[DanInTheRockies]

I have a 27" Apple Cinema Display I just bought with my 2011 17" MacBook Pro. It looks and works great on the Mini DisplayPort / Thunderbolt connection.

I have two 28" 1920x1200 displays I would like to use as well. I bought some USB devices (one per display) to support these, and it worked okay the first time. I closed the lid on the laptop, it suspended, and when I opened it neither USB-driven display came on. Then one did, then it got mangled and I cannot see anything even though it is on. The other is still black. Also, just moving windows the performance is really bad with artifacts trailing behind the window until it catches up.

Since the USB video adapters are garbage, I am thinking something that plugs into the Expresscard/34 slot would be the ticket. I have found external enclosures and you can buy any video card to go in them, but I cannot find any OSX 10.6 drivers for those cards (all top out on the old IBM/Motorolla chip and OSX 10.4).

Are there any Expresscard/34 products that will drive two 1920x1200 displays? Or are there any OSX 10.6-capable video cards out there I could put into one of those external cases?

My goal is:
1) Internal 17" display on laptop
2) Apple 27" Cinema Display
3) Two 28" 1920x1200 displays

Can anyone help? It is a shame the internal video card from ATI is so powerful and you can only connect one external display. As cool as they make Thunderbolt sound, it seems no one has built any products around it so for the foreseeable future it is worthless.

[CharlesS]

Actually, DisplayPort is capable of driving up to three monitors. Since Thunderbolt is supposed to be natively compatible with DisplayPort, my guess is that one of these would probably work:

Newegg.com - Accell K088B-001B DisplayPort to DisplayPort Multi-Monitor Adapter
Newegg.com - Accell K087B-005B DisplayPort to DVI Multi-Monitor Adapter

[SierraDragon]

Agreed Tbt should be the way to go. It is just a matter of finding connectors that work. IMO it is better to avoid EC/34 if possible.

Please describe it when you have a working setup.

Thanks!

-Allen

[shabbasuraj]

Originally Posted by DanInTheRockies 

Can anyone help? It is a shame the internal video card from ATI is so powerful and you can only connect one external display. As cool as they make Thunderbolt sound, it seems no one has built any products around it so for the foreseeable future it is worthless.

These are the limits of current tech/hardware.... ya it sucks...

If you need that much desktop space then maybe it is time to simply step up to a MacPro, and use something smaller or cheaper when you are on the road.

or not

[Spheric Harlot]

Shabba, did you read the thread?

You're talking about the limits of LAST YEAR's tech/hardware.

[CharlesS]

More like the hardware of three years ago. Apple's been using DisplayPort since late 2008.

[Salty]

Do you have any other computers? I'm wondering if perhaps an app like AirDisplay might be useful, it depends on the situation you're using it, but perhaps for example two of those monitors hooked up to a mini would be fine if you weren't planning on playing any high FPS games or anything.

[shabbasuraj]

I was trying to point out that today's notebooks are lacking in terms of natively powering 3, 4, 5, 6 or more monitors.

[Spheric Harlot]

Except they aren't (well, five, and six might be problematic, and four depending upon resolutions).

[Waragainstsleep]

Matrox Dualhead2Go if you really can't wait for thunderbolt PCIe support.