Can Surface pro run dual external monitors?

Anonymous
2013-02-05T22:36:00+00:00

With the ports configuration and specs of the announced Surface Pro, can one run  dual external monitors? By that I mean connecting two external monitors, one for primary display and one for extended display. Irrelevant what shows on the actual Surface screen.

This is the current configuration I have for my heavy laptop (with docking station) and want to recreate it if I swap to the cool Surface Pro.

I don't mind buying some port replicators, as long as the set-up works seamlessly once connected. I saw some other threads and no docking station is planned by Microsoft at this stage

Thanks for input

Surface | Surface Pro | USB-C

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Anonymous
2013-02-06T01:53:48+00:00

Greetings ManlioV,

That's a great question. Because the Surface Pro is running Windows 8, you could get a USB port hub and USB video cards and the Surface Pro would be able to install the drivers so you could hook up multiple monitors that way.

Hope that helps.

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-03-05T01:48:56+00:00

    Before you claim how great an external DisplayLink is, try running something like Netflix, XBOX Video, or HULU.

    I am looking for an external display adapter that DOESN'T use DisplayLink drivers. They have issues, DisplayLink knows about it, but have no idea when they will fix it. (They say Q1 2013 - now).

    http://www.displaylink.org/forum/showthread.php?t=2046

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-03-07T22:41:53+00:00

    So I installed the DisplayLink software on my Pro to use with the ThinkPad USB 3.0 device, it worked and it looked great, but then when I tried to play a movie after unplugging the port, I kept getting an error and none of my Xbox videos would play.

    I uninstalled the Display Link software and now my videos play again.  Does anyone have any other solutions?  We are seriously looking at using Pro's as a laptop/tablet replacement, and this is the first real "showstopper" issue that I have run into.

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-03-08T00:21:59+00:00

    I have the surface pro and have two monitors hooked up through the one USB port.  Remember you can do a lot with USB 3.0 looks like a lot of people posting here didnt know.  There is also a company I found that sells a 2 and 3 port display port box too but havent tried it. 

    This is a port replicator I am using found here 

    http://www.targus.com/us/productdetail.aspx?regionId=7&sku=ACP70USZ&PageName=Docking%20Stations%20by%20Targus%20USA&productCategoryId=13&bucketTypeId=0&searchedTerms=&navlevel1=products&cp=&bannertxt=Docking%20Stations

    Now you can hook up to a Gig wired network.  The sound etc all work through the Targus.  Note that the driver included doesnt work and directs you to the Targus website for the Win8 driver.

    The Targus includes adapters in the box for HDMI to DVI and there is another adapter included for DVI to VGA.  Hooking up with the single USB 3.0 port to this Targus will give you a lot.

    If your going to try the port replicator with Surface RT dont seems the processor will be a problem.

    So more about the Surface Pro.

    Batt life is great about 3hrs plus and the speed for apps is really fast being as the flash drive works well.  With the SD card slot I have 32gb of extra portable storage.

    Cons

    Normally the surface pro runs in scaling at 150% so you know.  The display through my two monitors using the Targus which is normally high res is limited by 1280 X 1024.  Further because of the 150% scaling its like 1024 X 768.  You can fix this by reducing the scaling back to 100% making the surface small but the other two very nice.  Try the Targus I think you will like and dont expect MS to deliver a port replicator as I would have to ask why would they.

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