Two computers and one Studio Display?

[Macs Pain]

I'm wondering if this switch would work.

Ok, so I can confirm that this switch is working.
It came with one USB-C cable and it works, Laptop is also charging. The switch needs to be powered with a USB 3 cable which also is included.
I just need to get a second cable to connect my other Mac to this switch. The original Apple thunderbolt cable that comes with the Studio Display DOES NOT work.

 

[Lee Cooper]

Ok, so I can confirm that this switch is working.
It came with one USB-C cable and it works, Laptop is also charging. The switch needs to be powered with a USB 3 cable which also is included.
I just need to get a second cable to connect my other Mac to this switch. The original Apple thunderbolt cable that comes with the Studio Display DOES NOT work.

Good news, I understand everything works, full 5K , camera, speakers ?

 

[Macs Pain]

Good news, I understand everything works, full 5K , camera, speakers ?

Yes, all working fine.

EDIT: It's not exactly that switch, I bought THIS ONE. (Sorry, german amazon )
But it looks like the same, just with another chinese manufacturers name, so I think both should work.

 

[SamPotts]

Count me in!

I emailed the company asking to purchase, let’s see what they reply back.

I got a response back. They have a minimum order of 500. I've asked for a price, out of interest.

 

[BeatCrazy]

Ok, so I can confirm that this switch is working.
It came with one USB-C cable and it works, Laptop is also charging. The switch needs to be powered with a USB 3 cable which also is included.
I just need to get a second cable to connect my other Mac to this switch. The original Apple thunderbolt cable that comes with the Studio Display DOES NOT work.

I wonder why the cable that comes with the Apple Studio Display doesn't work with this switch? AFAIK, that cable should be backwards compatible with USB 3.1, and not just Thunderbolt.

 

[iStorm]

I wonder why the cable that comes with the Apple Studio Display doesn't work with this switch? AFAIK, that cable should be backwards compatible with USB 3.1, and not just Thunderbolt.

It's likely the cable is too long after going through the switch, due to loss in bandwidth as the cable gets longer. Thunderbolt is very sensitive to that. Shorter cables are better.

 

[BeatCrazy]

It's likely the cable is too long after going through the switch, due to loss in bandwidth as the cable gets longer. Thunderbolt is very sensitive to that. Shorter cables are better.

Right, but the Apple cable (at least the 2m version that came with my Pro Display XDR) is essentially a Thunderbolt 4 cable, which can do 2m/3m without loss of bandwidth for either Thunderbolt, or USB. It's not an optical cable, it's a passive cable that is certified for both Thunderbolt + USB at its offered lengths. Which is one of the reasons it's so expensive. When the 2m Apple cable first came out in 2019, it was the only one that could do that.

Now that TB4 cables have been officially released, you can get 2m versions starting at ~$70.

 

[Macs Pain]

I wonder why the cable that comes with the Apple Studio Display doesn't work with this switch? AFAIK, that cable should be backwards compatible with USB 3.1, and not just Thunderbolt.

I‘ve got no idea.
The description says „Must use a standard USB-C Gen-2 cable to connect your signal source or monitor device.“

 

[edanuff]

Ok, so I can confirm that this switch is working.
It came with one USB-C cable and it works, Laptop is also charging. The switch needs to be powered with a USB 3 cable which also is included.
I just need to get a second cable to connect my other Mac to this switch. The original Apple thunderbolt cable that comes with the Studio Display DOES NOT work.

Any visible difference in quality between the Mac in DP 1.4 DSC mode through this switch versus TB3 mode? This is definitely a less kludgey solution than the magnetic USB-C adapters

 

[BeatCrazy]

Any visible difference in quality between the Mac in DP 1.4 DSC mode through this switch versus TB3 mode? This is definitely a less kludgey solution than the magnetic USB-C adapters

I've been thinking quite seriously about this (thread) topic, and after spending a few days with the magnetic USB-C adapters, I think they're actually preferable vs. that switch.

• They're cheaper. I know 'relatively' speaking that doesn't mean much, but we're still talking about $50.
• You can repurpose the magnetic adapters if you change you mind down the road. I imagine they'll become very handy for when I start going back into the office, strictly as 'psuedo-MagSafe' convenience.
• Using the magnetic adapters means one less "box" on your desk. Either way, you have to physically touch the button or swap cables, so you can't really hide the switch box.
• With the magnetic adapters, you could easily swap between three or more computers and one Studio display. This is my plan. For primary use, I'd be connecting to my work-issued MacBook. During nights/weekends, I'd connect to my Mac Studio, so the Studio would become my secondary display to my main Pro Display XDR. I can occasionally connect a Windows machine to the Studio Display, as I've confirmed at least one of my TB-equipped Windows boxes works using these adapters w/Pro Display XDR.

In summary, I think you get more flexibility, no loss in quality/functionality. As long as you're able to manage your cables in an acceptable manner. I believe I'm able to.

Also, here's an alternate option the "YoungSelly" brand linked above, as those now have limited stock:

[2Pack Straight+ Extra 2 Plugs]USB C Magnetic Adapter,24 Pins Type C Support Thunderbolt 4,USB4.0, PD 100W Charge,40Gb/s Data Transfer,8K Video Output Compatible with MacBook and More USB C Devices

[2Pack Straight+ Extra 2 Plugs]USB C Magnetic Adapter,24 Pins Type C Support Thunderbolt 4,USB4.0, PD 100W Charge,40Gb/s Data Transfer,8K Video Output Compatible with MacBook and More USB C Devices

www.amazon.com

 

[Macs Pain]

Any visible difference in quality between the Mac in DP 1.4 DSC mode through this switch versus TB3 mode? This is definitely a less kludgey solution than the magnetic USB-C adapters

Didn’t realize anything, but I’ll keep using it. Sometimes you notice any flaws just later. ^^

 

[edanuff]

I've been thinking quite seriously about this (thread) topic, and after spending a few days with the magnetic USB-C adapters, I think they're actually preferable vs. that switch.

That's reasonable. It's nice to have multiple options and I plan to try both. The big advantage I see with the magnetic adapters is being able to have the Mac use a TB4 connection to the display as Apple intended.

 

[BeatCrazy]

That's reasonable. It's nice to have multiple options and I plan to try both. The big advantage I see with the magnetic adapters is being able to have the Mac use a TB4 connection to the display as Apple intended.

Which brings up another point... if you use just that USB-C dock (as linked above), I'm guessing you can't use an external web cam to one of the USB 3.1 ports on the back of the Studio Display?

 

[chikit]

I've been thinking quite seriously about this (thread) topic, and after spending a few days with the magnetic USB-C adapters, I think they're actually preferable vs. that switch.

• They're cheaper. I know 'relatively' speaking that doesn't mean much, but we're still talking about $50.
• You can repurpose the magnetic adapters if you change you mind down the road. I imagine they'll become very handy for when I start going back into the office, strictly as 'psuedo-MagSafe' convenience.
• Using the magnetic adapters means one less "box" on your desk. Either way, you have to physically touch the button or swap cables, so you can't really hide the switch box.
• With the magnetic adapters, you could easily swap between three or more computers and one Studio display. This is my plan. For primary use, I'd be connecting to my work-issued MacBook. During nights/weekends, I'd connect to my Mac Studio, so the Studio would become my secondary display to my main Pro Display XDR. I can occasionally connect a Windows machine to the Studio Display, as I've confirmed at least one of my TB-equipped Windows boxes works using these adapters w/Pro Display XDR.

In summary, I think you get more flexibility, no loss in quality/functionality. As long as you're able to manage your cables in an acceptable manner. I believe I'm able to.

Also, here's an alternate option the "YoungSelly" brand linked above, as those now have limited stock:

[2Pack Straight+ Extra 2 Plugs]USB C Magnetic Adapter,24 Pins Type C Support Thunderbolt 4,USB4.0, PD 100W Charge,40Gb/s Data Transfer,8K Video Output Compatible with MacBook and More USB C Devices

[2Pack Straight+ Extra 2 Plugs]USB C Magnetic Adapter,24 Pins Type C Support Thunderbolt 4,USB4.0, PD 100W Charge,40Gb/s Data Transfer,8K Video Output Compatible with MacBook and More USB C Devices

www.amazon.com

@BeatCrazy I've searched for days trying to find the optimal solution for switching USB-C upstream sources. Regular KVM switches won't cut it because not all of them have what I'm looking for:

• 4K 60Hz video (most are via HDMI, so no power delivery)
• USB3.0 shared peripherals (4K webcam needs this, most are only USB2.0 for keyboard and mouse)
• Power delivery

I'm looking for that clean, one USB-C cable setup for grab and go with my keyboard, mouse, webcam, and LG monitor (/w USB-C power delivery).

Wondering how you're coping with the magnetic adapters? And is it bothersome that only one laptop charges at a time? My inner OCD would feel poorly about racking up the number of charge cycles from constantly disconnecting and connecting between laptops. Maybe I should run two magnetic USB-C cables to each laptop (one with power, one for video/data).

TL;DR
I've got a poor man's "Apple Studio Display" with LG 27UN880 with Ergo mount, 2.1 speakers, and Logitech 4K Pro magnetic webcam and am looking for a poor man's KVM solution.

 

[BeatCrazy]

@BeatCrazy I've searched for days trying to find the optimal solution for switching USB-C upstream sources. Regular KVM switches won't cut it because not all of them have what I'm looking for:

• 4K 60Hz video (most are via HDMI, so no power delivery)
• USB3.0 shared peripherals (4K webcam needs this, most are only USB2.0 for keyboard and mouse)
• Power delivery

I'm looking for that clean, one USB-C cable setup for grab and go with my keyboard, mouse, webcam, and LG monitor (/w USB-C power delivery).

Wondering how you're coping with the magnetic adapters? And is it bothersome that only one laptop charges at a time? My inner OCD would feel poorly about racking up the number of charge cycles from constantly disconnecting and connecting between laptops. Maybe I should run two magnetic USB-C cables to each laptop (one with power, one for video/data).

TL;DR
I've got a poor man's "Apple Studio Display" with LG 27UN880 with Ergo mount, 2.1 speakers, and Logitech 4K Pro magnetic webcam and am looking for a poor man's KVM solution.

Yep, heard that. My Apple Studio Display arrived today. Tomorrow I'll set it up and write an update in this thread.

 

[Keroro1]

Hello everyone,
I was going to buy this to connect my mac mini and macbook at the same time, it seemed perfect:

CABLEDECONN USB-C Type-C 8K Updated Switch USB 3.1 C Gen 2 Cable for Video Bi-Direction 8K@30Hz 4K@120Hz Power Delivery 100w 10Gbps Data Transfer Splitter Converter ¡

CABLEDECONN USB-C Type-C 8K Updated Switch USB 3.1 C Gen 2 Cable for Video Bi-Direction 8K@30Hz 4K@120Hz Power Delivery 100w 10Gbps Data Transfer Splitter Converter ¡

www.amazon.com

But in the comments it says that it doesn't work, strange... does anyone have it?

 

[BeatCrazy]

@BeatCrazy I've searched for days trying to find the optimal solution for switching USB-C upstream sources. Regular KVM switches won't cut it because not all of them have what I'm looking for:

• 4K 60Hz video (most are via HDMI, so no power delivery)
• USB3.0 shared peripherals (4K webcam needs this, most are only USB2.0 for keyboard and mouse)
• Power delivery

I'm looking for that clean, one USB-C cable setup for grab and go with my keyboard, mouse, webcam, and LG monitor (/w USB-C power delivery).

Wondering how you're coping with the magnetic adapters? And is it bothersome that only one laptop charges at a time? My inner OCD would feel poorly about racking up the number of charge cycles from constantly disconnecting and connecting between laptops. Maybe I should run two magnetic USB-C cables to each laptop (one with power, one for video/data).

TL;DR
I've got a poor man's "Apple Studio Display" with LG 27UN880 with Ergo mount, 2.1 speakers, and Logitech 4K Pro magnetic webcam and am looking for a poor man's KVM solution.

@chikit I got the Studio display set up, and using the magnetic USB-C ends linked above, I've got it seamlessly switching between my Mac Studio (personal computer) and 2019 MacBook Pro 13" (work setup).

My goal is to use this with 3+ computers, including Windows. I've confirmed this works just fine, but I'll need a slightly longer TB4 cable, which arrives tomorrow. Then, I should have the perfect KVM for switching/supporting native 5K for most of my computers, although some will need to output 4K (still acceptable).

 

[BeatCrazy]

Hello everyone,
I was going to buy this to connect my mac mini and macbook at the same time, it seemed perfect:

CABLEDECONN USB-C Type-C 8K Updated Switch USB 3.1 C Gen 2 Cable for Video Bi-Direction 8K@30Hz 4K@120Hz Power Delivery 100w 10Gbps Data Transfer Splitter Converter ¡

CABLEDECONN USB-C Type-C 8K Updated Switch USB 3.1 C Gen 2 Cable for Video Bi-Direction 8K@30Hz 4K@120Hz Power Delivery 100w 10Gbps Data Transfer Splitter Converter ¡

www.amazon.com

But in the comments it says that it doesn't work, strange... does anyone have it?

I personally don't think this switcher is going to work (but happy to be proven wrong).

In my experience, the Apple Studio Display is very picky about cables, in order to get the full 5K resolution. Basically, you need certified TB3/TB4 cable to support 5K. USB-C 3.1 gen 2 cables work, but only at 4K.

I have verified this with both Macs, and Windows PCs using the Apple Studio Display.

 

[edanuff]

I personally don't think this switcher is going to work (but happy to be proven wrong).

In my experience, the Apple Studio Display is very picky about cables, in order to get the full 5K resolution. Basically, you need certified TB3/TB4 cable to support 5K. USB-C 3.1 gen 2 cables work, but only at 4K.

I have verified this with both Macs, and Windows PCs using the Apple Studio Display.

Would love to see what it does, I think it should work for a PC with USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode output. I think the problem is that a Mac connected to it is going to output Thunderbolt rather than USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode and the integrated circuit switch inside it is probably not of high enough tolerance to switch a Thunderbolt signal and will garble it. Interestingly, in the comments they say they're looking at a version that will do Thunderbolt.

 

[cz_]

I can confirm that this switch (which I assume is the same as all the other branded versions) DOES work with these cables (3 ft). Switching between a Mac Studio Max and a 2019 16" MBP connected to a Studio Display. 5K resolution, speakers, webcam all work perfectly.

The Amazon Basics cables also work when directly connected from either system to the display.

I was not expecting any of this to work given the lack of TB3 support in both the cables and the switch, but it does. I have no idea if this is using "DSC" or Displayport or whatever, but happy to run any tests/diagnostics if anyone wants more info.

 

[edanuff]

I can confirm that this switch (which I assume is the same as all the other branded versions) DOES work with these cables (3 ft). Switching between a Mac Studio Max and a 2019 16" MBP connected to a Studio Display. 5K resolution, speakers, webcam all work perfectly.

The Amazon Basics cables also work when directly connected from either system to the display.

I was not expecting any of this to work given the lack of TB3 support in both the cables and the switch, but it does. I have no idea if this is using "DSC" or Displayport or whatever, but happy to run any tests/diagnostics if anyone wants more info.

What does System Information show? Are the monitors listed under the Thunderbolt tab and if so, what appears? If it's using Thunderbolt, it will look like this:

 

[cz_]

Similar, but not exact (speed is 20Gb instead of 40). I'm using a single Studio Display and switching between two Macs. No hub/dock/etc.

 

[edanuff]

Similar, but not exact (speed is 20Gb instead of 40). I'm using a single Studio Display and switching between two Macs. No hub/dock/etc.

View attachment 1993216

Is that the Mac Studio Max or the MBP? It's definitely doing Thunderbolt video, if it was doing DisplayPort it wouldn't appear in the System Report in that section.

 

[turbineseaplane]

All of this talk of switches and dongles and specific cables.

Jeebus Apple -- how about putting in an additional input to make a vastly more consumer friendly device?

 

[cz_]

Is that the Mac Studio Max or the MBP? It's definitely doing Thunderbolt video, if it was doing DisplayPort it wouldn't appear in the System Report in that section.

It's the Studio, but the MBP looks identical.