Some 2020 MacBook Pro and MacBook Air Users Experiencing Issues With USB 2.0 Accessories

[Mr. Heckles]

I didn't know that adapter has two (or more) iterations. Mine is arriving tomorrow, I bought it few days ago on the Apple Store, how do I know which iteration is mine?

I bet you have the latest one

Apple releases new model of USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter- 9to5Mac

Apple this week has quietly released a new version of its USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter, which retails for $69. Here are the changes.

9to5mac.com

 

[juballharshaw]

I had (have) this issue with my 2019 MBP, thought it was an issue with the powered docks I purchased until finally landing on one that works. Didn’t have that issue with my non-powered dongles though.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Is this issue restricted to 2019/2020 models? That is when Apple switched from the Intel Alpine Ridge TB3 controller (which also handles USB) to the newer Titan Ridge controller. Anyone reporting it on a 2019 iMac (which also has a TR controller)?

This is what I was thinking as well. The article mentions different OS' was used but are we talking BootCamp/Parallel's/Fusion (Windows 10 & Linux), or just OSX versions?

Actually my hub stopped working on my 2019 13" MBP. Traded up to the 2020 model and it now works fine.

You're lucky. I highly doubt if I had this issue on my 2017 MBP 13" I'd get anything newer - as I'm still under warranty.

 

[dspdoc]

An Apple HW/SW issue?! No way, I don’t believe it. Their QC is impeccable. Bahahaha! 🤦‍♂️

 

[jaduffy007]

With the butterfly keyboards, thermal throttling, etc in the recent past... and all of the problems I'm experiencing with my 16" MBP...it just may be time to consider Windows. The new XPS 15/17 machines look awesome. What am I getting in exchange anymore for the Apple tax?

 

[7149041]

The only thing I ever plug into my computer is the charger and an external display, for me the USBC MacBooks are the most aesthetically pleasing, and I don’t miss any functionality. And I bet there are many more people like me.

 

[Populus]

I didn't know that adapter has two (or more) iterations. Mine is arriving tomorrow, I bought it few days ago on the Apple Store, how do I know which iteration is mine?

Don’t worry, if you ordered it directly from Apple, at this point (2020) it is sure you’ll get the second version, the current one. Previous one, the old one, had an HDMI 1.4, whilst the new one has an HDMI 2.0 which allows for 4K@60Hz. I would swear that the USB went from 3.0 to 3.1 but don’t quote me on that.

You’ll recognize them pretty fast:
Older version: Model A1621
Newer version: Model A2119

Where can you find this Model number?

In the box, look at the bottom sticker, the one with the recycling symbol, there you should see the serial number, and below, the Model number.

On the dongle itself: Look for the Designed by Apple in California, You’ll see the Model number just below the word California

 

[Nydan787]

That’s explains a lot. I have the Blackmagic Egpu Pro and use it as a hub to attach a Bose speaker system that used to go to my old MacBook Pro using usb 2. After a while of not using audio it can be 5 minutes or after a song is paused, the sound goes out. I have to disconnect and connect again for it to work again. It is very annoying. Glad it is not just me and a lot of people have that issue because sooner or later and here i hope sooner that a patch will fix it.

 

[fbr$]

I bet you have the latest one

Apple releases new model of USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter- 9to5Mac

Apple this week has quietly released a new version of its USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter, which retails for $69. Here are the changes.

9to5mac.com

Don’t worry, if you ordered it directly from Apple, at this point (2020) it is sure you’ll get the second version, the current one. Previous one, the old one, had an HDMI 1.4, whilst the new one has an HDMI 2.0 which allows for 4K@60Hz. I would swear that the USB went from 3.0 to 3.1 but don’t quote me on that.

You’ll recognize them pretty fast:
Older version: Model A1621
Newer version: Model A2119

Where can you find this Model number?

In the box, look at the bottom sticker, the one with the recycling symbol, there you should see the serial number, and below, the Model number.

On the dongle itself: Look for the Designed by Apple in California, You’ll see the Model number just below the word California

Thank you! It was written 3840x2160 at 60Hz in the product description when I bought it on the Apple Store! Mine is the second version!

 

[throAU]

Good old days without dongle hell.

View attachment 924875

Yeah a firewire port I never used, a mic port I never used, a thunderbolt port I never used, an ethernet port I never used, etc.

USB type C can do it all.

Yes, it will take a while to get there (but we never will, while people are holding onto old badly designed outdated ports), but when we do ALL of those legacy ports will be useless.

 

[Purrged]

Right after I ordered my 2017 MBP three years ago I went to Amazon and purchased two USB-C to USB-A cables. For less than $20. That's mice nuts compared to the $3K+ cost of my laptop.

"Right after spending $3,000 on my new laptop, I had to spend another $40 on cables just so that my new laptop works with all my stuff as well as my old laptop did."

 

[citysnaps]

"Right after spending $3,000 on my new laptop, I had to spend another $40 on cables just so that my new laptop works with all my stuff as well as my old laptop did."

Yup. And when disk drives evolved away from FireWire 400/800 to USB 3.0/1, I had to spend a lot of money updating drives and cables. Ditto with SCSI, DVI, etc.

I realized that was the price of progress. I guess I could have whined about it on a tech forum. But as a professional, that's not my character. I simply moved on and enjoyed/appreciated better performance.

 

[Mr. Heckles]

Yup. And when disk drives evolved away from FireWire 400/800 to USB 3.0/1, I had to spend a lot of money updating drives and cables. Ditto with SCSI, DVI, etc.

I realized that was the price of progress. I guess I could have whined about it on a tech forum. But as a professional, that's not my character. I simply moved on and enjoyed/appreciated better performance.

I get progress, but to remove all to add USB-C only? I don’t get it.

 

[ipponrg]

Yeah a firewire port I never used, a mic port I never used, a thunderbolt port I never used, an ethernet port I never used, etc.

USB type C can do it all.

Yes, it will take a while to get there (but we never will, while people are holding onto old badly designed outdated ports), but when we do ALL of those legacy ports will be useless.

For my work, I use the 3.5mm port everyday, USB-A everyday, and occasionally ethernet.

Don't blame the people. Blame Apple, the lack of consistency of the usb-c port, and the device manufacturers. We all knew device manufacturers as a whole would be slow to adopt. Also, USB-C ports have generally show inconsistencies with cables and dongles. The devices I develop for don't have USB-C on them. Apple themselves still have lightning despite pushing USB-C on their macs. It's a bit of a cluster**** right now, and they already announced the next iteration of USB-C.

 

[Purrged]

Yup. And when disk drives evolved away from FireWire 400/800 to USB 3.0/1, I had to spend a lot of money updating drives and cables. Ditto with SCSI, DVI, etc.

But as a professional, I realized that was the price of progress. I guess I could have whined about it on a forum. But that's not my character. I simply moved on and enjoyed/appreciated better performance.

"As a professional" sure sounds like your definition of professional is pretty narrow. Don't know if you realize this, but there is more to being "a professional" than sitting in your own home office with your copy of Photoshop and Final Cut Pro editing with your own hardware. Some of us actually have customers with their own offices and places of business to visit and do actual work at. Your customers might always have USB-C ethernet connections in every office, with a USB-C TV to hook up to for your presentation and a USB-C printer to print to when you have a deliverable to share. Mine, unfortunately, still use good old fashioned Ethernet, and HDMI and regular USB printers. Because, as much as Mr. Cook would like you to think that USB-A and Ethernet and HDMI are obsolete, they aren't. And by all accounts from this very forum, it sounds like those "old" on-board things have given a far better experience to "professionals" when they are on-board a computer than they do when they are wrapped up in the latest shiny dongle.

You, "as a professional" might be okay with spending more than you really need to in terms of both money and productivity and call it "the price of progress", but most professionals just call that spending money for the sake of spending money.

 

[simon lefisch]

Imagine if these computers had a USB A port along with the USB C ports. Bring back MagSafe while you’re at it.

All about the MagSafe. Ridiculous that they got rid of it 0_o

 

[jchap]

Good old days without dongle hell.

Yeah, but also the "good old days" where you had a 50/50 chance of plugging the USB-A cable in the right direction.

 

[macduke]

I can’t think of a single time I’ve used a USB 2.0 accessory in the past several years. My Canon Pro 100 wide format printer is USB 2.0 but I can just send stuff to it over WiFi. The only other thing I might use at some point is an old Audio Technica USB microphone in storage if I ever go back to being a YouTuber.

 

[fbr$]

Interesting. My iPhone will not connect to my 2020 Air using a USB-A to Lightning cable and either a USB-C to A adapter or a hub. It will charge but not sync. I wonder whether this is the problem.

My iPhone 8 Plus is showing up with no issue on Finder on my 2019 16" MBP (Catalina 10.15.5) using a Lightning to USB-A cable plugged in to the Apple's original "USB-C to USB Adapter".

 

[dukebound85]

I got the same issue with my 2019 16 inch..

Same on my 2015 mbp

 

[sunman42]

Didn't Steve Jobs once do part of a keynote making fun of "dongles"?

He can't possibly be happy with the bean counter if he's watching from above.

And while you're at it, just blow up Catalina now. It seems to be implicated in practically everything except the Jimmy Hoffa disappearance.

One of Apple's first hits after Mr. Jobs returned to Apple, and on whose final design he worked with Jonny Ive, was the original iMac, which was the original dongle hell. USB to ADB dongle so we could continue using a Saratoga keyboard, USB to serial dongle so we could continue using AppleTalk, .... And if those strike you as obsolete technologies, you've just enlightened yourself.

 

[Dhock_Holiday]

Didn't Steve Jobs once do part of a keynote making fun of "dongles"?

He can't possibly be happy with the bean counter if he's watching from above.

And while you're at it, just blow up Catalina now. It seems to be implicated in practically everything except the Jimmy Hoffa disappearance.

He also hated the stylus and made fun of it whenever he had the chance, no way he would have ever allowed the Apple Pencil to be released. Apple would be a very different company today if Steve was still around.

 

[brandsteve]

It doesn't just occur with a USB hub. Even with a simple USB-A to USB-C adaptor, it will happen. Rebooting is the only fix.

Fingers crossed a software fix is coming soon.

The problem happens LESS when I switched my Microsoft Mouse to a Logitech Bluetooth mouse, but still happens with my USB keyboard about once a week.

What's crazy is that my USB-A connected TimeMachine drive keeps on humming even when other USB-A devices get locked out.

 

[sirozha]

Is this issue restricted to 2019/2020 models? That is when Apple switched from the Intel Alpine Ridge TB3 controller (which also handles USB) to the newer Titan Ridge controller. Anyone reporting it on a 2019 iMac (which also has a TR controller)?

The switch to Titan Ridge occurred in 2018 Macbook Pros.

 

[citysnaps]

"As a professional" sure sounds like your definition of professional is pretty narrow. Don't know if you realize this, but there is more to being "a professional" than sitting in your own home office with your copy of Photoshop and Final Cut Pro editing with your own hardware. Some of us actually have customers with their own offices and places of business to visit and do actual work at. Your customers might always have USB-C ethernet connections in every office, with a USB-C TV to hook up to for your presentation and a USB-C printer to print to when you have a deliverable to share. Mine, unfortunately, still use good old fashioned Ethernet, and HDMI and regular USB printers. Because, as much as Mr. Cook would like you to think that USB-A and Ethernet and HDMI are obsolete, they aren't. And by all accounts from this very forum, it sounds like those "old" on-board things have given a far better experience to "professionals" when they are on-board a computer than they do when they are wrapped up in the latest shiny dongle.

You, "as a professional" might be okay with spending more than you really need to in terms of both money and productivity and call it "the price of progress", but most professionals just call that spending money for the sake of spending money.

Again, I can afford the $20 for a couple of USB cables and another $20 for an ethernet adapter. With over three decades as a systems and electrical engineer, mostly focusing on signal processing, I've needed to adapt to changing technology many times. Never has been a problem. If you want to cry about it, that's fine with me.