You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

User profile for user: Lightningad
Lightningad Author
User level: Level 1
34 points

cannot use thunderbolt accessory

just got the new MBP 17" top of the line Mac, and a new Blackmagic Ultrastudio HD Mini. Connected them up with usb-c to usb-c cable and all I get on the Mac is the stupid error message "Cannot use Thunderbolt Accessory. Connect accessory to a thunderbolt port on this Mac."


According to the tech specs for the Mac, all the ports are thunderbolt 3 so what the heck is going on?

Its bad enough I have had to spend an extra £100 on cables and adapters with this thing, but to find it doesn't connect to the devices anyway is crazy.


anyone able to shine some light on this nonsense?

MacBook Pro TouchBar and Touch ID, macOS High Sierra (10.13.3)

Posted on Mar 22, 2018 7:02 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply
User profile for user: Grant Bennet-Alder
Grant Bennet-Alder
User level: Level 10
133,231 points

Posted on Mar 22, 2018 7:30 AM

USB Type-C™ is a specific feature of a product, it is not a generic description. Think of “USB Type-C” as an adjective not as a noun.


from:

http://www.usb.org/developers/usbtypec/USB_Type-C_Language_Product_and_Packaging _Guidelines_FINAL.pdf

--------

The ports on newer Macs are capable of many different interfaces. The first cable you attach customizes the interface into a specific subset of all it can do.


To use ThunderBolt devices, you must do that customization with a ThunderBolt cable. Others will not have all the wiring needed to support ThunderBolt. (example: the Mac charging cable plugs into that port, but supports ONLY charging or USB-2, and nothing more.)

View in context

Similar questions

2 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply
User profile for user: Grant Bennet-Alder
Grant Bennet-Alder
User level: Level 10
133,231 points

Mar 22, 2018 7:30 AM in response to Lightningad

USB Type-C™ is a specific feature of a product, it is not a generic description. Think of “USB Type-C” as an adjective not as a noun.


from:

http://www.usb.org/developers/usbtypec/USB_Type-C_Language_Product_and_Packaging _Guidelines_FINAL.pdf

--------

The ports on newer Macs are capable of many different interfaces. The first cable you attach customizes the interface into a specific subset of all it can do.


To use ThunderBolt devices, you must do that customization with a ThunderBolt cable. Others will not have all the wiring needed to support ThunderBolt. (example: the Mac charging cable plugs into that port, but supports ONLY charging or USB-2, and nothing more.)

Reply

cannot use thunderbolt accessory

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.
Learn more Sign up