[GTALUG] Portable Monitors

[Nick Accad]

On Thu, Aug 1, 2024 at 07:56 Giles Orr via talk <talk at gtalug.org> wrote:

> Hi Nick.
>
> I ran into a similar-ish problem about a year ago.  Sat down at a desk
> at TPL and plugged my Mac into the Dell docking bay attached to a Dell
> monitor ... and nothing happened.  I was informed by local staff that
> this was expected - because Dell uses a proprietary style of docking
> bay (standard USB-C port, non-standard behaviour).  Essentially, it
> doesn't work unless you have a Dell laptop.
>
> Dell sometimes makes good products.  But I've been bitten by their
> inclination to "proprietary and our way is best" often enough that I
> avoid their products on principle and assume that problems like this
> are a result of choices they made.  This may not be true, but you
> should look into how that "engineering laptop" of yours is designed
> and what it supports instead of assuming that the portable monitor was
> at fault.  I bet it would work with a Dell portable monitor ...
>
> Kind of hard for me to whinge about proprietary lock-in in the same
> sentence in which I admit I was using a Mac - but Apple has always
> been very clear that they have a walled garden (and they fully follow
> the USB-C spec).  Dell doesn't make their proprietary behaviour clear.
>
> On Wed, 31 Jul 2024 at 15:05, Nick Accad via talk <talk at gtalug.org> wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > On Wed, Jul 31, 2024 at 13:57 D. Hugh Redelmeier via talk <
> talk at gtalug.org> wrote:
> >>
> >> > From: Nick Accad via talk <talk at gtalug.org>
> >>
> >> > 3. I ended up getting this:
> >> >
> https://www.arzopa.com/collections/hot-deals/products/s1-table-15-6-fhd-portable-monitor
> >> >
> >> > It worked.. "OK", niot great, my main complaint is that the USB-C
> >> > connection is a hit or miss, it worked on an Android phone for
> example, but
> >> > it did not work on my souped up Dell/Windows laptop, and the support
> >> > response is "just use USB-C for power and use the HDMI for display".
> Yup,
> >> > it's going back.
> >>
> >> The display specs say:
> >>   Input Interface: Mini HD(Video Signal), Type-C Full Function(Video
> >>         Data, Power Supply ISDN),
> >>
> >> I don't know what Mini HD is, but I would guess that it is really Mini
> >> HDMI.
> >> <
> https://www.howtogeek.com/745530/hdmi-vs-mini-hdmi-vs-micro-hdmi-whats-the-difference/
> >
> >>
> >> Mini HDMI isn't that common.  I think Raspberry Pi uses it.
> >>
> >> USB 3.x can and often does support Power Delivery, and DisplayPort at
> >> the same time.
> >>
> >> If your computer is new enough, you only need a USB C male-to-male cab.
> >>
> >> If not, you need a Mini HDMI cable and a USB C charger.
> >>
> >> Or did I misunderstand somehting?
> >> ---
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> >
> >
> > Nope you got it, the usb-c to my laptop didn’t even detect a device. And
> my laptop is really top of the line, we get what we call “engineering
> laptops” from Dell, mine is not even a year old.
> >
> > I could technically get a usb-c to hdmi adapter, but I was hoping for a
> single cable a la thunderbolt.
> >
> > I’ll check in later if I find something that works
> >
> >
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>
>
> --
> Giles
> https://www.gilesorr.com/
> gilesorr at gmail.com
> ---
> Post to this mailing list talk at gtalug.org
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Ok, so maybe it’s a Dell issue, I tried it with a Samsung ARM that my son
uses and it works, I don’t have anything else to test with but it proves
your point.

I actually never knew about Dell doing proprietary things in there, I
wonder if I can reach someone in the hardware team to ask them about this

I’m still in the same place though, I cannot use it even if it is “not
their fault”, maybe I can find other uses for it

Thanks for this, I was not aware

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