Cloudship

I know I should know this, but my skills are getting rusty.

I have a laptop, and I want to hook up two monitors to it. It's a Asus Vivobook S10U, if that helps.

I have a HDMI out, two USB 2.0. 1 usb 3.1, and another USB-C 3.1 port. Neither USB 3 support DisplayPort.

Anyone know a way I can connect two monitors? I want to extend the display so don't want to just use a splitter. I can connect 1 through the HDMI, but how can I connect USB 3.1 without the display port?

DenverBrian

It's a question of the ports coming out of your laptop. You have HDMI out, which will handle one of the monitors; and a USB-C port. The other monitor would have to plug in there, and you'd need an adapter to convert the HDMI/DVI/DisplayPort/VGA coming out of that monitor to USB-C.

If your other monitor is also HDMI, something like this should work:

If your other monitor is DisplayPort:
And of course the video card in your laptop has to be able to support multiple monitors.

Cloudship

The problem with those is that they only support DisplayPort out, which I do not have.

DenverBrian

The first one is HDMI out. Take another look.

docbert

These will only work if the laptop supports HDMI/DisplayPort over USB-C (known as DP/HDMI Alternate Mode), which not all laptops do. A quick google search for Vivobook S10U didn't find anything interesting - are you sure that's the right model?

If your laptop doesn't support that, the alternative is to get a USB dongle that is basically a video card in itself (as opposed to just a cable which is basically what the above are), or a docking station that includes one of those - you'll find countless of them on Amazon/etc if you search for "displaylink". Be sure to get something that's USB3.

Cloudship

Sorry, it's a S510U, my typo.

That's the problem I am having trying to figure out - how do I know it can just connect to a general 3.1 USB port. Everything I have found, if I read into it enough, I discover needs Thunderbolt.

MichaelA380

I have done it using one of these: (if you find it too expensive, there are cheaper alternatives).

The two HDMI cables from the two monitors go into the adapter and the other side (cable) of the adapter goes into the USB-C port of your laptop.

My laptop is a Dell, older than your Asus - still, when I plugged the adapter, the system automatically recognised the two additional screens and their optimal resolution and I was done in no time. (With three weeks of home office already behind me and at least as much to still come, this has been a life saviour!)

DenverBrian

Order a few items - direct adapters, the dual HDMI adapter noted above, perhaps even a USB-C universal dock with two video outs - and use what works and return what doesn't.

Search Amazon for "usb-c dock two hdmi" and you'll see some options that might work.

Loren Pechtel

What I'm doing: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...KIKX0DER&psc=1

USB 3.0 here, this is powered from the laptop and thus doesn't need a separate powerpack. I pack it against the top of my laptop, it's survived international travel fine.

StuckInYYZ

HDMI for one...

For another, you can use USB2.0,but you will likely need both ports.. Here is an example...

DenverBrian

Something tells me a 15- or 16-inch monitor that isn't even Full HD would be very...2005...for the OP.

docbert

Best I can work out, that does NOT support HDMI over USB-C.

So instead, just go to Amazon, search for DisplayLink, read the reviews, and buy something. eg, (I'm not recommending that particular one, but it's the type of thing you're after).

Alternatively you could look for a second-hand dock on ebay. I used one of these that I rescued from the e-Waste bin at work and it works great - there seem to be a pile of them on eBay for cheap (search for part numbers 03X6059 or DU9019D1 for this specific one - there's plenty of different models, just make sure it uses a standard USB3 plug, and make sure it comes with a power supply and the USB cable as you'll need both of them. The cable is USB3 type A to USB3 type B so whilst it's a "standard" cable, it's not a common one and thus likely something you won't already have).

As you can see from some of the photos on eBay, these are DisplayLink (there's a sticker on the side to announce that fact!). I only use one of the 2 DVI ports on the back but I believe it supports 2 simultaneously. I use this to run my 3rd monitor which is the one that I use to watch videos on, and it works perfectly. Presuming you're on Windows 10 they are plug-n-play just like all DisplayLink adapters should be.

Cloudship

Therein lied my problem. I was searching for DisplayLink, that of course did not work because I don't have it. I was searching USB 3.1, but that required Thunderbolt or Display Link. But USB 3.0 does not.

As for the monitor - I already have one. The problem is I need a way to get from my computer to it.

StuckInYYZ

Don't recall the OP mentioning purpose so resolution can be debated... Should be fine for most purposes... And doesn't require drivers (have tested a similar model).

That said, there are other models and manufacturers... Here is another from AOC...


The majority of the newer USB monitors tend to be USB-C or thunderbolt and require alt-dp drivers.

LondonElite

One of my clients, who is stuck in SA, just sent me this picture of his makeshift office. Wonder how many adapters he needed!