Running Two external Monitors (non apple) from a MBA

[janitorC7]

Hey Guys,

I know I have seen threads about this before. But, nothing has ever seem to come to a resolution.

Has anybody had succcess running two (non apple - in this case dell) monitors off of a MBA (latest editions). I have a Cable Matters HDMI adaptor (which kinda does the trick but with some problems). But, what I would really want to do is daisy chain by Dell Monitors together...

So, any success from the crowd? Any of the thunderbolt adaptors allow you to plug in two different monitors (and not be mirroring them).

Appreciate everybody's input

Best,
C

 

[TjeuV]

This (Apple support page) is with regard to Apple thunderbolt displays. You can run two of those. So I would say you'll be fine powering two if they're not of super high resolution.

 

[Abazigal]

Hey Guys,

I know I have seen threads about this before. But, nothing has ever seem to come to a resolution.

Has anybody had succcess running two (non apple - in this case dell) monitors off of a MBA (latest editions). I have a Cable Matters HDMI adaptor (which kinda does the trick but with some problems). But, what I would really want to do is daisy chain by Dell Monitors together...

So, any success from the crowd? Any of the thunderbolt adaptors allow you to plug in two different monitors (and not be mirroring them).

Appreciate everybody's input

Best,
C

Think getting a thunderbolt dock is your easiest option.

 

[Significant1]

Displayport support Daisy chaining, but it is unclear if osx does through displayport (the thunderbolt port is also a mini displayport)

 

[theluggage]

This (Apple support page) is with regard to Apple thunderbolt displays. You can run two of those. So I would say you'll be fine powering two if they're not of super high resolution.

Think getting a thunderbolt dock is your easiest option.

Any of the thunderbolt adaptors allow you to plug in two different monitors

Note that, with Thunderbolt, you can only drive one display per thunderbolt device so some of these solutions won't work.

Thunderbolt carries two DisplayPort signals, but each Thunderbolt peripheral controller chip can only extract one of those. The peripheral can use that signal to do one of the following:

a. drive a built-in display (e.g. the Apple Thunderbolt display)
b. drive a HDMI or DVI port (most Thunderbolt docks)
c. Support a DisplayPort device connected to the Thunderbolt-through port (any TB peripheral with a 'through' port)

So, even though a dock might have HDMI and a Thunderbolt-through connector you can't drive a HDMI display and a DisplayPort display at the same time. Likewise, you can't daisy-chain a third-party display directly to a Thunderbolt display.

You can chain two Thunderbolt displays together - because they both have a TB controller.

In theory, if you start with either a TB display or a TB Dock with a display connected to its HDMI, you could add another Thunderbolt device (say, a disc drive) with two TB ports and connect that to a displayPort device. I'd look for confirmation that your particular combo works before spending that much money, though!

I guess that, unless you actually need one of the more expensive (usually multi-drive) TB hard drives that has two TB ports, the most economical combination would be Mac ----> TB Dock with HDMI ---> TB Display with a cheaper third-party display connected to the dock's HDMI.

The other alternative is this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Matrox-DualHead2Go-Digital-Display-Support/dp/B0080K6WIG

...but its somewhat pricey (although cheaper than buying multiple thunderbolt devices) and I don't think I'd buy it given some of the reviews on Amazon.

 

[Abazigal]

Note that, with Thunderbolt, you can only drive one display per thunderbolt device so some of these solutions won't work.

Thunderbolt carries two DisplayPort signals, but each Thunderbolt peripheral controller chip can only extract one of those. The peripheral can use that signal to do one of the following:

a. drive a built-in display (e.g. the Apple Thunderbolt display)
b. drive a HDMI or DVI port (most Thunderbolt docks)
c. Support a DisplayPort device connected to the Thunderbolt-through port (any TB peripheral with a 'through' port)

So, even though a dock might have HDMI and a Thunderbolt-through connector you can't drive a HDMI display and a DisplayPort display at the same time. Likewise, you can't daisy-chain a third-party display directly to a Thunderbolt display.

You can chain two Thunderbolt displays together - because they both have a TB controller.

In theory, if you start with either a TB display or a TB Dock with a display connected to its HDMI, you could add another Thunderbolt device (say, a disc drive) with two TB ports and connect that to a displayPort device. I'd look for confirmation that your particular combo works before spending that much money, though!

I guess that, unless you actually need one of the more expensive (usually multi-drive) TB hard drives that has two TB ports, the most economical combination would be Mac ----> TB Dock with HDMI ---> TB Display with a cheaper third-party display connected to the dock's HDMI.

The other alternative is this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Matrox-DualHead2Go-Digital-Display-Support/dp/B0080K6WIG

...but its somewhat pricey (although cheaper than buying multiple thunderbolt devices) and I don't think I'd buy it given some of the reviews on Amazon.

I never realised I couldn't drive a hdmi monitor and a 2nd display using the thunderbolt port. Will have to test this out. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[theluggage]

I never realised I couldn't drive a hdmi monitor and a 2nd display using the thunderbolt port. Will have to test this out. Thanks for the heads up.

Sad but true. See the very last entry on this page: http://www.caldigit.com/thunderboltstation2/faq.asp

 

[Meister]

You can buy a usb to hdmi adapter and a tb to hdmi adapter.
Voila.