It seems Dell UltraSharp series have a big issue related to its ports. I have also high end monitor U3821DW. Unfortunately, it has a very annoying problem using the Apple macOS MacBook Pro M1. No supported drivers for macOS. Nothing is happening from Dell tech side. I'm so devastated. I wish I would buy a LG monitor instead.
I was able to find a workaround for the U3821DW that is not ideal but at least useful. I found that if I can get into one of the computers, I can open the DDM and switch the monitor to PBP mode. Once this mode is active, then switching to the second side/computer will force the USB input to switch and allow the keyboard to wake the second computer. I found this easiest to do by creating a shortcut on the desktop and pointing it to "..ddm.exe" /SetPxPMode PBP USB Type-C DP. Then I added a shortcut key to this windows shortcut so that I can launch it from the keyboard. Then just use whatever shortcut is defined to switch to the second computer. Finally, create a similar shortcut on the second computer, but this one deactivates PBP mode by using the /SetPxPMode Off DP option.
Still doesn't make any sense why the monitor will "see" the second USB when in PBP mode but won't switch to it in single computer mode when there is no activity on the second monitor port. But at least I have a way of waking up the second computer without attaching a second mouse or keyboard to the second computer.
saxahan
6 Posts
0
May 10th, 2021 01:00
It seems Dell UltraSharp series have a big issue related to its ports. I have also high end monitor U3821DW. Unfortunately, it has a very annoying problem using the Apple macOS MacBook Pro M1. No supported drivers for macOS. Nothing is happening from Dell tech side. I'm so devastated. I wish I would buy a LG monitor instead.
JofATWannabe
1 Message
0
May 14th, 2021 13:00
I was able to find a workaround for the U3821DW that is not ideal but at least useful. I found that if I can get into one of the computers, I can open the DDM and switch the monitor to PBP mode. Once this mode is active, then switching to the second side/computer will force the USB input to switch and allow the keyboard to wake the second computer. I found this easiest to do by creating a shortcut on the desktop and pointing it to "..ddm.exe" /SetPxPMode PBP USB Type-C DP. Then I added a shortcut key to this windows shortcut so that I can launch it from the keyboard. Then just use whatever shortcut is defined to switch to the second computer. Finally, create a similar shortcut on the second computer, but this one deactivates PBP mode by using the /SetPxPMode Off DP option.
Still doesn't make any sense why the monitor will "see" the second USB when in PBP mode but won't switch to it in single computer mode when there is no activity on the second monitor port. But at least I have a way of waking up the second computer without attaching a second mouse or keyboard to the second computer.