New Surface Dock Does Not Work via mini displayport to HDMI & DVI

Anonymous
2015-10-27T17:18:04+00:00

The specific device I am referring to, is the new Surface Dock for Surface Pro 3/4 and Surface Book. I have described the issue here on Reddit, and a number of others are also experiencing the same problem. Basically, the new dock doesn't work when the monitor is connected using mini displayport to HDMI. The monitor is detected correctly and the correct resolution is set, but the screen remains black. In my case, I randomly get some image on the monitor, but it's compressed to one side of the screen and garbled. The mini displayport to HDMI adapter works properly when connected directly to the Surface, so the adapter itself is fine. If I instead connect the mini displayport to VGA adapter to the dock, the monitor displays correctly. I have tried using a straight mini displayport to DVI cable and the issue remains. Additionally, I have connected a Surface Pro 3 to the dock and experience the same issue.

So to summarize, the dock does not function correctly when using a mini displayport to HDMI adapter to connect the monitor, but does work with a mini displayport to VGA adapter. This problem is repeatable using both a Surface Book and Surface Pro 3.

Surface | Accessories | Surface Dock

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Anonymous
2015-10-29T17:45:57+00:00

I purchased an active mDP to HDMI adapter from Amazon (Plugable is the brand) and so far the external monitor is working correctly through the dock.

Moderator Edit (11/3/2015):  If you are using a passive MDP to DVI adapter and experiencing difficulties, you may need to switch to using an active adapter.

If you switched from a passive to active adapter and continue to experience difficulties using Surface Dock to display to external monitors please consider making some changes to your cabling: different lengths, different quality, different adapters, etc.  If adjusting your cabling fails to resolve please consider sharing the following:

  1. Make and model of external displays
  2. Make/model of adapters if present
  3. Make/model of cables

For more troubleshooting info and steps to confirm your Dock is updated, please view our Troubleshoot Surface Dock article.

Thank you,

Josh

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Anonymous
2017-05-22T09:18:50+00:00

Hi,

 We suggest that you contact our Surface Answer Desk team for further assistance or visit the nearest Microsoft Store if you are in the US. In case you're offshore, contact our Global Customer Service team.

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-06-14T20:09:05+00:00

    No need for active cables.  I have 6 customers using the Surface to Microsoft Doc running two DP monitors (variety of brands).  I really like the Amazon brand cables (AmazonBasics Mini DisplayPort to DisplayPort Cable - 6 or 10 Feet).  If a customer wants to run a mix or anything other than DP we do not support it.  However we do have 2 customers (inherited) that we support with HDMI monitors.

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-06-15T09:00:09+00:00

    Now we have purchased and connected the "3. Startech StarTech AC MDP2HDS Black Mini DisplayPort to HDMI Video Audio Adapter Converter" adapter. This works not with us. The adapter brings no connection to the monitor.

    The Microsoft Support says only that MS is unpleasant, but no solution has. We have waiting for further updates.

    But we have apparently found a combination that works together with our monitors.

    SP4

    SP4 DOCK

    Assmann active adapter miniDisplayPort HDMI

    Lindy HDMI premium cable

    Fujitsu Minitor P24W-7 LED

    Even with an "active Assmann adapter miniDisplayPort-DVI" adapter it works for us.

    Additionally us the MS support has given the link below:

    https://www.microsoft.com/surface/de-de/support/hardware-and-drivers/troubleshoot-docking-station-surface-dock#Check10

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-07-12T10:18:03+00:00

    I'm also using the Suface Book with Surface Dock, and an LG Ultrawide monitor (25UM58-P) which only has HDMI inputs. I tried a direct MiniDisplayport to HDMI cable, a passive MiniDisplayport to HDMI adapter with straight HDMI cable, and the StarTech MDP2HD4KS Active MiniDisplayport to HDMI adaptor. None of these worked. They all would allow the full 2560x1080 output direct from the SurfaceBook, but going via the SurfaceDock, they would either only output 1920x1080, and then with repeated blackouts, or not at all. 

    As a last resort I tried the CableMatters Active Adaptor as recommended in the table of Microsoft recommended adaptors on page 28 of this thread. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cable-Matters%C2%AE-DisplayPort-Thunderbolt-Compatible/dp/B00K0UDJFI

    This finally seems to work perfectly, giving me full screen output at native 2560x1080 resolution, with no cutting out, and allows easy connection and disconnection of the Dock, with the display returning automatically each time. It even allows me to disconnect the keyboard and connect the dock directly to the tablet, allowing me to use the tablet in portrait mode as a secondary display, or for handwriting input, while displaying other info on the monitor. 

    Very annoying it's taken all this trial and error, and getting very different results with apparently similar adaptors, especially as the dock is priced high enough it should reasonably be expected to work out of the box, but glad it's functioning as it should now.

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