The chip solution for connecting dual monitors with a docking station mainly relies on DisplayLink technology. Since Apple's M1 chip MacBook has limitations when connecting dual monitors directly through the Thunderbolt 3 interface, it can usually only drive one external monitor, so it is necessary to use a docking station that supports DisplayLink technology to achieve dual monitor expansion.
Overview of DisplayLink Technology
DisplayLink is a widely used display extension technology that allows multiple monitors to be connected through a USB interface. The technology transmits video signals through a USB cable and installs the corresponding driver on the computer to achieve multi-monitor expansion. DisplayLink supports a variety of operating systems, including Windows, macOS, Android, ChromeOS, and Ubuntu.
Solution
1. Choose a docking station that supports DisplayLink:
There are many docking stations that support DisplayLink on the market, such as products from brands such as ORICO, QGeeM/Qianjimi, and Superior.
These docking stations are usually equipped with multiple video output interfaces (such as HDMI, DP, etc.), as well as USB interfaces, network interfaces, etc. to meet the connection needs of different devices.
2. Install the DisplayLink driver:
Before using a docking station that supports DisplayLink, you need to install the corresponding driver on your computer.
The driver can be downloaded from the official website of the docking station manufacturer or the official website of DisplayLink.
After installing the driver, the computer will be able to recognize and drive the external display connected through the docking station.
3. Connect the display:
Use a video cable such as HDMI, DP, etc. to connect the display to the video output interface of the docking station.
Make sure the display is powered on and in normal working condition.
4. Configure display settings:
Open the display settings on the computer, which can usually be found in System Preferences (macOS) or Control Panel (Windows).
In the display settings, you can configure the resolution, refresh rate, and display mode (such as mirror mode or extended mode) of the display.
In extended mode, different application windows can be dragged to different displays to achieve multitasking.
Notes
When using a docking station that supports DisplayLink, you need to pay attention to the resolution and refresh rate range it supports to ensure that the external display can work properly.
If you encounter problems with the external display not being recognized or display abnormalities, you can try reinstalling the driver or checking the connection status of the docking station and the display.
For MacBook users with M1 chips, due to system limitations, it may not be possible to directly achieve functions such as triple-screen display through the Thunderbolt 3 interface. However, by using a docking station that supports DisplayLink and installing the corresponding driver, dual-display expansion functions can still be achieved.
