Kensington starts shipping DisplayLink Dual Monitor Adapter

Kensington has been touting its DisplayLink Dual Monitor Adapter since before it even had a product to show off, but the company's now apparently finally gotten its act together and pushed the device out the door. Like similar devices, this one will let you add a second monitor with nothing more than a USB connection, or up to six monitors if you want to string a bunch of the adapters together. You still won't get more than a 1440 x 900 or 1280x 1024 resolution, however, but thanks to those recently released drivers, you will now be able to use it with Macs in addition to XP or Vista-based PCs. Unfortunately, as is often the case, the price has taken a bit of a jump since the company's initial estimates, with it now running $120 instead of the even $100 we were first promised.

[Flashpoint @ Jun 3rd 2008 1:46PM]

Great, now I can put my G5 next to my Hewlett PAckard quad Core.

Now you see CRYSIS....

Now you see iMovie.

[wes @ Jun 3rd 2008 1:51PM]

you just used every cliche that makes engadget suck

1) referencing crysis in EVERY article

2) talking about mac in a non mac article

3) breathing

[Craig @ Jun 3rd 2008 1:58PM]

@wes, this device has everything to do with Macs. Anybody can drive two displays with a PC, but it's not so easy with an iMac or Mac Mini.

[wes @ Jun 3rd 2008 2:12PM]

@Craig how do you figure? they SELL their products with up to 4 monitors standard. how does that make this article mac related? b/c it says mac once?

[DB @ Jun 3rd 2008 3:52PM]

@Craig

agreed. for some reason i see DVI relating to macs more than PCs

[DigDug @ Jun 3rd 2008 1:50PM]

The frame rates on the devices out very very poor. I'm talking about they aren't even worth viewing power points on.

[Brett @ Jun 3rd 2008 9:07PM]

that's correct, USB hasn't the bandwidth, these devices are a waste of time ... I tried one (different brand, but still SLOW USB 2.0 is not for video!)

[Will @ Jun 4th 2008 5:46AM]

Yeah like I know that there is no point buying a BMW 420 because in 1980 my Renault 4 van could barely make 80Mph on the motorway.

These devices are not dumb cable converters - you can't analyse this device by looking at another device from a diffrent company without knowing what is under the hood, equally there is much cleverness in the drivers, and new drivers will be much better than crusty drivers from a year ago.

[warpzero @ Jun 9th 2008 6:01AM]

Actually this isn't true at all. These aren't like the old USB to VGA adapters that have been sold in the past. These have the new DisplayLink chipset in them.

I use one every day at work (Samsung 940UX) and it's more than fast enough. It can play full-screen DVDs too.

[jtc970 @ Jun 3rd 2008 1:55PM]

What market are they aiming for?
Desktop? A more capable video card is cheaper.
Laptop? Who is lugging an extra monitor around?

Unless they're going for the "I have more money than you" crowd, I don't get it

[TavisJohn @ Jun 3rd 2008 2:43PM]

I suspect they are going for the:
"I want more monitors and I have no idea what a screwdriver is!"
"I have 2 internal slots and they are used, and I want more monitors!"
"I want more monitors and I am lazy!:
crowds. ;)

[Paul Rivers @ Jun 3rd 2008 3:45PM]

Desktop

[Paul Rivers @ Jun 3rd 2008 5:08PM]

Desktop
- I want another monitor, but I don't have admin right and the it guy just babbles on about how a 2nd monitor is non-approved hardware. As if I'm going to bring down the network with a 2nd **monitor**. (Yes, this has been a "concern" where I've worked.)
- I have one of those compact desktops, and I don't have any slots left

Laptop
- I want a 2nd or 3rd monitor for the 90% of the time my laptop is on my desk. This is my situation exactly.
- I want a 2nd or 3rd monitor because my laptop is always on my desk (my company gave me a laptop - what do you want me to do?).

I could probably think of more...

[Chris H. @ Jun 3rd 2008 1:58PM]

Anybody knows if this would work succesfully with a wireless usb adaptor? Makig the monitor wireless, or am I mixing apples and oranges?

[StealthMonkey @ Jun 3rd 2008 2:05PM]

Give me 1680x1050 or shove it.

[warpzero @ Jun 9th 2008 5:59AM]

Other vendors sell 1680x1050 versions. Check out: http://www.displaylink.com/shop

EVGA have one for instance: http://www.evga.com/articles/409.asp

[Jim @ Jun 3rd 2008 2:10PM]

What is this good for?

What about a work PC where people aren't allowed to open them to install a dual head video card?

[Shane @ Jun 3rd 2008 2:11PM]

These things typically suck ass. There is a lag on the extra monitor and the color is really bad, at least on the one I tried (different brand).

[Daniel @ Jun 3rd 2008 2:15PM]

here you go StealthMonkey

http://www.evga.com/articles/409.asp

[Kevin @ Jun 3rd 2008 2:18PM]

http://www.evga.com/products/moreInfo.asp?pn=100-U2-UV16-A1&family=USB

EVGA has one of these with a better resolution and cheaper. I can't imagine a very competative market for these where multiple high priced USB VGA adapters can survive, but meh

-Kevin

[balls @ Jun 3rd 2008 2:34PM]

@wes

You're an idiot...

[balls @ Jun 3rd 2008 2:35PM]

sorry, that was a reply to the first comment... ugh.

[Dennis @ Jun 3rd 2008 3:01PM]

yea... balls huh....

[Able-X @ Jun 3rd 2008 4:05PM]

Something like this would be great for my mac mini. For whatever lame reason apple disabled the ability to use a splitter on the DVI port on the mini's like you can on the Dell Optiplex's that use the same integrated video. I'd love to have another monitor hooked up, but you can't exactly add a second video card to a Mac Mini. I basically just want an extra monitor for when I'm using garageband,...App on one screen, lyrics on the other :)

[Rick @ Jun 4th 2008 12:23PM]

I'd use this on my MBP. One extra monitor suffices, but isn't always enough. When using Aperture, then wanting to switch over to Photoshop is a real PITA. A super fast frame rate isn't really a concern when talking about photo editing, or the occasional business app.

As far as bandwidth goes, I'd like to know if there are firewire versions of these?