Comments on: 2009 will be the year of DisplayLink

By: All the week’s reviews | PC Pro blog

All the week’s reviews | PC Pro blog — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 17:05:28 +0000

[...] On the subject of screens, the oddly named Village Tronic ViBook arrived to extend the life of our old office TFTs. It attaches to the back and converts any display to work over DisplayLink – essentially USB – to run multiple monitors without the need for multiple video outputs. Will 2009 be the year of DisplayLink? [...]

By: David Bayon

David Bayon — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:41:53 +0000

It's basically down to drivers, so there's no reason why Macs shouldn't benefit too. There are beta Mac drivers available here, albeit currently without support for any 3D acceleration. As for the resolution, currently over USB 2.0 most products I've seen are limited to 1,600 x 1,200 or 1,680 x 1,050, so this covers the majority of monitors up to 22in. When USB 3.0 arrives that will obviously rise.

By: Nick

Nick — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:20:02 +0000

So it’d work on a mac mini or similar? Is there a maximum resolution that can be used?

By: David Bayon

David Bayon — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:24:38 +0000

@Nick:
They’re totally different things – the beauty of DisplayLink is that it’s not a new connector like DisplayPort, and it doesn’t need a compatible graphics card at all.

A monitor with DisplayLink built-in – which all of the big brands are now selling – simply runs from any free USB port on your PC or laptop, which is why it’s so liberating. If the term DisplayLink is confusing, just think of it as essentially a USB monitor.

The optional adapter is simply for converting older TFTs, should you so wish. You won’t need one if your next monitor has a port built-in, which will become the norm over the next year without most people even noticing.

By: Nick

Nick — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 17:15:58 +0000

Is this DisplayLink the same as DisplayPort?

If not, what’s the point? There are no graphics cards or monitors seemingly using either (except Apple). It all screams a deliberate effort to sell expensive “adaptors”.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 13:29:35 +0000

I think it will take off with the public.

All 36 of them who will actually find it useful, that is.