HDMI splitter

[pJay_94]

 I got two monitors and I'm trying to setup a dual monitor setup with my laptop which only has HDMI port, USB-C port doesn't support the Display out. 

 

So I got ugreen HDMI splitter and turns out it only can use one display at a time. 

 

Can anyone suggest me a HDMI adapter that can support to out display from both ports. 

[AbydosOne]

7 minutes ago, pJay_94 said:

Can anyone suggest me a HDMI adapter that can support to out display from both ports. 

Doesn't exist (practically). HDMI can only support one "display" worth of data at a time; HDMI splitters will just mirror one display onto two (identical) ones.

 

A USB-A to HDMI adapter may fit your needs if you aren't doing anything graphically intense on one of your extra displays.

[jaslion]

What laptop and what splitter?

 

If your device only supports one display out then thats the limit.

 

You can do a usb to hdmi "gpu" as mentioned above which will be cruddy but will give you another screen

[pJay_94]

So what that's not possible with just hdmi, what if USB C port support display out (Display Port) then using a adapter will work right 

@jaslion @AbydosOne

[Needfuldoer]

Was it a splitter, or a switch?

 

24 minutes ago, AbydosOne said:

Doesn't exist (practically). HDMI can only support one "display" worth of data at a time; HDMI splitters will just mirror one display onto two (identical) ones.

Exactly. DisplayPort can daisy-chain independent monitors off of one port, but HDMI can't. 

 

If you want to drive multiple monitors off of one HDMI port, it has to be a scaler that can do tricks like break one 4K image out onto four 1080 monitors.

 

10 minutes ago, pJay_94 said:

So what that's not possible with just hdmi, what if USB C port support display out (Display Port) then using a adapter will work right 

As long as it's a display adapter that doesn't rely on carrying Thunderbolt or something like that, yes. 

 

EDIT: DisplayLink! That's the name! (Thanks, @GuiltySpark_)

 

They work if all you need are more pixels, but don't expect high end gaming performance.

Edited April 16 by Needfuldoer

[jaslion]

1 minute ago, pJay_94 said:

So what that's not possible with just hdmi, what if USB C port support display out (Display Port) then using a adapter will work right 

@jaslion @AbydosOne

If the laptop can do it yes use the usb c displayport. But you said it can't?

 

2 screens over displayport is possible IF AND ONLY IF your display AND device support displayport mst.

[Kid.Lazer]

If you can find one of these devices (discontinued since last year, so probably ebay and the like) it basically tricks your PC into displaying one double-wide screen, then splits it off into 2 separate monitors. The downside being that windows snap features will not respect the screen split.

[pJay_94]

1 minute ago, Needfuldoer said:

Was it a splitter, or a switch?

 

Exactly. DisplayPort can daisy-chain independent monitors off of one port, but HDMI can't. 

 

If you want to drive multiple monitors off of one HDMI port, it has to be a scaler that can do tricks like break one 4K image out onto four 1080 monitors.

 

As long as it's a display adapter that doesn't rely on carrying Thunderbolt or something like that, yes. 

 

They work if all you need are more pixels, but don't expect high end gaming performance.

Nope not for gaming, it's just browser, vscode and visual studio 

[pJay_94]

4 minutes ago, Needfuldoer said:

Was it a splitter, or a switch?

 

Exactly. DisplayPort can daisy-chain independent monitors off of one port, but HDMI can't. 

 

If you want to drive multiple monitors off of one HDMI port, it has to be a scaler that can do tricks like break one 4K image out onto four 1080 monitors.

 

As long as it's a display adapter that doesn't rely on carrying Thunderbolt or something like that, yes. 

 

They work if all you need are more pixels, but don't expect high end gaming performance.

It's a splitter, I just realised once I plug it. 

[GuiltySpark_]

Basic video out, as mentioned above, can be had with DisplayLink based devices. I've had good luck in the past with Plugable's line. These will work with any Type A or C USB 3.0 capable port, it does not need to support video. They're essentially basic "GPU's" that are software driven but for simple text/browsing output they work perfectly fine. I ran the DisplayPort model to a 2560x1600 60Hz display for years.

 

https://plugable.com/collections/usb-graphics-adapters

[AbydosOne]

3 minutes ago, Kid.Lazer said:

If you can find one of these devices (discontinued since last year, so probably ebay and the like) it basically tricks your PC into displaying one double-wide screen, then splits it off into 2 separate monitors. The downside being that windows snap features will not respect the screen split.

That still requires a DisplayPort input. My initial question is "why not just use an DP MST hub and two active DP->HDMI adapters?" The only usecase I see is for Macs, which don't support MST (for some reason)...

 

3 minutes ago, pJay_94 said:

Nope not for gaming, it's just browser, vscode and visual studio 

I'd get a DisplayLink adapter (not a knockoff one). They actually work pretty well for 2D stuff (I can even watch Youtube without issues on mine).

[OddOod]

57 minutes ago, Kid.Lazer said:

The downside being that windows snap features will not respect the screen split

But I bet that FancyZones would be fine

[Nene]

1 hour ago, Kid.Lazer said:

If you can find one of these devices (discontinued since last year, so probably ebay and the like) it basically tricks your PC into displaying one double-wide screen, then splits it off into 2 separate monitors. The downside being that windows snap features will not respect the screen split.

The Quad Head version is still available, though more expensive it can still run in a 2x1 mode

[pJay_94]

1 hour ago, GuiltySpark_ said:

Basic video out, as mentioned above, can be had with DisplayLink based devices. I've had good luck in the past with Plugable's line. These will work with any Type A or C USB 3.0 capable port, it does not need to support video. They're essentially basic "GPU's" that are software driven but for simple text/browsing output they work perfectly fine. I ran the DisplayPort model to a 2560x1600 60Hz display for years.

 

https://plugable.com/collections/usb-graphics-adapters

This is the one I've been looking for... Thanks

[Needfuldoer]

20 hours ago, OddOod said:

But I bet that FancyZones would be fine

FancyZones is invaluable when you have a large or widescreen monitor. I've gotten so used to pinning windows to half my ultrawide by right-clicking while dragging their title bars, that I get momentarily confused when I'm on a machine without it and it doesn't work.

 

The PowerToys suite is full of useful little widgets, it should be installed by default.