lucasp

Q: Thunderbolt Display cable WAY too sensitive...

Using 27" Thunderbolt display, with its built-in cable, with my MBR with OS Mountain Lion 10.8.1

 

I'm finding the cable WAY too sensitive, when plugged-in to my laptop... the slightest movement of my laptop (say, if I were re-positioning merely slightly on my desk), or the cable moving/being lightly bumped causes the Thunderbolt display to go black.  Only when I unplug/re-plug the cabl, will the display come back.

 

I've unplugged/re-plugged the display twice now-- as well as reset the PRAM (on advice from Apple Support).  Problem persists. 

 

This is really annoying and not practical. I mean, I really can't move a single thing/re-adjust.  The SLIGHTEST movement of the cable will cause a disconnect. This is not pragmatic-- in the real world, things move/get slighlty readjusted all the time, especially by nature of a laptop. Again, this is the lightest-feather-touch to the cable... not radical/jarring movements.

 

Yes, I am using both display and MBR on a flat, hard surface.

 

Do I happen to have a ultra-sensitive cable and/or thunderbolt port on my MBR... or is anyone else having this problem?  Do i have a defective cable or port?  should i take this to get serviced? or am i being way too expectant of how this should perform?

Posted on Aug 27, 2012 11:47 AM

Close

Q: Thunderbolt Display cable WAY too sensitive...

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

Page 1 Next
  • by Malcolm J. Rayfield,

    Malcolm J. Rayfield Malcolm J. Rayfield Aug 27, 2012 9:55 PM in response to lucasp
    Level 5 (7,928 points)
    Aug 27, 2012 9:55 PM in response to lucasp

    Is it plugged in all the way (no metal remaining visible)?  It can take some force.

  • by lucasp,

    lucasp lucasp Aug 28, 2012 9:23 AM in response to Malcolm J. Rayfield
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 28, 2012 9:23 AM in response to Malcolm J. Rayfield

    Indeed, very much plugged all the way to the hilt.

  • by lucasp,

    lucasp lucasp Aug 30, 2012 7:19 PM in response to lucasp
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 30, 2012 7:19 PM in response to lucasp

    i brought the display back to the Apple Store and exchanged it, but nope--- the problem persists.

  • by Marcel_BR,

    Marcel_BR Marcel_BR Sep 7, 2012 4:59 PM in response to lucasp
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 7, 2012 4:59 PM in response to lucasp

    Have you tryed to contact them again?

    I have exactly the same problem.

    Retina Display MacBook Pro, and I have two TB. Both of them have really sensitive connection.

    What is the solution for this?

     

    Tks

  • by quickactcasual,

    quickactcasual quickactcasual Nov 15, 2012 12:38 PM in response to lucasp
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 15, 2012 12:38 PM in response to lucasp

    Same problem using the thunderbolt ports on my retina display macbook pro.  Extremely annoying when trying to edit video off an external drive.  When it disconnects I often have to re-import my entire cache of footage to Final Cut. 

     

    At the Genius Bar I was told they hadn't really heard of this problem...

  • by fpenna2,

    fpenna2 fpenna2 Apr 17, 2013 5:58 PM in response to lucasp
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 17, 2013 5:58 PM in response to lucasp

    I have exactly the same issue. Cable seems too sensitive.

    Did anyone solved that problem?

    Is it a MBR Thunderport problem or the all in one cable?

     

    Need a help because this it so anoying...the slightest movement that make a movement at cable and TD comes black.

  • by tbirdvet,

    tbirdvet tbirdvet Apr 27, 2013 8:04 AM in response to lucasp
    Level 4 (3,003 points)
    Apr 27, 2013 8:04 AM in response to lucasp

    The TB cable is a very tight fit in my Mac Mini so the female side on your laptop must be little larger than mine.

  • by AndrewG777,

    AndrewG777 AndrewG777 May 1, 2013 4:48 PM in response to tbirdvet
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 1, 2013 4:48 PM in response to tbirdvet

    Any updates on this?

     

    I have 7 topics bookmarked on this issue so that when I sit down at Apple tomorrow I can show them I'm not the only one with this issue.  But same deal.....I called in and they have never heard of this?

     

    Anyone walking near my desk, the slightest jiggle, anything dropped on my desk.....all my monitors flash on and off.  Sometimes they all come back, sometimes not. 

     

    I have to "tap" on the cable or wiggle it around until the connection goes through.  This is highly highly annoying and really it was only today that I decided to upgrade my laptop with external monitors ( never had a nead to).

     

    So on the one hand its my fault for not testing this when I bought the MBPr last July.  I hope they can get this fixed because I was really hoping to use additional screens.

  • by Guillaumekh,

    Guillaumekh Guillaumekh May 2, 2013 2:58 AM in response to lucasp
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 2, 2013 2:58 AM in response to lucasp

    I'm having the same issue.

     

    I'm on my second Apple Thunderbolt-to-VGA adapter. Every slight movement disconnects the external display and it takes slight nudges to find the sweet spot again.

     

    Still haven't figured out if the port, or the adapter is to blame.

     

    I'm using an early 2011 15in MBP

  • by arthung,

    arthung arthung Jun 18, 2013 9:43 AM in response to lucasp
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 18, 2013 9:43 AM in response to lucasp

    Same problem here.  I have a 2012 13" MBA and TB display and accidentally moving anything on the desk causes the display to disconnect.  Seriously irritating.  I guess one could troubleshoot by taking MBA to Apple Store.  But is this the way they are supposed to operate or is this a problem particular to my configuration?

  • by Guillaumekh,

    Guillaumekh Guillaumekh Jun 20, 2013 8:56 AM in response to lucasp
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 20, 2013 8:56 AM in response to lucasp

    You're plugging that TB display with a DisplayPort cable, do I understand that right ? No adapter, right ?

     

    That would rule out Apple's adaptors as the cause of our issue.

  • by arthung,

    arthung arthung Jun 20, 2013 10:40 AM in response to Guillaumekh
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 20, 2013 10:40 AM in response to Guillaumekh

    For me, I don't have a problem with using a VGA or DVI adapter.  Those connections are always rock solid even though I'm moving the laptop around.  The problem occurs only with the TB display and it's own DisplayPort cable.

  • by AndrewG777,

    AndrewG777 AndrewG777 Jun 20, 2013 11:17 AM in response to arthung
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 20, 2013 11:17 AM in response to arthung

    For me DVI works ok, but the HDMI does not.  I have to direct connect the HDMI cable to the other side instead of using the TB connection.

     

    The one thing that has slightly worked for me is the cable cannot be on a flat surface.  It has to "hang" down to put pressure on the input.  Try to connect using TB but hang the adaptors so they fall off the side of your desk.

     

    I took my HDMI adapter to an Apple store and walked around to try it out.  Every single MBP was just as loose as mine.  The adapter is simply too small and not in tolerance.  The DVI is also not in tolerance but for some reason it works.

     

    The only thing that has worked from an Apple point of view is that I am thinking I need a Mini instead for my desktop solution and just leave the laptop at home for home use or meetings. 

  • by Guillaumekh,

    Guillaumekh Guillaumekh Jun 20, 2013 2:25 PM in response to lucasp
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 20, 2013 2:25 PM in response to lucasp

    I can't make any sense of this.. We're all using different kinds of Apple laptops. We're using different cables, with or without adaptors, and plugging them to different screens..

     

    For the record, I tried cleaning the port, didn't help much, though i did not bother going overboard with it and clean each electrical contact with dedicated product etc. Has anyone tried that ?

Page 1 Next