Displaylink ceases to work in 10.13.4

[AlbanRampon]

Update: June 20th
Dear DisplayLink macOS users,

Installing macOS 10.13.4, or newer, will cause DisplayLink connected displays to go blank after the OS update when using DisplayLink driver v4.1. Extended displays continue to work as expected in macOS 10.13.3 and below.
Functionality such as Ethernet and audio, where implemented, is unaffected.

DisplayLink driver v4.3 beta 5 currently provides an interim solution with one extended USB display (720p or 1080p) on macOS 10.13.4, 10.13.5 and the first two 10.14 developer previews, using Apple AirPlay® on machines with that feature. All additional DisplayLink screens will be cloning the primary display.
An FAQ details how to enable Apple AirPlay with DisplayLink display for extend or mirror mode.

Our team have made further progress towards finding a solution which would restore full extended display support for multiple DisplayLink displays in a future release of macOS. As daily users of the technology ourselves, we truly understand how disruptive this loss of functionality affecting the ecosystem can be.
We have had positive developments on being able to communicate a roll out plan for this long term fix, but for the time being remain unable to provide a time-frame or a date for release of this solution.
Resolving this issue remains the highest priority for us and we will continue to provide regular updates as we move towards this.

Thank you for your extended patience. We appreciate your feedback and support.

Kind regards,
Alban

[paultzirides]

Eeeeasy folks, threatening people isn't going to get the issue solved any faster.

The DisplayLink team, as well as every developer on the planet, cannot control how Apple changes their operating system. If the DL team built their software and drivers using some components of the OS that Apple removed or changed, it may be difficult or impossible to update the DL software and drivers as-is. The next version of the OS is still in beta, which means that there are a great deal of things that are still changing, and any updates the team makes now are an attempt to hit a moving target. They may get the BETA drivers working on a BETA OS, but the next version of the beta may break things again, so giving a hard release date might be impossible with the software in its current state, and the DL team may need to wait until certain parts of the OS are more stable before they can start building new drivers.

Quite often, Apple makes changes that affect developers and software functionality. A point release may suddenly affect a piece of software you use without warning, because Apple made a change the developer did not anticipate. The DL team may need to rewrite the drivers completely from the ground up, or they may be in a holding pattern until things stabilize.

Either way, yelling louder will not fix this problem faster. I think it sucks, too, and I'm upset that I have a product that doesn't do all the things I want it to, but the DL team has a great track record of making progress, even when facing really difficult challenges. Give them a little bit, I'm sure they'll be able to get this one fixed, too.

[Wozzy]

Originally Posted by paultzirides

Eeeeasy folks, threatening people isn't going to get the issue solved any faster.

The DisplayLink team, as well as every developer on the planet, cannot control how Apple changes their operating system. If the DL team built their software and drivers using some components of the OS that Apple removed or changed, it may be difficult or impossible to update the DL software and drivers as-is. The next version of the OS is still in beta, which means that there are a great deal of things that are still changing, and any updates the team makes now are an attempt to hit a moving target. They may get the BETA drivers working on a BETA OS, but the next version of the beta may break things again, so giving a hard release date might be impossible with the software in its current state, and the DL team may need to wait until certain parts of the OS are more stable before they can start building new drivers.

Quite often, Apple makes changes that affect developers and software functionality. A point release may suddenly affect a piece of software you use without warning, because Apple made a change the developer did not anticipate. The DL team may need to rewrite the drivers completely from the ground up, or they may be in a holding pattern until things stabilize.

Either way, yelling louder will not fix this problem faster. I think it sucks, too, and I'm upset that I have a product that doesn't do all the things I want it to, but the DL team has a great track record of making progress, even when facing really difficult challenges. Give them a little bit, I'm sure they'll be able to get this one fixed, too.

DL wre informed of this change well in advance by Apple, possibly upto 12 months but still failed to fix. So I think they have had long enough. This isn't just the odd user complaint here larger corps like IBM use Mac's and DisplayLink, think how much it is can be effecting productivity, think how much money has been spent on DL devices that are currently next to useless.

Again we see the post about 4.3 beta 5, so ok progress but its BETA. Places like IBM can't allow beta software to be used on mass, it need to be final before allowing staff to install.

[User112]

Originally Posted by Wozzy

DL wre informed of this change well in advance by Apple, possibly upto 12 months but still failed to fix. So I think they have had long enough. This isn't just the odd user complaint here larger corps like IBM use Mac's and DisplayLink, think how much it is can be effecting productivity, think how much money has been spent on DL devices that are currently next to useless.

Again we see the post about 4.3 beta 5, so ok progress but its BETA. Places like IBM can't allow beta software to be used on mass, it need to be final before allowing staff to install.

*affecting

[tommiy]

So the update on progress is the same update on progress from months ago.

1. Positive progress made. Statement no facts supporting it.
2. Can not tell you about the progress made. Obviously not enough to get to even a beta stage.
3. A future update of the OS is involved. An open ended statement which provides no target leaving possibilities endless on date.

All things point to nothing being available in any point in the near to medium term future.

[MC Ren]

Originally Posted by tommiy

So the update on progress is the same update on progress from months ago.

1. Positive progress made. Statement no facts supporting it.
2. Can not tell you about the progress made. Obviously not enough to get to even a beta stage.
3. A future update of the OS is involved. An open ended statement which provides no target leaving possibilities endless on date.

All things point to nothing being available in any point in the near to medium term future.

You forgot appreciating our patience, lol.

Seriously, this is ridiculous.

[donluca]

Originally Posted by AlbanRampon

Our team have made further progress towards finding a solution which would restore full extended display support for multiple DisplayLink displays in a future release of macOS.

Thanks once again for keeping us updated.

Please let us know as soon as possible when you have reached a point where full functionality has been restored, even if it's in Mojave's beta. I can obtain the OS update and willing to risk running it if it means I'll finally have my DisplayPort dongle fully working again.

Right now I have to plug and unplug monitors whenever I need to do photo post-processing as I have a professional monitor dedicated only to this.

All the best.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by AlbanRampon

Our team have made further progress towards finding a solution which would restore full extended display support for multiple DisplayLink displays in a future release of macOS.

You say "in a future release of macOS". I am very concerned that the full fix might only work with macOS Mojave. I'd like to point out that – as usual – not all 3rd party applications will be fully macOS Mojave compatible at its release. It is healthy to postpone a major OS update and check application compatibility for a private user, but it is always the case in enterprise environments. Mojave is a very special case! It will phase-out 32 bit support. A lot of users/businesses won't be updating immediately to Mojave because many (business critical) applications are still not 64 bit ready.

It would be highly inconvenient if the fix worked only with macOS Mojave! Please provide a full fix – not a workaround – for the latest HighSierra as well.