they are. Regardless, they might be able to help. Don't think this is a Mac issue.

     

    http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/peripherals/f/3529

  • by den.thed,

    den.thed den.thed Aug 23, 2016 7:09 AM in response to quad_bx
    Level 7 (27,380 points)
    Aug 23, 2016 7:09 AM in response to quad_bx

    1. One of our Mac Mini's has dual Samsung's on mDP to DVI adapters and the system report say the same thing.

     

    2. Could very well be a problem with the supplied mDP to DP cable.

     

    I would try a different mDP to mDP cable.

    example: https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-Mini-DisplayPort-White/dp/B00ESM3DKA