Mid 2012 Mac Pro & Metal Compliant Graphics Card, resolution problems

Question

Mid 2012 Mac Pro & Metal Compliant Graphics Card, resolution problems

To make my mid 2012 Mac Pro Metal compliant I purchased a new graphics card. The card is a Radeon Pro WX 7100 with Display Output Support (@ 60Hz):

4 @ 1920x1080

4 @ 3840x2160

2 @ 5120x2880

1 @ 7680x4320

I used the cable that came with the card, Display Port to DVI-D connectors to connect to the monitor.

The good news is that it worked, once the computer started up and when I open the system prefs I can see the Metal label under the System Report, signifying that I c an now upgrade from High Sierra to Mojave.

Detail of System Report | Metal: Supported, feature set macOS GPUFamily1 v3

The problem is that I am only getting 1200 by 800 resolution.

My monitor is an Apple 30" Cinema HD Display with the capability of 2560 by 1600 resolution, which was what it was producing with the original AMD graphics card that came with the machine.

I believe the problem is the cable, that it is not providing the DVI-Dual Link ability. Whe I purchased the Radeon WX 7100 from B7H Photo it was suggested that I purchase a j5create Mini DisplayPort to 4K DisplayPort, HDMI & DVI-D Adapter.

The problem with this solution is that the adapter is a Mini-Display port connection, while the card has 4 full sized Display Ports.

It always seems to come down to two expensive devices on either side of an unwilling or incompatible adapter. Over the years, Apple's port churn has not helped. :-)

Any thoughts or speculations on how to extricate myself would be much appreciated.

Thank you.

Mac Pro, macOS 10.13

Posted on Jun 26, 2020 2:52 PM

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Answer 1

Jun 27, 2020 3:08 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

"One solution is to swap that graphics card for one with a DVI port." Sadly, this is not possible:

1. I have already purchased a brand new card and I can no longer return it.

2. The list of Apple Metal compatible graphics cards is short and now, mostly out of date.

I analyzed that photo, hoping to what I might glean for my situation and there are two devices in that chain that might work but their brand/models names are not listed. "1. Mini Display Port to Dual Link DVI Adapter" and "IV. Display Port Male to Mini Display Port Female."

Those two components connect to the same output and input I need, with I believe, the correct female and males matches.

Do you have a link for that post?

Also, here is a YouTube video of a guy doing a similar matchup, MacBook Pro connected to a 30" Apple Cinema HD display.

In the UK, there is a growing interest in grabbing these displays and getting them to work. There are beautiful and now inexpensive devices.

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Answer 2

Jun 29, 2020 2:18 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thank you for that clarification on the USB and brightness but here are a few questions:

On my display you can control brightness on the right side of the display or the through the system preferences, one or both of those abilities go away?
Both adapters have a physical DVI Dual-Link DVI-D and USB plug, what does the USB do? Nothing?

It is true, adjusting my brightness is not something I do very often.

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Answer 3

Jun 26, 2020 3:44 PM in response to Garrett Cobarr

DVI-D supports display Wider than 1920 wide by adding a second set of color signals. This means Single-Link DVI and Dual-Link DVI are both out there in the wild. and they often look the same.

"Packed in the box" cables are most often "lowest bidder" cables. Yours is likely to be a single-link DVI cable, which can not support that display at higher than 1920 wide. Heres how to tell the difference:

Picture from Wikipedia (drag and drop on Preview to see larger)

Dual-Link DVI MUST have the center six pins (medium blue) present and connected end-to-end. Some Single-link DVI cables may have the correct connectors, but not have those wires connected all the way through.

The j5create adapter supports:

DVI 1920 x 1080 @ 60 Hz

-- not high enough to run the 2560 by 1920 30-in Cinema Display.

a Mini DisplayPort<--> DisplayPort adapter is cheap (all wires) but will not save you, because the J5create adapter will only do single-link.

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Answer 4

Jun 27, 2020 7:09 AM in response to Garrett Cobarr

One solution is to swap that graphics card for one with a DVI port.

The solution for the MacBook Pro (where no such swap is possible) is convoluted. Because DVI has a second set of signals to run higher resolutions, the adapter from DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI is non-trivial. When new, the Apple version cost US$100 and required 5 Volt power on its USB-A pigtail:

This even-more-complex solution for MacBook Pro with USB-C only developed and posted by user ScottCycle

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Answer 5

Jul 1, 2020 9:12 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Oy, clearly since I don't understand your question, that would be a solid no. Do I need another device or cable?

This is the cables coming out of the Cinema HD display's power brick: DVI-D connector, Firewire and USB...

You're familiar with this, the DVI-D went to the back of the original graphics card and the USB went to one of the Mac Pro's USB ports.

Here is the Club 3D DisplayPort to DVI-D adapter: (Block) female DVI-D connector, USB and DisplayPort connectors.

I my first attempt was to connect the DVI-D and displayport adapter and I was not sure what to do with the USB.

Once again, thanks again.

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Answer 6

Jul 2, 2020 2:29 PM in response to Garrett Cobarr

So, I tried hooking the USB from the Club 3D DisplayPort to DVI-D adapter into the iPhone charger, it did not work.

Some else did occur rather than a blank, black screen. Instead there was a dark screen with racing, dotted lines of blue from right to left. Image sample included.

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Answer 7

Jul 13, 2020 9:37 PM in response to BDAqua

More of my tales of woe...

Got my beautiful 43" Philips display today, after my failed attempt to find a DisplayPort adapter for my 30" Cinema HD display. Sadly, somewhere in the shipping path, someone dropped it. RMA return today...

I have a friend who is a professional astrologer, he told me it's because Mercury is in retrograde.

At this point, I am willing to believe anything...

Garrett

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Answer 8

Jun 27, 2020 6:47 PM in response to Garrett Cobarr

First one is the APPLE Mini DisplayPort to Dual-link DVI adapter (Apple convention is to name the ports Outward from the computer-end first). Model A1306. No longer available for sale as new, but available on the used market for around its original US$100 price. Twenty for sale at this writing on US eBay.

Second is any-old DisplayPort male to Mini DisplayPort female adapter. It's all wires, so need not be expensive.

here is one on amazon(US for US$8.99):

https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters-DisplayPort-Mini-Adapter/dp/B014DV2RGG/ref=pd_lpo_147_t_1/137-5089402-2577204?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B014DV2RGG&pd_rd_r=30e38a88-9427-44c7-90a7-3f23527a1cf3&pd_rd_w=dp0aZ&pd_rd_wg=vqpgJ&pf_rd_p=7b36d496-f366-4631-94d3-61b87b52511b&pf_rd_r=1BQSTJRH558BJ3VGJDGY&psc=1&refRID=1BQSTJRH558BJ3VGJDGY

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Answer 9

Jun 29, 2020 11:58 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

One again, Grant, thank you.

I posted this same question and the link to this conversation on the Radeon forum, this would not have been possible without your guidance. Two devices were suggested, both with the proper specs, it appears.

StarTech.com DisplayPort to DVI Adapter – Dual-Link – Active DVI-D Adapter for Your Monitor / Display - USB Powered – 2560x1600 (DP2DVID2

Club 3D CAC-1010 DisplayPort to DVI Dual-Link DVI-D Active Adapter for Your Monitor/Display - USB A Powered – 2560x1600 Resolution

I'll start with cheaper of the two, $48.36 (StarTech is $115.90) and see if it works. If not, I'll purchase the more expensive StarTech but the only real benefit over the eBay solution, price & hassle is about the same, is that I can more easily return a non working solution to Amazon.

I'd like to mark this resolved now but I'll wait and come back after I see the full resolution on my Cinema HD with whatever device I end up with. I hope Apple leaves this conversation up for others to find.

Thank you.

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Answer 10

Jun 29, 2020 12:26 PM in response to Garrett Cobarr

There is only one tiny footnote those two aftermarket Dual-Link DVI adapters. They do not pass the USB port through. You can not adjust the display Brightness unless you connect the display's USB-A connector to the computer to allow that adjustment.

That said, I cannot recall the last time I adjusted the Brightness on my 30-in Cinema Display. Saving over US$50 would be well worth it.

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Answer 11

Jun 29, 2020 6:14 PM in response to Garrett Cobarr

The USB pigtail brings 5 Volt power IN to run the substantial electronics in the adapter. It will not work without that connected to power.

But if you have a USB-C Mac, you may not want to dedicate a USB-C to make a USB-A just to make 5 Volt power. In that case, Users have found an iPad power adapter works just fine.

You can demonstrate experimentally that if you disconnect the USB connection to your 30-in Cinema Display, the Brightness slider will disappear from the control panel. The Apple adapter provides a place to plug in the USB from the display, the aftermarket models do not.

If I ever knew about the manual Brightness controls on the display, I forgot about them. Thanks for that!

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Answer 12

Jul 1, 2020 2:56 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

So, the first report is not a happy report. I purchased the Club 3D CAC-1010 DisplayPort to DVI Dual-Link DVI-D Active Adapter for Your Monitor/Display - USB A Powered – 2560x1600 Resolution.

It just arrived and hooked it up. Nothing but a black screen. I posted a support request on their forum but I am not sure what else I can do with it to make it work. I'll them a day or two to respond but it likely I'll be moving to the next option.

Maybe this is the difference between $48.36 and $115.90, that it works. :-)

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Answer 13

Jul 2, 2020 6:36 AM in response to Garrett Cobarr

The club-3d DisplayPort to DVI-D adapter has a lot of electronics inside. The club 3D adapter needs its USB port plugged into anything that can supply regular 5 Volt power.

In a pinch, an iPad charger or a phone charger will do.

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