Prag mac´ tic
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Q: USB Keyboard Plugged into Monitor Often Doesn't Work

Very often the USB keyboard plugged into the 27" Thuderbolt Display will not be recognized. It can be worked around by plugging the  USB keyboard cable directly into MacBook Pro (which always works) but the whole point is to leave the office desktop peripherals connected to the monitor when the laptop is taken away. The keyboard is a new Apple full size USB US keyboard with integral numeric pad.

 

17" MacBook Pro late 2011, Lion (now 10.7.3)  always up to date with all Apple software and Firmware, including all the Thunderbolt Firmware updates. The problem has been occuring since 10.7.1 or 10.7.2 (sorry, can't remember exactly what we started with but it definitely predates 10.7.3).

 

A temporary fix can be achieved by performing an SMC reset but the problem recurs afterwards episodically upon a subsequent instance of the computer being detached from the monitor and then reconnected.

 

Attachment/detachment (computer to monitor) can be either while machine is off, on, or asleep and the behaviour is the same.

 

Everything, all powered devices, are conencted to a new UPS with AVR and active power factor correction CyberPower CP1500PFCLCD and no events are being logged (that is, logging is active but nothing has occurred).

 

Thoughts, suggestions, other data about set up that I ought include?

 

Thanks in advance for any enlightenment.

Thunderbolt 27" Display, Mac OS X (10.7.3)

Posted on Feb 14, 2012 4:33 AM

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Prag mac´ tic

Q: USB Keyboard Plugged into Monitor Often Doesn't Work

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  • by jaywdice,

    jaywdice jaywdice May 28, 2014 10:08 AM in response to Prag mac´ tic
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    May 28, 2014 10:08 AM in response to Prag mac´ tic

    Here at work we have a bunch of Thunderbolt displays and we have found out that using the extender cable will fix this issue.

  • by smith2057,

    smith2057 smith2057 Jun 2, 2014 7:51 PM in response to jaywdice
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 2, 2014 7:51 PM in response to jaywdice

    this works for me too, probably a resistence issue.

  • by Robert Slifka,

    Robert Slifka Robert Slifka Jun 3, 2014 8:45 AM in response to Prag mac´ tic
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Jun 3, 2014 8:45 AM in response to Prag mac´ tic

    Two weeks in and the extension cable solution continues to work flawlessly!

  • by userlou,

    userlou userlou Jun 29, 2014 6:36 PM in response to MichaloM
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 29, 2014 6:36 PM in response to MichaloM

    Hey MichaloM, thanks for this workaround. I've been tearing my hair out since I bought my MacBookPro and Thunderbolt display in February. Apple appears to have no idea of this problem. I've talked to 3 different tech support people, all clueless. They even gave me a brand new keyboard, minimal questions asked. The same problem came up less than a week after I started using the new one. It is a weird problem. I did find another workaround which I think someone else has mentioned, not as good as yours though: plug the keyboard into the MBP and use it like that for about 5-10 mins then plug it into the display--and it will function. Second workaround, use my old keyboard that I used with my iMac plugged into the display for 5-10 minutes, then plug in the new keyboard and hey presto, it works. But the whole situation is crazy. I've told one AppleCare support person about the 77 comments regarding this issuing, dating back to 2012. She said she'll try and send it up the line. She also said to post a comment on apple.com/feedback  I plan on doing this. Thanks again.

  • by jacquesfromknokke,

    jacquesfromknokke jacquesfromknokke Jul 14, 2014 8:26 AM in response to clintonfrombirmingham
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 14, 2014 8:26 AM in response to clintonfrombirmingham

    USB extension cable works! FANTASTIC!

  • by YoupTube,

    YoupTube YoupTube Jul 21, 2014 11:43 PM in response to MichaloM
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 21, 2014 11:43 PM in response to MichaloM

    Thanx! This was annoying me a lot. I have MBP Retina with external usb numeric keyboard and within it a small usb receiver for my bluetooth Logitech mouse. Each and every time I turned on the MBP I had to unplug the receiver for the mouse for the keyboard to connect properly. Using Win8 with Bootcamp was even worse. The external keyboard wouldn't beem recognized untill I had plugged it in and out several times and also plugging the mouse receiver into another USB port on the MBP. Very frustrating!!!

     

    And by now using the usb extension cable that came along with my MBP it's no hassle anymore. GREAT!

  • by wtofd,

    wtofd wtofd Sep 7, 2014 10:16 AM in response to Neoxine
    Level 1 (9 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 7, 2014 10:16 AM in response to Neoxine

    I just:

    1. Unplugged the Cinema Display from the MBA.

    2. Unplugged the keyboard from from the Cinema Display.

    3. Replugged the keyboard into the Cinema Display.

    4. Replugged the Cinema Display into the MBA.

     

    Working now.

  • by paritybit,

    paritybit paritybit Sep 17, 2014 10:38 AM in response to Prag mac´ tic
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 17, 2014 10:38 AM in response to Prag mac´ tic

    Incredible, have had this problem for months, and the extender cable trick solved the problem!

  • by Martin Bay,

    Martin Bay Martin Bay Sep 30, 2014 4:49 AM in response to Prag mac´ tic
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Sep 30, 2014 4:49 AM in response to Prag mac´ tic

    So please to find a solution - will test it and see if it works.

  • by Michael Park,

    Michael Park Michael Park Oct 10, 2014 7:18 AM in response to Prag mac´ tic
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Oct 10, 2014 7:18 AM in response to Prag mac´ tic

    Okay.  I just read through this string.  I have the SAME PROBLEM and it's October 2014!

  • by BrettInRichmond,

    BrettInRichmond BrettInRichmond Oct 11, 2014 5:05 PM in response to Michael Park
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 11, 2014 5:05 PM in response to Michael Park

    I just read through it as well. There should have been a fix by now. Apple? Are you paying attention?

  • by ZG1400rider,

    ZG1400rider ZG1400rider Nov 5, 2014 7:47 AM in response to BrettInRichmond
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iCloud
    Nov 5, 2014 7:47 AM in response to BrettInRichmond

    Same problem. Works once in awhile but mostly not. Bueller... Bueller...

  • by ZG1400rider,

    ZG1400rider ZG1400rider Nov 5, 2014 7:48 AM in response to jacquesfromknokke
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iCloud
    Nov 5, 2014 7:48 AM in response to jacquesfromknokke

    I've always used the extension cable. Doesn't help at all for me.

  • by ZG1400rider,

    ZG1400rider ZG1400rider Nov 5, 2014 8:01 AM in response to ZG1400rider
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iCloud
    Nov 5, 2014 8:01 AM in response to ZG1400rider

    After reading about and trying all the formulas that have worked for some I tried unplugging the power on the monitor without unplugging anything else and plugging it back in. Surprisingly it worked. What a flaky thing.

  • by Chevex,

    Chevex Chevex Nov 11, 2014 12:48 PM in response to ZG1400rider
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Nov 11, 2014 12:48 PM in response to ZG1400rider

    Just thought I'd report that none of the solutions here have worked for me. I have a mid-2014 MBP and two brand new thunderbolt displays. Plugging the keyboard into the monitor worked perfectly for about a week. Suddenly one day when I came into work and plugged in the thunderbolt cable, my keyboard refused to be recognized. I have indeed tried the extension cable trick that so many people are reporting as a solution. It hasn't worked once. I've tried plugging it into both monitors. I've tried reseating every cable in my setup, unplugging and replugging both monitors, etc. Nothing works.

     

    The only 100% solution was to plug the keyboard directly into the MBP. That has never once given me a problem, though it does suck to have to use up one of only two available USB ports on my machine. I have two other USB peripherals and I now have to trade them back and forth or go buy a USB hub, unless I want to dive behind my monitors every single time I want to plug them in. So ridiculous for how expensive these monitors were. I had a TBD at my last job as well and it began having issues where it would flicker to black and then eventually stay black until I reseated the thunderbolt cable; after about ten minutes it would do it again. There's another thread like this one all about that particular issue too. I was expecting top of the line tech here Apple, WTH?? *SMH*

     

    I miss Steve Jobs.

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