ThinkPad Mini Dock Plus Series 3 + x30 laptops & displayport

[WarhawkCZ]

Hi folks,
I am not sure whether this is the right category for the following problem:

Yesterday, I swapped my old docking station (ThinkPad Mini Dock Series 3) for the plus version with USB3.0 (ThinkPad Mini Plus Series 3) which I use with two external EIZO EV2333W screens.
The previous configuration was using a DP-to-DVI adapter for the first and DVI for the second screen. This worked flawlessly.

With the new docking station, I was expecting that I can use DP ports only. I was hoping for better compatibility in Linux and also audio from the inbuilt speakers.

However, this configuration behaves strangely in windows and does not work in Linux at all.

My windows 7 machine (x230, i5, Intel) had a problem with detecting the new configuration. It simply refused to show up a picture on two external and the internal screen at the same time. It works after rebooting the PC but audio comes just out of one screen.

My MX Linux machine (t430 i7, Intel) detects external screens but is not practically able to do anything about it. I can't get even a single LCD working or it requires reboots and so on. Again, DVI works...

Does anyone know if there are any limitations when using x30 series with integrated Intel graphics and two display port interfaces?

I also discovered that these EIZO screens seem to "talk to each other" over DP. Is this even possible? I mean, I can't switch power off on one or get a menu or the screens become unresponsive and so on.

Thanks for any tip. Dunno where to start - linux, screens, docking station?

[dr_st]

If anything, 2 DisplayPort + internal display should be the easiest configuration...
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en ... ivers.html

DisplayPort "daisy-chaining" (connecting to one display through another display) is a supported feature, although it looks like your monitors only have a single DisplayPort input, and no DisplayPort output, so I don't understand how that would work (I'm far from an expert on DisplayPort, though).

In general, DisplayPort spec-compliance is not a trivial thing to implement, and there are often interoperability problems. If you can get the displays working via DVI, just stick to it; there is no advantage in using DisplayPort for FHD resolution (except maybe audio, but sounds like you can get it to work through one display at least).

[WarhawkCZ]

Thank you for the link to intel. You're right that the 2xDP + internal screen combo should work.

DisplayPort "daisy-chaining" (connecting to one display through another display) is a supported feature, although it looks like your monitors only have a single DisplayPort input, and no DisplayPort output, so I don't understand how that would work (I'm far from an expert on DisplayPort, though).

I was not trying daisy chaining. Unfortunately neither my LCD screens nor HD4000 supports DP1.2,

In general, DisplayPort spec-compliance is not a trivial thing to implement, and there are often interoperability problems. If you can get the displays working via DVI, just stick to it; there is no advantage in using DisplayPort for FHD resolution (except maybe audio, but sounds like you can get it to work through one display at least).

well, you're right again. I remember that I read on the internet some time ago that the DP interface should be the first choice when connecting an LCD external screen to the PC.

I may bring my laptop circus to work and try it there with acer screens.

[jcvjcvjcvjcv]

Did you get the igp drivers from Intel or the stuff from Windows Update?