dvi montiors on display port

[herm0016]

i have 2 HP V241s that i would like to run off of a single display port. they have dvi-d and vga inputs. we just use these for work, so vga is fine if that is the only way to go. i have an HP zbook that has a single display port dual mode and vga port.

would not mind one spot to plug in the monitors. display port msi box with 2 dvi to display port adapters? or just go for a display port to vga and have vga connectors on both sides of the laptop when in use?


or just buy the docking station and replace it if i get a new work laptop... may be cheaper anyway than a bunch of adapters hodgepodged together.

this would prevent my wife from using it though, as she has a the newer style docking station for her HP.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Honestly, I have no idea if you can drive multiple DP-to-whatever adapter cables/dongles, off of an MST multi-display DP breakout box. I know that a single DP port, can drive multiple (DP) displays, but I don't know if it can drive multiple (non-DP) displays.

 

[thecoolnessrune]

You can indeed use an MST Hub to drive DVI displays. In fact, that's how the Dock for at least the HP zBook G1 works. The Docking connector provides a single Displayport connection that has an internal MST Hub to breakout into 2 Displayport connections on the dock. On my Work Laptop, it goes zBook G1 -> Docking Station -> Displayport to DVI -> 2 HP V241 monitors.

You can do a 2 port MST hub, but at $60-$70, you're already a chunk of change towards the $200 dock, and I'd personally do the dock myself for all the extra ports and functionality.

 

[Seba]

At $200 I would rather buy a new 21.5"-24" / 1920x1080 / 60Hz / IPS panel monitor, with DisplayPort input (and preferable also with HDMI).

And use one of the old TN monitors on VGA.

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Most of the zBooks have VGA ports (they're business laptops after all), and he could do that now without buying anything (except maybe a VGA cable).

 

[herm0016]

Thanks for the help. Yes, I will use VGA for now but would like to use both monitors as I do at my office, I have the laptop open and 2 24 in on display port. So its 400 for new monitors or these for free if i can get the doc or figure something else out. I dont care about quality that much it's just nice to have a lot of space for my job.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[Seba]

Most of the zBooks have VGA ports (they're business laptops after all), and he could do that now without buying anything (except maybe a VGA cable).

He wrote in the first post that his laptop has a VGA and a DisplayPort. And that he has 2 monitors with VGA and DVI inputs. So now he can only connect one monitor (without buying anything).

My reply was in the context of your suggestion to buy that $200 dock, in order to be able to use the 2 monitors he has.

 

[thecoolnessrune]

He wrote in the first post that his laptop has a VGA and a DisplayPort. And that he has 2 monitors with VGA and DVI inputs. So now he can only connect one monitor (without buying anything).

My reply was in the context of your suggestion to buy that $200 dock, in order to be able to use the 2 monitors he has.

My response was not suggesting to buy a $200 dock to use the 2 monitors he has. He can already utilize the 2 monitors he has, as he notes in his OP. He can connect one monitor to VGA, and use a Displayport to DVI cable to connect to his other monitor. He does not need to replace any of his monitors.

He noted that he "would not mind one spot" to plug in the monitors. The suggestion was that yes, he could buy an MST Hub to accomplish that for $60 - $70, or he could purchase a $200 dock that would include not only the MST hub, but make it a "one-stop-shop" for all the connectivity at his desk. I personally find it very useful to be able to have all my USB connectivity, monitors, audio, and power right there at my desk. I go to my meetings, come back, flip a switch, and I'm back with my full setup. But I don't have to purchase my dock. It's provided to me by my company, so your mileage may vary on what you prioritize

But my suggestion was not in regards to using the 2 monitors he has, it was in regards to connecting 2 monitors with a single plug.

 

[herm0016]

Also, I believe I can not drive the laptop monitor when I am using both the display port out and the VGA out without the docking station.... I'll have to test this to confirm. Maybe I can pick up a refurb or used dock.

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Also, I believe I can not drive the laptop monitor when I am using both the display port out and the VGA out without the docking station.... I'll have to test this to confirm. Maybe I can pick up a refurb or used dock.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

There's a couple of variants depending on your model zBook, Generation, and whether or not you have a discrete GPU, but the vast majority of these support 3 displays as the baseline. In some model, displays are broken into 2 groups, 1 group containing the Internal panel and VGA, and a second group containing your Displayports and Dock ports. In those situations, you can have 3 total displays when you only have an iGPU, with a max of 2 displays from any one group. In your case, even in the base configuration, you'd still be covered, with your Internal Panel, Displayport, and VGA Port all functioning, as that would be 2 from Group One, and 1 from Group 2.

If you have discrete GPU in your model, the limit is 4 (NVIDIA) or 6 (AMD) displays.

 

[herm0016]

thanks.

looking in device manager i see a quadro k3100m

 

[thecoolnessrune]

If you have a k3100m, then I believe you have an HP zBook 17 G2. If that's the case, then that is a decently older laptop. The full-feature Docking Station for that model is A7E38AA (230 Watt Advanced Docking Station) and comes with a ton of legacy I/O you probably don't care about (even parallel, serial, and PS2 ports). But on the bonus side it comes with 2 Displayport / DVI-D ports (you can connect 2 DP, 2 DVI, or 1 DP + 1 DVI) built in the dock, along with a smattering of USB 3.0, and 2.0 ports.

Because it's an older dock before HP moved over to Thunderbolt docking, they are very cheap. You can get new docks with a 230 watt Power Adapter to go with it for under $50 on eBay. I'd definitely do that and get the whole one-stop-shop experience before spending $60-$70 on an MST Hub.