Hello. I bought the UD-160-A Universal Docking station and have a problem with it. It only allows one widescreen resolution, 1920x1080. It does not give me the option to switch to 1366x768 or any other widescreen resolution. I have a Dell S2309W Monitor running through DVI. I have the proper monitor drivers installed. I have tested the monitor directly connected to my Sony Vaio VPCYB33KX laptop via VGA and HDMI (using a HDMI to DVI cable) and am able to switch to various widescreen resolutions, however, the only option connecting through the docking station is 1920x1080. I’m running Windows 7 Pro 64-bit.
I’m an I.T. professional and I’ve done everything I can think of to fix this, including updating to the latest official DisplayLink drivers from their website, and I still do not get other resolution options.
I’ve noticed others on here and on the web saying they have the same issue. I’d really like to run this at 1366x768 so if there’s any trick or software patch to allow this, please let me (and us) know.
Thank you! 
!](https://s3.amazonaws.com/satisfaction-production/s3_images/688713/Resolution_options_inline.jpg)](https://s3.amazonaws.com/satisfaction-production/s3_images/688713/Resolution_options.jpg)
Thanks for posting! I’m afraid I’ll just be confirming what you already know.
Unfortunately not every mode is offered on every monitor. Here’s how DisplayLink’s drivers work (on Windows 7):
-
The driver reads the monitor’s EDID, which returns the exact timings of the native/max mode of the monitor. This is the default/preferred mode which will be set if at all possible (it’s the 1920x1080 mode on this monitor). This mode makes maximum use of what the monitor offers.
-
In the EDID is also back-up lower resolution modes that the monitor offers (these are known modes that the monitor’s internal scaler can scale up to the native mode of the monitor; most monitors can actually scale up any arbitrarily lower mode, but they can only list a few). Those modes from the EDID are added to the list of options, in case the graphics adapter can’t support the highest mode, or the user wants to select a lower mode.
-
Windows also adds in some standard modes (640x480, 800x600, and 1024x768) with standard VESA timings.
It’s this combined set of modes which are offered to the user for any mode choices. Unfortunately, if there’s a mode you want that isn’t in any of the three sets, there’s no easy way to add it.
DisplayLink’s behavior here is more conservative than some graphics controllers. Some graphics controllers’ drivers offer a very long list of modes, using standard timings. Some may not work on the attached monitor, but the drivers offer those modes that might fail anyway, and let the user recover from any black screens or other failures. DisplayLink’s drives make the choice of not presenting modes to the user, other than what’s known to work (from the EDID), to avoid the possibility of black screens and the like.
So some thoughts:
* It would be interesting to know what factors are making 1920x1080 (the native mode of the monitor) or 1152x864 (one of the monitor’s back-up modes in the EDID), undesirable on this monitor. If it would be possible to live with either of those two modes, we’d be within what the monitors’ EDID offers.
* If running at the particular mode of 1366 x 768 is critical, and you have other monitors around, you can connect a monitor whose max is 1366x768, and the dock will automatically select that mode by default.
Hopefully this background will at least help to understand why only particular lower-res modes are offered. I’m sorry it wasn’t the news you were hoping for. Please just let us know if there’s anything we can answer to clarify or offer to help. We’ll do everything we can.
Thanks and best wishes,
Bernie
Thank you, Bernie! That all makes perfect sense. So basically, DisplayLink only allows the one native resolution of the monitor and all other standard VESA resolutions, correct?
Maybe your company can suggest to DisplayLink that they have some form of manual override for power users like me who want to be able to change to a resolution their monitor’s scaler can handle. I know their are third-party utilities to do this (I’m going to try one in the next few days) but it would be nice to do it right within DisplayLink’s utility, maybe with a disclaimer and checkbox attached.
Otherwise, GREAT product. I’m very impressed. Plugable’s solution has much better reviews on Amazon then the other alternatives, which is why I went with this one. I actually made the suggestion to my I.T. dept. we get a test unit in as a solution for UltraBooks which we may be upgrading to sometime this year, so we ordered one based on my recommendation and if it works out, may be going with these on a larger scale.
I’m also very impressed with how seamless you can plug and unplug the device with no driver conflicts or freezing, blue screens, etc. I can hibernate my computer with it plugged in and then boot it without it, and it comes back perfectly.
Thank you for your reply! I hope DisplayLink can be notified that people are asking for the lower resolution settings and perhaps release a special patch or update just for us users. It would be most welcome! Otherwise, running at 1920x1080 is ok with me, but just wanted the lower resolution to free up some CPU usage.
Thank you!
Hi Mike,
Thanks for the kind words and the feedback! Yes, I agree that there should be an option for arbitrary modes (advanced users can handle the risks). We’ll re-affirm this feedback with DisplayLink.
(by the way, on Linux where we have more control, we’ve actually provided just that: the ability to override the EDID with software. http://plugable.com/2010/08/18/displa…)
It may be tough to find a utility that will add modes to Windows’ representation of the EDID - the monitor’s EDID is read by the graphics controller and passed directly to Windows 7, with little opportunity for 3rd party utilities to insert themselves in-between.
Against thanks for your asking and for living with the higher resolution until/if DisplayLink offers any EDID tools in this area.
Thanks!
Bernie
