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August 27th, 2021 14:00

Dual monitors using only USB (NOT USB-C)

I have a XPS 9560.  The USB-C port needs repaired.  Until I can get it repaired is there anyway to use 2 external monitors using the standard USB port?

thank you in advance. 

4 Operator

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14K Posts

August 27th, 2021 14:00

@SeptemberC  Yes.  Here is a dual DisplayPort adapter that allows dual 4K 60 Hz displays.  Here is a less expensive dual HDMI adapter that allows up to one 4K 30 Hz and one 1080p 60 Hz display.  Note however that video over regular USB relies on "indirect display" technology such as DisplayLink -- not to be confused with DisplayPort.  That can have some drawbacks compared to using native GPU outputs such as USB-C or the system's built-in HDMI output.  I wrote about those in the post marked as the answer in this thread.

August 28th, 2021 21:00

Thank you fir the quick reply.  Your first suggestion sent me to a link that uses USB-C which is faulty on my machine at the moment which Is why I posted the question originally.  I have a DisplayPort adapter but as I recall when I plugged both monitors into it only one of the monitors worked. I will test this again tomorrow.  

4 Operator

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14K Posts

August 29th, 2021 14:00

@SeptemberC   I apologize, that first link is a DisplayLink adapter, but it does in fact use USB-C.  There are however equivalents that will plug into a USB-A port.  In terms of your DisplayPort adapter, I'm not sure what adapter you have or how you plugged both displays into it, but if you did that by running a daisy chain (assuming your displays support that) and therefore being able to run both displays from a single DisplayPort output, then it's possible that the adapter you're using does not support DisplayPort MST from its output.  That is required for daisy chaining, but it is an optional feature of DisplayPort outputs.  I know for example that the Dell D6000 dock, which uses DisplayLink technology, does not support daisy chaining from its DisplayPort outputs.

August 29th, 2021 17:00

 

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 this is what I have been using.  I would appreciate any suggestions on how to run 2 external monitors using USB-A.

4 Operator

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14K Posts

August 29th, 2021 22:00

@SeptemberC  I'm not entirely sure what that is.  Can you perhaps look for a model name/number to post instead of a photo?  As for suggestions, I already posted an adapter that plugged into USB-A and gave you dual HDMI outputs.  Here is one that plugs into USB-A and gives you dual DisplayPort outputs.  If these suggestions won't work for you, then you'll need to be more specific about what you actually need.  Not all external monitors are the same in terms of resolutions, available inputs, etc.  So when asking for product recommendations, it helps to provide those sorts of details.

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