mac pro hdmi 2.0

It is overall very disappointing coming from Apple - I am using my LG OLED 4K TV as my main monitor but am unable to use it beyond 1080p since UHD can only be supported at 30 Hz which is too laggy.

I have a 6K+ MAC Pro computer , which I also upgraded on the memory side. and I can't use it as my home entertainment center because Apple cannot be bothered to upgrade the firmware for the HDMI port or cannot be bothered to produce/license 4K@60fps minidisplay port/thunderbolt 2 port to HDMI 2.0 adapters.

Apple's attitude since Jobs' passing has been one of contempt towards their user base.

We sorely need more competition in the high end computer space - Maybe time to break up Apple in several competing companies?

The worst of it was today the experience at the newly opened apple store in Singapore - the guys had absolutely no clue about video standard and the actual specs of the adapters they were selling.

A vey huge disappointment.

This is not the Apple I had come to worship....

There are several Mini DisplayPort to HDMI 2.0 adapters that will run 4K displays at 60 Hz.

http://www.club-3d.com/index.php/products/reader.en/product/mini-displayport-12- to-hdmi-20-uhd-active-adapter.html

https://www.startech.com/AV/Displayport-Converters/mdp-hdmi-2-adapter-4k~MDP2HD4 K60S

https://www.accellcables.com/products/mini-displayport-1-2-to-hdmi-2-0-adapter

Make sure each display is on a separate Thunderbolt bus.

https://support.apple.com/HT202801

Whilst I share some of your concerns one of them is a misunderstanding on your part.

The Mac Pro 2013 - which appears to be the model you are referring to did/does indeed come with a built-in HDMI port that is only able to do 4K at a maximum of 30fps, this is because it is a HDMI 1.4a port. In order to do 4K at 60fps you need a port capable of doing HDMI 2.0.

This difference between HDMI 1.4a and HDMI 2.0 is not something you can upgrade merely by firmware it requires a different hardware chip to provide. Since the Mac Pro 2013 was designed before 2013 it used the then available HDMI 1.4a chip, since the chip is built-in it cannot be swapped. What is disappointing on Apple's part is the fact that the 2013 model has not yet been replaced by a newer model which does have HDMI 2.0. Even Apple have realised and publicly admitted they have made a mistake over their failure to upgrade it and have announced they will launch a new model Mac Pro in 2018 although it is not yet certain it will ship in 2018.

In the mean time it is possible to get an adapter that will convert one of the Thunderbolt 2 ports aka Mini Displayport to a HDMI 2.0 port and will therefore allow using 4K at 60fps via HDMI. See http://www.club-3d.com/index.php/products/reader.en/product/mini-displayport-12- to-hdmi-20-uhd-active-adapter.html

Appreciate the context and accept that Apple could have done an upgraded offer on Mac Pro earlier.

What I am really annoyed with is the general lack of transparency from them on the fact that the adapters from display port/thunderbolt to hdmi they sell on Apple Store are NOT able to support UHD/4K at 60 fps.

And as you mentioned that apparently many exist it is odd that they would not sell those or at least least then for the benefit of users.

That part - I am sorry - is not worthy of the Steve Jobs' Apple.

Period

Appreciate the context and accept that Apple could have done an upgraded offer on Mac Pro earlier.

What I am really annoyed with is the general lack of transparency from them on the fact that the adapters from display port/thunderbolt to hdmi they sell on Apple Store are NOT able to support UHD/4K at 60 fps.

And as you mentioned that apparently many exist it is odd that they would not sell those or at least least then for the benefit of users.

That part - I am sorry - is not worthy of the Steve Jobs' Apple.

Period

Dear John,

I have had time now to review some of the recommendations you gave - and now I have to give an even more negative feedback - Club 3D does not seem to be legit whatsoever - and the companies they use for selling their products online always get flagged as scam online shops once probed a bit further.

hence my initial feedback remains - Apple has really let down the Mac Pro user community by not policing and offering some genuine and tested Thunderbolt 2/Mini display port 1.2 to HDMI 2.0 (aka 4K@60fps/Hz) on their own online shop.

I guess, we advanced users are not enough of a community in terms of number to matter much.

Very sad.

I don't know where your seeing these comments about the Club3D adapter, I have one myself and have also bought some to use at our office. As far as I am concerned both on personal experience and what I have read the Club3D adapter is one of the best ones.

Amazon sell the Club3D adapter. See https://www.amazon.com/CAC-1170-DisplayPort-Supports-3840x2160-certified/dp/B017 BQCUGW/

Note the high score given by customers.

No. You an only get 30 Hz via HDM if your Mac Pro/graphics card support 4K.

Are you saying that your monitor does not have a displayport/mini displayport connection? Unless yo have a Thunderbolt monitory, a video connection to a Mac's Thunderbolt port is mini displayport video connection

No Mac comes with a built-in HDMI 2.0 port, not even the new Mac Pro which has a HDMI 1.4 port. HDMI 1.4 only supports 4K at 30Hz, HDMI 2.0 is required for 4K at 60Hz.

The old Mac Pro is the only model Mac which you can swap out i.e. upgrade the video card. The only video card currently available with HDMI 2.0 is the Nvidia GTX 980. This card has been gotten working under Yosemite in an old style Mac Pro.

Unfortunately currently the drivers from Nvidia do not enable HDMI 2.0 mode on this card in a Mac. There is hope that at some point this will change.

The other possible options which also cannot be done right now are -

1. Get a Mini Displayport 1.2 to HDMI 2.0 active adapter, such adapters are not yet available but there are indications that they might be available this year
2. Get an AMD R9 300 series video card, this is not yet shipping - not even for PCs, this card is supposed to include a HDMI 2.0 port, again we might have to wait for that to be enabled in OS X

It seems that only Panasonic currently offer TVs with built-in Displayport connections, that would bypass the HDMI 2.0 issue completely. Other TV manufacturers are currently dead from the neck up and do unbelievably stupid things like still including a VGA port on a UHD/4K TV.

You could also use a 4K computer display instead of a TV and for 'TV' purposes either use a computer TV tuner, or a standard set-top box.

The new Mac Pro is now overdue for an update, its capabilities have slipped behind the iMac and even those of an old Mac Pro with upgrades. It maybe that if/when Apple do such an upgrade it will include HDMI 2.0 and hopefully also Displayport 1.3, such an upgrade would have to included newer video cards which also might make things easier for DIY upgrades in the old Mac Pro. I suspect sales of the new Mac Pro may have disappointed Apple partly due to the long delay in it shipping, and partly that as mentioned it has fallen behind in its specifications, however an upgrade would be a much simpler task than the original design so there is still hope.