Mac Studio: Automatically shutting off video monitors causes Protools 2023.6 to crash

[albee1952]

Just a suggestion: put your screens on their own power strip and power them off and see what happens. Regarding the life of the screens, you might be worrying about nothing and could let them stay on, but I'm curious about if my suggestion could help

[Obsidian Dragon]

Originally Posted by albee1952

Just a suggestion: put your screens on their own power strip and power them off and see what happens. Regarding the life of the screens, you might be worrying about nothing and could let them stay on, but I'm curious about if my suggestion could help

That is essentially what I'm doing. I only turn off the three monitors with the switches. I leave the computer, UAD interface, and UAD satellite powered on. It all works with only the occasional repositioning of plugin windows when the monitors are powered back on. I can live with that.

[Eric Seaberg]

I thought I'd pop in here, as my main system is a Mac Studio Ultra with three displays. My interface is Focusrite Red4 Pre and ties into our Dante network with multiple Focusrite systems and SSL System T console and interfaces.

The system is MOST STABLE with only two displays connected. I can certainly work with all three but before I leave for the night, I quit ProTools and unplug the feed to the third display, forcing it to 'sleep' due to no connection. By the way, I could only get these displays to work properly using two with TB3 cables and the third display using the HDMI port.

My first reason for this is there are times I need to VPN into my system from home using VNC. With all three displays connected, I can login using VNC, but have no mouse or keyboard control... I can't do anything!! As long as the third display is disconnected, the system works as normal.

I'm not saying this has anything to do with your issue, but the fact that you're using three displays made me want to reply. I'd really look to Apple for something going on with TB traffic.

BTW, I do have a screen saver setup and START it by moving the mouse to the top right corner when I leave, otherwise it's set for four hours... NO SLEEPING.

[Obsidian Dragon]

I see. So it seems that there is something in the Mac Studio or recent MacOS that is not quite properly handling the Thunderbolt ports (especially when three monitors are used). Specifically it terms of shutting off monitors when idle for a given period which also shut off the port for some other Thunderbolt connected deices. Hopefully it is a known issue with Apple and they fix it in future iterations.

[Eric Seaberg]

I could never get three TB ports to work properly, and once I had one of them connected to HDMI, I could arrange the three as I wanted. I typically work with two displays, as I mentioned, and when I need the third just plug in HDMI cable. However, ProTools must NOT be running when you do this as it totally freaks out once the third display comes up.

It's a little frustrating but works for me. GOOD LUCK!!!

[Obsidian Dragon]

Good news: With Protools Studio 2024.3, this problem now seems to have been fixed. My Mac Studio M1Max can have Protools running and have the screen saver kick in without crashing Protools now. I can now simply click the mouse or press a key on the keyboard to wake the machine up and continue working in Protools. I'll still use the power switches to turn my monitors off for extended periods if necessary.