SP3 Dock mDP limitation? (miniDP to DP)

[crawlgsx]

I replaced my laptop and desktop with a SP3 (i5/128). No regrets I absolutely love the thing. I no longer game on my PC so I sold my desktop and traded in my air and it has filled both needs (better).

I have a BENQ XL2420T monitor, which has a full size displayport, which allows 120hz.

With a Mini-displayport to Displayport cable plugged directly in to the Sp3/monitor, it works flawlessly. I had 120hz working and everything was great, but I really wanted the dock to make switching from desktop to tablet/laptop more seamless.

Got the dock and to my disappointment no matter what I try the dock will not put video out using mDP to DP. It does see the Monitor, but it will not extend/clone regardless of settings. I tried 2 other vendors mDP to DP cables and no luck either. With a cheap Monoprice mDP to HDMI adapter the dock works fine but HDMI is limited to 60hz. 120hz is by no means necessary but I do enjoy the smoothness and it annoys me knowing that it works fine with the surface just not the dock.

I tried chatting with support which was a 4 hour waste of my time. I sent in pictures info etc.. and in the end they came back and told me that the Monoprice adapter was not compatible... (it works perfectly fine, that was not my problem as I explained several times).

Just curious if anyone else has had any luck using the dock with a monitor that has Displayport, or if anyone had any thoughts as to things to try. I tried a DP 1.1 cable for giggles and it didn't even recognize the device as being plugged in, with 1.2 cables the monitor is seen but will not put out video from the dock (again if I plug it directly in to the Surface it works flawlessly)

 

[Bandito]

Another user is experiencing what sounds like the same problem as you are. See this thread:

http://www.surfaceforums.net/threads/mini-displayport-on-new-docking-station-doesnt-work.10577/

I don't have a docking station, so I can't play around with this, but when you say that the SP3 "sees" the monitor through the mini-DP cable, what do you mean? How can you tell that it is seeing the monitor?

It really sounds to me like the SP3 isn't loading additional drivers so that it can properly interact with the docking station, but that's only my gut talking.

 

[crawlgsx]

When I have it hooked up "Displays" see's the second monitor, and recognizes that it is a BENQ Xl2420T. It auto sets the resolution to 1024x768, but regardless of chaning any settings it will not put out any video. Using the dock with mDP to HDMI works fine. Its pretty odd.

 

[malberttoo]

Definitely becoming a "known" issue. You're not the only one that has experienced it.

 

[bluegrass]

I've only connected my new dock to an HDMI projector and it worked. If you have an HDMI to DP converter why don't you just for s&g connect up your mDP to HDMI then an HDMI to DP up to your monitor. I'm guessing though that it's software that needs to be fixed. Can you imagine the engineers or someone didn't test a mDP to DP connection to a DP monitor using a production model dock?

BTW, I didn't know there was a difference in the cps ability between DP & HDMI. I'll have to check that out on wiki.

 

[malberttoo]

BTW, I didn't know there was a difference in the cps ability between DP & HDMI. I'll have to check that out on wiki.

DisplayPort is, IMHO, superior on a computer. HDMI is owned, DP is open. DP supports far greater resolution and is made for multiple-monitor support from one port, i.e. daisy-chainable.

 

[ynohtna]

Just FYI, I have 2x Dell U2410 hooked on the dock mdp and set up as daisy chain from day 1. I used the cables that came with my dell monitor. By default all monitors were set at 59hz, but can change it to 60hz

 

[GoodBytes]

Just FYI, I have 2x Dell U2410 hooked on the dock mdp and set up as daisy chain from day 1. I used the cables that came with my dell monitor. By default all monitors were set at 59hz, but can change it to 60hz

Yea.. check again
The U2410 is actually a 59.94Hz monitor, and not 60.001Hz. Normally, Windows used to round 59.94Hz as 60Hz, but since Vista it rounds down. The graphics driver adds 60Hz in the list, but can't use it. Using it it, will use 59.94Hz. You can confirm this by closing the refresh rate panel, and opening it again. It will be set to 59Hz and not 60Hz. The reason why the graphics drivers adds 60Hz, is for games that request Windows for 60Hz compatible resolutions list, to not miss your monitor native resolution.

Does a 59.94Hz monitor means it sucks? No not at all. It has to do with the specification of current of the monitor. They are a wide range of professional grade monitors at 59.94Hz. It's probably due to the monitor color processor which operates at this frequency and/or the monitor back light. It uses high grade CFL's for outputting a more true white (and wide gamut) and not the crap white LED's, which are more blue then white. If you install Windows XP, you'll see you will have 60Hz as the only option for your monitor resolution (1920x1200).

 

[agt499]

Yea.. check again
The U2410 is actually a 59.94Hz monitor, and not 60.001Hz. Normally, Windows used to round 59.94Hz as 60Hz, but since Vista it rounds down. The graphics driver adds 60Hz in the list, but can't use it. Using it it, will use 59.94Hz. You can confirm this by closing the refresh rate panel, and opening it again. It will be set to 59Hz and not 60Hz. The reason why the graphics drivers adds 60Hz, is for games that request Windows for 60Hz compatible resolutions list, to not miss your monitor native resolution.

Does a 59.94Hz monitor means it sucks? No not at all. It has to do with the specification of current of the monitor. They are a wide range of professional grade monitors at 59.94Hz. It's probably due to the monitor color processor which operates at this frequency and/or the monitor back light. It uses high grade CFL's for outputting a more true white (and wide gamut) and not the crap white LED's, which are more blue then white. If you install Windows XP, you'll see you will have 60Hz as the only option for your monitor resolution (1920x1200).

Just FYI, I have 2x Dell U2410 hooked on the dock mdp and set up as daisy chain from day 1. I used the cables that came with my dell monitor. By default all monitors were set at 59hz, but can change it to 60hz

Thanks ynohtna and GoodBytes, you've pointed me in the direction of a solution to my problem.
I'm running two new Dell U2412H monitors daisy chained, and since I got my dock last week the second/slaved monitor had been suffering intermittent flicker and brief disconnections.
Having tried rolling back drivers, installing the very newly released drivers direct from Intel, swapping which monitor was slaved, changing cables, and a few other occult incantations I was unable to stop the flickering.
In my case, setting the refresh rate to 60Hz seems have eliminated it, and all is now functioning pretty well. (Though the display scaling in W8.1 only ever seems to behave for me once I log out/in again after docking/undocking)

 

[ynohtna]

Yea.. check again
The U2410 is actually a 59.94Hz monitor, and not 60.001Hz. Normally, Windows used to round 59.94Hz as 60Hz, but since Vista it rounds down.

I waited til now to check and be sure and it's still 60! ;D Doesn't matter, the screens look great except one is calibrated differently than the other. I only noticed it when I log in and have my accent colour on the both the externals. The two externals are not showing the same colour the same way. Slightly annoying, maybe I'll do something about it in the future I didn't buy the monitors at the same time.

 

[agt499]

I waited til now to check and be sure and it's still 60! ;D Doesn't matter, the screens look great except one is calibrated differently than the other. I only noticed it when I log in and have my accent colour on the both the externals. The two externals are not showing the same colour the same way. Slightly annoying, maybe I'll do something about it in the future I didn't buy the monitors at the same time.

I can report that even buying them at the same time doesn't guarantee identical colour. My two were bought at the same time, and have serial numbers only 6 digits apart, but the factory test calibration graph agrees with my eyes that one is a bit 'cooler' than the other. It's subtle enough that I haven't yet succeeded in adjusting them to match...

 

[ynohtna]

I can report that even buying them at the same time doesn't guarantee identical colour. My two were bought at the same time, and have serial numbers only 6 digits apart, but the factory test calibration graph agrees with my eyes that one is a bit 'cooler' than the other. It's subtle enough that I haven't yet succeeded in adjusting them to match...

man that sucks!