Comment by ChrisMarshallNY | Hacker News Reader

Comment by ChrisMarshallNY | Hacker News Reader

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ChrisMarshallNY

This has been a big pain, for me.

The only docks that have worked for me, have been the CalDigit TSX docks, which I have used for a long time. The TS4 is out of stock on the CalDigit site, and I'm never using Amazon again, for anything over about $100. I'll get it, eventually.

I have the latest 14-inch MBP (M1Max).

The biggest issues that I encounter are:

1) External keyboard wake up/recognized.

If I use a dock, the keyboard is often not recognized. I found that I need to plug directly into the Mac. Otherwise, it sometimes won't wake the computer, or the computer sometimes "forgets" the keyboard.

2) Monitor Handling.

I use a 49" LG Ultrawide (5120 X 1440). I used to have it split into two monitors (3840 X 1440, 1680 X 1440), but now use it as a single, ultrwawide, after Apple started natively supporting that resolution.

I found that many docks (even "Thunderbolt" ones) and adapters, refused to allow me to select the ultrawide size. Also, the monitor would often fail to be recognized, after the computer wakes, and I would have to reach under, and unplug/replug, to get it recognized. I have the monitor plugged directly into one of the TB ports, with a TB-to-DP cable, and it works great.

From what I understand, the new CalDigit should fix these issues.

> Also, the monitor would often fail to be recognized, after the computer wakes, and I would have to reach under, and unplug/replug, to get it recognized. I have the monitor plugged directly into one of the TB ports, with a TB-to-DP cable, and it works great.

I get this all the time with my 2560x1440 144hz monitor even though it is plugged directly into my m1 mbp. It's maddening and I still can't figure out how to resolve it.

for you, and for parent: make sure you turn off "EUP Compliance"/"EU Power" or "Deep Sleep Mode" options if you have them... that's another source of issues surrounding sleep/wake with monitors.

Even apart from the monitor just hanging in the sleep state... a lot of them have glitchy behavior until you hard reboot the monitor. Some monitors actually will (internally) execute a full reboot of the monitor controller board when you wake them as a result, because they can't reliably come back out of the Deep Sleep state, and that's another source of the "monitor disconnects and windows moves my icons/windows" glitches. The monitor is actually electrically unplugging itself and replugging when it wakes.

Vendors don't really care because everyone (who's in the know) turns the feature off because it's broken and causes problems.

This particular EU regulatory exercise was a failure. Or at least, EU needs to rip off the bandaid and require that it be enabled with no option to disable it, which would obviously lead to problems and poor reviews, which would eventually lead to a fix... after a couple years of glitchy monitors.

Older monitors could also get left behind forever. There was a firmware update for my somewhat buggy monitor, but Benq will only include it with new production monitors.

I do wish reviewers paid a bit more mind to the myriad of GUI/usability issues w.r.t. monitors (waking from sleep, DP disconnects, slow menus that are plagued with inconsistencies depending on the monitor's state, etc). Sometimes, if I'm lucky, a reviewer will make a side note about it in their comments section.

I don’t use the HDMI port. I have a USBC-to-DP adapter, that I plug into a TB port.

I think Apple cheaped out on the HDMI port.

I've had good luck with the Elgato Thunderbolt docks. First their TB2 dock which after I updated to a 2018 13" MBP 4-port version I used with Apple's TB3 to TB2 adapter, and now their TB3 dock, which I've used with both with that same 2018 MBP and currently with a 16" M1 MBP. I've used the TB3 dock with a BenQ 32" 4K monitor via DisplayPort, but I recently upgraded to the Apple 5K Studio Display which is chained off the dock's TB3 output.

I attach a variety of USB devices (keyboard, mouse, backup drives) and haven't had any trouble with it.

It's over-priced at $250, but I picked it up from Costco last December for $100.

I mention it because it's been trouble-free for me and it never seems to be listed in the reviews I've seen.

The note in this article that for whatever reason Mac's dont support the MST capabilities from DisplayPort 1.2 (january 2013) is I think the primary reason folks hate USB-c. Because the obvious great thing docks definitely absolutely should do doesnt work for Apple systems.

That makes sense.

I really think they included the HDMI, just for projectors. It’s worthless, as a daily monitor port (to me).

I consider that a given. In my mind I call HDMI "the new VGA port"

You know, your use case about exactly mirrors mine-- I even have that display. I got sick of waiting for the TS4 to become available (waited a year, almost bought at 2x the price on Ebay) and bought the Caldigit Element Hub. Mounted it under my desk with double sided tape and now I just plug in the one thubderbolt cable. I have yet to have a single issue. My M1Max MBP has zero issues waking up and connecting to the devices. I hope you can find a TS4!

I thought about that hub, but now, I think I’ll wait for the TS4.

I didn't want to shell out all that dosh, just to be disappointed.

I also own a 5120 X 1440 screen and use it daily with my caldigit ts4 + m1 max 14' mbp. Mostly I use the built in dp 1.4 port on the caldigit to drive my screen with an dp 1.4 cable. Sadly the macbook only allows upto 120hz on the external monitor. In this reddit post you can find some more information about the setup: https://www.reddit.com/r/ultrawidemasterrace/comments/ttliqe...

Edit: spelling

What TB to DP adapter do you use? I have a similar setup (49" + M1 Mac), but I have a KVM switch between them for switching between the mac and a windows machine. The windows machine has worked flawlessly, but not a day goes by that the Mac doesn't crash the monitor and I have to force shutdown by holding the monitor power button for 5s.

Sorry. Should have been more specific.

This is the cable that I use: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074V5MMCH

I suspect that it might go to DisplayLink, on the Mac.

I’ve learned to avoid DisplayLink. It’s a hack.

I have a USBC-to-DP adapter, that I plug into a TB port.

I think I went through 3 different Amazon "docks" before dropping the money for a CalDigit. I haven't even thought about it since. It sucks to think that I really needed to spend almost $400 on ANYTHING after I had spent $4000 on a laptop, but I did, and it's been flawless.

I had a similar experience.

I think almost every hub out there (besides CalDigit) has the same “guts,” as the port layout is almost identical.

I have a different LG ultrawide, and I was able to update its firmware through their split screen software, which made it behave much better with MacOS.

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