rMBP 13 with 2 External HDMI Displays over one Thunderbolt?

[Godvater]

I have a Retina Macbook Pro 13" Mid 2014 and I want to use it with 2 External Hdmi displays. Apple states that i can use my Mac with two external cinema displays. But I prefer Hdmi displays because simply enough they are a lot cheaper.

My questions are:

1- What is the best solution? Do you have any other ideas?

2- I am using Windows 7 over Bootcamp not OSX. Will it cause a problem?

3- Will getting 2x thunderbolt to HDMI cables do the job better? I just dont want a lot of cables around my desk?
2 of these: http://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters...441041814&sr=1-3&keywords=thunderbolt+to+hdmi

I am looking for a clean and preferably a cheap setup. Thank you.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

Well your best bet is to get a thunderbolt dock for tidiness etc but they are not cheap. You could just buy a mini DP to HDMI cable and have one on the HDMI one on a thunderbolt port (leaving you a free thunderbolt port) that will be the cheapest easiest way.

 

[Godvater]

Well your best bet is to get a thunderbolt dock for tidiness etc but they are not cheap. You could just buy a mini DP to HDMI cable and have one on the HDMI one on a thunderbolt port (leaving you a free thunderbolt port) that will be the cheapest easiest way.

I have read that it doesn't work. It was written that HDMI is prior to other ports. I have ordered two Display port to hdmi cables will see how it turns out..

 

[BrettApple]

I run two 1080p displays off my 2013 rMBP. One going straight from the HDMI port, and the other going from Thunderbolt/Mini DisplayPort to HDMI via an adapter. Then I have a spare Thunderbolt port for when I need my Ethernet adapter.

It runs them just fine, including while using the internal display. You could also do what you just stated, two TB/MiniDP to HDMI. Should work fine.

 

[Freyqq]

I have a Retina Macbook Pro 13" Mid 2014 and I want to use it with 2 External Hdmi displays. Apple states that i can use my Mac with two external cinema displays. But I prefer Hdmi displays because simply enough they are a lot cheaper.

My questions are:

1- What is the best solution? Do you have any other ideas?

2- I am using Windows 7 over Bootcamp not OSX. Will it cause a problem?

3- Will getting 2x thunderbolt to HDMI cables do the job better? I just dont want a lot of cables around my desk?
2 of these: http://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters®-DisplayPort-Thunderbolt-Compatible/dp/B00APLJ58M/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1441041814&sr=1-3&keywords=thunderbolt+to+hdmi

I am looking for a clean and preferably a cheap setup. Thank you.

2x mini-displayport to HDMI cables would work

or

1x mini-displayport to HDMI cable and 1x HDMI to HDMI would work

 

[Freyqq]

Well your best bet is to get a thunderbolt dock for tidiness etc but they are not cheap. You could just buy a mini DP to HDMI cable and have one on the HDMI one on a thunderbolt port (leaving you a free thunderbolt port) that will be the cheapest easiest way.

Thunderbolt docks can only do a maximum of one display at a time, unless the extra display is thunderbolt too. So, this actually don't work.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

Thunderbolt docks can only do a maximum of one display at a time, unless the extra display is thunderbolt too. So, this actually don't work.

Just not true if you have thunderbolt 2 and a thunderbolt 2 dock with 2 outputs (thunderbolt and HDMI or 2x thunderbolt ports) Take a look here quite clearly states supports dual displays.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-Thunderbolt-Express-Dock-Cable/dp/B00NA6NIM8

 

[Freyqq]

Just not true if you have thunderbolt 2 and a thunderbolt 2 dock with 2 outputs (thunderbolt and HDMI or 2x thunderbolt ports) Take a look here quite clearly states supports dual displays.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-Thunderbolt-Express-Dock-Cable/dp/B00NA6NIM8

My original statement is correct, based on your link (emphasis mine):

"If you have a Thunderbolt monitor, you can connect a second monitor or TV to work on two screens--and you can even watch movies in stunning 4K cinema resolution on one of the displays.

Note: the dual display feature works with one Thunderbolt monitor connected through the Thunderbolt 2 port, and a second monitor connected through the HDMI port. The dock supports one display at 4K cinema resolution."

 

[Samuelsan2001]

My original statement is correct, based on your link (emphasis mine):

"If you have a Thunderbolt monitor, you can connect a second monitor or TV to work on two screens--and you can even watch movies in stunning 4K cinema resolution on one of the displays.

Note: the dual display feature works with one Thunderbolt monitor connected through the Thunderbolt 2 port, and a second monitor connected through the HDMI port. The dock supports one display at 4K cinema resolution."

Yes but at no point in this whole thread is 4K mentioned, as far as I can tell the displays that are wanted are cheap 1080p ones connected through HDMI and that dock will run 2 of those with no issues at all. It is YOUR assumption that a 4K is wanted but that is totally unfounded indeed as the OP states clearly that they want to use cheap HDMI connected screens then my advice is pretty much spot on.

A Mini DP to HDMI can connect from the dock thunderbolt to one screen and the HDMI to another.

 

[Freyqq]

Yes but at no point in this whole thread is 4K mentioned, as far as I can tell the displays that are wanted are cheap 1080p ones connected through HDMI and that dock will run 2 of those with no issues at all. It is YOUR assumption that a 4K is wanted but that is totally unfounded indeed as the OP states clearly that they want to use cheap HDMI connected screens then my advice is pretty much spot on.

A Mini DP to HDMI can connect from the dock thunderbolt to one screen and the HDMI to another.

While the quote touches on 4k, the overall point is the same. One displayport per port is a thunderbolt 2 limitation. There is only one lane for displayport. However, Thunderbolt 3 will have support for two displayport monitors per port.

 

[Samuelsan2001]

While the quote touches on 4k, the overall point is the same. One displayport per port is a thunderbolt 2 limitation. There is only one lane for displayport. However, Thunderbolt 3 will have support for two displayport monitors per port.

The thunderbolt dock will easily run 2 1080p monitors from a single thunderbolt connection, it would do that with thuderbolt 1 no issues can't see why it would be an issue with thunderbolt 2....