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DisplayLink Releases Mac Drivers for USB Monitors

by , 3:50 PM EDT, April 8th, 2008

DisplayLink announced on Tuesday that they have posted the beta of drivers to support multiple monitors, via USB, on any Intel Mac. The DisplayLink technology is used to support, for example, multiple displays with the DisplayLink USB port built-in or standard monitors that have a DVI to USB adapter added.

The key benefits of the Mac beta drivers include:

  • Add up to 4 additional monitors to any Intel Mac through just USB. Even a Mac Mini can have 4 additional monitors for a total of 5.
  • Dock your MacBook: use a USB docking station to connect your monitor and all peripherals to your Mac with a USB docking stations. Great for a MacBook Air with limited ports.
  • Very easy to use: just install the driver and then it's plug-and-display.
  • Manage and configure using the standard Mac OS X System Preferences.
  • Supports all DisplayLink USB devices including USB graphics adapters, USB monitors, USB docking stations, and USB projectors.
  • Free download from displaylink.com.

The drivers will work with displays, such as the Samsung 2263DX, announced at CES and now shipping, with the DisplayLink USB connector already installed or with any standard monitor with a DVI to USB adapter. Such an adapter is available from, for example, Kensington, IOGEAR and Sewell Direct for about US$100.00, according to DisplayLink. In case of the Samsung monitor, the second, moveable 7 inch display is connected using the DisplayLink technology and requires no additional power supply.

"Samsung is now the world's leading manufacturer of LCD displays for the PC market, and DisplayLink is helping them stay at the forefront of innovation with our one-of-a-kind USB display technology," said Dennis Crespo, executive vice president of marketing and business development for DisplayLink.


Samsung 2263DX 22-in display includes the DisplayLink technology

Observer Comments

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Close Name:Tiger Posts: 1013 Joined: 17 Jun 2003
Tue Apr 08, 2008 4:21 pm Subject: big question...

Will it work with existing USB to VGA adapters (USB 2.0)?

I have one, has never worked with a Mac. This could give it life!


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Close Name:Guest
Tue Apr 08, 2008 4:30 pm Subject: Great for MacBook Air?

"Great for a MacBook Air with limited ports."

??? Why tie up your only USB with a monitor when it already has a video out!??


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Close Name:Guest
Tue Apr 08, 2008 5:02 pm Subject: Works well

Quote
??? Why tie up your only USB with a monitor when it already has a video out!??


you can use the video out, plus a USB hub and 3 or display link adaptors and still plug your external Hard drive in the fourth port of the hub.
you now have 4 additional displays and 1.08TB of storage.


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Close Name:Guest
Tue Apr 08, 2008 5:57 pm Subject: Display ratio?

Is it split across the displays or does it offer more than 1600x 1040? Competing brands are still splitting the difference which decreases any gain.


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Close Name:Guest
Wed Apr 09, 2008 8:57 am Subject:

Yes, that is all true. But that situation does not support the "Great for limited ports" theory. Your setup is true for any notebook that only has one video out. Do you know of a notebook with two or more video outputs? When they talk about "limited ports" on the MBA they are obviously referring to the lack of additional USB or any Firewire. So how does their USB (non-hub) product help? What makes your setup work is the hub, not their product.

Quote
Guest wrote:
Quote
??? Why tie up your only USB with a monitor when it already has a video out!??


you can use the video out, plus a USB hub and 3 or display link adaptors and still plug your external Hard drive in the fourth port of the hub.
you now have 4 additional displays and 1.08TB of storage.


 Reply | Quote
Close Name:Guest
Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:59 am Subject: Re: Display ratio?

It seems to offer the same as a normal graphics card - that is you get an /additional/ 1600x1200 pixels per connection to play with.

>But that situation does not support the "Great for limited ports" theory

It's not about reducing the number of ports, it's about reperposing a common expansion port to add monitors. The Air has one DVI and one USB, if apple were on board they could have used two USB in the same space and the Air would be more flexiable for most users. The mini is worse - it has one VGA/DVI port - how to add a second display here?


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