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Connecting MacBook Pro to Lenovo ThinkVision M15 external monitor

Hello. I've connected the ThinkVision M15 monitor to my MacBook Pro via the provided USB-C cable and the MacBook is connected to power supply. When I power on the monitor it immediately goes into standby mode. The display setting on MacBook aren't recognizing an external display, presumably because it's in standby. Please help! Thanks 

Posted on Jul 18, 2023 7:00 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jul 18, 2023 8:54 AM

The Mac uses a system that reminds me of “Plug and play” to determine what display is connected, and what its capabilities are.


To get a Mac display to become active, you need the Mac to query the display, and the display to answer with its name and capabilities. Otherwise, the display will not be shown as present, and no data will be sent to the display. "No signal detected" is generated by the DISPLAY, not by the Mac.

 

This query is only sent at certain times:

• at startup

• at wake from sleep — so momentarily sleeping and waking your Mac may work

• at insertion of the Mac-end of the display-cable, provided everything on that cable is ready-to-go

• hold the Option key while you click on the (Detect Display) button that will appear in Displays preferences (from another display)

 

so try doing some of those things and see if the display comes alive.


3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 18, 2023 8:54 AM in response to Sbernstein

The Mac uses a system that reminds me of “Plug and play” to determine what display is connected, and what its capabilities are.


To get a Mac display to become active, you need the Mac to query the display, and the display to answer with its name and capabilities. Otherwise, the display will not be shown as present, and no data will be sent to the display. "No signal detected" is generated by the DISPLAY, not by the Mac.

 

This query is only sent at certain times:

• at startup

• at wake from sleep — so momentarily sleeping and waking your Mac may work

• at insertion of the Mac-end of the display-cable, provided everything on that cable is ready-to-go

• hold the Option key while you click on the (Detect Display) button that will appear in Displays preferences (from another display)

 

so try doing some of those things and see if the display comes alive.


Jun 4, 2024 8:35 PM in response to pklassplus

pklassplus wrote:

I've got the solution! You just have to use the black USB-C cable that came with your monitor to connect your laptop and the monitor. I don't know how it is different from other cables. Please do not use your own cable just because you have one. Your laptop will automatically detect the monitor. I hope you can use your monitor with this trick!


Some USB-C cables are rated to carry DisplayPort traffic. Some are even rated to carry Thunderbolt traffic.


Then there are charging cables that might carry data only at USB 2.0 speeds, if at all. That would be woefully insufficient for connecting a display and expecting things to work. If you don't know for certain that a USB-C cable is rated to carry DisplayPort or Thunderbolt, it is safest to assume that it's not.


Use caution when purchasing USB-C cables … - Apple Community

Connecting MacBook Pro to Lenovo ThinkVision M15 external monitor

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