MBP and multiple monitors

dav3evans · 21 Oct 2011 at 16:00

I did wonder whether that would work...

MikeHiow · 21 Oct 2011 at 17:44

I've read conflicting information on this, there are definitely some reports that the ATI cards can do more.

Slogan · 24 Oct 2011 at 00:05

That setup looks great, glad you got it working.

kirkster · 26 Oct 2011 at 14:35

MikeHiow said:
Untitled by mikehiow, on Flickr

Sorry, just to recap, how did you connect this up? You have MBP<>D1<>D2 daisychained with TB right? In other words, D2 not connected directly to the MBP, only via D1?
Just confirming....... I want to do something similar.
KS

MikeHiow · 26 Oct 2011 at 14:54

Indeed, Thunderbolt allows you to Daisy Chain TB displays.

lloydsj · 26 Oct 2011 at 16:35

Can you only run dual displays like this if they are TB? or can you get an apple adapter to do it with DVI/VGA monitors?

kirkster · 26 Oct 2011 at 16:43

MikeHiow said:
Indeed, Thunderbolt allows you to Daisy Chain TB displays.

... so that's consuming both TB ports on D1 then right? Is there an A end and a B end for a TB<>TB cable like this or is it identical at both ends?
Thanks, KS

Doug · 26 Oct 2011 at 18:21

Thunderbolt cables are the same on both ends

kirkster · 26 Oct 2011 at 19:58

Doug said:
Thunderbolt cables are the same on both ends

Cool - cheers Doug. And it does indeed consume both TB ports on Display 1 (the panel connected to the MBP)?

KS

MikeHiow · 26 Oct 2011 at 20:08

Each display has one thunderbolt cable and one thunderbolt port.

This is only possible with Thunderbolt displays, although you could theoretically do

Mac -> Thunderbolt Display -> Some other Thunderbolt device -> Mini-Display Port Display (or DVI/HDMI/VGA with an adapter).

You cannot connect a displayport device directly to a TB display, but you can if you put another TB device in between (no idea why it operates like this tbh).

dav3evans · 26 Oct 2011 at 21:33

So people either have to buy another TB display or another TB device ofc =] That being said, the only reason the non TB display is still around is because Mac Pros have no Thunderbolt for the time being. Usually by now the other display would have been taken off the shelves..an frak the guys who already have one.

Doug · 26 Oct 2011 at 22:00

From what I remember of Anand's review of the TB Display, it's down to the controller chip inside the display.

This is the page on multi-monitor, but I'd recommend reading the whole thing

lloydsj · 26 Oct 2011 at 23:37

lloydsj said:
Can you only run dual displays like this if they are TB? or can you get an apple adapter to do it with DVI/VGA monitors?

anyone?

shine · 26 Oct 2011 at 23:39

lloydsj said:
Can you only run dual displays like this if they are TB? or can you get an apple adapter to do it with DVI/VGA monitors?

You can use DVI/VGA, see here:

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18281610&highlight=Matrox

Lowe · 27 Oct 2011 at 13:33

I've had a couple on my desk since release along with a new 17" MBP. I found that they would only work in a certain order, i.e MBP>Display2>Display1. If I swapped the displays around only one would work. Weird.