Can't get correct resolution on UltraWide LG Monitor with Mac Mini

I can't get my UltraWide LG Monitor (29UM58-P) and my 2012 Mac Mini to display the correct solution. I'm using a Thunderbolt to HDMI cord.


The monitor is displaying an image but basically it's a widened regular screen stretched out sideways (hamburger not hot dog). When I go to Monitor settings, this is the default setting. When I try to use the scaled options, the max possible resolution is 1600 X 900 at 60 Hertz or I can use 1080P, which is the stretched out version.


The LG's possible resolution is 2560 x 1080 at 75 Hz. I downloaded LG's OpenController but it doesn't driver/application but it can't actually change anything related to the monitor resolution.


I talked to Apple and they said it wasn't possible with my Mac Mini.


However, my monitor and this MacMini both used to work until the Mojave update. However, I had to use a third party app to override my monitor settings.


Is there any way to do this natively? Or is there something other thing I can do to get this to work?

Posted on Jan 10, 2019 11:19 AM

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6 replies

Jan 10, 2019 1:48 PM in response to AguilaGIB

The info in your link states:

  • Supports video resolutions up to up to 1920x1200 and 1080p (Full HD); easy-grip treads; low-profile design

He needs something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PJ3LSIG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Supports video resolutions up to 3840x2160 (Ultra HD) at 60 Hz


There is the Display Menu app in the Mac App store that allows more resolutions. It is free for basic app but there are in-app purchases.

‎Display Menu on the Mac App Store

Jan 10, 2019 12:24 PM in response to AguilaGIB

What specific mini displayport>HDMI cable are you using? (mini displayport video output is a subset of the Thunderbolt 2 signal). A link would be nice. Not all converter cables support higher than 1080p. I was playing around with a displayport>HDMI cable (displayport and mini displayport are the same except for connector geometry) and could only get max of 1080P on a 4K monitor.

Jan 10, 2019 2:16 PM in response to AguilaGIB

that HDMI was not meant to be used with computers.

Well, that needs to be explained a bit.


We have a 4K OLED TV for our network, TiVo and Blu-ray viewing. With all connectors between the set-top boxes and the TV being HDMI, it's rather obvious HDMI can handle 4K (and more).


The big "but" here is back in (Mountain Lion I think it was), Apple decided to treat HDMI as what it's intended for. As a TV signal. Before that, you could use HDMI just as readily as DisplayPort and get all of the resolutions your video hardware and monitor supported. Then all of a sudden, you couldn't. All it took was upgrading the OS to throw things out of whack. Same hardware you were using before, but you found yourself limited to 1920 x 1080.


Apple's thinking was to use HDMI as a replacement for expensive break out boxes for video professionals. You'd use DisplayPort for your RGB signal computer monitor (where all of your video software interface was), and HDMI to feed the working video in TV's ycbcr color space to a separate TV set. That way, you see the final color as it will appear on an actual TV in the proper color rendition, and not hope the RGB representation was close enough.


A lot does depend on the monitor. Some folks can't get HDMI to use a monitor's maximum resolution for anything. Other monitor's work just fine with an HDMI connection. I suppose it mostly depends on the circuitry of the monitor if it will negotiate its maximum resolution with your computer or not.

Jan 10, 2019 1:31 PM in response to lllaass

Here's the link - hopefully this works for you but let me know.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0134V3KIA/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_xI7nCbTZTRKA9


I see now this might not support the resolution. This used to work. I used this SwitchResX program and it allowed me to edit the allowed resolutions for my mac.


I guess the Mac auto selects what resolutions are possible and doesn't want to allow the port to display more than 1080p so it just goes to 1080p instead of 2560 X 1080.


I think I might need a better cable. Let me know if you need any additional information and thank you for the help.

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Can't get correct resolution on UltraWide LG Monitor with Mac Mini

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