macbook pro 2019 buying recommendations

[stefanie]

a more reliable adobe source meanwhile confirmed that the 16gb RAM graphic card does make sense.

[GertjanB]

If I'm not mistaken it all depends on how much you would like to do at once.
My workhorse has 64gb ram. There I can work in premiere, after effects and Isadora at the same time. Which makes working a lot faster. Mostly with after effects it's realy nice to have more ram.

On my laptop my average ram usage when rehearsing is around 16/20gb (Isadora + premiere). (during shows its less because then everything fixed) 

[stefanie]

yes, that makes sense...

[Clement]

Hi everyone,

For a theater we bought the 2nd setup of the MacBook Pro 16 inches, with the AMD Radeon Pro 5500M / 4Go, and we found an issue when connecting an HDMI to HD-SDI converter : it makes mouse and video lag every around 3 seconds...
I made all the tests with different converters, adapters, HDMI cables, framerates and resolutions, but the problem persists. The only way to work properly is to plug the videoprojector directly in HDMI, without converter.
Another video technician told me he had the same issue, but for now I don't know if it is an OS issue or a GPU issue which will need after-sales service...

Just to share my experience.
Kind regards.
Clement

[bonemap]

@Clement said:

HDMI to HD-SDI converter

 Hi Clement,

That does not sound good. I have been using a BlackMagic HDMI/SDI to Thunderbolt mini recorder through a OWC dock without any problems, although I have not tried the SDI camera yet.

I hope you can resolve the issue.

Best wishes 

Russell 

[DillTheKraut]

@Clement

That sounds very strange. If I get you right, you use the converter to have an image output from your laptop and send the image to the projector via SDI. Right?

In this case, the converter shoul be nothing more to the MacBook then any other display/projector, etc. . I can't imagine any cause, that comes from the MacBook alone im this case.

What model exactly is the converter? What does the monitor setting in macOS say, espacially the frame rate.

What, in comparison to that, does the projector say, it get's from the SDI converter? Is it exactly the same?

Have you tried another converter? One idea I have, is a bad handshake between the MacBook and the converter and a repeated reconnection to it.

Are you using the same USBC -> (what ever video out) Adapter for the converter, as for the the direct connection to projectors/displays?

I didn't try a SDI out converter yet, but had an SDI to USB capturebox (with USB3 A in an USB C Hub), succesfully

Couriosly,

Dill

[Clement]

@bonemap @DillTheKraut

Thank you for your answers.
That sounds very strange actually : the converter HDMI > 3G-SDI was used to send image to a videoprojector, so it was the first device in EDID communication with the computer. I tried with a Blackmagic converter and with a Decimator MD-HX without succes, plugged into an official apple USB-C > HDMI adapter or a Thunderbolt 3 CalDigit Dock.

As well as the lag, the framerate was limited to 30p or 60i, while 1080p60 was available on the videoprojector if plugged directly in HDMI on the same adapter ( without converter ) : in this only way working, the lag disapperead after power on the videoprojector.

All the devices work fine on other computers, and the update to Mac OS 10.15.7 didn't solve the problem.
I think a clean install of Mac OS will be necessary to be sure that it is a GPU issue, I will keep you informed.

Best wishes.
Clement

[bonemap]

@Clement said:

plugged into an official apple USB-C > HDMI adapter or a Thunderbolt 3 CalDigit Dock

 Hi Clement,

I have had unresolved issues with HDMI out using a CalDigit TS3 Dock and my MAcBook Pro 16". I was unable to use a USB C - HDMI adaptor because it introduced a terrible ground hum into my system. I then tried the dock's standard DisplayPort with an DP - HDMI adaptor - that didn't work at all. With a little more investigation the CalDigit documentation indicated I would need an 'active' Display Port adaptor to go from the Dock DisplayPort output to HDMI. The biggest issue was the horrendous noise/ground hum when using the CalDigit TB3 Dock for video output. I was surprised because it is the recommended dock on the Apple website. I only had the CalDigit because an online order for the OWC TB3 Dock appeared to be lost in transit. After waiting 8 weeks after ordering I arranged to get a refund for the unit (the order was direct from OWC in the USA). I then ordered the CalDigit from a more local mail order stockist.  The OWC TB3 Dock ended up arriving 10 weeks after placing the order. Now I have the CalDigit and the OWC. 

I resolved my issue by switching to the OWC 14 port TB3 Dock. Because the OWC, although still not having a direct HDMI port allowed the video out through a Mini DisplayPort that did not cause any noise issues through my system and worked perfectly with a passive TB2 - HDMI adaptor.

Best Wishes

Russell

[DillTheKraut]

Thank you @bonemap, coincidental since yesterday I just have a similar issue.
Is the active Adapter a must have to use these MiniDPs? What about the Apples own TB 3 to TB2 Adapters? Did anyone try to use a (passive) MiniDP Adapter with this?

I do own a Hyper Drive USB-C to multi Port Hub. It does have a HDMI and one MiniDP port. The HDMI works fine (it's a little bit lose and produces glitches while heavily touched though... But it's not a big deal). But I can't get a signal out of the MiniDP with any of my (passive) Adapters. I contacted the Amazon tech support, which send me a new device for exchange (I bought the device some month ago, but didn't try the MiniDP yet). The new device has the exact same issues...
As there is no manual and I could not find any further help, out in the web, I send a mail to the manufacturers support after reading your post. Let's see what they have to say...

[Clement]

@bonemap
Thanks a lot Russell for your detailed answer.

The CalDigit TB3 Mini Dock might introduced a glitch in the GPU management, so an OS clean install would tell if the official USB-C > HDMI apple adapter finally works (solo).
Otherwise the issue seems to come from the GPU or the motherboard...

@DillTheKraut, Russell succeeded to send video through OWC Dock and passive adapter, so an active mini-DP adapter is not always necessary.
Other video technicians told me that the official USB-C TB3 > mini-DP TB2 apple adapter works fine with all their TB2 video adapters.

Best wishes.
Clement