So how would I go about hooking up two monitors from my Thunderbolt port? I don't want to buy a super expensive Thunderbolt display and can use either dvi or avi.
Thanks in advance.
Thanks in advance.
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15" 2011 Pro - how to use two external monitors?
- Thread starter samcolson4
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The only way to connect two monitors is via Thunderbolt, unless you go with some USB-to-VGA/DVI adapter. Or you could buy one Thunderbolt capable display and connect another, cheaper, display via a MDP-to-VGA/DVI adapter to it.
Btw, .avi is not a video interface, but a file format for storing video and audio. You probably mean VGA?
Btw, .avi is not a video interface, but a file format for storing video and audio. You probably mean VGA?
Yeah sorry of course I meant VGA. Stupid moment whilst typing.
I'm disappointed there's no other way to do it... I swear I've seen it done through one cable ie having some type of splitter with two dvi ports from the thunderbolt port?
I'm disappointed there's no other way to do it... I swear I've seen it done through one cable ie having some type of splitter with two dvi ports from the thunderbolt port?
I'm using a DisplayLink (USB to DVI) adaptor on my 2007 MBP.
One monitor connects directly to the MBP's DVI port (you'd have to use the mini DisplayPort to DVI adaptor from Apple), and my second monitor connects to the DisplayLink USB.
It's ok, works well for business-use, but is useless for videos/games/anything that's fast motion.
One monitor connects directly to the MBP's DVI port (you'd have to use the mini DisplayPort to DVI adaptor from Apple), and my second monitor connects to the DisplayLink USB.
It's ok, works well for business-use, but is useless for videos/games/anything that's fast motion.
Yeah it sucks there has to be a better way. In theory the graphics in the 15" can support up to 5 displays 
Yeah it sucks there has to be a better way. In theory the graphics in the 15" can support up to 5 displays
My thoughts exactly. Might talk to a genius about it.
I feed displayport into VGA via dongle, and feed that into a video mixer. This allows me to feed four selectable inputs into my TV/projector, or can be reversed so that one input (my mac) allows four outputs. It's a little dodgy - you definitely lose a lot of resolution. But I primarily use it for displaying text like signs and instructions during events, and it's readable.
Wouldn't recommend for graphic-intensive applications (I feed DP --> HDMI and then into two component outputs out of my TV but theres no mobile workaround) but for non-important stuff, it suffices with no real cost to me other than stuff I'd already have.
Wouldn't recommend for graphic-intensive applications (I feed DP --> HDMI and then into two component outputs out of my TV but theres no mobile workaround) but for non-important stuff, it suffices with no real cost to me other than stuff I'd already have.
Can you recommend a good brand/give me a price range?
And do you think it would be good enough for say an HD 22" monitor and then just an old Dell screen?
And do you think it would be good enough for say an HD 22" monitor and then just an old Dell screen?
Hey that's pretty interesting, does it halve the resolution to each screen or something?
Matrox offers quality products that will allow you to use more than one external monitor from your Thunderbolt port.
They have the DualHead2Go and the TripleHead2Go for two external monitors and three external monitors, respectively. Both models come in analog (VGA), digital (DVI), and a DisplayPort flavor. I believe the maximum resolution is 1920x1200 per monitor on the DH2G and only 1920x1080 on the TH2G.
It seems like you would need the DualHead2Go DisplayPort edition and two addition adapters (DP to DVI), since the outputs of the module will be in DisplayPort.
They aren't cheap, at ~$200 for DH2G and ~$300 for TH2G. I've always wanted to run more than one external monitor on my Mac and this seems to be the only option.
They have the DualHead2Go and the TripleHead2Go for two external monitors and three external monitors, respectively. Both models come in analog (VGA), digital (DVI), and a DisplayPort flavor. I believe the maximum resolution is 1920x1200 per monitor on the DH2G and only 1920x1080 on the TH2G.
It seems like you would need the DualHead2Go DisplayPort edition and two addition adapters (DP to DVI), since the outputs of the module will be in DisplayPort.
They aren't cheap, at ~$200 for DH2G and ~$300 for TH2G. I've always wanted to run more than one external monitor on my Mac and this seems to be the only option.
You had me at one adapter and lost me at $200. That's a steep purchase for me. Thanks for the info though, I will definitely look into it.
Wow... I'm not sure it's worth 200$ for that extra screen real estate. Guess I'll make do until there's a properly viable solution.