HP USB-C G5 Dock DisplayPort output no longer works when steam deck is docked in it

[phroderick69]

I've been using my HP G5 USB-C dock with my steam deck since I received the latter in September. It's worked beautifully until I tried it today. Now, the displays do not detect signal from the dock when the steam deck is plugged into it. The dock has two DisplayPort outputs, which are plugged into Dell 24" Monitors via their DisplayPort inputs.

Until today I hadn't dock for at least a week, so I don't know if the problem lines up with the December 1 update, and yes I just tried the December 5 update with no improvement. It seems like the recent dock support improvements may have effected me negatively.

Everything else internal to or plugged in via the dock works as before: keyboard, mouse, dock's audio, and an external audio conference speaker; it also seems to charge correctly as it has always done. One notable item is that that this dock has a power button which previously did nothing. Now, it will put the steam deck to sleep if I push it (but does not turn it back on when asleep). This is new behavior which is why I think it might be linked to a steam deck software update.

Here's the output of lsusb when plugged into the dock:

Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 003: ID 13d3:3553 IMC Networks 802.11ac WLAN Adapter
Bus 003 Device 002: ID 28de:1205 Valve Software Steam Controller
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 125: ID 03f0:046b HP, Inc HP USB-C Dock G5
Bus 001 Device 123: ID 0bda:8153 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL8153 Gigabit Ethernet Adapter
Bus 001 Device 127: ID 045e:00db Microsoft Corp. Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 V1.0
Bus 001 Device 126: ID 046d:c50e Logitech, Inc. Cordless Mouse Receiver
Bus 001 Device 124: ID 2109:2817 VIA Labs, Inc. USB2.0 Hub             
Bus 001 Device 122: ID 03f0:086b HP, Inc USB2734
Bus 001 Device 121: ID 03f0:056b HP, Inc USB Audio
Bus 001 Device 120: ID 03f0:036b HP, Inc HP USB-C Dock G5
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

The Realtek Ethernet is integral to the dock, but it is not connected to any network.

I tried disconnecting all the keyboard and mouse devices so that just the deck and two monitors were plugged in to the dock, with no change in behavior.

I'm happy to provide the output of lsusb -v, or anything else, to help debug.

Unfortunately I don't have a copy of lsusb output prior to the video failing to compare it with.

Speaking of comparisons, the video output continues to work with my HP Elitebook G5 laptop plugged into the dock. I looked at the Windows Device Manager listing to see if I could find the equivalent of the output of lsub, I didn't see anything other than three generic pnp monitors, and single ATI Radeon graphics card, and some USB devices with very generic names that didn't seem relevant. I'm happy to provide more specific info from the Windows side if someone can tell me what to look for.

Finally, I can plug these displays into another LInux computer (directly via HDMI, no DisplayPort and no USB-C dock in line) and Xorg server reports the displays as DELL model P2422H (EDID 1.3 model is a1c5). Unfortunately I don't have ready access to any other displays for comparison.

I will say, I don't actually think valve nerfed the USB-C dock that I've been using for so long just when the steam deck dock comes out, but man it sure is unfortunate timing.

[EndLess1UP]

Sounds like you have tried a lot. Have you tried to remove one of the monitors and see if only one works?

[GreenGuy]

sounds like a refund to me pimpin, Hardware has issues, software really shouldn't on top of that.

[sambartle]

I've got the same docking station at home (and access to many monitors), I'll give it a go when i get back tomorrow and see if it works or if i can figure out whats up. (commenting so i can subscribe and remember to do it)

[phroderick69]

So..... After doing a couple real actual true restarts, and running the battery down to ~33% then fully recharging, my steam deck works in my G5 dock again! I think I tend to think it was the reboots over the battery that resulted the fix: in my earlier troubleshooting I don't remember seeing the boot up animation, so I may in fact have previously mistook sleep / wake as true reboots.

[phroderick69]

In the interest of contributing something useful, here's the current output of lsusb:

Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 003: ID 13d3:3553 IMC Networks Bluetooth Radio
Bus 003 Device 002: ID 28de:1205 Valve Software Steam Controller
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 009: ID 0bda:8153 Realtek Semiconductor Corp. RTL8153 Gigabit Ethernet Adapter
Bus 002 Device 006: ID 2109:0817 VIA Labs, Inc. USB3.0 Hub             
Bus 002 Device 004: ID 03f0:076b HP, Inc USB5734
Bus 002 Device 003: ID 03f0:066b HP, Inc HP USB-C Dock G5
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 006: ID 03f0:046b HP, Inc HP USB-C Dock G5
Bus 001 Device 009: ID 045e:00db Microsoft Corp. Natural Ergonomic Keyboard 4000 V1.0
Bus 001 Device 008: ID 046d:c50e Logitech, Inc. Cordless Mouse Receiver
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 2109:2817 VIA Labs, Inc. USB2.0 Hub             
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 03f0:086b HP, Inc USB2734
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 03f0:056b HP, Inc USB Audio
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 03f0:036b HP, Inc HP USB-C Dock G5
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

Two things of note. 1) I don't see anything that represents the video display output. I have to confess I really don't know how Video-over-USB-C/3 works. And 2) Before I rebooted and got the dock working again, this device was present:

Bus 003 Device 003: ID 13d3:3553 IMC Networks 802.11ac WLAN Adapter

After the successful reboot, this device is now present:

Bus 003 Device 003: ID 13d3:3553 IMC Networks Bluetooth Radio

Based on the identity strings, these are the same device. The difference in the descriptive name is likely due to a change in the Linux kernel (or at least the device driver for the internal wireless device). Just an observation.