Dell P2715Q that is connected to a MAC Pro running Sierra 12.2

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Dell P2715Q that is connected to a MAC Pro running Sierra 12.2

Does anybody know where I can get good drivers for a Dell P2715Q that is connected to a MAC Pro running Sierra 12.2? My monitor is stuck at a refresh rate of 30Hz but there doesn't seem to be any option (in the software) that allows me to change it. Dell provides absolutely NO drivers at all for MAC OS X so I am reaching out in the hope someone can enlighten me.

The monitor is connected via an HDMI cable. I also have a Cintiq 22HD connected via DVI-to-Thunderbolt 2. The original cable (that came with the monitor) is an HDMI-to-Thunderbolt 2 but when I connected that to the MAC Pro - while the Cintiq is also connected - the Dell keeps flickering out for a few seconds then comes back - this happens every few minutes and is exceedingly irritating, hence the changeover to the straight HDMI-to-HDMI. However, I am now dealing with this decreased refresh rate.

Thanks

Mac Pro, macOS Sierra (10.12.2), Using Dell P2715Q monitor

Posted on Jan 19, 2017 6:57 AM

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Answer 1

Jan 19, 2017 7:52 AM in response to Funko001

There are in general no drivers for monitors/displays/TVs for the Mac. You just plug it in and it works. 🙂

The one main exception would be for the very rare circumstance of people using either a display with built-in touch-screen or a display with a built-in webcam which is not automatically supported. (The vast majority of webcams also simply work without drivers on a Mac.)

Any problems you are having are not driver related. Issues might be cables, adapters, firmware, and the version of Mac OS X.

This particular Dell screen is a 4K screen and should be connected via a Mini Displayport to Displayport cable. The Mac supports 4K at speeds up to and including 60fps via Displayport. Most Macs can also support 4K via HDMI but most Macs in this case can only do up to 30fps. This is because most past and current Macs only have HDMI 1.4 ports and to do 4K at 50 or 60fps you need HDMI 2.0. Currently very, very few Mac models have built-in HDMI 2.0.

You can get a Mini Displayport to HDMI 2.0 active adapter which will allow using HDMI 2.0 at 60fps even on those Macs without built-in HDMI 2.0. See http://www.club-3d.com/index.php/products/reader.en/product/mini-displayport-12- to-hdmi-20-uhd-active-adapter.html

Your Mac Pro only has HDMI 1.4 and therefore the above does apply to you.

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Answer 2

Funko001 Author

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13 points

Jan 19, 2017 7:56 AM in response to John Lockwood

Hello John and thank you for the response. I will set out in getting and correct cable and see what happens; I had no idea a straight HDMI was incapable of hitting 60+ fps. My user that is having this problem uses ZBrush for 3D sculpting and the jittery mouse and pan cursors are proving difficult to work with.

In your opinion, do the drivers running the CIntiq 22HD cause any issues for the main display?

Thanks again for your input and I'll do my best to update this thread once I get any useful info.

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Answer 3

Jan 19, 2017 8:32 AM in response to Funko001

The only issue I can see the Cintiq causing is that if you configure both displays to be mirrored i.e. showing the same image then the resolution drops to the lowest common denominator i.e. 1920x1080 and you would waste all the extra resolution of the Dell screen.

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Answer 4

Funko001 Author

Level 1

13 points

Jan 19, 2017 8:54 AM in response to John Lockwood

Nope, I'm not doing that but I didn't think about that until you mentioned it - thank you!

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