SHARP NEC DISPLAY SOLUTIONS
MultiProfiler

ReadMe Information for macOS

Version 1.4.60 - build 230920 - September 20, 2023

About MultiProfiler

MultiProfiler is designed as a companion to NEC MultiSync monitors that feature the powerful and sophisticated SpectraView Engine; such as the P and PA Series desktop displays as well as several large-screen displays (please see Supported Display Monitors). This software provides complete control of the SpectraView Engine in an easy-to-use application.

SpectraView Engine equipped MultiSync monitors utilize this sophisticated processor, combined with internal luminance, temperature, and time monitoring, and individual characterization and calibration of each unit during production, to provide an unparalleled level of color control, accuracy and stability.

The high-contrast LCD panel used on the monitor, coupled with the SpectraView Engine, provide the utmost in versatility such as the ability to accurately emulate colorspaces like AdobeRGB and sRGB.

MultiProfiler uses a two-way communications link with the display monitor to perform adjustments. Two different methods of communications are possible:

DDC/CI (Display Data Channel - Command Interface) - Available on desktop displays only and not available on M1 based Macs. Communicates via the video graphics adapter and normal video cable. No extra cables are necessary. Support is required in the video graphics display driver in order to provide this functionality. This communications link is an industry standard developed by VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association).

USB (Universal Serial Bus) - Communicates with the display via a USB connection from the host PC. A USB cable (not supplied) must be connected between the Mac and one of the upstream USB ports on the display. The display will also function as a USB hub.

MultiProfiler will automatically default to using the USB connection if detected. The Display listbox will show the model name of the display followed by "(USB)" when the USB connection is being used.

Release Notes

Mac M1 and M2 support information

Due to the design of the M1 and M2 Macs, direct control and communications with a display over HDMI, DVI, and DisplayPort are not possible as with previous generations of Macs. M1/M2 Macs do not support controlling displays without a USB connection.

Therefore:

Display models that do not have USB connections, such as the MultiSync LCD80 and LCD90 series and P212 models, are not supported and cannot be hardware calibrated on an M1/M2 Mac.
For display models such as the MultiSync PA311D, in most cases, no additional connections to the display are necessary when the Mac is connected directly via Thunderbolt/USB-C.
For displays connected to the Mac using the HDMI, DVI, or DisplayPort input on the display, a USB-A to USB-B cable must also be connected between the Mac and the USB input on the display in addition to the video cable connection.
For display models that support multiple USB upstream connections, be sure to select the correct USB input on the display's OSD setting.

Using two or more displays of the same model on an M1 or M2 Mac

When using two or more displays of the same model, in some cases, the software may incorrectly control the wrong display. This is because macOS does not provide enough information about the displays for the software to be able to distinguish between them correctly.

If this occurs:

Try changing the "primary" display on the system to the other display by moving the system menu bar icon in the macOS System Preferences -> Displays -> Arrange Displays and reopen the software.
If that does not work, swap the order of the two USB-A connections going into the Mac from each display, and reopen the software.
If using MultiSync PA311D model displays with Thunderbolt/USB-C, try connecting USB-A to USB-B cables between the Mac and each display. Connect to either the USB-1 or USB-2 upstream (input) connection on the display, select it via the display's OSD, and reopen the software.

Connecting Large-Screen Displays

All large-screen displays require a USB connection from the host computer to the display and some display settings to be configured. See Appendix B of the included User's Guide for instructions.

New Display Firmware

New Display Firmware - Desktop Displays

New firmware for the following desktop display models is available which adds some functionality improvements.

P232W
P241W
PA231W
PA241W
PA271Q
PA271W
PA301W

Download the latest firmware for desktop displays from: https://www.nec-display.com/dl/en/dp_soft/pa_fm_update/index.html

New Display Firmware - Large-screen Displays

The following large-screen display models have added functionality improvements by upgrading the internal SpectraView Engine features. This is available from firmware Revision 1.7 (or newer).

C651Q
C751Q
C861Q
C981Q
P404
P484
P554
P654Q
P754Q
V404
V404-T
V484
V484-T
V554
V554-T
V554Q
V654Q
V754Q
V864Q
V984Q

The following large-screen display models require at least firmware Revision 2.0 in order to operate correctly with MultiProfiler.

MA431
MA491
MA551
P435
P495
P555

Download the latest firmware for large-screen displays from: https://www.nec-display.com/dl/en/dp_soft/pd_fm_update/index.html

Or use the NEC Display Firmware Update Tool utility to assist with automatically downloading and updating the latest firmware in large-screen NEC LCD displays. This is available from: https://www.sharpnecdisplays.us/support-and-services/necdisplayfirmwareupdatetool/254

New 64-bit Build

MultiProfiler is now a 64-bit application. Due to the requirements for 64-bit applications, the minimum supported macOS version is now 10.13.

Known Issues

M1 based Macs:

All M1 and M2 based Macs require a USB cable connection to the display. DDC/CI is not supported.

Print emulation:

Due to changes in supporting macOS, the Print Emulation function is not available in MultiProfiler at this time.

USB support:

This version of MultiProfiler supports communicating with the display via USB. Connect a USB cable (not supplied) between the Mac and one of the USB inputs (upstream ports) on the display. Make sure the correct USB input is selected on the OSD. MultiProfiler will automatically select the USB connection instead of DDC/CI when the USB connection is detected.

If using the PA271W, PA272W, PA301W or PA302W with the Apple mini DisplayPort to DualLink DVI adapter, a USB connection to the display should be used due to communications compatibility issues with this adapter.

MultiSync P212, P232W, P241W, P242W, P243W and PA231W:

The color gamut of the display is not wide color gamut, and is closer to sRGB.

For this reason, certain preset color gamuts such as AdobeRGB and DCI are not available, since they far exceed the color gamut of the display. Although MultiProfiler will allow the Picture Mode settings to be modified to include large color gamuts, keep in mind that the actual color gamut of the display is smaller, and will not be able to display colors outside of this gamut.

MultiSync P212, P232W, P242W, P243W, P404, P484, P554, PA231W, V404, V404-T, V484, V484-T, V554, V554-T, X551UHD, X651UHD, X651UHD-2, X841UHD, X841UHD-2, X981UHD, and X981UHD-2:

The display does not have an internal luminance stabilization circuit. It is therefore not able to automatically set and maintain the luminance at an absolute value.

For this reason, the Brightness and Black Level controls are shown as a percentage values within MultiProfiler.

The DICOM mode is called DICOM Sim (simulation) because the lack of an absolute level for Brightness and Black Level means approximate values are used. True DICOM requires absolute values for Brightness and Black Level in order to create a very accurate response curve.

No communications or communications error when using a DisplayPort video connection:

In some cases MultiProfiler is not able to correctly communicate with the monitor if it is connected to the host PC using a DisplayPort video connection. If possible try using a DVI connection, or connect a USB cable to the display.

All large-screen display models

The ICC/ColorSync profiles generated by SpectraView II are not automatically selected, in the Color Management System, when a Picture Mode created by SpectraView is selected in MultiProfiler.

Supported Operating Systems and Macs

This version of MultiProfiler requires macOS version 10.13 or higher.
PowerPC based Macs are no longer supported.
When using an optional USB connection to the display for communications (instead of using DDC/CI), MultiProfiler does not depend on the video graphics adapter. If you experience a compatibility issue it is recommended to use a USB cable to the display for communications.

The following compatibility issues only apply when using DDC/CI to communicate with the display (i.e. there is no USB cable from the Mac to the display):

The DisplayPort to DualLink DVI adapter required to run the LCD PA271W, or PA301W when using a DVI video input is not yet compatible with MultiProfiler. Use a USB connection for communications in this case, or connect the display via DisplayPort instead of DVI.

Supported Display Monitors

MultiProfiler supports the following NEC display monitor models:

Desktop Displays

NEC MD301C4
NEC P212
NEC P232W
NEC P241W
NEC P242W
NEC P243W
NEC PA231W
NEC PA241W
NEC PA242W
NEC PA243W
NEC PA271Q
NEC PA271W
NEC PA272W
NEC PA301W
NEC PA302W
NEC PA311D
NEC PA322UHD
NEC PA322UHD-2

Large Screen Displays

NEC C651Q
NEC C751Q
NEC C861Q
NEC C981Q
NEC M751
NEC M861
NEC M981
NEC MA431
NEC MA491
NEC MA551
NEC P404
NEC P435
NEC P484
NEC P495
NEC P554
NEC P555
NEC P654Q
NEC P754Q
NEC UN462A
NEC UN462VA
NEC UN492S
NEC UN492VS
NEC UN552
NEC UN552A
NEC UN552S
NEC UN552V
NEC UN552VS
NEC UX552
NEC UX552S
NEC V404
NEC V404-T
NEC V484
NEC V484-T
NEC V554
NEC V554-T
NEC V754Q
NEC V864Q
NEC V984Q
NEC X551UHD
NEC X651UHD
NEC X651UHD-2
NEC X841UHD
NEC X841UHD-2
NEC X981UHD
NEC X981UHD-2

Support and Troubleshooting

If you are having problems using MultiProfiler, please check the Troubleshooting and Frequently Asked Questions sections of the MultiProfiler User's Guide.

Additional help is available at the SHARP NEC DISPLAY SOLUTIONS MultiProfiler support page.

"No Communications" or "Unable to communicate with display" error:

Confirm that DDC/CI is set to "ENABLED" on Tab 8 of the Advanced On Screen Display controls.
If using a MacBook, look in the System Preferences - Power Saver panel for a setting to select the graphics performance vs. battery life. Try selecting the opposite setting and restarting.
Connect a USB cable (not supplied) between the Mac and one of the USB inputs (upstream ports) on the display. Make sure the correct USB input is selected on the OSD. MultiProfiler will automatically select the USB connection instead of DDC/CI when the USB connection is detected.
Confirm that a USB 2.0 compatible cable is connected between the Mac and the display (if using USB).
If possible try using a DVI connection instead of DisplayPort.

Feedback

SHARP NEC DISPLAY SOLUTIONS welcomes your feedback on MultiProfiler. Please visit the SHARP NEC DISPLAY SOLUTIONS MultiProfiler support page and give us your comments.

Revision History

V1.0.00: April 19 2010

First release of MultiProfiler

V1.0.01: May 20 2010

Fixed an issue that caused certain ICC Profiles to crash MultiProfiler when creating a Print Emulation.
Improved application responsiveness when using multiple monitors.
Added USB communications support.

V1.0.02: July 1 2010

Added support for the MultiSync PA231W.
Improved application responsiveness when adjusting some controls.
Automatically disables ECO Mode and Auto Brightness for correct operation.

V1.0.03: November 15 2010

Added support for the MultiSync PA301W.
Fixed an issue that caused the gamma and white point to be reset each time the wizard is used.

V1.0.04: January 14 2011

Added support for the MultiSync MD301C4.

V1.0.05: July 1 2011

Added support for the MultiSync P241W.
Various minor bug fixes.

V1.0.05: August 1 2011

Fixed a bug that could cause a crash when clicking the "Edit" button in the Picture Mode panel.
Mac OS 10.7 compatible by removing support for saving profiles to the write protected system folder.

V1.0.06: June 4 2012

Added support for the MultiSync P232W.
Mac OS 10.5 or higher is now required.

V1.1.00: July 12 2012

Added support for 6 Axis Color Trim controls.
Added Quick Edit color controls.
Added Keyboard Shortcut functions.

V1.1.10: February 18 2013

Added support for the MultiSync P242W.

V1.1.20: April 19 2013

Added support for the MultiSync PA242W.

V1.2.00: September 4 2013

Added support for the MultiSync PA272W and PA302W.
Added new 'Quick Print Emulation' function.
Added new Display Settings 'Import' and 'Export' function.
Improved the speed of "re-synchronize" function.
Various minor bug fixes and improvements.

V1.3.00: October 7 2014

Added support for the MultiSync PA322UHD and X841UHD.
Improved Print Emulation accuracy on PAxx2 models.
Improved keyboard shortcut functions.
Added the ability to import a custom gamma curve.

V1.3.20: March 26 2015

Added support for the MultiSync X651UHD and X981UHD.

V1.3.30: July 17 2015

Added support for the MultiSync P212.

V1.3.40: November 13 2015

Added support for the MultiSync PA322UHD-2.
Automatically checks macOS Accessibility settings that may impact color accuracy.
Improved support for using keyboard shortcuts to change video inputs.
Added UI support for "High DPI" / "Retina" displays.

V1.3.50: May 17 2016

Added support for the MultiSync X551UHD, X651UHD-2, X841UHD-2, and X981UHD-2.

V1.3.60: April 24 2017

Added support for the MultiSync P404, P484, P554, V404, V404-T, V484, V484-T, V554, and V554-T.

V1.3.70: September 28 2017

Added support for the MultiSync PA243W.

V1.4.00: June 1 2018

Added support for the MultiSync PA721Q, C751Q, C861Q, C981Q, P754Q, V754Q, V864Q, and V984Q.

V1.4.10: August 30 2018

Added support for the MultiSync P243W.

V1.4.30: August 30 2019

Printer emulation function temporarily removed.
Added support for the Dark Mode color theme available from macOS 10.14.
Added support for R1.7 and newer firmware in the following displays: C651Q, C751Q, C861Q, C981Q, P654Q, P754Q, V554Q, V654Q, V754Q, V864Q, and V984Q.
The application is now 64-bit.
Minimum supported macOS version is 10.12.
Added support for the MultiSync PA311D, C651Q, UN462A, UN492S, UN552, UN552S, UN552VS, UX552S, UN462VA, UN492VS, UN552A, UN552V, UX552S, and V654Q.

V1.4.40: August 6 2021

Added support for the MultiSync MA431, MA491, MA551, P435, P495, and P555.
Added new Input Name panel to create a custom name for the video input terminals in the monitor's OSD menu.
Minimum supported macOS version is 10.13.
Added support for M1 based Macs (USB cable to the display is required).

V1.4.50: December 14 2022

Added support for the M751 and M861.
Improved support for M1 and M2 Macs.
Added Backlight Dimming control available on some models.

V1.4.60: September 20 2023

Added support for the M981.

Copyright

Apple, Macintosh, Mac, macOS and the Mac logo are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

SHARP NEC DISPLAY SOLUTIONS MultiProfiler