Dual External Monitors on Surface Pro?

[Ruffles]

DisplayPort 1.2 can support daisy chained multiple monitors but I think I read somewhere that the Surface only has DisplayPort 1.1.

 

[jamestIL]

You could try this. ACCELL Cables - Audio, Video, Speaker, Computer Cables and Interconnects

 

[kkuhia]

Thanks for the Accel suggestion. I looked that up on Amazon and the reviews said that product just stretches the screen across the 3 monitors. So it doesn't look like it gives you true multi monitor support.

I also read somewhere that the surface pro has display port 1.1a.

 

[Ryan D]

It might be possible with a Matrox DualHead2Go DP Edition or the TripleHead2Go DP Edition Welcome to Matrox. They actually come with One Mini-DisplayPort to DisplayPort input cable. I used a VisionTek connect USB3.0 dual head display adapter that I bought for under $100 across 2 1080p displays with the Surface Pro/Acer W700P and it was very usable for business use. Only problem with the USB solution is that all the video processing is done on the CPU instead of GPU which can have performance problems with intensive graphics applications. But I was really amazed how well it played 1080p videos for a USB3.0 device.

 

[mtalinm]

I made it happen today with the mini displayport --> VGA adapter and a pluggable USB --> DVI adapter.

the displayport was great, but the refresh on the pluggable was not perfect. not too bad, mind you, but you wouldn't want to watch video.

the real turd here is the scaling. I wish I could believe Panos' claim that they will allow different scaling on different monitors, but it strikes me as a hard problem.

 

[wjcoughlin3]

Like Ryan I believe Matrix must have a dual monitor stretch solution. I have older DualHead2Go Analog addition (non USB). Only had Surface Pro days. Hooked it up quickly after downloading manager app for Windows 7 x64. Worked flawlessly for cloning 3 screens. Pro plus 2 4:3 Samsung VGA monitors. Surface automatically resized to 4:3 size and 1024 X 768 resolution. However was not able to stretch 2 screens to 2048 X 768. Could use help if/when someone figures out configuration settings. While I have not read anything that specifically says this is possible everything I have read indicates it should. I have used this device without issue for Vista, XP, and W7 32. This is my first trip down the W8 x64 road. While stretch mode is inferior to true dual screen I have been able to work with it for quite some time.

 

[Nuspieds]

Thanks for the Accel suggestion. I looked that up on Amazon and the reviews said that product just stretches the screen across the 3 monitors. So it doesn't look like it gives you true multi monitor support.

I also read somewhere that the surface pro has display port 1.1a.

I'm not sure what that Accel thing does, but I certainly do not recommend it if you're want to have multi-monitor support on your Surface Pro.

Within minutes of trying it out I ditched that thing! I couldn't even determine whether it preferred video extension or duplication from Windows/Surface Pro because I had many issues resulting on both external displays, so I eventually gave up. My intention was to have two external displays, both running 2560x1600, but the Accel certainly didn't work for me.

 

[btonline]

In my initial searches to answer the question; will the Surface Pro support two external monitors? I have successfully setup the following. This will hopefully add to the collective knowledge.

Hardware used/required:
1. Surface Pro 128GB
2. Plugable UD-3000 USB 3.0 Universal Docking Station
3. Plugable USB 3.0 HDMI/DVI adapter
4. Samsung SyncMaster 216BW monitor – already owned
5. Asus VE228H monitor

Configuration is as follows:

Surface Pro – downloaded and installed latest Displaylink drivers (link provided on Plugable website)
Plugable docking station
1. Ethernet port connected to LAN
2. USB 2.0 ports, keyboard, mouse, external HD, phone charger
3. DVI port – connected to Samsung monitor via a DVI cable that came with monitor, resolution 1680 x 1050
4. USB 3.0 port – connected to Plugable HDMI/DVI adapter which is connected to Asus monitor via DVI cable that came with monitor, resolution 1920 x 1080
5. Audio out – connected to Asus audio-in port

Works beautifully with not a single glitch so far.

 

[machistmo]

Physically not possible. External must be HDMI capable.
Sent from my Windows Phone 8S by HTC using Board Express

Actually we just recently learned that the Mini-DP on the Surface Pro is DP1.2 compatible and so with 2 or even 3 DP monitors and a DP Switch, you should ">it says here in small type<" be able to use multiple monitors through the display port.

 

[machistmo]

DisplayPort 1.2 can support daisy chained multiple monitors but I think I read somewhere that the Surface only has DisplayPort 1.1.

Actually MS responded to NUSPIED and it appears it is 1.2 after all on the Surface Pro.

 

[Nuspieds]

Thanks for the Accel suggestion. I looked that up on Amazon and the reviews said that product just stretches the screen across the 3 monitors. So it doesn't look like it gives you true multi monitor support.

Don't buy that thing! I thought that was going to be my interim solution whilst I await the Dell U3014, but it definitely did not work and was a waste of money!

I don't know what that thing does, but it certainly wasn't multi-monitor support in my experience with my SP.

 

[JezNolan]

See this ingenious - reviews tips and other into to see how you can get 8 - yes 8!! monitors working on a Surface Pro (including the built-in screen).