Just ordered a Minisforum em680 for a piano sheet music page turner project for my wife. Watching Wendell at 2x speed, I completely missed that one of the usb-c’s were for powering up the computer. Of course the two portable 15.6" (cheap) monitors can’t provide the 65w or any power to the computer. The portable monitors have, usb-c power in, display usb-c in, and mini-hdmi.
I’m left with two options.
Power the computer with a usb-c power brick, send display data to monitor 1 via usb-c, and send display data to monitor 2 via hdmi to mini hdmi.
Find some type of dock that has usb-c in and can send supplemental power and display data over usb-c to both monitors. (I don’t know for sure if the monitors can be powered and receive data over one usb-c cable yet)
Any recommendations on a dock that will accept usb-c input, and push power/display usb-c to two monitors? Or even just usb-c display out to the monitors.
I have a dell WD19TB dock, that I thought would work, but it looks like it can only send display data over one of the three usb-c ports.
First of all, I’m really sorry for the audio in the video being super rough. My phone is on its last legs LOL
The video is just showing I was able to get display and data working with the dock.
It’s important to realize this dock, and docks in general really can be fickle and your mileage may vary. I had trouble getting the power delivery working along with the USB-C output to the monitor. Other than that, working well. I was able to fix that by just plugging in the mini PC’s power brick
PS: I don’t think this is the same dock you have, but it should be similar.
My assumption of a triumphant victory video was premature…
Using just the um773 lite:
I was able to get usb-c DP to work to monitor 1, and hdmi → mini-hdmi to monitor 2.
The DP connection was brighter and crisper than the hdmi, so side by side monitors look goofy.
The WD19TB would only pass through display data if it was plugged into the usb4 port on the um773.
The em680 arrives in a couple of days and has two usb4 ports. That will allow me to to drive monitor 1 from the em680 2nd usb4 port, and monitor 2 from the dock’s usb4 port. Hopefully the displays will look similar.
My alternatives are:
Use the um773’s 2 hdmi ports for both monitors
Use the em680 hdmi and a usb4 to hdmi converter.
Find a dock that can connect to usb4 and have either two hdmi ports or two usb4 DP ports (preferable).
Pleasant news though, the monitors can power up and display data over one usb-c connection. The also operate in portrait mode.
Time to shop for some right angle usb-c and mini hdmi cables.
I will still test compatibility with the WD19TB, but the wife approval factor came into play.
She did not like dual monitors in portrait mode for the enscore software. Required running in windowed mode and manually dragging the window wide across the two screens. Not to mention the cables sticking up over the piano.
I pulled a 24" Dell monitor out of the rafters (thing weighs like 50 pounds) and she was fine with a single monitor in landscape mode.
After much research, I have settled on two monitors: Asus ProArt PA247CV or Asus VA24ECPSN. Both are 24" and provide 65w power delivery and display over one usb-c cable.
There will be a c13 power cable to the monitor and a usb-c cable from the monitor to the em680. Throw in a logitech k400 keyboard/mousepad and a wireless page turner pedal and she will never have to flip sheet music again.
