u/Unhappy-Gift449

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for some real-world feedback before pulling the trigger on a new adapter.

My current setup is a MacBook Air M4 connected to a TCL C7L TV (which natively supports 4K, 120Hz/144Hz, and VRR/FreeSync perfectly with my Xbox).

Right now, I'm using a Belkin USB-C to HDMI 2.1 adapter, but due to the usual macOS limitations with the FRL protocol over HDMI, I am heavily capped. I can only get 2K @ 120Hz, and VRR is completely missing in macOS display settings.

I've been reading here on Reddit that the CalDigit USB-C to HDMI 2.1 adapter is one of the few that can actually handle 4K/120Hz on Apple Silicon, but I’ve seen highly conflicting reports regarding VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) over HDMI on macOS.

Before I buy it, I would love to know:

1. Is anyone using this specific CalDigit adapter with an M4 Mac and a TV, and successfully getting both 4K/120Hz AND active VRR?
2. Does it require a specific firmware version to unlock VRR on Mac?
3. Should I avoid buying it from Amazon due to old stock/older firmware issues, and buy it directly from CalDigit instead?

I really want to avoid wasting money on another adapter that will just cap my refresh rate or disable VRR. Any input or experience with similar TV setups (especially TCL) would be highly appreciated!

Thanks!

I'm using Andy Grundman's Metal fork of Moonlight (currently metal-v6) on a MacBook Air M4, streaming from a Windows PC (Ryzen 7600X + RTX 4070) running Sunshine.

The stream itself is configured at 60 FPS, AV1, 120mb bitrate, and everything seems to decode correctly.

What's strange is that with double buffering, the stream starts perfectly:

• Stream FPS = 60
• Display refresh = 60 Hz
• Decoder FPS = 60
• Rendering frame rate = 60

However, after some seconds, the Rendering frame rate drops to ~30 FPS.

At that point I observe:

• Frame interval increases from ~15-16 ms to ~30 ms.
• Rendering frame rate drops to ~30 FPS.
• Roughly one dropped frame for every frame presented.
• Stream FPS and decoder FPS remain at 60.
• Display refresh remains at 60 Hz.

The interesting part is that if I switch to triple buffering while the stream is running, change from borderless fullscreen mode to windowed mode, or change from v-sync/fixed-vync to no-vysnc (this last option adds a lot of tearing), it recovers instantly:

• Frame interval goes back to ~15-16 ms.
• Rendering frame rate returns to 60 FPS.
• Dropped frames disappear.

Triple buffering works reliably, but I can feel slightly more input latency compared to double buffering.

This makes me think the issue is happening during presentation/rendering rather than decoding or network transport.

Things I've tried:

• Fixed VSync / no-vysnc
• Different Moonlight settings.
• HDR on/off.
• HEVC Main10.
• Monitoring Moonlight statistics.

I haven't yet tested:

• Ethernet.
• Previous Metal fork versions (v5, v4, etc.).
• Official Moonlight client.
• External VRR display.

Has anyone experienced something similar with the Metal fork or with Moonlight on macOS?

Could this be related to Metal's drawable queue, frame pacing, or double buffering on fixed refresh displays?

Example with double buffering

https://preview.redd.it/f8her2fmq98h1.png?width=982&format=png&auto=webp&s=c60d4a707af0c65ad7da61281633da105c40e10c

https://preview.redd.it/n48sebnpq98h1.png?width=1792&format=png&auto=webp&s=15cb367f6d0bd9f7ae010099cdb67310abf46344

https://preview.redd.it/vplqq81sq98h1.jpg?width=768&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fca92cde508263bdb32381ca5566fcdde78ec6e4

https://preview.redd.it/rtb7y53vq98h1.png?width=696&format=png&auto=webp&s=a59ba59dfbad4ff22d3499f82a03c03acc48eae6

with triple buffering the frame interval drop from 30 to 15ms, and all dropped frames (pacing) disappear.

Buenas tardes,

Tengo un aire acondicionado con menos de 1 año de antiguedad y estoy notando que no enfria muy bien.... este es el estado del equipo exterior al cabo de 2 minutos de uso, parece que se va creando una capa de escarcha que con los minutos va a mas y no se si es normal... alguien podría ayudarme

https://preview.redd.it/5vnxett3uh3h1.jpg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ee06fed70d8b628d000db16fcb8f1a0d621efd95

Gracias!

Hi all,

I’m trying to find the best possible client setup for Moonlight and could use some advice.

Current setup:

• Host: RTX 4070 PC (Vibeshine)
• Client: Xbox Series X → TCL C7K TV

Main issue:
I’m struggling with HDR and overall image quality on the Xbox client. The image looks a bit washed out and slightly blurry, especially compared to streaming to my iPhone, where colors, contrast, and sharpness look noticeably better.

From what I’ve gathered, this might be related to limited color range / YCbCr handling on the Xbox, but I’m not 100% sure.

What I’m looking for:

• 1440p 60 FPS (main target)
• Good HDR (or at least not worse than SDR)
• Proper color (no washed-out look)
• Low latency and good frame pacing

Clients I’m considering:

• Mini PC (Ryzen 5500U / 5625U / 6600H)
• Apple TV 4K (current / upcoming)
• NVIDIA Shield TV Pro
• (Fire Stick is probably out)

Question:
For those who have tested multiple clients:

• Is a mini PC the only way to get both good image quality and smooth performance?
• Is Apple TV / Shield “good enough” in practice, or do they still have noticeable downsides (latency, frame pacing, HDR quirks)?
• Where is the real “sweet spot” where things just work without constantly tweaking?

I’m not looking for absolute perfection, just something that avoids obvious limitations like what I’m seeing on Xbox.

Thanks in advance!