Help can't connect Mac Studio to TV or monitor

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Help can't connect Mac Studio to TV or monitor

I have an M1 Max Mac Studio running Sequoia (Version 15.5 (24F74)), it says no updates available.

I've been running 2 monitors + a 49" Samsung 4k TV with it no problem. An LED strip has gone in the Samsung TV, so today I replaced the Samsung with a new LG OLED 48" TV (OLED48C45LA).

However, using the HDMI cable I only get this on the new LG TV:

I don't know if this is the Mac or the TV. I've tried multiple HDMI ports on the TV.

On the Mac the LG TV is not being recognised or shown as an option....

Please Help, as I need to know if I should return the LG Tv if it isn't going to work. I've done a Firmware update on the TV and rebooted it and the Mac to no avail. No idea what to try next.

As a 2nd and more minor issue. I can connect to the TV via AirPlay:

Which sort of works, but only gives a max of 1080p... should it offer 4k via AirPlay?

Not really so fussed about the AirPlay resolution issue, as I don't want to use it this way. As you have to manually connect each time you turn the TV off/on. And Streaming services like Amazon and Paramount only seem to show a black screen and no video content when connected using AirPlay. Which is very annoying. As I'm also using the TV for sound, so can't even watch it on one of the monitors currently.

Main issue is the HDMI connectivity, please help. Thanks.

[Edited by Moderator]

Mac Studio

Posted on Jul 13, 2025 3:30 PM

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Answer 1

Jul 13, 2025 3:52 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

HDMI cables you want for HDMI-only Displays (higher resolutions than 720p TV sets) are marked as Certified with an anti-counterfeiting tag and are labeled:

"PREMIUM High Speed HDMI cable" or that + "with Ethernet" (up to 4K at 30Hz) --OR--

“ULTRA High Speed HDMI cable" or that + "48G" (supports higher resolutions and backward-compatible)

Cables with No Certification tags are good for your standard 720p TV set, and not much more.

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Answer 2

Jul 13, 2025 7:02 PM in response to 300bhp-ton

An HDMI connection to a 4K TV could run at 14,400 G bits/sec, refreshing 30 to 60 times a second.

Your Wi-Fi provides, at BEST about 1,000 G bits/sec -- roughly 1/20th the bandwidth. An Airplay connection is NOT a full speed, full motion connection. AirPlay is at best a rough approximation of what could be shown over a directly-connected cable. It refreshes when it gets around to it.

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Answer 3

Jul 14, 2025 2:09 PM in response to 300bhp-ton

300bhp-ton wrote:

As a 2nd and more minor issue. I can connect to the TV via AirPlay:

Which sort of works, but only gives a max of 1080p... should it offer 4k via AirPlay?

I'm pretty sure that AirPlay v1 is limited to a maximum of 1080p. AirPlay v2 might support UHD 4K, but I'm not sure if that's available for all uses or just for some.

In any case, AirPlay is less desirable than a cabled video connection. Your Mac should be able to drive as many as five cabled displays.

Mac Studio (2022) - Technical Specifications - Apple Support

"Simultaneously supports up to five displays:

Support for up to four Pro Display XDRs (6K resolution at 60Hz and over a billion colors) over USB-C and one 4K display (4K resolution at 60Hz and over a billion colors) over HDMI"

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Answer 4

Jul 13, 2025 3:50 PM in response to 300bhp-ton

The Mac does not rely on Windows-like side-loaded "Drivers" which are actually packages of resolutions and settings for a specific display. Instead, it goes straight to the immutable source -- it asks the display itself.

To get a Mac display to become active, you need the Mac to query the display, and the display to answer with its name and capabilities. Otherwise, the display will not be shown as present, and no data will be sent to the display. "No signal detected" is generated by the DISPLAY, not by the Mac.

This query is only sent at certain times:

• at startup

• at wake from sleep — so momentarily sleeping and waking your Mac may work

• at insertion of the Mac-end of the display-cable, provided everything on that cable is ready-to-go

• hold the Option key while you click on the (Detect Display) button that will appear in Displays preferences (from another display)

so the TV set likly tells the Mac, "I am 4K" capable.

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