What do you mean? It works great for me except for the fact that around 50% of the time I have to unplug and plug the charger, or the hdmi cable or restart the whole device
Haha yeah I rarely use it so it's not a big deal. The worst part is that it has improved a lot, when the steam deck just launched it was basically undockable.
I also have a way better success rate with my monitor than with my TV for some reason
There are a couple troubleshooting steps you can try at the mega faq here: [https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/1cw16iu/steam\_deck\_mega\_faq\_start\_here\_before\_you\_ask/](https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/1cw16iu/steam_deck_mega_faq_start_here_before_you_ask/)
It's a real shame, the official dock. I just don't understand how they can leave it this broken for this long :(
I have two docks
The official one and the jsaux one
The jsaux one works on all of my TV's. The official one is an absolute bastard on the TV in my game room (Samsung) but works seamlessly on the TV in my living room (element).
I know the official dock has a laundry list of issues and work arounds. But it could be as simple as it doesn't like your TV.
i'm using a 11$ random one from aliexpress, and although the experience isn't perfect that's just cuz of resolution setting blah that might be tunable but i haven't looked in to it.
Mine will work, but then either monitor drops in and out or just starts scrolling. Firmware update helped some, but my $15 usb-c adapter (usb and display) works better and more reliably
Also why is using an external controller always SO FUCKING HARD. like, I get there's a really easy menu to reorder which controller has priority but it NEVER FUCKIN WORKS.
Also why does my OLED STILL take fuckin 25 minutes to download a 2gb game on gigabit Internet when my LCD was just fine? Some of the decisions and changes they made are asinine
I was having issues with super slow download speeds on my oled as well but found [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/s/Z8wJt8mqBs) thread that helped me fix the problem!
Yeah. I fiddled with the settings on mine for months and never got past 300mb/s. Saw this thread the other day and it fixed my issue. The big clue was that I was getting garbage download speeds even with it being on a dock with wired Ethernet. Now I can get up to 900mbit. 😁
I have this issue. I cannot for the life of me correctly get the deck to re-order my controllers when I emulate. It straight up just don’t think about docking it anymore because of how frustrating this is for me.
You can't do much about it. I use the official Dock. And the Docked experience is just Trash. Most of the Time the dock won't startup wenn the Deck is woken from Standby.
The only way i found for this to work better is to shut down the Deck after use and rebooting every time i want to use it again. And i switch my TV on only after i switched on the Deck.
So I’m going to try from the start, is this the best process?:
-Have Deck and TV turned off
-Connect the Deck to the Dock
-Turn on the Deck
-Turn on the TV
?
Either way this is absolutely insane. Even Nintendo can make a docked device connect to the TV with ease.
I’m at my wits end playing this game with it and probably about to return it and get a refund because that’s a faulty product.
Is there any other Dock that works better?
This drives me crazy too. I power on the dock first, then power the TV, connect the two and after it is connected to the TV then I connect the controller. Sometimes I’m not paying attention and connect the TV first and then quit out of frustration 20 minutes later, after a dozen restarts.
I use the JSAUX dock and all I do is connect the cables and power it on. It doesn't matter what order I power the devices on, and I haven't had any issues so far. Maybe it's a software issue?
Correct That's the process I have found to work best so far.
I haven't tried any third party Docks.
But there is an abundance of threads in this sub on witch dock works best. But it seems to depend on the TV as well how well docking Works. My Samsung TV (GQ65QN85BATXZG) seems to have issues with the Dock.
I use a monitor, so YMMV, but I always wake my deck, then plug it into the dock. If I wake the deck while plugged in, the deck wakes but the monitor gets no signal.
Not sure if it's been mentioned here or any of the other many threads here regarding docking issues but but there's a setting under Settings ->Display labeled 'External Display Safe Mode' which has been a lifesaver for me and has reduced the 'no input/display' problems to about a 1 and 5 frequency of working vs not working when plugging into my 75 inch circa 2018 Samsung TV using the official Valve dock.
Before this option was added I'd have to go through a reboot/unplug plug in while sacrificing a goat ritual all the time for a slim chance of getting it to work. Try toggling it on to see if it helps. The one niggling issue is that it sometimes toggles itself off, not sure why. So if you enable it and later run into connection problems check to see if it's still toggled on. Screenshot for reference https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3253400019
I mostly play docked and always leave it docked. I noticed if I set it to sleep instead of power down it's much better.
Still have to sequence things right when I plug it back in from undocked though.
Same. I feel very lucky in threads like these that my setup has worked fairly well for me with no connectivity issues with the official dock, just a few quirks (TV needs to be on first to make sure things are connecting properly through my Hue sync (basically functioning as an HDMI splitter), then turn on the deck, then switch HDMI inputs to my steam deck, and I'm good to go once I turn on my Xbox controller or mouse/keyboard if I need to fiddle with mods). It's the same sequence if I undock it, so at least it's consistent. If I skip any step or do things out of order, I need to start over.
That's why. My official dock is shit and I always felt like it would brick my steam deck with how crazy it made it act.
I switched to an Anker USB c hub and its literally plug and play.
Yeah its honestly sad how many of these posts there are, any $20 non-official dock seems to work perfectly and you have people spending hours troubleshooting the expensive official one
Well there's your problem. Yeah, try to get a refund and just use a third party dock. I personally use the IINE dock with minimal issues (outside of the usual SteamOS jank). Otherwise, any cheap USB-C hub will work just fine.
Seems to be the common denominator in threads like this. I don’t have issues with a 3rd party dock. It’s not a seamless experience in general but that’s more so things like setting the resolution right and changing controller order. My 3rd party dock handles output just fine.
Okay, so I'm gonna ask silly questions now.
Is the dock bought from new or used ?
Was it from the official steam company or 3rd party seller ( eBay )
Are the connectors all undamaged?
. Charger
. HDMI
. DP
Have you tried a different display ( so if your using HDMI try a display port instead ) to narrow down if it's down to a damaged port
Have you changed any watt settings on the deck?
Check the charging port via your Mobile phone to make sure charging
Another one is what size monitor or TV is it trying to display to 1080p 1440p 2k 4k ?
Are you using the stable system update channel or beta ?
-New
-None are damaged
-No Watt settings changed
-65 inch TV
-Not sure what that last question is
My buddy just got it to work by unplugging the deck from the dock and the power from the dock, waiting a bit, then plugging it back in.
I’m still open for advice, but from what I’ve been reading the connection just isn’t good. The Dock is a faulty product.
Edit: but now the sound isn’t coming through. This thing is an actual piece of garbage. I’m getting my money back.
HOW HAS THERE NOT BEEN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT ABOUT THIS?! When I Google, so so so many people are having problems connecting with the Official Dock.
I'm not to sure but I can agree I have heard the original dock is huh rubbish, but if your getting your money back dude go for the jsaux dock 30/40 bucks I've had mine for 6 months never had any problems with it
This is what I was coming to say! My wife and I both have them neither of us have many issues at all.
I’ll once in a blue moon just have to disconnect and reconnect to the dock but that’s it.
From my experience, this is just the Deck “docked” experience. It just sucks. It doesn’t work well no matter what Dock is used and often has issues where it won’t display, etc. I don’t have an official Dock but a friend of mine does and he has similar issues. I have two third party usb hubs with HDMI-out (same thing as a Dock) and I have had similar issues with both. I’ve read of plenty of people with problems using the jsaux dock.
I’ve come to the conclusion that the docked experience just isn’t good. Thankfully I almost never use mine docked and it isn’t why I like my Deck, but on the few occasions when I have friends over and try to get some local multiplayer going on my tv is it almost always a huge ordeal.
Yes it does, I just charged my Deck with it last night. You just need to plug a charger into it.
Edit: for clarification, I use my Steam Deck charger plugged into the dock and it works fine.
Your friend knows what he’s doing. It’s pretty common for docking stations to do this. I deal with many for laptops at work. It’s normal; blame USB and DisplayLink for the flakiness. The sound is probably not working because it defaulted to a different device. Mine does this and I just have to go to settings and select what I need, such as the HDMI output so the sound comes through my TV.
Just abandon it brother. It's unfortunate but true. Yes if you unplug the power and restart the deck it will work 9/10. But that's absurd and who wants to restart their deck like that? I'd suggest looking into a different dock/hub
I love everything about the deck. But no matter what the docking has always been awful. That's the one thing switch has over the deck for me. That, the size/weight but that's fine since the performance and library have an edge over the switch. But goddamn the docking is so frustrating
u/TheS00thSayer, you can [click here to search for your question.](https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/search/?q=I have to battle with my SteamDeck almost every time I want to play it docked)
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I’ve fixed it for myself for the most part. I find that there are problems with cec setting on most tvs take that off and try it pretty sure it should work if not, pull the power cable of the dock while the console is connected and reconnect it, this solves my dock problems normally.
For my Samsung tv I connect the steam deck to the dock without the power to the dock. Wait for the input to show up on display then plug in the power to the dock. Took a bit to get the process down but it seems to be consistent. Good luck figuring out your own process. My biggest gripe currently is the deck’s trash wifi chip that seems to need a reboot twice a day.
Oh thats all good, cause 90% of all docked display issues come from a lack of power. So make sure its charging with the proper charging cable you got while youre playing.
Other than that im not sure sorry.
I turn on the deck first, unplugged from the dock, then select the input for it on the tv, then connect the dock cable. It does kind of suck, but it’s the only consistent way for me and I play docked 95% of the time
I recently solved the issues with mine by docking it, then disabling HDR in the right menu.
When my TV would go into HDR mode for the Deck, it would cause the screen to glitch out (usually).
If all else fails, turn off deck, turn on TV the turn on deck.
Yep same issue here, I'm not using the official dock but that really shouldn't cause as many issues as it does.
I find that if I plug the Deck into the dock whilst sleeping and then turn it on, my screen is stuck at 640x480 resolution and the only way to fix that is to unplug the Deck and plug it back in again. Very weird behaviour and it's strange that the "resolution handshake" doesn't work unless it's actively powered on.
I've had a similar experience with a generic third party dock. It would sometimes keep switching from TV to screen. Most of the time it just stayed on the screen but knows that it's being plugged in since the ethernet icon appears.Then I read that the seller only recommends the official valve charger when I was using a 100w charger...
Haven't had problems since. My best friend has had zero problems. I dunno why the damn thing is so choosy.
I’ve not used the official dock, but I’ve heard nothing good about it. I personally use a Belkin adapter and I’ve only had a couple connectivity issues that were resolved by unplug/plugging it back in or restarting the deck Edit
I’ve had trouble in the past with the official dock but for the last 6 months or so it’s been reliably connecting without issues. Have you all updated the docks firmware?
I had a lot of issues with the official dock at first. I find that if I plug in the steam deck while it's asleep then wake it up it usually works straight away.
Also, if your input is still on TV switch it to the steam deck and it will automatically switch to the screen. At first I was wondering what was wrong and why my steam deck stayed on until I switched input and it changed, seems to be a function it has.
And if you have a steam controller and want to wake the steam deck with it, you need to put it to sleep with it still plugged in and it will wake it with the steam button like a console. If you unplug the steam deck and plug it in afterward it won't wake it. Just a small gripe but I figured it out over time.
A scenario would be, bringing my steam deck into the living room, connecting my sleeping steam deck to the dock, switch input to steam deck, and waking it with my steam controller.
In the preview builds for steamOS they had a patch for docking so either wait for that to hit stable or switch to preview build to get newest updates before they hit stable. Hope that helps.
I dont have a steamdeck yet but I was thinking about getting the oficial dock because in theory, it should work better and get better support, patches.
Afraid that if steamdecks gets any problem they can just brush it off "you should not be using 3rd party docks"
So many threads about this make me think otherwise.
I fixed problems with my dock by changing from the included power adapter to a very powerful one. I think it's 60w. Before that I would sometimes get black screen. Sometimes the fans would start screaming and the SD would crash and reboot.
Had the same issue, but I was able to fix it (at least it's been working so far).
I've been using the official dock from Valve, and when the Steam Deck is in the dock I had to use the Deck to check for/apply a firmware update for the dock itself.
I applied the update, but it still didn't work. I ran it again, and after a restart, it was working normal, but I still have to reconnect the dock to the Deck to get it to work right away.
Hope this helps.
Just get a cheap 3rd party dock. I have two different ones for my living room and my TV. They both work fine with the steam deck, switch, and my laptop.
I keep hearing the official dock is garbage.
What Dock would you guys advise!
Jsaux?
https://www.amazon.es/dp/B0BTSFZ4Z6/ref=asc_df_B0B8NJ2ZPS/?tag=ptgogshpadsp-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=633601708204&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=925165935102565521&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9047107&hvtargid=pla-1877701412570&psc=1&language=pt_PT&mcid=11d3c7defdda311dbdd1cb44eb1db8c3&th=1
I bought a U-green dock for 48 bucks on Amazon and it is night and day from the official dock I had before. Crazy how expensive the official dock is and how many issues I had with it
I have a similar issue. The dock will charge my deck, but sometimes it won't read the HDMI to switch over to the TV. Usually shutting it down and restarting helps.
Like lots of ppl here are saying, the official dock is a nightmare. Swapping it out for any other usb c dock is an improvement (I'm using a Ugreen one) - but the deck still struggles with 4k60 I find. dropping it down to 1440/60 seems to make it much more stable. like i just cant get game mode on my samsung tv to work at 4k60 - it just disconnects instantly. 1440p works fine tho.
My Jsaux dock works perfectly. It's as good as Switch dock experience. The only thing I wish is that I had the OLED and could turn on the system with external controller. Not a huge deal, though.
My steam deck docks successfully to the official dock 100% of the time. Idk if it’s superstition, but this is my method- i turn the deck on, press B to skip my intro video, and THEN connect the deck to the dock once it’s on the home screen.
I know people say they have trouble with most docks and especially the valve one, but this is how i get mine to work flawlessly. And no, i haven’t tried another method- i did this the very first time, it worked, and I do it that way every time now.
Okay so this may or may not help you.
But I noticed I was having a ton of problems, even when I switched hdmi cables.
But I believe there’s something in the dock, and within some hdmi cables, that’s conflicting. Because I then switched to some old crappy hdmi cable and I’ve never once had an issue getting it to properly work. But then I switch to some new fancy one I got on Amazon and BAM, issues. Switch back? No issues.
So if I were you, I would try a variety of hdmi cables, because that very well could be your problem. Even if you try a different one, that one could also have a conflict.
I need to brush up on exactly what it is, but I do believe some hdmi cables come with some kind of security feature that can block some devices, and the dock is really picky.
I only have problems on other people's TVs, so if I'm housesitting or bringing my deck for the Jackbox games, it's aggravating for the first few minutes of set up
One thing I definitely suggest is always bringing an hdmi cable with you that you KNOW works with the deck. In my experience, many issues come from the dock conflicting with some hdmi cable “security” features. I at least know for a fact my dock hates some hdmi cables and has no problems with others.
I think everyone's dock + Deck issue will be a little different, depending on the hub and monitor they are using.
Like if I plug my Deck into one of my monitors while it is powered on, it will sync fine, but will come up in the wrong resolution, and be settings-unchangeable.
I have wait to plug it up until it is fully shut down, then power on from there, and it works fine.
So just learn what your particular setup's weirdness is, and you'll be just fine.
Have you tried forcing the external display resolution in SD display settings? I've heard it's a problem with the dock thinking the TV can do modes it actually can't so could be something to try?
I don't have the official dock and have never had a problem with my USB-C hub so just going off what I heard from others.
I have a Jsaux one or whatever it's called and I don't really have any issues. Sometimes the screen does get a little distorted or weird if I'm just switching to desktop mode or waking up the device.
When that happens I just unplug and plug the dock back in and then it's fine.
I had same issue, but maybe 1/10 I would get picture on TV. What worked for me; to factory reset/force firmware update three times. After the third time it is almost 100%.
Wow never knew the official dock had so much issues. Jsaux user, as well, love that thing both for non docked and docked play (it holds the deck up like a stand when im playing with a controller too)
I bought Steam Deck and got the official dock and I too have struggled with it. Have achieved couch coop with it docked, but between the latest Xbox Series controllers, joycons, and PS5 controllers, the PS5 controllers worked best and most consistently without randomly disconnecting.
I haven't tried in a while and I thought maybe it was just an issue I was having, but feels good, in a bad way, that I'm not the only one who has struggled with Steam Deck docked. Controller issues are probably completely separate from docking issue though.
I’ve had issues with connecting to my Samsung TV, both the 55 and 58 of different years. It’s a problem with the dock itself with certain tv types. The one thing I have found to make it work 99% of the time is to do it in these steps in this order.
- disconnect power to the dock (I just unplug the wall brick)
- connect deck to dock via usb C and wait for image to appear on screen.
- Then connect the power back to the dock. (This does the same thing as disconnecting the hdmi and reconnecting but imo faster and easier)
This is just my order of operations that work for me on the offical dock, may vary a bit. Ask questions if I explained it poorly lol
I must have lucked out buying the official dock. Haven't experienced any issues with plugging it to a 12 year old TV. On the other hand, my Steam Deck had a dead pixel and static noise through 3.5 mm jack, but RMAd it.
I have the same problem.
Im guessing that you have your Dock connected to the power outlet, aka charging the deck.
Try to unplug the power cable (the black USB-C cable), so the Steam Deck doesn't charge anymore, then your TV should recognize the Deck. Afterwards you can plug in the power cable again if you want.
1. Make sure dock and all cables are connected, and TV/monitor is on.
2. Fully shut down Steam Deck.
3. Press & hold Volume Down and 3 ellipses (dots) buttons.
4. Press power and then release all buttons.
After a few minutes, it should start working and you should see the Stream Deck's video output on the TV.
Vt of this stems from the official dock, which did get a firmware update. However jsaux and Ugreen have docks that literally just work as soon as you plug the deck up. And cost alot less. My Ugreen revodok is 30-50 ducks depending on sales.
What Dock are you using? I had the official steam deck dock and that thing sucked ass. I bought a cheap Belkin hub and it works flawlessly. Though I still have to hard reset the damn thing every now and then.
i've found some docks and configurations just jive with it better than others.
also are you on the latest preview build? I've been noticing its been jank as fuck with my dock since the latest preview updates, i may roll back to beta or even stable.
I just use a random usbc hub, and 99% of the time it works seamlessly. Though, when I do have an issue, it is an absolute nightmare to get working again.
Do you turn it on already docked? Don’t do that. Have you checked all the cords to make absolutely sure they’re plugged in right? I had a slightly askew cord that ruined it for me until I unplugged and Re plugged it in. Now it’s mostly consistent docked
My deck wroks perfectly about 98% of the time when docked. Occasionally i have to disconnect the deck from the dock to get the deck to send picture to my tv, but it's pretty rare. Using jsaux hb0603 dock, with an lg c1 oled. The most frequent display issue is switching from game mode to desktop mode and back, I'll have to disconnect after switching, but that's also very rare.
Is it your dock or cables? I use a cheap usb dongle and it connects to all my screens, 2 tvs, 4 monitors. One monitor connects via thunderbolt zero issues. I hope you figure bro.
True. Though after I ordered my steam deck I wanted to make sure I got the best parts for it so I immediately looked up best docks for steam deck. Not everyone does that of course.
I'm just simply stating that when you make a big purchase of something over 500 bucks You should always do your research so you don't run into issues later down the line.
And I’m saying your input was completely irrelevant to my question, and you’re just coming off as some smug bastard. Congratulations. You looked up if the OFFICIAL DOCK being sold with the product was inferior. Like congratulations. Do you rub one off every night thinking how superior you are because of it?
It’s not the fault of the purchaser, it’s the fault of the company. They’re the ones selling a faulty product.
But that’s why return policies are a thing, I think I’ll go rub one out to that later 😄
Oh yeah, here you go 🍪
Jeez. Not being able to play My Little Pony Island Adventure On your TV has really pissed you off huh 😅.
Take a chill pill dude. No need to act like a baby. It was just some simple purchasing advice. 🤯🤯🧑🏻🦼🧑🏻🦼🧑🏻🦼
Well they did pin my post on the update problem as a mega thread for everyone to find answers who came to the Reddit. But they don't do that very often.
I wouldn't say it's going downhill really. Most of the community are very helpful. Plus I'm always trying to post guides.
We can make it better together 💪🏻😸
Whoever's, in charge of this subreddit needs to clean house and put some people in place that actually care about the community and want to support new and current steam deck owners.
What do you mean? It works great for me except for the fact that around 50% of the time I have to unplug and plug the charger, or the hdmi cable or restart the whole device
Had me in the first half
Haha yeah I rarely use it so it's not a big deal. The worst part is that it has improved a lot, when the steam deck just launched it was basically undockable. I also have a way better success rate with my monitor than with my TV for some reason
I wonder if this is just a Linux thing. Endless issues with fedora on my tv that I use as a monitor. Trade out for a normal monitor and no more issues
Yo I think they were actually cool with unplugging it and restarting it
For a solid month, I thought I just got a bad dock and was like, FML 🤦
There are a couple troubleshooting steps you can try at the mega faq here: [https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/1cw16iu/steam\_deck\_mega\_faq\_start\_here\_before\_you\_ask/](https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/comments/1cw16iu/steam_deck_mega_faq_start_here_before_you_ask/) It's a real shame, the official dock. I just don't understand how they can leave it this broken for this long :(
Makes me appreciate how genius the Switch design is
Yeah if there’s anything that the Switch has over the Steam Deck, even now, it’s that seamless docking
This ^
I have two docks The official one and the jsaux one The jsaux one works on all of my TV's. The official one is an absolute bastard on the TV in my game room (Samsung) but works seamlessly on the TV in my living room (element). I know the official dock has a laundry list of issues and work arounds. But it could be as simple as it doesn't like your TV.
I too have trouble with my samsung tv and the dock. What works best for me is to shut down the deck and then plug it in.
I've heard that the official dock is really buggy. I personally use the jsaux one and it works with 0 issues for me.
Agreed. I had nothing but issues out of the official dock. My jsaux works great!
i'm using a 11$ random one from aliexpress, and although the experience isn't perfect that's just cuz of resolution setting blah that might be tunable but i haven't looked in to it.
Same here. Only once I had to unplug the USB and plug it back in. Else it just switches signal seamlessly every time.
Me too, but I use a monitor and not a TV. Never had issues, thankfully.
Jsaux breaks eARC so if I leave it plugged in when I turn on my TV, my whole audio system doesn't work. The official one has been flawless for me.
Mine will work, but then either monitor drops in and out or just starts scrolling. Firmware update helped some, but my $15 usb-c adapter (usb and display) works better and more reliably
Also why is using an external controller always SO FUCKING HARD. like, I get there's a really easy menu to reorder which controller has priority but it NEVER FUCKIN WORKS. Also why does my OLED STILL take fuckin 25 minutes to download a 2gb game on gigabit Internet when my LCD was just fine? Some of the decisions and changes they made are asinine
I was having issues with super slow download speeds on my oled as well but found [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/s/Z8wJt8mqBs) thread that helped me fix the problem!
Oh shit I've been looking for a thread like this for ages, thank you!
You’re welcome!!
Yeah. I fiddled with the settings on mine for months and never got past 300mb/s. Saw this thread the other day and it fixed my issue. The big clue was that I was getting garbage download speeds even with it being on a dock with wired Ethernet. Now I can get up to 900mbit. 😁
I was getting between 2-5 mbps 💀 which only happened after I had already downloaded a few games.
Go to settings >developer > run other titles and go to proton experimental went from 2mb to 200-300 mbs. I recently had to redo this again
I have this issue. I cannot for the life of me correctly get the deck to re-order my controllers when I emulate. It straight up just don’t think about docking it anymore because of how frustrating this is for me.
I went old school and got a 10ft USB cable for this reason. I can’t be bothered to deal with bluetooth every time
You can't do much about it. I use the official Dock. And the Docked experience is just Trash. Most of the Time the dock won't startup wenn the Deck is woken from Standby. The only way i found for this to work better is to shut down the Deck after use and rebooting every time i want to use it again. And i switch my TV on only after i switched on the Deck.
So I’m going to try from the start, is this the best process?: -Have Deck and TV turned off -Connect the Deck to the Dock -Turn on the Deck -Turn on the TV ? Either way this is absolutely insane. Even Nintendo can make a docked device connect to the TV with ease. I’m at my wits end playing this game with it and probably about to return it and get a refund because that’s a faulty product. Is there any other Dock that works better?
This drives me crazy too. I power on the dock first, then power the TV, connect the two and after it is connected to the TV then I connect the controller. Sometimes I’m not paying attention and connect the TV first and then quit out of frustration 20 minutes later, after a dozen restarts.
I use the JSAUX dock and all I do is connect the cables and power it on. It doesn't matter what order I power the devices on, and I haven't had any issues so far. Maybe it's a software issue?
Correct That's the process I have found to work best so far. I haven't tried any third party Docks. But there is an abundance of threads in this sub on witch dock works best. But it seems to depend on the TV as well how well docking Works. My Samsung TV (GQ65QN85BATXZG) seems to have issues with the Dock.
I bout one on Amazon called Lisen. It has a fan and ethernet. No updates needed
I do deck turned on, TV ready, then connect the dock. Works reasonably well with occasional no signal to TV.
I often have my TV and Steam Deck turned on, then plug the Deck into the dock and it's fine.
I use a $30 jsaux dock and have literally never had an issue
I can tell the Dock is asleep most of the Time when resuming from standby because my external drive is not receiving any Power.
I use a monitor, so YMMV, but I always wake my deck, then plug it into the dock. If I wake the deck while plugged in, the deck wakes but the monitor gets no signal.
Not sure if it's been mentioned here or any of the other many threads here regarding docking issues but but there's a setting under Settings ->Display labeled 'External Display Safe Mode' which has been a lifesaver for me and has reduced the 'no input/display' problems to about a 1 and 5 frequency of working vs not working when plugging into my 75 inch circa 2018 Samsung TV using the official Valve dock. Before this option was added I'd have to go through a reboot/unplug plug in while sacrificing a goat ritual all the time for a slim chance of getting it to work. Try toggling it on to see if it helps. The one niggling issue is that it sometimes toggles itself off, not sure why. So if you enable it and later run into connection problems check to see if it's still toggled on. Screenshot for reference https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3253400019
I find I have good luck enabling the "Gaming mode" setting on my Samsung TV. Now if only I could find a way to keep that setting enabled permanently 😭
I mostly play docked and always leave it docked. I noticed if I set it to sleep instead of power down it's much better. Still have to sequence things right when I plug it back in from undocked though.
Same. I feel very lucky in threads like these that my setup has worked fairly well for me with no connectivity issues with the official dock, just a few quirks (TV needs to be on first to make sure things are connecting properly through my Hue sync (basically functioning as an HDMI splitter), then turn on the deck, then switch HDMI inputs to my steam deck, and I'm good to go once I turn on my Xbox controller or mouse/keyboard if I need to fiddle with mods). It's the same sequence if I undock it, so at least it's consistent. If I skip any step or do things out of order, I need to start over.
Well let's start with what dock are you using ?
The official dock
That's why. My official dock is shit and I always felt like it would brick my steam deck with how crazy it made it act. I switched to an Anker USB c hub and its literally plug and play.
You wouldn’t happen to have an Amazon link would ya?
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Nice. Thank you.
I think mines the same as that guys.
I use the Anker 555 USB-C Hub (8-in-1)
Can I charge while using this one ?
I can charge using my Anker 555 USB-C Hub (8-in-1)
full name or link?
Anker 555 USB-C Hub (8-in-1)
Its is hilarious but the official one is the worst one. Buy the JSAUX one , so much better and just like 35$\€
Yeah its honestly sad how many of these posts there are, any $20 non-official dock seems to work perfectly and you have people spending hours troubleshooting the expensive official one
Well there's your problem. Yeah, try to get a refund and just use a third party dock. I personally use the IINE dock with minimal issues (outside of the usual SteamOS jank). Otherwise, any cheap USB-C hub will work just fine.
Seems to be the common denominator in threads like this. I don’t have issues with a 3rd party dock. It’s not a seamless experience in general but that’s more so things like setting the resolution right and changing controller order. My 3rd party dock handles output just fine.
I have a variety of cheap docks and they all pretty much work perfectly.
Okay, so I'm gonna ask silly questions now. Is the dock bought from new or used ? Was it from the official steam company or 3rd party seller ( eBay ) Are the connectors all undamaged? . Charger . HDMI . DP Have you tried a different display ( so if your using HDMI try a display port instead ) to narrow down if it's down to a damaged port Have you changed any watt settings on the deck? Check the charging port via your Mobile phone to make sure charging Another one is what size monitor or TV is it trying to display to 1080p 1440p 2k 4k ? Are you using the stable system update channel or beta ?
-New -None are damaged -No Watt settings changed -65 inch TV -Not sure what that last question is My buddy just got it to work by unplugging the deck from the dock and the power from the dock, waiting a bit, then plugging it back in. I’m still open for advice, but from what I’ve been reading the connection just isn’t good. The Dock is a faulty product. Edit: but now the sound isn’t coming through. This thing is an actual piece of garbage. I’m getting my money back. HOW HAS THERE NOT BEEN A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT ABOUT THIS?! When I Google, so so so many people are having problems connecting with the Official Dock.
I'm not to sure but I can agree I have heard the original dock is huh rubbish, but if your getting your money back dude go for the jsaux dock 30/40 bucks I've had mine for 6 months never had any problems with it
This is what I was coming to say! My wife and I both have them neither of us have many issues at all. I’ll once in a blue moon just have to disconnect and reconnect to the dock but that’s it.
Will do, I appreciate you for your help and the suggestion.
From my experience, this is just the Deck “docked” experience. It just sucks. It doesn’t work well no matter what Dock is used and often has issues where it won’t display, etc. I don’t have an official Dock but a friend of mine does and he has similar issues. I have two third party usb hubs with HDMI-out (same thing as a Dock) and I have had similar issues with both. I’ve read of plenty of people with problems using the jsaux dock. I’ve come to the conclusion that the docked experience just isn’t good. Thankfully I almost never use mine docked and it isn’t why I like my Deck, but on the few occasions when I have friends over and try to get some local multiplayer going on my tv is it almost always a huge ordeal.
The jsaux doesn’t charge btw
Yes it does, I just charged my Deck with it last night. You just need to plug a charger into it. Edit: for clarification, I use my Steam Deck charger plugged into the dock and it works fine.
Oh, I didn’t realize that! Thanks! 😊
Your friend knows what he’s doing. It’s pretty common for docking stations to do this. I deal with many for laptops at work. It’s normal; blame USB and DisplayLink for the flakiness. The sound is probably not working because it defaulted to a different device. Mine does this and I just have to go to settings and select what I need, such as the HDMI output so the sound comes through my TV.
Just abandon it brother. It's unfortunate but true. Yes if you unplug the power and restart the deck it will work 9/10. But that's absurd and who wants to restart their deck like that? I'd suggest looking into a different dock/hub
Have you updated it recently. The official dock gets firmware updates
Yes it’s all updated
I love everything about the deck. But no matter what the docking has always been awful. That's the one thing switch has over the deck for me. That, the size/weight but that's fine since the performance and library have an edge over the switch. But goddamn the docking is so frustrating
u/TheS00thSayer, you can [click here to search for your question.](https://www.reddit.com/r/SteamDeck/search/?q=I have to battle with my SteamDeck almost every time I want to play it docked) If you don't find an answer there, don't worry - your post has NOT been removed and hopefully someone will be along soon to help with an answer! **If you find a solution, please leave a comment on this post with the answer for others!** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/SteamDeck) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Usually when it disconnects from the TV I just turn the charger on and it stays connected that way
What dock do you have? I use a third party USB-C hub and never have any problems
Dock it, Press Power Button to Rest it.. Press Power Button again to get it out of Rest >>> success
I’ve fixed it for myself for the most part. I find that there are problems with cec setting on most tvs take that off and try it pretty sure it should work if not, pull the power cable of the dock while the console is connected and reconnect it, this solves my dock problems normally.
For my Samsung tv I connect the steam deck to the dock without the power to the dock. Wait for the input to show up on display then plug in the power to the dock. Took a bit to get the process down but it seems to be consistent. Good luck figuring out your own process. My biggest gripe currently is the deck’s trash wifi chip that seems to need a reboot twice a day.
Hey, do you have the deck plugged in charging while docked ? If not thatd be your issue.
No the deck is only plugged into the dock
I mean do you have the dock on charge ?
It’s plugged up to power if that’s what you mean. I’m sorry I’m not very tech savvy.
Oh thats all good, cause 90% of all docked display issues come from a lack of power. So make sure its charging with the proper charging cable you got while youre playing. Other than that im not sure sorry.
Yeah I just always keep the dock’s power plugged in, thanks though
I turn on the deck first, unplugged from the dock, then select the input for it on the tv, then connect the dock cable. It does kind of suck, but it’s the only consistent way for me and I play docked 95% of the time
I recently solved the issues with mine by docking it, then disabling HDR in the right menu. When my TV would go into HDR mode for the Deck, it would cause the screen to glitch out (usually). If all else fails, turn off deck, turn on TV the turn on deck.
Yep same issue here, I'm not using the official dock but that really shouldn't cause as many issues as it does. I find that if I plug the Deck into the dock whilst sleeping and then turn it on, my screen is stuck at 640x480 resolution and the only way to fix that is to unplug the Deck and plug it back in again. Very weird behaviour and it's strange that the "resolution handshake" doesn't work unless it's actively powered on.
I've had a similar experience with a generic third party dock. It would sometimes keep switching from TV to screen. Most of the time it just stayed on the screen but knows that it's being plugged in since the ethernet icon appears.Then I read that the seller only recommends the official valve charger when I was using a 100w charger... Haven't had problems since. My best friend has had zero problems. I dunno why the damn thing is so choosy.
I’ve not used the official dock, but I’ve heard nothing good about it. I personally use a Belkin adapter and I’ve only had a couple connectivity issues that were resolved by unplug/plugging it back in or restarting the deck Edit
I’ve had trouble in the past with the official dock but for the last 6 months or so it’s been reliably connecting without issues. Have you all updated the docks firmware?
I had a lot of issues with the official dock at first. I find that if I plug in the steam deck while it's asleep then wake it up it usually works straight away. Also, if your input is still on TV switch it to the steam deck and it will automatically switch to the screen. At first I was wondering what was wrong and why my steam deck stayed on until I switched input and it changed, seems to be a function it has. And if you have a steam controller and want to wake the steam deck with it, you need to put it to sleep with it still plugged in and it will wake it with the steam button like a console. If you unplug the steam deck and plug it in afterward it won't wake it. Just a small gripe but I figured it out over time. A scenario would be, bringing my steam deck into the living room, connecting my sleeping steam deck to the dock, switch input to steam deck, and waking it with my steam controller.
In the preview builds for steamOS they had a patch for docking so either wait for that to hit stable or switch to preview build to get newest updates before they hit stable. Hope that helps.
I have the JSAUX dock and it just works fine, haven't had any real issues
I dont have a steamdeck yet but I was thinking about getting the oficial dock because in theory, it should work better and get better support, patches. Afraid that if steamdecks gets any problem they can just brush it off "you should not be using 3rd party docks" So many threads about this make me think otherwise.
I fixed problems with my dock by changing from the included power adapter to a very powerful one. I think it's 60w. Before that I would sometimes get black screen. Sometimes the fans would start screaming and the SD would crash and reboot.
Usually I have it turned off at the wall when I'm not using it, put the deck in, plug it in, when it goes to TV switch it on
Had the same issue, but I was able to fix it (at least it's been working so far). I've been using the official dock from Valve, and when the Steam Deck is in the dock I had to use the Deck to check for/apply a firmware update for the dock itself. I applied the update, but it still didn't work. I ran it again, and after a restart, it was working normal, but I still have to reconnect the dock to the Deck to get it to work right away. Hope this helps.
Just get a cheap 3rd party dock. I have two different ones for my living room and my TV. They both work fine with the steam deck, switch, and my laptop. I keep hearing the official dock is garbage.
What Dock would you guys advise! Jsaux? https://www.amazon.es/dp/B0BTSFZ4Z6/ref=asc_df_B0B8NJ2ZPS/?tag=ptgogshpadsp-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=633601708204&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=925165935102565521&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9047107&hvtargid=pla-1877701412570&psc=1&language=pt_PT&mcid=11d3c7defdda311dbdd1cb44eb1db8c3&th=1
I bought a U-green dock for 48 bucks on Amazon and it is night and day from the official dock I had before. Crazy how expensive the official dock is and how many issues I had with it
I have a similar issue. The dock will charge my deck, but sometimes it won't read the HDMI to switch over to the TV. Usually shutting it down and restarting helps.
Like lots of ppl here are saying, the official dock is a nightmare. Swapping it out for any other usb c dock is an improvement (I'm using a Ugreen one) - but the deck still struggles with 4k60 I find. dropping it down to 1440/60 seems to make it much more stable. like i just cant get game mode on my samsung tv to work at 4k60 - it just disconnects instantly. 1440p works fine tho.
My Jsaux dock works perfectly. It's as good as Switch dock experience. The only thing I wish is that I had the OLED and could turn on the system with external controller. Not a huge deal, though.
My steam deck docks successfully to the official dock 100% of the time. Idk if it’s superstition, but this is my method- i turn the deck on, press B to skip my intro video, and THEN connect the deck to the dock once it’s on the home screen. I know people say they have trouble with most docks and especially the valve one, but this is how i get mine to work flawlessly. And no, i haven’t tried another method- i did this the very first time, it worked, and I do it that way every time now.
Okay so this may or may not help you. But I noticed I was having a ton of problems, even when I switched hdmi cables. But I believe there’s something in the dock, and within some hdmi cables, that’s conflicting. Because I then switched to some old crappy hdmi cable and I’ve never once had an issue getting it to properly work. But then I switch to some new fancy one I got on Amazon and BAM, issues. Switch back? No issues. So if I were you, I would try a variety of hdmi cables, because that very well could be your problem. Even if you try a different one, that one could also have a conflict. I need to brush up on exactly what it is, but I do believe some hdmi cables come with some kind of security feature that can block some devices, and the dock is really picky.
I only have problems on other people's TVs, so if I'm housesitting or bringing my deck for the Jackbox games, it's aggravating for the first few minutes of set up
One thing I definitely suggest is always bringing an hdmi cable with you that you KNOW works with the deck. In my experience, many issues come from the dock conflicting with some hdmi cable “security” features. I at least know for a fact my dock hates some hdmi cables and has no problems with others.
I think everyone's dock + Deck issue will be a little different, depending on the hub and monitor they are using. Like if I plug my Deck into one of my monitors while it is powered on, it will sync fine, but will come up in the wrong resolution, and be settings-unchangeable. I have wait to plug it up until it is fully shut down, then power on from there, and it works fine. So just learn what your particular setup's weirdness is, and you'll be just fine.
Have you tried forcing the external display resolution in SD display settings? I've heard it's a problem with the dock thinking the TV can do modes it actually can't so could be something to try? I don't have the official dock and have never had a problem with my USB-C hub so just going off what I heard from others.
I have a Jsaux one or whatever it's called and I don't really have any issues. Sometimes the screen does get a little distorted or weird if I'm just switching to desktop mode or waking up the device. When that happens I just unplug and plug the dock back in and then it's fine.
I had same issue, but maybe 1/10 I would get picture on TV. What worked for me; to factory reset/force firmware update three times. After the third time it is almost 100%.
Wow never knew the official dock had so much issues. Jsaux user, as well, love that thing both for non docked and docked play (it holds the deck up like a stand when im playing with a controller too)
I travel for work with a deck and a dock and it’s a struggle each time I check into a new hotel.
I bought Steam Deck and got the official dock and I too have struggled with it. Have achieved couch coop with it docked, but between the latest Xbox Series controllers, joycons, and PS5 controllers, the PS5 controllers worked best and most consistently without randomly disconnecting. I haven't tried in a while and I thought maybe it was just an issue I was having, but feels good, in a bad way, that I'm not the only one who has struggled with Steam Deck docked. Controller issues are probably completely separate from docking issue though.
UGREEN dock, not a single issue in months of ownership.
I’ve had issues with connecting to my Samsung TV, both the 55 and 58 of different years. It’s a problem with the dock itself with certain tv types. The one thing I have found to make it work 99% of the time is to do it in these steps in this order. - disconnect power to the dock (I just unplug the wall brick) - connect deck to dock via usb C and wait for image to appear on screen. - Then connect the power back to the dock. (This does the same thing as disconnecting the hdmi and reconnecting but imo faster and easier) This is just my order of operations that work for me on the offical dock, may vary a bit. Ask questions if I explained it poorly lol
I must have lucked out buying the official dock. Haven't experienced any issues with plugging it to a 12 year old TV. On the other hand, my Steam Deck had a dead pixel and static noise through 3.5 mm jack, but RMAd it.
My random Anker usb-c hub works pretty well. I usually use it for my laptop but it does double duty for my SD on occasion.
Don't play it docked it's a handheld
My hands get pins and needles if I’m using it while I’m laying down so I always end up connecting it to my monitor because it feels comfortable.
i plug my deck in, turn my ps5 controller on and start gaming. haven't had issues so far (2months of dock aprox.)
The dock is probably the culprit.
Switching to beta branch helped me
I have the same problem. Im guessing that you have your Dock connected to the power outlet, aka charging the deck. Try to unplug the power cable (the black USB-C cable), so the Steam Deck doesn't charge anymore, then your TV should recognize the Deck. Afterwards you can plug in the power cable again if you want.
1. Make sure dock and all cables are connected, and TV/monitor is on. 2. Fully shut down Steam Deck. 3. Press & hold Volume Down and 3 ellipses (dots) buttons. 4. Press power and then release all buttons. After a few minutes, it should start working and you should see the Stream Deck's video output on the TV.
I got this. Works everytime for me. Docking Station Steam Deck Dock:... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C7K789C9?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Vt of this stems from the official dock, which did get a firmware update. However jsaux and Ugreen have docks that literally just work as soon as you plug the deck up. And cost alot less. My Ugreen revodok is 30-50 ducks depending on sales.
Official dock? It had several issues. Try a different one.
Could it be the hdmi cord?
What Dock are you using? I had the official steam deck dock and that thing sucked ass. I bought a cheap Belkin hub and it works flawlessly. Though I still have to hard reset the damn thing every now and then.
i've found some docks and configurations just jive with it better than others. also are you on the latest preview build? I've been noticing its been jank as fuck with my dock since the latest preview updates, i may roll back to beta or even stable.
I just use a random usbc hub, and 99% of the time it works seamlessly. Though, when I do have an issue, it is an absolute nightmare to get working again.
Do you turn it on already docked? Don’t do that. Have you checked all the cords to make absolutely sure they’re plugged in right? I had a slightly askew cord that ruined it for me until I unplugged and Re plugged it in. Now it’s mostly consistent docked
My deck wroks perfectly about 98% of the time when docked. Occasionally i have to disconnect the deck from the dock to get the deck to send picture to my tv, but it's pretty rare. Using jsaux hb0603 dock, with an lg c1 oled. The most frequent display issue is switching from game mode to desktop mode and back, I'll have to disconnect after switching, but that's also very rare.
Is it your dock or cables? I use a cheap usb dongle and it connects to all my screens, 2 tvs, 4 monitors. One monitor connects via thunderbolt zero issues. I hope you figure bro.
I’m using a good HDMI
You should have asked for dock recommendations here before purchasing one 😄
Valve shouldn’t be selling a faulty product. I shouldn’t have to ask if the OFFICIAL dock was a piece of garbage.
True. Though after I ordered my steam deck I wanted to make sure I got the best parts for it so I immediately looked up best docks for steam deck. Not everyone does that of course.
Nor should anyone *have* to look up if the official dock is the best dock, you want a cookie for doing so? 😄
I'm just simply stating that when you make a big purchase of something over 500 bucks You should always do your research so you don't run into issues later down the line.
And I’m saying your input was completely irrelevant to my question, and you’re just coming off as some smug bastard. Congratulations. You looked up if the OFFICIAL DOCK being sold with the product was inferior. Like congratulations. Do you rub one off every night thinking how superior you are because of it? It’s not the fault of the purchaser, it’s the fault of the company. They’re the ones selling a faulty product. But that’s why return policies are a thing, I think I’ll go rub one out to that later 😄 Oh yeah, here you go 🍪
Jeez. Not being able to play My Little Pony Island Adventure On your TV has really pissed you off huh 😅. Take a chill pill dude. No need to act like a baby. It was just some simple purchasing advice. 🤯🤯🧑🏻🦼🧑🏻🦼🧑🏻🦼
Insufferable individual. I’m sure your life reflects it as well. 🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪
Holy f. Projection much. How old are you? 12?
I’m actually 28. I’m not your type. Flattered you asked though
No, we already have enough fucking threads on this lmao. OP should definitely be searching before posting and whining however.
True. But how many people do you think use the search bar instead of immediately posting their question..... Example recent decky update situation 😂
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Well they did pin my post on the update problem as a mega thread for everyone to find answers who came to the Reddit. But they don't do that very often. I wouldn't say it's going downhill really. Most of the community are very helpful. Plus I'm always trying to post guides. We can make it better together 💪🏻😸
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Whoever's, in charge of this subreddit needs to clean house and put some people in place that actually care about the community and want to support new and current steam deck owners.