garageCube

[B3Bear]

I haven't found any mention USB graphics cards so hopefully this is new. So I bought a little USB box for $40 off eBay that you just plug into your mac and it adds it as a display! It outputs DVI, HDMI or VGA and works great. So, using it along with my built in MiniDP output, I'm now outputting two videos feeds, using the Advanced Output Setup (unlike the expensive matrox dual/tripleheadtogo solution) off my iMac for $40! You can supposedly add up to 4 of these USB displays so that would be 5 including your MiniDP. I can even run it across the room with a cheap USB cable, and prob even run it off a hub, so you could maybe even run one USB cable across a hall to a hub then out to up to 4 projectors.

The exact model I bought is the "DisplayLink USB to DVI 165". Note, I've only tested using my setup described, but I assume it would work if you added 3 more.

http://www.displaylink.com/support/mac_downloads.php

Hope that helps!

[VjKg]

What is the latency? What is the resolution? These have been around for years, maybe they are getting better but I doubt I would use it for work I with my name on it.


I am excited about ViDock. They are working on a thunderbolt version.

http://www.villageinstruments.com/tiki-index.php?page=ViDock

Also since Thunderbolt supports 2 monitors I am waiting for Matrox to come out with a daisy chain-able Triple Head2go.

[B3Bear]

...maybe they are getting better but I doubt I would use it for work I with my name on it.

K, well it does happen. It seems to work fine to me. The max resolutions is 1920 X 1080 60Hz but I'm using it at 1280 x 1024 60Hz.

I did a little A/B test. In Advanced Output I created two overlapping outputs, so they're sending the same image. In this first vid the Plasma is connected through the DisplayLink via a 20 ft USB cable. The projection on the right is coming from MiniDP to DVI.

http://youtu.be/41rvzMYvRtY?hd=1

Is this second video, they're switched. Plasma is connected via MiniDP to HDMI. Projector is the DiplayLink via 20ft USB. In both cases the resolution is 1024 x768 60HZ

http://youtu.be/oSqtvrVxaRg?hd=1


For $40 I'm very happy with the results, but I've only been using it a few days. Also like I said I've only tested just the one USB output, so I'd try adding them one at a time and not spent $ on four at once. Shipping was free anyway.

[Lupin]

wait and see , Villageinstrument has realeased Vidock devices to add graphic cards to the laptop . the express 34 version is currently sold though a thunderbolt version is planned .

http://www.villageinstruments.com/tiki-index.php?page=ViDock

with a TH2GO and a ViDOCK theoretically you could have 6 outputs (actually 4 independent outputs)

[B3Bear]

K, but those are like hundreds of $.

At the least, this seems like a cheap alternative to the DualHead2Go solution, also opening up the Advanced Output Setup to a whole new world of customers that have iMacs, MacBook or Mac Mini. So if you have plenty of $ and are a serious videophile, professional VJ or whatever, this may not be a good solution for you. For everyone else, I hope this info was useful. It wasn't that long ago I was trying to figure out how I was gonna output another display from my iMac, until I read the modul8 manual and saw the matrox DualHead2Go solution and thought that was my only option.

[vanakaru]

It seems that we thought that you want output quality video signal. If you want to try cheap and crappy there are USB to VGA adapters.
like this
http://www.google.com/products/catalog? ... ps-sellers

[B3Bear]

Well this one has HDMI and DVI out and can output HD resolution, and like I said I'm happy with the $40 I spent. God I hate forums. hehe

[VjKg]

...maybe they are getting better but I doubt I would use it for work I with my name on it.

K, well it does happen. It seems to work fine to me. The max resolutions is 1920 X 1080 60Hz but I'm using it at 1280 x 1024 60Hz.

I did a little A/B test. In Advanced Output I created two overlapping outputs, so they're sending the same image. In this first vid the Plasma is connected through the DisplayLink via a 20 ft USB cable. The projection on the right is coming from MiniDP to DVI.

http://youtu.be/41rvzMYvRtY?hd=1

Is this second video, they're switched. Plasma is connected via MiniDP to HDMI. Projector is the DiplayLink via 20ft USB. In both cases the resolution is 1024 x768 60HZ

http://youtu.be/oSqtvrVxaRg?hd=1


For $40 I'm very happy with the results, but I've only been using it a few days. Also like I said I've only tested just the one USB output, so I'd try adding them one at a time and not spent $ on four at once. Shipping was free anyway.

Your videos are private. How does it handle multiple layers? How does it handle transformer? We are not saying this product does not work. What we are saying is with our years of experience we doubt it would work as well as the other options. Even with the fastest MacBook Pro, a Modul8 license, and a TH2GO the cost is $20,000 less then option as powerful in the past.

I'd like to view the Demos can you unlock or give the code.

[Lupin]

So do I i'd love to see your benchmarking videos . how does it behave with a 10 layers comp?

[B3Bear]

How does it handle multiple layers? How does it handle transformer? We are not saying this product does not work. What we are saying is with our years of experience we doubt it would work as well as the other options.

I never said, or implied that it did, and agree with you there. Listen guys, I'm not trying to sell anyone anything and was just trying to be helpful and put this out there as an option, but I've got a project to work on and could really care less who uses what equipment. Next time I feel like sharing a Tip or Trick I'll probably just take a break instead. I will say that I thought that layers and effects are rendered by the software and then outputted to your graphics adapter? I didn't realize layers and effects are affected by your graphics card in modul8?

Anyway, is seems to serve my purpose and again I'm happy with my $40 investment, plus it's smaller, and I can use advanced output. I saves at least $250 and was able to put that toward buying modul8. In the manual, they imply that the matrox solution is the only way to do multi diplays on laptop or imac. If they mentioned this solution, they'd probably sell more software.

The vids are public now. I had uploaded from my iPhone as "unlisted" but there was a problem with that. Long story. Here are the links again for those that hate to scroll...

http://youtu.be/41rvzMYvRtY?hd=1
http://youtu.be/oSqtvrVxaRg?hd=1

[VjKg]

Again we are not trying to be mean or dismissive. From the example videos there seems to be a delay. It may be the inherent delay from the projector (beamer). The main advantage of this type of setup is projecting different images on multiple displays. If you need to have the same image on 2 displays a VGA splitter can work. With that option a powered Distribution Amplifier will work better but an unpowered splitter will work and can be found for $7.


http://www.google.com/products/catalog?client=safari&rls=en&q=vga+splitter+amplifier&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=12303765437694060195&sa=X&ei=Fl1NTpeLNYWt0AHA6uDoBg&ved=0CFAQ8wIwAA#ps-sellers

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?client=safari&rls=en&q=vga+splitter&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=8322069243081851208&sa=X&ei=Ql1NTvjeL4Lh0QHbm93lBg&ved=0CEwQ8wIwAA#ps-sellers

[B3Bear]

I never said this was the best option, only a cheap option. And you are being dismissive, and this is the first time you've mentioned that.

A 50 ms delay doesn't bother me for my purpose. I can't even see the delay unless I slow down the video. And if the displays weren't right next to each other I seriously doubt anyone could ever tell.

If your running Gaga's next tour maybe use something else. But if it's Ralph and Ester's 50th Anniversary in Banquet Room B at the Airport Hilton, it might just be fine.

Seems like if you were using two USB Adaptors, the delay would be the same and the monitors would match up (unless the delay is actually the projector like you said). And my videos show the same image on both displays for comparison. That's what A/B testing means. Obviously I can send them different images when I want. I'm using the Advanced Output Setup, which as I mentioned I wouldn't be able to do with a $250 Matrox DH2G.

[VjKg]

Thanks you for testing and reporting on a inexpensive solution that works on a Mac and with Modul8.

This forum is unlike most. I find the civility here to be most comforting compared to others like it. Tone and intent are often hard to distinguish in text on a website.

I would suggest that even if your solution is good enough for Ralph and Ester's 50th Anniversary in Banquet Room B at the Airport Hilton that you never know who may be a guest in at the party that might be able to give your career as a visualist a boost. Maybe even the staff of the Hilton, as they see hundreds of these things a year. Good luck with your work and I hope you can see I was not trying to say anything about you. I was trying to let you know that your solution may work now for immediate needs but as your visuals grow and your opportunities to make money increase that this type of product may be a weakest link in your setup.

[B3Bear]

Well I'm happy to say that my new 8 core Mac Pro was shipped today so I guess I'll never find out.

[leolodreamland]

The exact model I bought is the "DisplayLink USB to DVI 165".

hey these guys are too spoilt with high end equipment to try anything interesting and new. i think your post was ace, keep em coming. you might want to look at vdmx which just released integrated support for displaylink hardware... syphon the output of modul8 into it and have some fun.
http://www.vidvox.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=6309