Displaylink ceases to work in 10.13.4

[AlbanRampon]

Dear DisplayLink Mac Users,

Finding a solution to this issue remains the highest business priority within DisplayLink.
Our teams are investigating several potential workarounds that could enable some level of extended desktop functionality to be restored in 10.13.4. In parallel, we are continuing to explore with Apple routes to a permanent and complete solution.

In the meantime, we have today released a second beta of our 4.3 driver. Installing this driver will enable cloning of the native display on DisplayLink connected screens.
4.3 Beta 2 improves the current workaround by preserving the primary display aspect ratio and allowing to select which screen is cloned in a multiple display setup.
We do not regard this as a long term solution and will continue to work hard on finding a path to restore extended display support on macOS.

Unfortunately, we are still unable to give dates for either a workaround or a complete solution. We will, however, update you on this thread as soon as we have further information to share.

We thank you for your patience as we work this problem.

Kind regards,
Alban

[tommiy]

Originally Posted by AlbanRampon

Dear DisplayLink Mac Users,

Finding a solution to this issue remains the highest business priority within DisplayLink.
Our teams are investigating several potential workarounds that could enable some level of extended desktop functionality to be restored in 10.13.4. In parallel, we are continuing to explore with Apple routes to a permanent and complete solution.

In the meantime, we have today released a second beta of our 4.3 driver. Installing this driver will enable cloning of the native display on DisplayLink connected screens.
4.3 Beta 2 improves the current workaround by preserving the primary display aspect ratio and allowing to select which screen is cloned in a multiple display setup.
We do not regard this as a long term solution and will continue to work hard on finding a path to restore extended display support on macOS.

Unfortunately, we are still unable to give dates for either a workaround or a complete solution. We will, however, update you on this thread as soon as we have further information to share.

We thank you for your patience as we work this problem.

Kind regards,
Alban

Ok that sounds like a commitment that the original capabilities will not be returned even when if a new driver is delivered. Guess it really is time to find the alternative.

[DevNull]

Originally Posted by AlbanRampon

Dear DisplayLink Mac Users,

Finding a solution to this issue remains the highest business priority within DisplayLink.
Our teams are investigating several potential workarounds that could enable some level of extended desktop functionality to be restored in 10.13.4. In parallel, we are continuing to explore with Apple routes to a permanent and complete solution.

In the meantime, we have today released a second beta of our 4.3 driver. Installing this driver will enable cloning of the native display on DisplayLink connected screens.
4.3 Beta 2 improves the current workaround by preserving the primary display aspect ratio and allowing to select which screen is cloned in a multiple display setup.
We do not regard this as a long term solution and will continue to work hard on finding a path to restore extended display support on macOS.

Unfortunately, we are still unable to give dates for either a workaround or a complete solution. We will, however, update you on this thread as soon as we have further information to share.

We thank you for your patience as we work this problem.

Kind regards,
Alban

Thank you for the update and your perseverance on this issue. We appreciate that it can be difficult to work with Apple on this given how closed they are so fingers crossed that a solution is forthcoming. I'm sticking with 10.13.3 until then as DisplayLink is a great product.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by AlbanRampon

Dear DisplayLink Mac Users,
Finding a solution to this issue remains the highest business priority within DisplayLink.
Our teams are investigating several potential workarounds that could enable some level of extended desktop functionality to be restored in 10.13.4. In parallel, we are continuing to explore with Apple routes to a permanent and complete solution.

Big thanks to the DisplayLink team for not giving up. I hope DisplayLink docks will be back to normal soon. Although you compress video data for USB and decompress on chip, have you explored this "hack" yet?

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads...-work.1974167/

What if you trick the macOS into "display port alt-mode" and transmit video data via the extra lanes? The DisplayLink SoC may needs a reprogramming for accepting data via Display Port than USB directly. The hack in the link above perhaps also requires macOS to allow support for MST – if you want to run two extended monitors, which it never did on Intel GPUs.

The downside is that USB 3 ports will drop to USB 2.0 due to lack of bandwidth.

I'm trying to give you ideas, although I might be wrong.

Originally Posted by tommiy

Ok that sounds like a commitment that the original capabilities will not be returned even when if a new driver is delivered. Guess it really is time to find the alternative.

There are no alternatives. DisplayLink's business model (unique selling point) is solely based on their proprietary compression technology, allowing them to squeeze a broad bandwidth video signal through a tight USB cable.

It seems Apple has fundamentally changed how frame buffers are passed on to external displays. As far as I understand the DisplayLink driver was sort of a Man-in-the-Middle hack – hijacking the frame buffers and compressing them for the USB's bandwidth bottleneck. Apparently, that trick doesn't work anymore. Now, if that's the case it does take more effort than just a few new lines of code.

We just have to be patient, stick with 10.13.3 for now, and hope everything will be fine again soon.

[aehsmu]

Didn't think it would matter, but first beta of 10.3.5 does not change the DisplayLink problem.
--
Eric H.
--

[challgren]

I did happen to find a alternative solution, Matrox DualHead2Go Digital ME works with macOS 10.13.4 its a bit more expensive than a DisplayLink adapter but it works in 10.13.4. Basically splits the display in 2. The dock and title bar end up split between the screens but it works

[Okibi]

Thank you! Please keep the pressure on Apple.

Is there anywhere Mac users can register their annoyance / frustration to help convince Apple to fix this bug asap?

I initially bought a pair of the apple USB-C to HDMI adapters, these were absolutely junk, each time I woke my brand new power mac it would hunt for monitors, connect them, then disconnect them, connect them again and get stuck in a loop requiring me to disconnect the monitors and add them back on, one by one.

I bought a nice plugable dock to overcome Apples useless dongles making my MacBookPro usable once more.

Apples latest update has me stuck using their crappy dongles again. There was a time when Apple prided themselves on their easy of use and quality of products (especially when using their own peripherals), these days they're bloody useless.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Okibi

Is there anywhere Mac users can register their annoyance / frustration to help convince Apple to fix this bug asap?

Since not everybody has an Apple's Developer ID, the only other way I could think of is via www.change.org

Alternatively, you can also vandalize in an Apple Store to express your frustration.

[slvrscoobie]

Does anyone know if you can clone the native display while its closed in Clamshell mode? I use mine thusly, so installing beta 2 would allow me to use 2 monitors (one displayport and the 'cloned native display') effectively. however if since the native display is off, and it wont work, doesnt help me much.

[phrogg]

Originally Posted by AlbanRampon

Dear DisplayLink Mac Users,
In the meantime, we have today released a second beta of our 4.3 driver. Installing this driver will enable cloning of the native display on DisplayLink connected screens.
4.3 Beta 2 improves the current workaround by preserving the primary display aspect ratio and allowing to select which screen is cloned in a multiple display setup.

Since this is a new solution, how about some quick documentation of how to choose and set which monitor is cloned? I'm not seeing a place to make that choice right now.