3 external Monitors on HP Elite x2 1012 G2?

[Linus3]

Hi

I have the HP Elite x2 1012 G2 with the HP Elite 90W Thunderbolt 3 Dock. Is it possible to connect 3 external displays to the dock using the 2xDisplayports + Thunderbolt port?

Ive gotten it to work using 2xDisplayports + VGA but want a digital signal on all the displays and not the analog that VGA gives.

Is this possible? I have no way atm to test it "live".

//L

[David_J_W]

There doesn't look like there is an inexpensive way of doing this with the dock you have.

The user guide for the dock says that the Thunderbolt 3 port is only for Thunderbolt devices, so by that I presume it has no DisplayPort alternate mode on that port. If that is the true position you can't use an inexpensive USB-C to DisplayPort adapter.

Depending on the resolution of the monitors you might be able to use a DisplayPort hub on one of the DisplayPorts, though that is a moderately pricey device. I cannot guarantee it will work if you buy a DisplayPort hub.

The later Thunderbolt Dock G2 has two DisplayPorts and a USB-C port that has DisplayPort alternate mode support, so you can have three DisplayPorts with an inexpensive passive adapter. It has an entirely separate Thunderbolt port as well as a VGA port.

[Linus3]

Thanks for the answer!

I guess the easiest way then is to connect the "less used" display to the VGA-port and the others to the 2 displayports in order to use 3 external displays.

I guess thats the way to go with this dock then?

//Linus

[David_J_W]

Using the VGA port for the least used display is the easiest way, though I hate running digital capable displays in analog mode as I find the noise in the picture annoying. I spend much of my life sat behind a pair of 4K 30 bit colour critical displays that are hardware calibrated so I notice the slightest issues with lesser displays. Most people are way less picky about displays than I am.

My gut feeling would have been to try the DisplayPort hub option, ideally ordering from a source that will give you a free or inexpensive return. However, a bit of Googling discovered a third option - there is an inexpensive Thunderbolt 3 display adapter available from StarTech - see this (click). I have no idea how good the adapter is and whether it will work downstream of a Thunderbolt dock, but it might be worth investigating further. StarTech produce some really good products, though I've no experience with this one. I would contact them directly to see whether this adapter is suitable for your setup.

[Linus3]

I agree with you about running digital displays on VGA, i also tend to dislike the blury picture it gives compared to the other displays.

As im quite new to this could you explain the difference with an active / passive adapter? I need an active adapter for this to work i guess?

//L

[David_J_W]

Now that you ask, I realise I wrote passive unthinkingly. A DisplayPort to HDMI adapter is passive - all that means is that there are no electronics inside the adapter. I'm not sure whether there are no electronics in a USB-C DisplayPort alternate mode adapter to DisplayPort adapter, or whether there are some very simple electronics. What I was thinking of - and what matters here - was "inexpensive".

If the Thunderbolt port on the dock had DisplayPort alternate mode support, the easiest route to a third DisplayPort would be an inexpensive (and possibly passive, not that that matters) USB-C DisplayPort alternate mode to DisplayPort adapter. As the documentation suggests that won't work, I think the best option is to investigate the Thunderbolt display adapter. If that proves unviable or it is critical that all the monitors are on the system GPU (which I doubt will be the case with the Thunderbolt adapter), try a DisplayPort hub.

Before doing anything else - has any of the monitors got a downstream DisplayPort, which might be identified as DisplayPort Out? If so, you might be able to connect one of the monitors to that downstream port, so you will only need the two DisplayPorts on the dock.

If it was down to me, VGA ports would disappear; I'd far rather have another DisplayPort. If VGA is needed, you can always use an inexpensive DisplayPort to VGA adapter or cable. The same is true if a mini DisplayPort, HDMI or DVI port is needed - there are inexpensive adapters and cables to meet all these requirements from a DisplayPort.

Unfortunately business users still have some VGA only monitors and projectors, also digital capable monitors and projectors that are only cabled for VGA because of the difficulty and expense of installing digital video cabling, so there is still a demand for VGA ports on docks. The number of VGA only installations still in use is decreasing as hardware is replaced and installations are upgraded but it will be some time before manufacturers can produce legacy free docks without receiving complaints.

[Linus3]

I tried my travel hub that has a VGA port into the Thunderbolt on the dock, and that didnt work. So i guess the thunderbolt port on the dock is out of the question.

Found a quite cheap Displayport Splitter, ~60$, that could work though. Says it can handle both mirrored and extended desktops.

[David_J_W]

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@Linus3 wrote:

I tried my travel hub that has a VGA port into the Thunderbolt on the dock, and that didnt work. So i guess the thunderbolt port on the dock is out of the question.

Found a quite cheap Displayport Splitter, ~60$, that could work though. Says it can handle both mirrored and extended desktops.

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It's always worth testing with what you already have. The failure of the travel hub's VGA port to work on the dock's Thunderbolt port tends to supports my belief that there is no DisplayPort alternate mode support on that port.

That leaves the DisplayPort hub option - the sort of device you mention - or the Thunderbolt Display Adapter. I cannot guarantee either will work, but these are worth investigating further.

[Linus3]

Thanks for all the help, guess it saved me a couple of bucks 🙂

[Lumber-jack]

I just happen to have multiple docks and decided to try using two at once and was able to drive 3 24"monitors including the Elitex2 laptop (total of 4 screens).  I ran monitors with 2 HP USB docks and also with a travel dock (not powered). I don't think it matter how many monitors, rather what the total resolution is for video card.

I also have a HP G3 and was able to run two 27" at 1440 x 2560  and a 24". I believe both laptops have same video card processor. 

https://store.hp.com/us/en/pdp/hp-usb-c-universal-dock