Two external displays supported by one Thunderbolt port on a 21.5" iMac?

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
I heard that the first MacBook Pro's with Thunderbolt can only possibly hook up one additional display monitor (out of Thunderbolt's current possible 2 monitors per port), since the display on the MacBook Pro actually runs off of the included Thunderbolt port as one of the 2 displays permitted to be connected.



Is this also the case with the new, 2011 iMac refresh--specifically the lower end 21.5" iMac with the one Thunderbolt port? I was hoping to eventually be able to hook up two additional monitors per the one port. Thanks! =)

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 5
    alienzedalienzed Posts: 393member
    Nope, unless the monitor handles thunderbolt chaining, which none do at the moment. Thing is that monitors currently must be the last link in the chain, because they don't have a second Thunderbolt port.

    You'd need a thunderbolt splitter, but that also does not exist, yet.
  • Reply 2 of 5
    joebjoeb Posts: 29member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by alienzed View Post


    Nope, unless the monitor handles thunderbolt chaining, which none do at the moment. Thing is that monitors currently must be the last link in the chain, because they don't have a second Thunderbolt port.

    You'd need a thunderbolt splitter, but that also does not exist, yet.



    The display needs to have displayport chaining or you need a displayport splitter
  • Reply 3 of 5
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JoeB View Post


    The display needs to have displayport chaining or you need a displayport splitter



    There's no such thing as DisplayPort chaining, nor is there such a product as a DisplayPort splitter.



    Why wouldn't a Matrox DualHead2Go work (with the appropriate adapter between it and the computer)?
  • Reply 4 of 5
    I think that there is now DisplayPort chaining.



    I don't know of any devices save the new Thunderbolt Monitor which doesn't seem to be anywhere yet that do it, though.
  • Reply 5 of 5
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by CKentavr View Post


    I think that there is now DisplayPort chaining.



    Look at that, there is. 1.2 supports some daisy chaining of DisplayPort connectors.



    Too bad nothing uses DisplayPort anymore as it has been superseded by Thunderbolt.



    Oh, wait, there were a few DisplayPort (standard size) displays from third parties, weren't there? Ah, well, if they can have their firmwares updated, good for them.



    The rest of the world'll use Thunderbolt and daisy chain ev-a-ry-thing.



    Quote:

    I don't know of any devices save the new Thunderbolt Monitor which doesn't seem to be anywhere yet that do it, though.



    Do... what, daisy chaining? Any and all Thunderbolt devices can daisy chain off of one another and, provided Thunderbolt supports DisplayPort 1.2's spec, then you could plug in, say, a 27" LED Cinema Display into the back of the 27" Apple Thunderbolt Display and it'd work fine.
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