InstantView and Display/ Monitor freezing

For me, this started happening after the V3.15 update. SiliconMotion's download page shows a "legacy" driver, V3.14, released on Jan 3 2023.

The issue went away once I installed that instead. Remember to right-click the app once it's running and disable the auto-updates to ensure you're not fed any more broken ones.

For those who tried reverting back to 3.14 from 3.15 and still had the freeze issue, it's possible you didn't actually revert back, as seems to have happened to me. I downloaded the 3.14 driver from Silicon Motion and installed it, but upon starting it, the V3.15 still showed in the InstantView window. The fix was to remove the InstantView library files. These reside under your ./Library file. In a Terminal window, I changed to my Library folder and removed the InstantView folder and its library files as follows:

MacBook-Air:Library jeff$ rm -rf ./Application\ Support/InstantView

Upon reinstalling the 3.14 download, it now shows V3.14 R04 in the InstantView window so I'm confident I'm now using the older version. No freezes yet!

I've found that when the screens freeze, only the InstantView driver-based monitors freeze. This is important because the Tobenone dock I have also has 1 HDMI port that is not based on the driver and that HDMI port doesn't freeze when the issue occurs. This seems pretty definitive that it's not a hardware issue with the dock but rather a driver issue with InstantView.

I've reached out to SiliconMotion support with the diagnostic logs from InstantView when the issue occurs and will let you know what happens if I get a response.

I found another way to delete the V3.15 version.

1. I searched for "macOS instantView" in finder
2. I clicked on the plus sign in the upper-right portion of the finder window (it's right next to "save"); this revealed two drop-down menus that defaulted to "name" and "matches" respectively
3. I updated "name" to "system files" and "matches" to "are included"; two versions of InstantView surfaced. I highlighted both; one was the V3.14 and one was V3.15
4. I tried to delete the V3.15 but it gave me an error "still open"
5. I disconnected InstantView and force-quit the InstantView process from the activity monitor
6. I then returned to the search and double-clicked the V3.14
7. It opened and immediately prompted me to upgrade (I skipped the upgrade); InstantView is now running V3.14!!

Now, I just need to figure out how to prevent it from updating :P. I wasn't given the option to disable or enable auto-updates.

They've recommended me to just go ahead and install V3.14 and disable the auto-updates right off the bat. I might've misclicked the first time around and enabled that, and then it just downloaded V3.15 again.

To ensure this doesn't happen, when installing the app, the very last step is going to ask you whether you'd like to enable auto-updates, just select No.

Doing it through right-clicking the app does not ensure it won't be updated to V3.15

I've updated to v3.16 and have used by MacBook with the dock for many (20+) hours since and not encountered the issue again. It would appear that it's resolved in version 3.16, I'm on macOS Ventura.

Thank you for sharing, rmfcastilho!

I just received a response from their support today which advised to use the previous version as well, v3.14 R04

So I was having this problem, too, so here's what I did like literally five minutes ago.

1. Go to finder
2. Hold the 'option' key and click 'Go' at the top of your screen
3. Select library
4. Search for InstantView in the library and delete it there
5. Redownload V3.14
6. After doing all that, it will finally give you the prompt to turn off auto-updates

I have no idea yet if it works, but hopefully this fixes it :)

Thanks for the helpful advice on this folks! This issue has been driving me nuts for about a month now and I was just about to abandon my three monitor setup because of it. Just downgraded to 3.14 and told it to never check for updates. Crossing my fingers this fixes it!

I did have a question though. When it asked if I wanted to update, it mentioned that the latest version is actually 3.16, not 3.15 (the latest listed on their website). So it must be very new. Anybody know if 3.16 fixes this known issue?

I have a solution. I used an external USB and for some odd reason, it fixed my issue. I am also continuing to use v3.13 r04 software version. Directly connecting to my laptop fails each time, the screen is super slow. With this $30 adapter its working. Not bad :)

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Adapter-USB-C-Ethernet-Delivery/dp/B0898C78CW/ref=sr_1_1?crid=21FWO3EG5L8YG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.i4AiS_7aVgWBgIbt4whOTQ.6hY9bFziROaW4RR95sUJJpCh3uXTWAAqigARhoR3Y8E&dib_tag=se&keywords=B0898c78cw&qid=1716481476&sprefix=b0898c78cw%2Caps%2C124&sr=8-1

I have a MacBook M1 and the latest update for this is not supported. the screen has frozen and I need to restart the laptop after the same.

Luckily I had the old version which is working fine without any issues.

[Edited by Moderator]

Update: I've figured out a way to do this after all.

Right-clicking the app icon and selecting Remove Application did the trick.

It happened to me exactly the same. I tried to rollback the v3.14 from v3.15. It did not solve the freezing either.

I have sent the debug zip file to the WavLink last week. But no reply comes to me yet.

jeffomanzana wrote:

I downloaded the 3.14 driver from Silicon Motion and installed it, but upon starting it, the V3.15 still showed in the InstantView window.

This is the same thing I am seeing. The solution jeffomanzana provided makes sense. However, I am not as familiar with the Terminal commands.

Any chance someone could explain that one a little more so I can understand how to apply it in my context? Thanks!

Not related to this exact problem (which I was experiencing & fixed). But I can't find info anywhere else online. When restarting my MacBook with the lid closed, but connected to the dock, I have to open the lid in order to log in at the Lock Screen as my two screens stay blank.

Once I've done that, I can close the lid and the two monitors are working as expected. Is there a setting I've missed here or is it just that the Instantview driver doesn't load until I've fully logged in?

Also find that even if the Mac goes to sleep, most of the time, a click on the mouse wakes up the two screens, but sometimes it doesn't, so I have to disconnect the dock for a few seconds, then reconnect for it to work.

There are two settings that stick out, but not sure what they do - anyone have an idea?:

"Display Before Login" and..

"Display Sleep in Clamshell Mode"

I'm not really complaining as I'm grateful to just be able to use my two monitors, just wondering if there is a setting I've overlooked?