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Nezmo
The name's Bond. James Bond.
MVM
join:2004-11-10
Coppell, TX

Nezmo

MVM

TDM Question with Retina iMac

TDM does not work with the new Retina iMac due to Thunderbolt restrictions as I understand it. Anyone more savvy on this than I want to take a stab at how that might change in the near future?

The reason for my question:

I have a one monitor set-up and want to stay that way. I have a PC with a Dell display and a mini that uses another input on the same display. Nice and neat. I am eyeing the future and moving from PC to Mac totally and when I do I'd rather go Retina. With today's choices this will not work for my set-up as the Retina iMac will not provide TDM for the mini.

I can't work with less than 27".
Daemon
Premium Member
join:2003-06-29
Washington, DC

1 edit

Daemon

Premium Member

Thunderbolt 3/Displayport 1.3 will likely bring back TDM on the iMacs. Right now there just simply isn't an available external single cable solution that can handle 5K/60Hz displays. Keep in mind that the current thunderbolt chips in the Retina iMacs are only Thunderbolt 2, so the current models will likely never support TDM.

If you have multiple computers, my opinion is that you're better off buying a 60hz 4K monitor that has the inputs you need to support and then attaching both computers to that. The iMac is a good deal, but if the logic board goes, for example, you lose not only the computer, but also your only monitor. iMacs are great if you have not much space, or you don't want to deal with wiring up/configuring computers. If you're the kind of person that has multiple computers already that likely doesn't apply to you.

Also, keep in mind you'd have to replace your mini with a new one that supports 60Hz/4K or 60Hz/5K if you want to use a "retina" external display with it anyway, so you'd be looking at two new macs, not just one. That version of the mini isn't available yet.

Octavean
MVM
join:2001-03-31
New York, NY

Octavean to Nezmo

MVM

to Nezmo
Sorry I'm a little confused here. If you are using a PC and a Mac mini on a single display but want to move to a Retina iMac why would you need Target Display Mode?

If you bought a Retina iMac why couldn't you just use it for your native OS X environment (making the mini unnecessary) and run something like Parallels or bootcamp (or a generic VM) for the environment that you use the Dell for,.....?

I'm probably just missing something.

Maybe you can clarify it for me,...

Nezmo
The name's Bond. James Bond.
MVM
join:2004-11-10
Coppell, TX

Nezmo

MVM

said by Octavean:

Sorry I'm a little confused here. If you are using a PC and a Mac mini on a single display but want to move to a Retina iMac why would you need Target Display Mode?

If you bought a Retina iMac why couldn't you just use it for your native OS X environment (making the mini unnecessary) and run something like Parallels or bootcamp (or a generic VM) for the environment that you use the Dell for,.....?

I'm probably just missing something.

Maybe you can clarify it for me,...

I will run Parallels on the new iMac for Windows stuff as the intention is to ditch the PC altogether.

It's simple, I want to keep the mini running as my iTunes server. I'd like to keep that separate from the main, new workhorse iMac.
Daemon
Premium Member
join:2003-06-29
Washington, DC

Daemon

Premium Member

I run my mini headless, and just use VNC/Apple screen sharing to connect to it when required. In those rare cases when I need a screen attached, I just plug it into a TV with the HDMI port.

I even upgraded to Yosemite headlessly and it went off without a hitch.

Nezmo
The name's Bond. James Bond.
MVM
join:2004-11-10
Coppell, TX

Nezmo

MVM

said by Daemon:

I run my mini headless, and just use VNC/Apple screen sharing to connect to it when required. In those rare cases when I need a screen attached, I just plug it into a TV with the HDMI port.
...

And that will solve the problem. I can't believe I forgot about that. I ran with VNC when I first got my mini while I was waiting on an adapter to connect to the Dell monitor. I would need to revisit a strange issue I had that the Magic Mouse was unresponsive when running VNC. But I guess that's a non-issue if I'm using a Magic Mouse on the main iMac.
Nezmo

Nezmo to Daemon

MVM

to Daemon
said by Daemon:

Thunderbolt 3/Displayport 1.3 will likely bring back TDM on the iMacs. Right now there just simply isn't an available external single cable solution that can handle 5K/60Hz displays. Keep in mind that the current thunderbolt chips in the Retina iMacs are only Thunderbolt 2, so the current models will likely never support TDM.

If you have multiple computers, my opinion is that you're better off buying a 60hz 4K monitor that has the inputs you need to support and then attaching both computers to that. The iMac is a good deal, but if the logic board goes, for example, you lose not only the computer, but also your only monitor. iMacs are great if you have not much space, or you don't want to deal with wiring up/configuring computers. If you're the kind of person that has multiple computers already that likely doesn't apply to you.

Also, keep in mind you'd have to replace your mini with a new one that supports 60Hz/4K or 60Hz/5K if you want to use a "retina" external display with it anyway, so you'd be looking at two new macs, not just one. That version of the mini isn't available yet.

All good points.

From my point of view, I have two computers right now in my study but I do want to get rid of the PC beast. It's dated, loud, power hungry, heats up the room and just tired. I've kept my set-up tidy still but it's a challenge and there are cables everywhere. I'd like to go with an iMac-type solution as it solves all of the above concerns. But you're right, if the logic board goes there goes the display too. It's a calculated risk.

Assuming there are no issues using VNC on the r-iMac that would solve the issue for me.

Anyone want to buy a Core2 Quad Q9300 2.5GHz PC running 32bit Windows Vista and 4GB of RAM? LOL The Dell monitor is still good
Daemon
Premium Member
join:2003-06-29
Washington, DC

Daemon

Premium Member

keep the monitor and install parallels on the iMac, then run Windows VM full screen on the Dell Monitor. Nothing beats being able to move the mouse from OS to OS!

Nezmo
The name's Bond. James Bond.
MVM
join:2004-11-10
Coppell, TX

Nezmo

MVM

As I mentioned in another thread, replacing the PC was likely a way off but, perhaps not given there's a solution to the mini problem.

I just need this PC to die of some catastrophic failure to make the decision for me. However, my gut tells me waiting on a refresh/maturity of the Retina iMac is probably my best bet.

Octavean
MVM
join:2001-03-31
New York, NY

Octavean to Nezmo

MVM

to Nezmo
said by Nezmo:

said by Daemon:

I run my mini headless, and just use VNC/Apple screen sharing to connect to it when required. In those rare cases when I need a screen attached, I just plug it into a TV with the HDMI port.
...

And that will solve the problem. I can't believe I forgot about that. I ran with VNC when I first got my mini while I was waiting on an adapter to connect to the Dell monitor. I would need to revisit a strange issue I had that the Magic Mouse was unresponsive when running VNC. But I guess that's a non-issue if I'm using a Magic Mouse on the main iMac.

I think that would have been my suggested solution had I understood your situation better at the time.

While I really like the new Retina iMac and think it's a really elegant solution I don't agree with some of the deign choices. This is also very much an Apple version 1.0 product. I suspect that it's successor will provide a feature or two that is missing in the current version.

For me personally, a 27" 5K display definitely has it uses but a larger ~32" or ~40" 5K display would have more flexibility. I don't really expect Apple to release an iMac with a larger screen then 27" though so what that means for me is waiting for a solution that supports a stand alone 5K display.