Studio Display hub USB hard drive connection always on?

[Evil Dan]

Sorry I have searched everywhere but cannot find an answer to this. Do USB hard drives connected to the Studio Display still remain connected while a Mac is connected to Thunderbolt even if it not displaying a picture (i.e. energy saver mode)?

I would be planning to have my Time Machine back up hard drives connected to the USB-C ports so would be wanting these to be always connected my 2021 MacBook Pro to continuing doing back ups. I was looking at the Caldigit TS4 so not having to purchase this would make the cost of the Studio Display marginally more palatable.

 

[satcomer]

Sleep mode is controlled by the device that is connected, that's hs always been that case!

 

[Evil Dan]

Sleep mode is controlled by the device that is connected, that's hs always been that case!

I fully understand that hence the reason for my question. The drives will be connected to the hub of the Studio Display. I want to know if when the screen is in sleep mode the drives will remain connected - a lot of monitors where there is a more obvious off mode the drives will disconnect in this situation.

 

[Lee Cooper]

It depends what kind of USB drive you are using.
I tested 2018 MBP connected to the ASD and a G-drive usb-c SSD connected to the ASD. This SSD seems to stay always on when connected to the ASD and the MBP is going to sleep.
I also use a Seagate 3.5" HHD in an USB3 enclosure connected with an USB3 to USB-c cable to the ASD. After MBP is going to sleep than the HDD disconnects. After about two hours with the MBP sleeping I found few warning notifications: "not properly ejected HDD".
The SSD did not get any disconnect warning after two days.

This is annoying, cannot use an HDD for automatic backups when the MBP is sleeping.

On the "good" side is not a problem with the ASD, as I got same behavior without ASD, the drives connected directly to the MBP. Means it is a MacOS problem.

 

[Evil Dan]

It depends what kind of USB drive you are using.
I tested 2018 MBP connected to the ASD and a G-drive usb-c SSD connected to the ASD. This SSD seems to stay always on when connected to the ASD and the MBP is going to sleep.
I also use a Seagate 3.5" HHD in an USB3 enclosure connected with an USB3 to USB-c cable to the ASD. After MBP is going to sleep than the HDD disconnects. After about two hours with the MBP sleeping I found few warning notifications: "not properly ejected HDD".
The SSD did not get any disconnect warning after two days.

This is annoying, cannot use an HDD for automatic backups when the MBP is sleeping.

On the "good" side is not a problem with the ASD, as I got same behavior without ASD, the drives connected directly to the MBP. Means it is a MacOS problem.

Thanks that's really helpful. I'll probably look to use a separate dock as is the difference between using extension cables (reducing transfer speeds) as the hard drives live in a cupboard near the desk.