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bazaarone Author

Level 1

0 points

Major problems with Thunderbolt display & MB Air

Since I received my Thunderbolt display yesterday and hooked it up to my 2011 MB Air, I've had nothing but problems.

Software update is fully up to date, including the TB Display firmware.

I'm experiencing three major issues:

1. About half the time when I connect the display, my connected USB devices are non-functional. Unplugging and reconnecting the devices does not fix it.

2. Also, about half the time when I disconnect the display, the MB Air does not reconfigure the monitor layout. Putting it to sleep and/or disconnecting / reconnecting monitors does not fix this. I have to hard restart my laptop.

3. When connected through the TB Display, my Mac will infrequently not recognize key up events from my USB keyboard, causing keys to repeat until I hit them again. For an idea of frequency, it has happened 4 times so far thus far while writing this post.

Also a couple of minor niggles:

1. The default color calibration is WAY different from the MB Air's screen. It's most obvious with yellows which have a severe green tint on the TB display. For example, note windows in Mail appear very slightly orange on my MB Air (as expected given the color value), while on the TB display it is florescent yellow with a slight greenish tint.

2. The sound is a lot poorer than I had hoped. I wasn't expecting anything really amazing, but with the "built in subwoofer" I expected noticeably better bass than my MB Air's built in speakers provide.

The minor issues can either be minimized (with color calibration and equalizer) or ignored, but the major issues make this display completely unusable for me. Is this just a defective unit, or are these widespread issues?

Thanks in advance for any help.

PS. Total instances of keys getting stuck while writing this post: ~9. Seems to only be space and delete that get stuck so far.

MacBook Air, Mac OS X (10.7.1)

Posted on Sep 21, 2011 8:19 PM

438 replies

Feb 11, 2013 4:56 PM in response to bazaarone

My crashed again. I took it into Apple and they are replacing the logic board and the all in one cable.

Feb 17, 2013 11:33 PM in response to bazaarone

Well after reading practically this entire thread after upgrading to ML and finding some peripherals would not be recognised and after trying everything from the seemingly most likely (reboot+SMC) I found that the only thing that worked was to change my hibernate settings from 3 to 0:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4164060?start=45&tstart=0

Also referenced by bigdave1357 was an article describing how:

http://www.tuaw.com/2011/08/22/why-hibernate-or-safe-sleep-mode-is-no-longer-nec essary-in-os/

and I couldn't believe it, it wakes from sleep like it always used to in Lion...there you go. I've upgraded my MBP 2011 from SL to Lion to ML so was going to do a clean install but happy to get it going with just a command line change and little impact to configuration.

Of course, YMMV

Apr 10, 2013 12:45 PM in response to sc0ttdav3y

Thank you, sc0ttdav3y! The problems you deliniated mirrored ours. Trying an external TB cable solved all of our problems, so we are taking TDB to the shop. Hopefully it will return to us repaired.

badeen

Level 1

0 points

May 31, 2013 11:00 AM in response to bazaarone

I've had this problem for over a year. I've used 2 computers (MBA & 13" Retina MBP), 2 Apple wired keyboards, and at least 2 different Thunderbolt displays. They all exibit this issue for me. Really annoying having to unplug my keyboard and plug it directly into my laptop.

EmilUSA

Level 1

9 points

Jun 6, 2013 7:35 AM in response to bazaarone

I've hat the same problems, Apple replaced the thunderbolt cable but there was no success at all. I had no chance to plug / unplug the display from my MacBook Pro (running) without loosing the functionality of all USB ports.

After several tests I discovered the problem and found a solution. The error only occurred whilst the Logitech Unifiying receiver was connected to any of the displays USB ports. After removing the whole bunch of software and drivers installed by Logitech everything works perfectly! (Used EasyFind to search for all parts of the software and rebooted afterwards)

If you need any way to configure your mouse more precisely just install "USB Overdrive".

ttsang5

Level 1

0 points

Jun 6, 2013 7:41 AM in response to bazaarone

I had a chance to bring my MacBook Air plus the Thunderbolt Display to Genius Bar. They changed the display board, thunderbolt cable on it.

I believe most Thunderbolt Display user acknowledge that without connecting the MacBook Air or MacBook Pro, those USB port at the back won't be charging up an iPhone connected to the display. However after the change of motherboard of Thunderbolt Display and it's thunderbolt cable, now it charge even no MacBook Air or MacBook Pro connected. I believe it's a firmware upgrades on latest version Thunderbolt Display. And the screen problem is solved as well, I guess we got the solution here now. Either motherboard (/w latest firmware) or thunderbolt cable change.

rpg51

Level 1

0 points

Jun 12, 2013 3:55 AM in response to EmilUSA

Are you using a wireless mouse after making these changes? What type of mouse? What type of receiver? Is the receiver connected to the display or the computer?

nevin247

Level 1

0 points

Sep 5, 2013 5:39 PM in response to sc0ttdav3y

Hi Scott,

Do you know what other cable I can try to fix this issue..?..Any ideas where I can buy that cable..?

thanks,

Sep 5, 2013 9:04 PM in response to nevin247

Why do you think it's the cable, have you tried all the other suggestions in this thread first? Have you tried an Apple Thunderbolt cable? (available in store or online).

nevin247

Level 1

0 points

Sep 5, 2013 9:11 PM in response to theotherkiwi

I have tried a bunch, nothing helped, do you have the link for the thunderbolt cable..?

thanks,

EmilUSA

Level 1

9 points

Sep 5, 2013 9:50 PM in response to bazaarone

Do you use a Logitech wirelesse mouse with its control center?

rpg51

Level 1

0 points

Sep 6, 2013 3:52 AM in response to EmilUSA

I do use a logitech wireless mounse and keyboard. I have unifying receiver plugged into TBD usb port. I had similar issues. I am now using a separate thunderbolt cable and it is much better - still not sure 100% able to hot swap.

Tell me, what do you do now for wireless mouse and keyboard. I like the logitech keyboard a great deal and I don't want to change unless I can find a very good replacement. I use the logitech solar usb keyboard.

EmilUSA

Level 1

9 points

Sep 6, 2013 4:14 AM in response to rpg51

I simply deleted / uninstalled the whole bunch of Logitech software and drivers. It is necessary to remove it completely. After having this done, all problems disappeared immediately. You could use alternative software to configure your Logitech mouse.

Sep 6, 2013 5:56 PM in response to nevin247

US Store only has two TB cables, .5m one is here: http://store.apple.com/us/product/MD862ZM/A/apple-thunderbolt-cable-05-m?fnode=5 1 or 2m one here: http://store.apple.com/us/product/MD861ZM/A/apple-thunderbolt-cable-20-m?fnode=5 1

nevin247

Level 1

0 points

Sep 7, 2013 12:31 PM in response to theotherkiwi

Thanks, its been working great after using the external thunderbolt cable from Apple.

Major problems with Thunderbolt display & MB Air