HDMI image quality inferior to DVI image quality?

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Level 2

186 points

HDMI image quality inferior to DVI image quality?

I'm a graphic artist and image quality is my income. In that regard I am not happy with the image quality I am getting from my mac mini 2020 - connected with HDMI.

My monitor is a top-flight DELL U2713HM - rated the equivalent of the Apple Cinema Display.

I have tried every possible setting in the Displays pulldown - and none of them can achieve the same image quality I get from my old Snow Leopard display settings.

The image I get from the mac mini connected with HDMI looks washed out - greyed and flat in comparison to the exact same image as seen on my Cintiq 22 display (which I'm concurrently running on my Mac Pro running Snow Leopard)

I've ordered an adaptor to try to connect my Dell display through the DVI - USB-C port. So I'm wondering if the cable that came with my Dell has something to do with the improved image quality. I notice two heavy rubber bumpers at the top and bottom of the cable - maybe those improve the image quality?

I read on a discussion list somewhere about this problem:

"HDMI is not meant for computer monitor RBG. It's intended for broadcast TV using yCbCr color output. Use a DisplayPort of DVI connection."

Anyhow - I'm disappointed in the image quality issue with my new mac mini connecting through HDMI. Here's hoping the DVI adaptor to USB C helps.

The whole problem here for me is that to 99% of consumers, they'd never even notice this problem. For most users and gamers and TV video uses it's fine.

So unless you're a professional art director obsessed with image quality it wouldn't matter.

Any comments welcome.

Mac mini, macOS 10.15

Posted on Apr 23, 2020 7:42 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

John Nez Author

Level 2

186 points

Apr 26, 2020 1:50 PM in response to John Nez

Well happy day! I just got the USB - C to DVI converter... so I added that onto the end of my cable and now my Dell U2713HM monitor is looking fabulous!

Now it has the rich depth of color that the old Snow Leopard driver had.

If you read back through this list, you'll see that as a picky publishing professional, I was not pleased with the color depth that the color settings had in my Mac Mini 2020.

And out of desperation, I had read that using a HDMI connector was the problem. Well I see they were right... and there IS a HUGE difference between the flat color of the HDMI and the now much better color depth with my USB - C to DVI cable converter.

So go figure! and anyone else having this problem might give the DVI cable a try instead of using the HDMI.

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Answer 2

John Nez Author

Level 2

186 points

Apr 23, 2020 8:34 AM in response to hcsitas

Only I still think of it as 'brand new' - and it was rated the equivalent of the Apple Cinema Display.

So I wonder if there is any color monitor calibration setting that can reproduce the same quality of the old Apple Cinema Display? Why does my old calibration that was done by the Dell factory and came with a printed out certificate look so washed out now?

As a consumer trying to save money - I despair how the solution is always to just empty out the old bank account and toss out something that's perfectly good - only to buy the latest new shiny update. But that's what corporations do I guess.

Still - I don't get why my old Snow Leopard looks so MUCH better than the Catalina - even running the exact same image - when seen side by side.

I have to say all those technical video terms make my head spin! But thanks to everyone for the info...

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Answer 3

John Nez Author

Level 2

186 points

Apr 23, 2020 8:37 AM in response to Rudegar

But the thing is that this is the exact same panel display that looks GREAT when run through my Mac Pro on Snow Leopard.

I just re-connected it from the Mac Pro to my new Mac Mini 2020 with an HDMI cable. And it looks washed out - flat and lacking the same color depth.

But the panel is the exact same panel (retailing for like $700) that looks great when run through Snow Leopard on my Mac Pro - which is still here right next to it.

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Answer 4

John Nez Author

Level 2

186 points

Apr 23, 2020 8:47 AM in response to John Nez

One more thing... the display Calibration does not work on this Catalina update.

I read on the Apple list that many, many users have this same problem.

The old Snow Leopard monitor Calibration feature still work great.

But the Catalina monitor Calibration feature is non-reponsive. Click on the buttons and nothing happens!

I take it this is some Apple problem that needs addressing...

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Answer 5

hcsitas

Level 6

12,686 points

Apr 23, 2020 8:52 AM in response to John Nez

If you’re a consumer trying to save money, stick with the oldie Dell. Hopefully others will post on how to breathe new life into it but the specs seem to indicate prospects are limited.

I can assure you however that a resolution of 1920x1080 is good for most, including myself. You’re in the super majority and will continue to be for at least another decade.

If you’re a graphic artist, buy new and look at it as an investment that’ll pay itself back.

Good luck.

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Answer 6

John Nez Author

Level 2

186 points

Apr 23, 2020 9:13 AM in response to hcsitas

Thanks! Actually most of my fellow 'professional' illustrator acquaintances in book publishing find they can barely afford their old tech from 10 years ago.

I know so many illustrators who dropped out of Adobe programs and switched over to iPad and ProCreate.

And nevermind asking these poor 'professionals' to buy a new $6000 Mac Pro!

That's not going to happen! I guess if you work doing Advertising art on Madison Avenue - then maybe you can afford it. But not children's book publishing!

That's why I keep hoping to find a way to get my new mac mini 2020 to match the quality of my trusty old Mac Pro running Snow Leopard.

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Answer 7

Apr 23, 2020 9:38 AM in response to John Nez

HDMI and DVI are very similar, there shouldn't be difference in quality. I guess your problem is that your mac is set at a resolution different from the original resolution of your monitor and the monitor "adjust" scaling itself. This means to interpolate the pixels with loss of quality. Check on your mac settings if the monitor resolution is set as "default for display" or "scaled". It should be on "default for display". In this case the mac will adjust the resolution for the monitor and not the other way around.

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Answer 8

John Nez Author

Level 2

186 points

Apr 23, 2020 9:59 AM in response to SiliconValleyGuy

Well I've spent hours & hours changing every setting - and the best color depth I can get is from the 'Generic RGB' display setting.

I also note that Apple doesn't even sell a new Cinema Display anymore - just the absurdly overpriced XPro display XDR at $5999!

I guess only 'professional' silicon valley designers can afford those. I miss the good old days when you could buy a great monitor for $700 and it looked great!

And I really liked how just the 'wheels' to the new Mac Pro cost like $600! lol!

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Answer 9

hcsitas

Level 6

12,686 points

Apr 23, 2020 10:12 AM in response to John Nez

IMO, Apple’s answer to these monitor criticisms is the iMac. If your mini is still within the money back return window, you should give it serious consideration and swap it for an iMac. Even if not, the trade-in value of your mini is at it’s highest, so still worth considering.

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Answer 10

Apr 23, 2020 1:23 PM in response to John Nez

John,

If you are not going to replace that Dell monitor, take advantage of the DisplayPort on it and use a USB-C to DisplayPort cable. That USB-C will plug into one of your available TB3 ports on the mini, and give you maximum resolution on that old display.

Otherwise, shop for a 4K display that the Mac mini can drive with its HDMI 2.0 port — supporting up to 4096-by-2160.

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