After update from 10.15.3 to 10.15.4 external displays doesn't work via docking station

Okay so I just switched to this found on Amazon -

USB C Hub, USB C Docking Station, QGeeM 12 in 1 Triple Display Type C Hub to Dual 4K HDMI & DP,USB C to USB Adapter,100W PD, Gigabit Ethernet, USB C Card Reader,USB Docking Station

It's money spent, but works perfectly and much smaller than the old D7000 I was using, plus portable.

Hope this helps anyone open to the idea of purchasing a new dock.

I am also having this issue, don't know why there are some people on Apple side when this is simply unacceptable. I bought my new Macbook Pro January this year, and I bought a "Pro" machine because I work with it. I have clients and deadlines. What do I say to my clients when this happens, that I am waiting for Apple support again?

It's a shame that a company like Apple releases this kind of faulty updates. All macs come with automatic updates enabled because Apple states that you must update when everybody knows it's the opposite. Really Apple, was this the best time to mess with USB-C drivers or whatever? On a lockdown?

Apple's great feature was having their own machines and OS. But then Apple decided to turn portable computers into non portable computers requiring the need to have a docking station or 10 dongles in order to have ethernet, external monitor?!? Pro Machines?

I spent an hour with support that told me to reset the SMC and PRAM and to try safe mode when I had already did all those steps and nothing was solved. Follow up? None.

I am having problems with every piece of hardware I buy from Apple in the last 3 years. I am really sad to see things going this way, I have always been a huge fan of Apple, but this is absolutely not acceptable, because I am paying the price of your mistakes.

Just an FYI. I purchased a StarTech TB3DK2DHV Dock. It uses a 40GPS Thunderbolt 3 cable to connect the computer to the dock and supports 2 4K monitors at 60Hz. It is working correctly as of now plugged into a Dell P2715Q 4K monitor and with the lid shut, the screen stays on. I am also able to wake the computer form sleep with the external keyboard or trackpad.

I had multiple USB-C to HDMI cables, and with the update, they still aren't working and the Mac stays on for a few minutes with the lid shut and then goes to sleep.

First thing you do when yo get a new MAC is to disable the automatic updates. The quality and reliability is not there to risk a update without a back up. Next step is to use the communities and wait for 3-4 weeks after the release to review the problems that have surfaced to see if they will adversly impact you or you feel the risk is too high. eg. updates bricking the devices etc. Then you evaluate what are you going to gain from updating and do you really need to update and potentially inherit the new problems that may impact you. And the very last point is either update or remain where you are. I've started following this since the last supplementary updat to Mojave resulted in issues for external monitors which was fixed in Catalina 10.15 but that bricked my 2017 MBP. Lucky it was still under warranty but the pain and frustration of dealing with Apple and even proving bugs is overwhelming. I've not upgraded since. There are many bugs in 10.15.1 but I have manual work arounds. And in the current environment I really don;t want to risk apple breaking my machine or m ability to use external moniors etc. Risk rewards evaluation needing to be performed when you look at the inconsistent results of updating and the actual lack of release notes provided. You never know what your going to get. I appreciate all the pages of feedback here because I use a D6000 and the fact that I did not upgrade means I dodged yet another issue that would impact me by remaining where I am.

The update is recent, and I'm seeing a bunch of people with the same problem. I'm running a 2018 Mac mini, into an APPLE HDMI adapter. I have 2 brands of monitor, including a brand new, top of the line ACER. Neither will work on the adapter, both work fine connected to Mac HDMI. This all started immediately after the update.

I am a retired Audio Visual technician and have spent years troubleshooting all kinds of technical stuff way more complicated than this. This one's on Apple.

[Edited by Moderator]

@Hendrixwb Long long list of HDMI issues on MAC Mini that started with Catalina over here.

For myself, i've had the same dock for a number of years. I have 2 equivalent MBP and a MB Air. My issues with Apple and external monitors started with the supplementary patch update to 10.14.6. As such one of my MBP is still on 10.14.5. On 10.14.6 the windowserver process went high cpu if you had an external monitor connected to the MBP and nightshift was enabled. After performing low level detailed anayltics on the issue with apple engineers for a few weeks they said that it would be fixed in catalina. Catalina bricked my mac altogether but when it was fixed after 2 weeks the initial issue was fixed but now it had another issue. On 10.15.1 if you connect and disconnect a monitor connected to the dock the MACOS itself adjusts to the incorrect resolution on re-connection and selects a much lower resolution. You can use ACGDianose and see that the MACOS has switched to low bandwidth HBR instead of HBR2. If i use the MBP that is still on 10.14.5 it works perfectly without a issue at all. While I would like to upgrade to see if it fixes my issues there is the possibility that it gets worse. And upgrading at present seems to result in changing the firmware on multiple items that seem to result in failures of the machine from various reports across the board. Apple have now also made it impossible to take the firmware backwards unless you completely reinstall from scratch (and I am not sure that will). If you don't take the firmware backwards there is a efidiagnose or check program that runs via cron from memory that tells you that your bios is corrupt.

So, all things considered for myself, its safer to stay put and never upgrade unless it becomes critically essential. Forget new features from Apple and stay at a release where things are working with manual intervention rather than take the risk. Especially when you are in lock down.

Simple Apple have lost the ability to marry the MACOS hardware and Software together which has been demonstrated across Catalina. Just turn off auto update altogether and mange your decisions yoruself if you want your MAC to work.

@brex45 goto about this MAC, system report, Displays, does the report show you that the mode the monitor is in is now TV? Seems that the last releases have returned to getting monitors that are connected as being TVs and the timing etc are incorrect as well as the monitor no longer being in RGB. If it is the case then while you could learn all about EDID data and creating a new display override file it may be easier to try the trial version of SwitchResX and see if this fixes the issue for you. It will create the override file rather than the OS deciding what to do if it gets it wrong. Best of luck....been there with Catalina already....

I update all the time (carefully). No problems of any magnitude (Reminders was frustrating). I'm using a Belkin thunderbolt dock with no problems, with LG monitors, even through a three way HDMI switch so I can switch between my main MacBook, a MacMini, and Apple TV. I have a pro audio interface, Stream Deck, ethernet, 5 external drives (4 via a USB Hub) all attached through the Belkin dock. No problems. Swap in SDXC card, iPhones, iPads and Thumb drives constantly. Rarely even use the extra port on the MacBook as it all just works.

What does that prove?? Not a lot, but maybe it's worth considering that just because you are having problems, the doesn't prove a whole lot either.

The only other problem I have with Apple is it's hard to get off a thread sometimes, but I think I just did. Best of luck. Tread carefully when updating, and don't assume to easily.

I completely agree thats why all my issues are lodged with apple and I'm doing the penance of working through them with Apple. To date, none of the issues have been with the external equipment. Thats kind of why the second MBP thats on 10.14.5 is fully functional with the exact same items. Of course, if Apple made it possible to return to 10.14.5 easily I'd return in a heartbeat to avoid all the current problems. As it stands the recommended solution from Apple is to return to High Sierra.

So I agree that a single instance is no validation of issues but I'm ending up doing kernel and driver debugging to address the problems and find work aronds its simply wasting alot of time. I suppose I could just clone my other machine and use that on this one as the alternative...again another long time investment work around.

At present, the easiest answer is to remain on a version and not upgrade until a reliable stable version evolves.

Thanks for this, I will try your suggestions on Monday. I am a new Mac user so finding this forum helpful. From what I can gather I should log this with Apple and see what they suggest? My computer is still under warranty - not sure whether I regret buying the MacBook Air now, seems a lot of people are having issues!

I totally agree with you, but my last Mac that died at the beginning of this year was a 2011 MacBook Pro. Expensive when I bought it, but I was able to upgrade it with an SSD and 16GB of ram while Apple official numbers were 8 GB maximum.

This Macbook Pro never had any issues with updates because it had all the ports needed. No special hardware was required for normal things like a normal computer should do (and without the need of being called Pro).

Because of this MAC I never worried about updates. I saw people complaining on forums and thought there was no problem with me. This is the reason why I got this only one update without worrying. It lasted almost 10 years. My new MacBook Pro 16'' will not last a third of that, wanna bet? 3500€ into the trash in 2 to 3 years if I don't return it back now.

More and more old APPLE clients will come forward in the near future when their reliable machines die and they realise what the new machines and service have to offer for the price.

That's so frustrating. What I'm confused about is how the Dell D6000 originally was working great. I'm going to try a more expensive Dock to see if it will work, but I am kind of surprised that Apple hasn't made a genuine Apple-branded Dock for this yet? I would prefer to use something Apple anyways. Hopefully the new Dock I try will work like the D6000 used to for me, but we will see. Luckily Amazon accepts returns very easily!

Not sure if this will help but...2018 Mac mini, no video signal from thunderbolt after update. Bought APPLE adapter C/HDMI. It worked at first, until I restarted and then back to black.

After hours with Apple, they said wait until next update. On a hunch I hooked up my Sony 4K HDR tv with nothing but my keyboard and mouse and it actually worked, looked great, at 1040p. I was able to do sleep and restart without issue...a first since the update.

I then shut down with it still hooked up, unplugged my Mac, then the tv. Plugged my non working Acer in where my 4k had been, started up, and amazing, it worked. I'm not turning it off for awhile.

I just discovered that when

a) I switch sides of the port to connect my dock, display port monitor would fail, and everything connected to Caldigit TS3.

b) Turns out I have to unplug my NAS connected to Dock on Thunderbolt 3 as a DAS. Then only plug in Ts3 Dock with my everything else except the DAS/NAS.

c) Monitor and all devices just works. Then only I start to plug in Thunderbolt 3, DAS.

Make sure when you plug in first device to a dock nothing else with Thunderbolt is connected to it I never have to do anything finally. just unplug the Thunderbolt3 connected to my dock then reboot. and connect dock without the Thunderbolt devices to it.