Wide-gamut monitor for Thunderbolt?

[chasc]

I returned an ASUS PA279Q wide-gamut monitor because several important advertised functions (Adobe RGB and sRGB modes) were not supported through the Thunderbolt connection on my 2013 MacBook Pro Retina (15”). ASUS support explained to me that the Thunderbolt port output was YUV rather than RBG and their calibrated modes were disabled with that output. The monitor worked perfectly on a 2009 non-Thunderbolt MacBook Air through the mini-DisplayPort.

I am now considering the NEC PA272W but it appears to be the same panel as the ASUS monitor. Could anyone confirm that the NEC can utilize its Adobe RGB and sRGB functions when connected by a mini-DisplayPort cable through a Thunderbolt port?

Or could anyone recommend another wide-gamut display that works for sure through a mini-DisplayPort/Thunderbolt connection…

Would you consider the Apple Thunderbolt Display for critical color work?

Thanks.Charlie

 

[graybalanced]

I am now considering the NEC PA272W but it appears to be the same panel as the ASUS monitor. Could anyone confirm that the NEC can utilize its Adobe RGB and sRGB functions when connected by a mini-DisplayPort cable through a Thunderbolt port

Yes, I do this with a PA272. I have it profiled both ways and switch between full range gamut and sRGB emulation gamut via Mini DisplayPort to Thunderbolt on my MacBook Pro via the SpectraView software. In fact the monitor works best through Mini DisplayPort.

"Same panel" is not conclusive because the stuff behind the panel can change how a panel performs for one brand or the other. But looking at the description of the ASUS, it seems to aim for a very similar level of quality as the PA272 (Adobe RGB, factory calibrated, 14-bit internal LUT, etc). If it performs, the ASUS looks like a bargain compared to the PA272.

 

[Tom_N]

Would you consider the Apple Thunderbolt Display for critical color work?

The Thunderbolt Display is a nice monitor; better than a lot of big-box ones. But if you don't need the built-in data docking features (to simplify use of a notebook), putting the same amount of $$$ towards a Dell or Samsung or NEC monitor might buy you a better display.

 

[chasc]

Thanks for the info and the advice.

C.

 

[jonb8305]

OSX doesn't support 10-bit color, so wide gamut monitors are currently useless. As far as I know to get 10 bit wide color gamut support all the links in the chain have to support it, the video card, OS, and the application itself. To get 10 bit support you need to use windows .

Not sure why apple doesn't currently support 10-bit color.

 

[noirdesir]

OSX doesn't support 10-bit color, so wide gamut monitors are currently useless.

Because there will be clear posterisation when trying to drive a wide gamut display with 8-bit only.

Except tons of people use wide gamut displays on Macs (and thus by definitions, 8 bit) with almost nobody ever reporting on seeing any kind of banding. It is only the armchair commentators who think they can predict visual quality better than others can actually perceive it, who bring forward that argument.

 

[joger]

OSX doesn't support 10-bit color, so wide gamut monitors are currently useless.

Because there will be clear posterisation when trying to drive a wide gamut display with 8-bit only.

Except tons of people use wide gamut displays on Macs (and thus by definitions, 8 bit) with almost nobody ever reporting on seeing any kind of banding. It is only the armchair commentators who think they can predict visual quality better than others can actually perceive it, who bring forward that argument.

+1

 

[joger]

Would you consider the Apple Thunderbolt Display for critical color work?

The Thunderbolt Display is a nice monitor; better than a lot of big-box ones. But if you don't need the built-in data docking features (to simplify use of a notebook), putting the same amount of $$$ towards a Dell or Samsung or NEC monitor might buy you a better display.

The 27" Cinema and Thunderbolt Display as well as the 27" iMAC have an identical setup and panel. Calibrated them several times on different machines for friends and my own Cinema Display.

While the quality of the panel is exceptional good and the convenience is prefect (everything controlled in software rather flimsy buttons) including built in speakers with subwoofer and webcam and microphone, I have to admit that the color gamut leaves some room for improvement being only sRGB.

The armchair critics praising their 27" Apple displays are equally wrong as the armchair critics stating that a Wide gamut display is wrong and would not work on a MAC.

Yes - 10 bit per color channel RGB is helpful and I would not be surprised if Apple came out with 10 bit support in one of the next OS releases since the hardware in the new MAC PROs is capable of doing that.

I was about to buy one of the wide gamut displays until the recent CES brought up another extremely interesting path to migrate into more image editing fun (I'd call it fun because it is pure eye candy)

I've summarized the options in new affordable UHD monitors in a thread here.

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www.dpreview.com

While all of the affordable displays only have sRGB as color space - they are good enough for most things to do on photos but the resolution win and fine rendering by the displays is just amazing - just got my 13 inch rMBP with 2560 pixel and it looks gorgeous to work with LR on this machine.

You can upgrade later to a wide gamut display and enjoy in the meantime the higher revolution - it is at least an attractive option and I will personally go that route since the retina display really refreshes the way I look at my images ;-)

Wide gamut display - yes please!! High resolution displays are even more attractive but the wide gamut high resolution displays are far away from a reasonable price level - thus i opt for an intermediate display with UHD and to replace it as soon as possible with an Adobe 1998 UHD display.

I can print o.k. with my sRGB color space 27" display - I know what I am missing. I miss a higher non pixelated display even more - that's just me maybe though

All new MBPs and MPs can drive UHD via HDMI and the MP also via TB/DP in 2160P60 10-bit (not software supported at present in 10 bit)

 

[Gearóid Ó Laoi Garry Lee]

I can print o.k. with my sRGB color space 27" display - I know what I am missing. I miss a higher non pixelated display even more - that's just me maybe though

Considered getting one but compared and my brain at least prefers the 27 inch to the putatively all-singing all-dancing retina display..

Níor bhris focal maith fiacail riamh (Irish Gaelic)
A good word never broke a tooth.

 

[Christian Matts]

chasc wrote:
.... the Thunderbolt port output was YUV rather than RBG .....

Thanks.Charlie

This seems to be an os x issue that will default displayport connections to yuv (though as mentioned in this thread, apparently not aways). I had same issue with a display port connection - dell ultrasharp monitor / quadro 4000 gfx / mac pro 2010 / osx10.7

the only solution seems to be this script found here (sorry its bit to sort through to find) http://embdev.net/topic/284710#3027030

I got pretty far up the support system at apple with the issue, but once i told them this script fixed it, they forgot i existed.

 

[Christian Matts]

OSX doesn't support 10-bit color, so wide gamut monitors are currently useless.

I should have known this, but glad i found this post and avoided spending extra on a wide gamut monitor limited by os x 8bit color. Save the $ for later when/if it does.