MS Surface Pro 2, MS docking station, 2 monitors, 1 TV output, 2 UGA-3000 converters... Go!

I’m trying to set up the following:

  • MS Surface Pro 2, with Windows 10 (fresh install)

  • MS docking station

  • USB 3.0 hub

  • 2 23" monitors (VGA in)

  • 1 TV (HDMI in, via display port to HDMI converter)

  • 2 UGA-3000 converters

  • Video driver: Intel HD 4400

  • Video driver version: 10.18.15.4256 (updated: 2015-07-17)

Plugging these all in at once briefly resulted in output to all screens. Now, not so much. Plugging in more than one in at a time results in nothing getting displayed at all, although the TV output seems more likely than not to appear.

Have also tried plugging the UGA-3000 in USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports, in various combinations.

Can you offer a walkthrough re: the order of operations here?
Would the two UGA-3000 devices be interfering with each other?

Hi Dan,

Thanks for posting. I’d be happy to help with your adapters!

There are a lot of elements in play here, so let’s try to take a few out of the equation to help isolate things the best we can. One point of note before moving forward, your description of the TV connected via the DisplayPort to HDMI adapter also having issues speaks to lower-level issue, as our adapters shouldn’t affect that output.

As a first step, please remove the Surface from the Microsoft dock and connect one of the UGA-3000 adapters directly to the tablet’s USB port. Does it function properly?

Assuming success, the next step would be to bring the standalone USB hub into play. Can you let me know what brand and model hub you are using and if it is a powered unit, as that may play part? Pending that information, please connect the standalone hub directly to the Surface and test with only one of the UGA-3000 adapters. If it functions correctly, please connect the second UGA-3000 adapter and test again.

Let us know the results and additional information when you have a moment and we’ll go from there.

Thank you,

Bob
Plugable Technologies
www.plugable.com/support

As a first step, please remove the Surface from the Microsoft dock and connect one of the UGA-3000 adapters directly to the tablet’s USB port. Does it function properly?

That worked.

Can you let me know what brand and model hub you are using and if it is a powered unit, as that may play part?

Anker 9-port USB 3 port, powered.

please connect the standalone hub directly to the Surface and test with only one of the UGA-3000 adapters

That also worked.

connect the second UGA-3000 adapter and test again.

That did not work. (and we were on such a roll!)
The first external monitor went blank, and the second remained blank.
Both monitors indicate no signal.

But… with both UGA-3000 adapters plugged into the hub, I tried the Display settings. Only one display was shown in the layout diagram thing, but the “Multiple Displays” control suggested otherwise. I was able to Duplicate my primary display to another (#2), then Extend it. Then, I was given an option to Duplicate my primary display to yet another (#3), and then Extend it again.

Recapping:

  • all three monitors (surface’s, two external) running

  • connected to USB3 hub

  • Not connected to the Surface’s docking station

Rushing ahead… I removed the DisplayPort-to-HDMI connector connecting the TV and Docking Station and tried:

  • reseating the Surface into the docking station, and connecting the USB 3 hub connected to the dock’s USB 3 port: it worked

  • moving the UGA-3000s from the USB 3 hub to the USB 2 ports in the back of the dock: it also worked

Pushing my luck… I connected the DisplayPort-to-HDMI connector connecting the TV and Docking Station. All displays when blank.

Trying the same thing above in Display Settings (Duplicate to a screen, then Extend it), I was able to get all of them running. The DisplayPort display became display #2 instead of display #4, but otherwise looks good.

So… all good!

Thanks for your help Bob!

Hi Dan,

Thanks for getting back with the multiple updates. I’m glad everything seems to be working better now. Interesting behavior with having to manually Extend the displays in each instance, as that should be Windows default action when a new display is added, but I’m not one to question results.

Please let us know if anything changes or if you need any additional help in the future!

Thank you,

Bob