2011 iMac 21.5" with 2 LCDs

[yustas]

Hi,

I have the 2011 iMac 21.5", which has one thunderbold port (not two like on the 27" iMac) and I would like to connect two monitors to it. I already have one DELL monitor connected to it. It works great. How do I connect the second monitor? I do not want to use Matrox. Is the USB to DVI my only option? Important: I need all three monitors to be independent from each other - i.e., to display different things.

Thanks.

 

[geoffreak]

I think something like this is what you are looking for. (I can't tell if you get two different screens though)

 

[yustas]

I think something like this is what you are looking for.

That would great, but the two monitors will show the same thing. I know because I asked them about it.

 

[geoffreak]

From what I can tell, there doesn't exist such an option yet to daisy chain thunderbolt->DVI connectors. (see this topic)

Your other option is Apple's Thunderbolt display.

 

[Anonymous Freak]

Unfortunately, you would need to use at least one Thunderbolt Display, plus either a second Thunderbolt Display or a DisplayPort display (of any manufacture) connected to a Thunderbolt device other than an Apple Thunderbolt Display.

See http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4885 and http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4744. (The second one discusses the idiosyncrasies of using a Thunderbolt Display plus a DisplayPort display.)

It is not possible to natively run two DisplayPort, DVI, or VGA displays directly off the iMac. The only way to run two external displays is via Thunderbolt, a Matrox box, or a USB video card.