What's new

Dual-screen setup using docking station, how?

Bill Clark

New Member
We are currently piloting a test group of Surface Pro 3 units and will order the docking station once they are available. From what I've read, the docking station (and the tablet) only have a single miniDisplayPort for hooking up an external monitor. How can I attach two external displays to the docking station? Even if it is an option to use both the miniDisplayPort on the docking station AND the miniDisplayPort on the tablet, this is not an acceptable option for my staff. I need a solution that is fairly inexpensive that uses the docking station's miniDisplayPort to two external monitors. Thanks.
 

JesseDiaz

Member
Daisy chain..you can do it either from the surface or the dock.....Or you can do one from the sp3 and then one from the dock....
Either way will get you 2 external displays....the daisy chain will require an in and out Display port...so maybe a new monitor......connecting one from the SP# and then one from the dicking station would only require the monitor to have an IN port....some of the not so new monitor's have this
 

GreyFox7

Super Moderator
Staff member
Basically there are two options, daisy chaining with DisplayPort 1.2 devices or using a DisplayPort hub.

DisplayPort 1.2 monitors will have two ports, in and out, for the daisychain. If your monitors only have one port they can only be used as the last monitor in the chain.

If you don't have DisplayPort 1.2 monitors to enable chaining you need a DisplayPort hub. However that might limit your max resolution. Check the specs of the DisplayPort hubs for their supported configurations.
 
OP
B

Bill Clark

New Member
I'm kinda leaning towards a DisplayPort hub or an adapter that will go from the miniDisplayPort on the SP3 to dual DVI or dual DisplayPorts. I don't really want to buy new monitors for everyone that have the ability to daisychain via the DisplayPort. I'm thinking of picking up one of these:
http://www.govconnection.com/shop/s...hub-exclusive-buy-save-30/17074073?cac=Result
And one of these:
http://www.club-3d.com/index.php/products/reader.en/product/mst-hub-1-3.html
to test and see how they perform. Still looking for the DVI versions though.
 

GreyFox7

Super Moderator
Staff member
One additional note I was looking at one I believe it was evg it said it did not support the Intel HD 5000. just another thing to look for.

I noticed that StarTech one said DisplayPort 1.2 with MST+HBR2 support from the GPU is required for independent display output. not sure what that means but it seems significant :)

I couldn't get the other page to load but I saw one somewhere else, pricey
 
Top