Send to second monitor does not seem to work

[Arizona Willie]

I have the original Surface Pro 128 and I've been trying to get the picture on m larger desktop monitor.

First I tried Chromecast, which, although I got it to work was unacceptable due to the long delay between an action on the Surface and resulting change in the video on the screen.

I bought a cheap Chinese cable and could not get it to work.
I tried hooking the Surface up to a Sony Bravia TV with an HDMI connection and it wouldn't work there either so I figured the cheap cable was crap and threw it in the trash ( although it is still recoverable ). I tried trimming the plastic ends around the connector to make it go in better but that didn't help even when I completely removed the covering.

So I ordered a Microsoft adapter for the Surface Pro and it came today.

NO LUCK

Same story.

Will not work on either my desktop monitor or the Sony Bravia TV.

Since the Chromecast worked I presume there is a signal being outputted on the little mini-connector on the Surface.
But no matter what I do I can't get either the cheap Chinese cable or the genuine Microsoft expensive cable to work.

Any suggestions?

 

[jnjroach]

Have you tried a different HDMI cable? Assuming you bought the mini-DP to HDMI adapter...

 

[Arizona Willie]

Yes, I < thought > I was buying the cable but when it came it it was the adapter, but I had a brand new Radio Shack HDMI cable still in the packaging available so I used it. Supposed to be good for both audio and video.

Have you tried a different HDMI cable? Assuming you bought the mini-DP to HDMI adapter...

 

[jnjroach]

So if you it Windows +P and select duplicate or extend nothing happens? What DPI settings are you using?

 

[Arizona Willie]

Correct, the monitor screen says " HDMI no signal " and I'm using 1920 X 1080 resolution on the Surface. The monitor uses the same setting when on DVI input and works fine.

So if you it Windows +P and select duplicate or extend nothing happens? What DPI settings are you using?

 

[jnjroach]

Have you tried the Monitor's Input or Source Search from its On Screen Menu?

 

[Arizona Willie]

Of course

There are buttons on the bottom edge of the monitor and one of them selects your input.
Naturally I switch it to HDMI and the screen goes black and then it comes up and says " HDMI no signal " so it apparently knows I have switched it to the HDMI input.
Why it isn't getting a signal is the problem. When I plugged the Chromecast unit in to the HDMI port on the monitor it worked, but that isn't relying on an output from the port on the Surface, it's using the wireless network and my router to send a signal to the Chromecast unit plugged into the monitor.

That would tend to confirm that the HDMI port on the monitor works.
The question is, why I can't seem to get output via the port on the Surface.
I've tried two cables and the HDMI adapter from Microsoft which is specifically for the Surface Pro tablet and it doesn't work.

I don't know if both cables / adapter are defective or if the port is defective.
Since the adapter is brand new it would be a little bit unlikely it is bad --- although possible.
I can understand the cheap Chinese cable being defective ... but would not expect the brand new HDMI cable from Radio Shack to be defective.

Come to think of it, I have the Sony Bravia TV in the bedroom ( which also doesn't work when connected via these cables to the Surface ) using a HDMI cable from the cable company box to the TV. I suppose I could switch cables out and try that cable because it obviously is a good cable because it is working fine.

That will be my next step after I send this. If I put a known good cable between the Surface and the HDMI on the monitor it will tell me if it is a bad cable or if the port on the the Surface isn't working. I think.

Have you tried the Monitor's Input or Source Search from its On Screen Menu?

 

[Arizona Willie]

OK, I just switched the cables out and put the brand new cable from Radio Shack on the TV and it worked!!
Which means that cable is not defective.

So then I brought the cable which had been running the TV into the computer room and tried it between the Surface adapter and the monitor and IT DOES NOT WORK.
Which would seem to indicate that either the Surface adapter ( brand new ) is defective or the port on the Surface Pro is defective.

Not sure how to figure out which it is without buying another adapter.

But, at this point it would seem that I have ruled out a defective port on the monitor because it worked with the Chromecast unit and also a defective cable since I am using one that was working on the TV just fine. It is an Amazon branded HDMI cable ( with Ethernet .. which it doesn't need but shouldn't keep it from working ). The Radio Shack HDMI cable just said it was for video and audio ... didn't mention Ethernet but it didn't work on the Surface either although it works fine on the TV.

That Chinese cable didn't need an adapter, just plugged straight into the Surface Pro and into the HDMI on the monitor.
I think they sent me the wrong adapter. I just says Surface on the front of the box not Surface Pro although I'm pretty sure the original receipt said Surface Pro when I ordered it. Can't find it right now.

Ahh, the heck with it. I've spent way too much trying to get this POS to work.
Think I will just give up.

 

[tarrant64]

I originally had problems getting my pro to work on TVs (never monitors though). My issue came down to my screen resolution/dpi settings. I spent about 15 minutes trial and error and also thought the cables I had were faulty. Once I had changed those display settings up it worked just find (65" Sony Bravia led TV). Took it home and plugged into a Samsung and it worked fine too.

 

[jnjroach]

I had an issue when I had DPI set to 125% or the middle slider position, using 100 or 150 worked (or first or last position on the slider)...

 

[tarrant64]

I had an issue when I had DPI set to 125% or the middle slider position, using 100 or 150 worked (or first or last position on the slider)...

I think this was my problem as well.

 

[Arizona Willie]

Well, I just tried that :cry: took it down to 100 and then back to 150 but didn't work.
I'm pretty sure the mini-HDMI port is not working.

I think this was my problem as well.