USB display adapters - anyone used them?

Forums › Desktop computing › USB display adapters - anyone used them?

CapBBeard

211 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 14

#148783 30-Jun-2014 22:43

Hey all,

I've been asked to help someone out with getting a second monitor - usually no biggie but in this case they have one of those all in one machines, with absolutely no IO for a second display, argh!

So this leaves me looking at USB adapters, which are all of dubious quality or aren't available locally.

Has anyone here used them? Are there any decent ones available locally?

The PC is running Win8 and does have USB3 which is handy. It is an office machine so I'm not expecting the world performance wise, I just want something robust (doesn't fail after sleep mode etc), and able to output 1920 x 1080.

Any recommendations either for or against specific products would be appreciated!

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
80665 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 41106

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#1077456 30-Jun-2014 23:10

Used a 7" Mimo Monitor before on my Windows 7 laptop - it worked pretty well as a secondary display. They only have 7" and 10" models though, you'd have to go somewhere else to find larger ones.

Referral links: Quic Broadband (free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE) | Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies

Support Geekzone by subscribing (browse ads-free), or making a one-off or recurring donation through PressPatron.

sbaird

81 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 3

#1077457 30-Jun-2014 23:10

Used one of these before
http://www.digitus.info/en/products/multimedia/video/usb-graphic-adapter/r-graphic-adapter-usb-20-to-dvi-da-70834/
It worked OK in windows XP
But sometimes after restarting wouldn't detect the monitor, stopped using it because of this,

Dynamic

4017 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1853

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1077482 30-Jun-2014 23:46

These devices all seem to have the same DisplayLink chip/software inside them. The early ones were a bit flakey and could basically not handle any video, but the newer ones are not too bad and the USB3 models will handle up to 720p video OK.

In NZ search for the Unitek brand you should find them easily available. The Auckland-based distributor that we buy from normally has plenty in stock.

Sample Google Search: https://www.google.co.nz/webhp?q=unitek+usb+dvi#cr=countryNZ&q=unitek+usb+dvi&tbs=ctr:countryNZ

“Don't believe anything you read on the net. Except this. Well, including this, I suppose.” Douglas Adams

timmmay

20860 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 5350

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1077556 1-Jul-2014 07:56

I used a USB 2 model a few years back. Screen updates were a bit slow, and color depth was lower than native. I have a USB 3.0 model here at work, but I haven't plugged it in yet.

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9996

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#1077560 1-Jul-2014 08:01

I've got one that I got off Aliexpress for around $40 or so last year for an XP machine but the software doesn't support XP and I've been unable to get it working.

I'll try and check the stats but I'm pretty sure it was one that was USB3 compatible. If you were interested in it for testing I could send it to you and if you wanted it I'd sell it for $20 just to get some money back.

nathan

5695 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1630
Inactive user

#1077581 1-Jul-2014 08:47

they work but they are not perfect, make sure you get the latest drivers http://www.displaylink.com/

Geekzone support

Support Geekzone with one-off or recurring donations Donate via PressPatron.

trig42

5891 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2096

ID Verified

#1077642 1-Jul-2014 10:44

We use the Digitus ones on the odd machine here, usually no issues. Sometimes the second display doesn't turn on (about 4 times a year?), just unplugging and replugging the USB sorts it. No probel with full resolution if you get the 1080 ones.

1101

3141 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1143

#1077672 1-Jul-2014 10:59

Ive setup a couple of the the newer USB3 types, & an older USB2 type .

- Looking in the win log/event viewer, I can see it causing some crashes. But I told the client this sort of thing
is a best effort only & there may be some issues

- Windows Updates can break it :-( , windows update occasionally updates the driver, then it stops working.
Easy fix, just roll back to the original driver

raytaylor

4076 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1296

Trusted

#1079768 4-Jul-2014 09:21

I have one from jaycar which is Displaylink based.
When I upgraded from winxp to win7 earlier this year, it started coming up with a message on startup saying the driver is incompatible with my grapics card. I gave up using it.

I used to run 3 screens (one being the tv) and now i just have a Y adaptor on the vga output and mirror it to the TV

Ray Taylor

There is no place like localhost

Spreadsheet for Comparing Electricity Plans Here