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tirant

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 15, 2008
20
0
I'm looking for a new laptop, and the MBA is one of my top options. The main problem I see is that it only has 1 Thunderbolt port, and I would like to connect 2 external displays. Is there an easy way to do it?
 

Brian Mage

macrumors member
Jul 14, 2012
36
1
You use the MBA's port to connect to the first Thunderbolt Display. Then you just daisy chain off the Thunderbolt display to the next one

You can actually still use the MBA's screen as well as the 2xTBD's
(HD4000 is not too shabby)
 

wditters

macrumors member
Apr 10, 2012
80
0
I don't think that the MBA supports multiple external displays. Only 1 through the Thunderbolt port with a VGA or DVI converter.

There are three solutions:

- Thunderbolt daisychaining with two Apple screens

- Matrox Dualhead2Go DP edition with two non-Apple displayport screens
(Matrox software maximizes applications to one or both screens)

- Thunderbolt plus Additional USB 3.0->DVI/DP adapter (not available yet but announced) to two non-Apple screens

I use the Matrox Dualhead2go and this works flawlessly
 

Stetrain

macrumors 68040
Feb 6, 2009
3,550
20
There are three solutions:

- Thunderbolt daisychaining with two Apple screens

- Matrox Dualhead2Go DP edition with two non-Apple displayport screens
(Matrox software maximizes applications to one or both screens)

- Thunderbolt plus Additional USB 3.0->DVI/DP adapter (not available yet but announced) to two non-Apple screens

I use the Matrox Dualhead2go and this works flawlessly

Another option is:

Thunderbolt Display -> [a non-display Thunderbolt device with daisy chain port] -> Mini-Displayport adapter

You can't do this:

Thunderbolt Display -> Mini-Displayport adapter

because each Thunderbolt device can only access one Displayport channel. The Thunderbolt display uses its channel to drive its display panel, so you need another Thunderbolt device in between that exposes its Displayport channel via the daisy chain port.
 

tirant

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 15, 2008
20
0
Thanks for the answers! So it seems there's no easy or cheap way to do it then :( My two screens right now are VGA + HDMI. So it means investing in extra hardware. It's a pity.
 
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