[23h2] Solutions for multiple monitors?

[ITtech95]

Hi All,

 

This is my first post so forgive me for any rules that I may be breaking.

 

Had a career switch and came into IT approx. 2 years ago. Back then we had desktop units per classroom for the teacher. Over the last 2 years we've got ourselves to a point where now we have "docking monitors" and each staff member has their own laptop. A teacher is expected to go into a room and connect to the docking monitor via USB C and project to the Interactive Panel/Projector via HDMI. As you can imagine, the sheer number of pulling HDMI in and out is causing wear and tear to the port as well as the HDMI. What I'd like is to have 1 USB C which connects to all screens.

 

2 Solutions:

 

-Buy the following docking station to connect all connections, however be prone to it being disconnected and it being "borrowed"

-We have docking monitors which have a "DP out" functionality. I've tried this with a DisplayPort from the Interactive Panel to the docking monitor, however windows doesn't recognise it (even at 30Hz). However it does work for my setup with 2 monitors in the office (maybe length of the 15m cable is the issue)

 

Anyone got any better ideas or tested these ideas out?

 

Thanks

Muazzam

[Rob_D]

What docking stations are you looking at. Some of the more beefy ones like this https://www.dell.com/en-uk/shop/dell-dock-wd19s-130w/apd/210-azbx/docks are less likely to go walkabout and could even be mounted to the underside of the desk to reduce the risk

[ITtech95]

We've had these lying around but they're a bit clunky and expensive:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lenovo-40AS0090UK-ThinkPad-USB-C-Dock/dp/B07XC15PKN/ref=asc_df_B07XC15PKN?mcid=171518b1997a38c1b9cd90d5706cb517&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=697295976404&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5096917330255967129&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006897&hvtargid=pla-932735671091&psc=1&gad_source=1

 

This is what i was looking at and have tested:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/UGREEN-Revodok-Docking-Station-ThinkPad-Space-Grey/dp/B0BY8QNV1C/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2TJO5OMKC8GQA&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.1MK2X4frE-2EGGTDueSa3rK8XPOM-doOyHtEAqumY8A0EQDcnLghy90ijs8nI6Zut6jknColRFUhS30IBNCejdIG7a4vn4PWM4ruKIdq6HEvh4zlTGLXYzOkfIxgk3qbfu-mcDWiPz-1o0xIGmnd4dLAdnHJQYR8tXxYYGOv_Yg6fajn1kCvpA7vIGOZtRdjDIS1IfDzSLR0oDPWGKwFdynUtug0ItFoIr19j5iKpNdtzEFQcIQKqSms_Teqz4-oZMo12ZxXF4NOC7xAyHiGJ6l5Dl4Gk1GczeO7KTgIQKY.Ufz9JIbuHDt3gRi5gsODc-iLWpFPITh_pFl0EPsQ788&dib_tag=se&keywords=ugreen+dock&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1732623408&s=computers&sprefix=ugreen+dock%2Ccomputers%2C64&sr=1-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

 

Problem with these solutions are the extra power needed.

 

The docking monitors we have are great in the office. A single USB c rules them all. If only there were monitors that had a "HDMI out" rather than "DP out". Our rooms currently have HDMI going from the screen/projector to the teachers desk. We have approx. 140 teaching rooms.

[Rob_D]

Have you tried DP>HDMI adapters with the monitors? They're fairly inexpensive and we've had decent success with them.

[Cazab]

Recently changed all classroom desktops to hub monitors and given laptops to staff. We used the Dell P2425HE, with active DP -> HDMI adaptors to ensure signal passed on strong enough to the interactive screen.

We then supply guidance on setting the monitor and interactive screen to mirror each other so you have the laptop as screen one, then the monitor & interactive screen mirroring each other.

For most staff working well, just the usual who struggle to get used to it or just don't wan to learn

[ITtech95]

We've got Phillips Brilliance 241B's. I've tried using amazon cheapo DP -> HDMI adapters. Maybe the junk I've bought is of inferior quality. Can you both send me a link to the stuff you're using please? @Rob_D @Cazab

[browolf]

We get dell ones from @ICTDirect_Dave

 

the cheaper ones WD15 with only hdmi and vga are ideal for classrooms as they only need an hdmi for promethean boards. We had to get better ones WD19s for admin staff who have 2 monitors that don't have vga ports any more.

 

90% of the classrooms/users have one of these

Edited November 26, 2024 by browolf

[Rob_D]

We use unbranded HDMI to DP cables to the wall plate for our IWB connections (I got them through our MSP and they're just listed as "DP/HDMI cable, 2m, black"). They work fine, but we've only got 3-5m runs to the board, so I can't say how they'd handle longer runs.

 

To be honest, we use desktops in classrooms, I just have a bunch of stuff from when we looked into laptops and hubs. Never looked at monitors with built in hubs.

[ITtech95]

Appreciate everyone's responses. I think I need to get a quality DP to HDMI connector because our main HDMI run is approx. 15m in length.

[synaesthesia]

15m is too much for a decent HDMI connection for anything over 1080p without spending silly amounts of highly shielded cable or fiber cable.

Check the settings on the hub monitor, you need to enable passthrough - it's usually called MST.

[CHiLL]

We converted all our classrooms at the turn of this calendar year to USB-C docks, specifically using the "HP USB-C Essential Dock G5". They've been very solid for us and have been a set and forget solution, with every classroom designed to work the same for all the teachers. Some things we've learned along the way:

 

• If your projector/interactive TV is a HDMI run, it should be no longer than 10m on a normal HDMI cable. Any longer and they should be active/optic cables.
  
• If your display is an interactive TV, depending on the HDMI cabling spec, you may need to adjust the EDID on the TV to specify HDMI 1.4. Ours were trying to default to HDMI 2.0 and the HDMI wall box converters are not rated for that, only HDMI 1.4 quality (don't Google the price of HDMI 2.0 wall adapters from the likes of Vision, you may have a heart attack).
  
• USB-C works most of the time, though we have encountered a couple of situations where upgrading the firmware on either the dock itself or the USB-C laptop sorted some issues, such as power and Ethernet working, but no display.
  
• We had more success with BENFI HDMI to VGA adapters than DP to VGA adapters we had, when connecting the dock to VGA projector runs
  

[Chris_Cook]

Recently changed all classroom desktops to hub monitors and given laptops to staff. We used the Dell P2425HE, with active DP -> HDMI adaptors to ensure signal passed on strong enough to the interactive screen.

We then supply guidance on setting the monitor and interactive screen to mirror each other so you have the laptop as screen one, then the monitor & interactive screen mirroring each other.

For most staff working well, just the usual who struggle to get used to it or just don't wan to learn

 

Out of interest, do you know what cables you have to get this working on that monitor - I have one at home, but never managed to get the MST to work.

 

 

For HDMI 10m and over, I'd recommend the AOC HDMI over fiber cables. They seem pretty reliable for us. each connection on a copper HDMI cable adds about 1m of cable effectively and 10m is about the limit.

[dapaulio]

Have you tried DP>HDMI adapters with the monitors? They're fairly inexpensive and we've had decent success with them.

 

Just a word of warning over some cheaper adapters from the likes of Amazon etc. We moved two schools to docks and laptops and the adapters were causing graphic sync issues causing the displays to flicker on and off. Removed the adapter out of the dock and fixed it completely.

 

Dock firmware update and display link driver did lessen the symptoms but would still become symptomatic.

[Brixy]

There are adaptors that allow magnetic connections to USB port (I use one on my phone). If wear and tear is the issue it might be worth testing if switching to a magnetic connection helps. One complication is if you want to try this option you will need to ensure the connection also allows data to pass through (many only support charging). I guess the other issue would be getting all users to switch to this method (which will probably prove problematic unless you can offer both methods via some splitter option). Edited December 3, 2024 by Brixy