Thunderbolt Dock 3 display issues

[NickBb]

Although my system has been stable for a while, I also replaced one of my cables, per the suggestion earlier in the thread. Monitor 1 had a cable with display port on one end and DVI on the other. Monitor 2 had an Apple display port to DVI converter then a DVI to DVI cable. I replaced the cabling for monitor 2 with the same cable as monitor 1 so they are now identical. I don't know about pin 20 but the system is still very stable.

The only problem I still have is the docking cable connection. The slightest movement of the laptop or the dock that puts strain on the cable causes the dock to disconnect. As shown in the earlier pictures I posted, wire tying the dock to my monitor stand keeps the cable fairly stable but every now and again I bump the laptop just right and lose the dock. Maybe a longer cable or a cable with a right angle connector for the laptop connection would stablize the connection to the laptop.

[soccer_dan]

Some of the earlier Thunderbolt docks shipped on ZBook mobile workstations (150w/200w) had the usb-c/barrel connector calbes that came lose internally at the connector over time. likely a manufacturing defect. It is possible your cable moving problem is related to that issue. please, open a support case with HP to get that cable replaced and that should take care of the problem

[FormerDellUser]

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@Amateur_Wheels wrote:

SImular issues like many others here.  I've been following these posts for a while.

This computer: HP ZBook Studio G3
This BIOS: N82 Ver. 01.15
ThunderBolt: Gen 3, NVMVersion 22, PDVersion 1.07.03, Security Level: 1 (PCIe and DisplayPort - User Authorization)

Driver versions...

Manufacturer devicename driverversion
------------ ---------- -------------
Broadcom Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet 17.4.0.1
Conexant HP Dock Audio 1.31.36.14
ASMedia Technology Inc ASMedia USB3.0 eXtensible Host Controller 1.16.38.1
Intel(R) Corporation Thunderbolt(TM) Controller - 1577 16.1.47.2
Intel Corporation Intel(R) HD Graphics P530 20.19.15.4483
NVIDIA NVIDIA High Definition Audio 1.3.34.17
NVIDIA NVIDIA Quadro M1000M 21.21.13.7586

Two issues --

Problem 1: I have two connected DP to DP monitors, and laptop screen on.  Overall stability has been improving with various updates, but still issues.   One of the Monitors, Acer K272HUL will drop the DP signal, while my other Acer B246WL  will stay connected.  BIOS settings for Intergated/Hybrid don't make a difference.  Only way to get it back is to power off monitor and power back on.

Problem 2:  Other times all three displays will go blank.  Have to unplug dock cable, wait a few seconds, plug back in.  Sometimes repeat the process a couple times.

I've found highest reliablity if I boot the computer up in the morning on battery, completely login to Windows 10, then connect the dock cable.  Even when doing this problem 1 will sometimes occur.

Dock has been updated to 10_11_23.  Even swapped docks (and upgraded the other dock)

HP Softpaq shows everything downloaded/updated.

Some various Googling DP dropping Nvidia points to a possible vBios issue that was fixed back in 2014 by Nvidia.

I'd really like to start purching these notebooks for our users, but after 3 months I'm thinking this model series may just be a lemon.  Seems like every few years you get a series that is buggy.

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I wish my ITS department was as smart as you.  Yes, stay away.  Stay far away.

[gmchenry]

We had issues with the new EliteBook x360 1030 G2 when using the Elite 90W TB3 dock and 2 x 4K Z27s monitors.  We had to connect 1 monitor to DisplayPort and the other to a DisplayPort to USB-C adapter connected to the dock's USB-C port.  We just updated to the 1.12 TB3 firmware, and we can now use both DisplayPort connectors on the dock to drive 2 x 4K.

We didn't see this change in the information for the 1.12 update, but it's working great.  Good job!

[soccer_dan]

In order to support 2 4k monitors at 60hz one monitor can be connected to a dp port while the other can be connected via usb-c to dp adapter. the reason is both dp ports are served by a dp hub and therefore share the port bandwidth. connecting the 2nd monitor over the usb-c connection allows enough performance for both displays. if you are confortable with both monitors on the dp ports then continue using them... you may experience some issues when both monitors are using full bandwith

there are 40gb available over the thunderbolt usb-c connection, and that  gives us some great performance - the most of any docks so far - but each port takes some of that performance... just fyi

[Stuart-]

I've got 35 people using these things... and yeah, I'de say avoid them.  Way too complicated for production use.

Several times I thought I had a working mix of drivers, but they're still not really working for us. Stay away.

[FormerDellUser]

Agree, I lost 30 hours of productivity in the two months I used this piece of garbage. The drivers are not fault tolerant. The USBC/Power cable has a fine pitch USBC connection and a barrel power connection which is drought with all kinds of issues including tolerance stackup between the two connectors causing poor connection, lack of locking mechanism to secure the connection (even though the display and network ports have locking separately), and poor cable flexibility.

[soccer_dan]

couple of things to note

* usb-c power delivery specification provides up to 100w, which does not give us the ability to power a 150w mobile workstation. Therefore, in order to support these devices as well as all other products introduced with TB docking with the same dock, we engineered the dual-connector (usb-c + barrel) cable for use by the mobile workstations and a simpler usb-c connection for tablets and other devices

* there was a problem with some of the sub-c/barrel cables that shipped with the TB dock initially that can/should be replaced under warranty. it is possible your issue is related to this cable. if the connection fails if youtouch the cable in some ways, then please have it replace

* just in case, hp devleoped a one-stop firmware update softpaq that updates all the firmware fir the TB dock. please, give it a try - https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/selfservice/swdetails/hp-zbook-15-g3-mobile-workstation/8693763...

[FormerDellUser]

Thanks Dan, I tried two different zbooks and two different docks. Both connectors and both docks I tried were made in February of 2017. Unless there was a change since then, I think I had the updated ones and yes if I do much as brushed the cable with my sleeve or looked at it too hard the computer would go into a tantrum and BSOD right I front of me. And my IT resource updated all the firmware and drivers earlier this month. HP should have made this a locking connector for signal integrity, there is no excuse. Further, the very idea that multiple hi-speed full duplex data streams can be multiplexed reliably over a sketchily connected single TB3 port and properly emulated at both ends is absolute lunacy. It. Will. Never. Be. Stable. Not ever, with a veritable house of cards in drivers & firmware that have to communicate; from all of the Windows and 3rd party drivers being updated, installed, uninstalled, to the HP dock firmware and TB drivers. All this without taking into account network security and antivirus interference. Really? REALLY? Get serious.

[soccer_dan]

believe it or not, thunderbolt 3 is the docking wave of the future