DL-3xxx OSX Support

[dre]

What is the current forecast for OSX support for DL-3xxx set of devices?

Is it the USB 3.0 portion that's needed to drive the resolution beyond 1080p?

[Wim]

It's still under development to support the new chips. We don't have a public date for the release at the moment.

Wim

[K447]

Is there a publicly declared _intention_ to support the DL-3xxx series on Mac OS X ?

In other words, has DisplayLink ever said whether or not such support will actually happen, even if a target date has not been given?

It would be helpful to know whether DL-3900 Mac support is expected at all.

If it going to happen, it would be helpful to know roughly how long from now a customer might have to wait. A year or more, another six months, or just a few weeks?

[basementjack]

I'm curious about this as well - I noticed that USB 3 macs exist now and I'm wondering if a 3rd monitor with good 2d performance could be in the near future.

The New macbook airs, 13 & 15" macbook pros now support USB 3 in addition to displayport.

[ravens_513]

Crossing fingers this happens

[FerSidhe]

I just want to know how soon is "the near future" because I have one with the intent to use with a MacBook Retina. From the DL-3000 page

"The DL-3000 series currently supports recent Windows platforms including Windows Multipoint Server 2010/2011, with support for Apple Mac OS and Linux scheduled in the near future."

[jkirker]

Any word on this?

I imagine the 3 support will be much more responsive than current adapters...and I'm looking forward to it!

Let the world know DisplayLink....Let us know.

Thanks,
John

[alanpuccinelli]

Agreed... I've been dying to hear about progress on developing drivers for the 3xxx line on the Mac. Even a rough idea would be appreciated. Having a USB3 display option now that macs support it would be a godsend!

[Wim]

Development is still happening for the DL-3000 products and we are committed to supporting these in the future with the Mac driver. However we currently do not have a date for this.

Wim

[FerSidhe]

Development is still happening for the DL-3000 products and we are committed to supporting these in the future with the Mac driver. However we currently do not have a date for this.
Wim

Thank you for the response! :)

(Without intending to sound snarky) I guess there is an esoteric "sometime in the future" and there is the quoted "in the near future" for me is more of a should I purchase two mini displayport adapters for my rMBP, or don't spend the extra money on those because we are going to have this in the "near" future. So spend 60 extra bucks at Apple or wait? (And that is rhetorical because I know you can't answer that for me, but is an example of the the dilema we are in)

[zajac]

Maybe you have some drivers in the alpha version? I bought USB3HDTRIO, was written on the box that the mac is supported :( But that's not true at the moment.

[displaylinker]

Just wondering if the new USB3.0 will continue to support/output RGB space? Currently Mac's own Thunderbolt/Mini-DisplayPort outputs in YPbPr which is really not for computer desktop use.

[Wim]

Just wondering if the new USB3.0 will continue to support/output RGB space? Currently Mac's own Thunderbolt/Mini-DisplayPort outputs in YPbPr which is really not for computer desktop use.

Yes, all our current products output RGB.

Wim

[D43m0n]

Will the DL-3xxx driver also support audio? I've got the Targus USB 3 video dock (from a co-worker) and it all works just fine on his Windows 7 laptop, including USB audio. But will audio also be supported on the Mac driver?

I do prefer video support over audio however :D. A lot more then audio.

thanks

[thundercats]

Any updates on this from DisplayLink? I just purchased an EVGA UV+39 to support dual monitors and apparently it doesn't work since it's a DL_3XXX chipset. I spoke with EVGA prior to ordering it and they swore up and down that the DisplayLink 1.8 driver fixed any issues for Lion (OSX 10.7.4). If DisplayLink plans on releasing a driver that's compatible relatively soon then I'll hang onto this thing and wait until then. Otherwise, I'll be returning this.

[zeraien]

I just want to know how soon is "the near future" because I have one with the intent to use with a MacBook Retina. From the DL-3000 page

"The DL-3000 series currently supports recent Windows platforms including Windows Multipoint Server 2010/2011, with support for Apple Mac OS and Linux scheduled in the near future."

If you have a retina macbook, you can already have up to 3 external monitors, including the internal one, meaning 4 in total. So unless you need more than that, you don't need a USB adapter.

http://blog.macsales.com/14241-macbook-pro-15-with-retina-display-can-run-3-external-displays

[alanpuccinelli]

If you have a retina macbook, you can already have up to 3 external monitors, including the internal one, meaning 4 in total. So unless you need more than that, you don't need a USB adapter.

http://blog.macsales.com/14241-macbook-pro-15-with-retina-display-can-run-3-external-displays


Just because someone has a retina MBP doesn't mean they want to or can use all the Thunderbolt ports for displays (Retina MBP doesn't have an ethernet port so you potentially already need a dongle to tie up one of the ports for that). A USB solution is cheaper and more extendable through hubs.

Granted, I'm not a driver developer, but I want to know what the hold up is for OSX and Linux. Obviously it can be done since the 2xxx series chips work with both. Is it an issue of demand? Or is there some technical hurdle that needs to be overcome? I would think this would be a higher priority given the number of additional customers this would give you.

[mac jones]

I want to know what the hold up is for OSX and Linux.

Demand. They are just starting to appear on the market from what I can tell. I have a nice USB 3.0 monitor and am waiting for Mac drivers.

I have another USB 2 monitor that works great with the Displaylink drivers
(which are very good BTW). Be nice to move up now :)

[wditters]

Any movement in this? I have a Lenovo X1 and a Macbook Air I would like to connect to the same set of screens (2x Lenovo 24"attached to the Lenovo USB 3.0 dock)

[DonaldDuck]

So what's the word on this? USB3 debuted on Macs in June, and by now the entire Mac line is USB3-only (OK, except for the Mac Pro...)

This is an excellent business opportunity for DisplayLink, as most Macs are laptops & there is otherwise no reasonable docking station solution for Macs (there is a single shipping Thunderbolt dock, which is 2x the price and less functionality than many vendors' DisplayLink-based solutions, HW-wise).

Not asking for a ironclad date here, but it would be nice to understand what the current state of the drivers is, and whether it's still DisplayPort's goal to support OS X in the "near future" (the latest driver is now 6 months old...)

[PiCkLeS]

So.. Despite my age at where I should know better, im getting a bit furious about the silence to your customers that are stuck with devices that wont work on new Macs (i bought a new one unknowingly that now has USB3).

I quite understand the time frame to try to resolve and restructure a new driver.

I understand all about how long a project of this magnitude can take.

What I _dont_ understand and very rarely have come across, is a professional and respectable company that chooses to say absolutely nothing during the process.

No updates, not even on a monthly basis. Not even to just say, ok guys we have this and that problem - this one might be even impossible to climb and so on.

So. This is us, the customers, the ones Im hoping are of some value to you as we buy and therefore supply you with your income.

Will you _please_ let us know whats going on, even if its bad news?

//P

[Wim]

Hi All

We now have a demo of the new 2.0 Mac driver and it is being shown at CES 2013 in Las Vegas. We also press released this last night:

http://www.displaylink.com/news/pressreleaseviewer.php?id=136

So support for our USB products is real, and if you're at CES, you can see the demo at our booth in the USB techzone.

Before releasing this to the public, there are a few bugs we need to fix. These are major issues that wwill mean the driver will just not work at all for some users at the moment. We also want to add rotation support, which is not currently supported, as many users use our devices rotated.

Also, just to set expectations, the first alpha will support up to 4 screens of video using the DL-1x5 and/or DL-3xxx chips (any USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 product on the market today). Audio out may or may not work, depending on the version of OSX and if you are using USB 2.0 or 3.0. Ethernet connections from the DL-3xxx docking stations will not be supported by the alpha.

I expect we will be able to close out the remaining issues and add the feature support, and provide an alpha by the end of January.

Wim

[Leinad]

D... that took you some time.

But Wuuhoo !

Great news.

[nostack]

Hello Wim,

I can be an alpha test for you, my setup are:

MacBookpro Retina
2 Extra Monitors
Startech USB32HDDVII (DL-3900) [No audio no Network]

Let me know. :)



Hi All

We now have a demo of the new 2.0 Mac driver and it is being shown at CES 2013 in Las Vegas. We also press released this last night:

http://www.displaylink.com/news/pressreleaseviewer.php?id=136

So support for our USB products is real, and if you're at CES, you can see the demo at our booth in the USB techzone.

Before releasing this to the public, there are a few bugs we need to fix. These are major issues that wwill mean the driver will just not work at all for some users at the moment. We also want to add rotation support, which is not currently supported, as many users use our devices rotated.

Also, just to set expectations, the first alpha will support up to 4 screens of video using the DL-1x5 and/or DL-3xxx chips (any USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 product on the market today). Audio out may or may not work, depending on the version of OSX and if you are using USB 2.0 or 3.0. Ethernet connections from the DL-3xxx docking stations will not be supported by the alpha.

I expect we will be able to close out the remaining issues and add the feature support, and provide an alpha by the end of January.

Wim

[Dan]

http://www.displaylink.com/news/pressreleaseviewer.php?id=136

Once we've fixed the most obvious bugs that will annoy you and you'll all complain about, there should be a beta available...

Development is certainly revealing an 'interesting' aspect of the OSX USB 3.0 support.

[Neo42]

http://www.displaylink.com/news/pressreleaseviewer.php?id=136

Once we've fixed the most obvious bugs that will annoy you and you'll all complain about, there should be a beta available...

Development is certainly revealing an 'interesting' aspect of the OSX USB 3.0 support.

I've been lurking for several months and decided to register to convey my thanks for the update. Demand for Mac USB 3.0 drivers is really great and I personally would love, love, love to have them. We value the ongoing work and dedication to supporting multiple platforms. Here's hoping for a speedy beta release.

[dlee96]

Once we've fixed the most obvious bugs that will annoy you and you'll all complain about, there should be a beta available...


Hello Dan,
There are many satisfied DisplayLink customers, and a number of vocal dissatisfied customers. You probably get a disproportionate number of dissatisfied customers on this board, looking for solutions to the problems that will inevitably crop up trying to support a spectrum of hardware and software configurations.
The tone of your message isn't what I consider to be constructive. I hope that future communications will be more considerate of the many satisfied customers and the legitimate struggles of some users.

[nostack]

http://www.displaylink.com/news/pressreleaseviewer.php?id=136

Once we've fixed the most obvious bugs that will annoy you and you'll all complain about, there should be a beta available...

Development is certainly revealing an 'interesting' aspect of the OSX USB 3.0 support.

Dan,

If these bugs are things like rotation support, audio or ethernet connections, must of us do not care for an beta version of the product.

Just release as soon as possible to us to test and comment.

We have macs running with USB 3.0 more than an year with PCIe cards and an long time with the hottest notebook in the market. Everybody wants multiple monitors in theirs rMBPs, even not thought thunderbolt, the better option still you, but you need to go fast.

Alternatives are coming...

[DonaldDuck]

Wim, thanks for the update!
This is exactly the kind of info I was waiting for: Statement of intent & an anticipated near-term schedule (which is obviously not a ironclad commitment, and that's absolutely fine).

Dlee96: I understand you didn't like the tone of Dan's post above; frankly, I don't think it's that objectionable, but even if it were, I'd rather have unsanitized direct info from the people working on the product than just a vague press release (and this being a forum, it should be informal).

[fawkea]

I just bought one of the adapters with the DL-3500 chipset not knowing there wasn't any support for Mac! I really cannot be bothered with all the hassle of sending it back, so I'll most likely just keep it and wait for the drivers to be released - hoping it's soon since it was shown at CES!

[Neo42]

Can we get an ETA on a beta driver? I have two DL-3900 docking stations, currently using with a W7 laptop but have two Mac machines that I want to use as well. Please hurry up w/ something. Anything.

[wditters]

Can we get an ETA on a beta driver? I have two DL-3900 docking stations, currently using with a W7 laptop but have two Mac machines that I want to use as well. Please hurry up w/ something. Anything.

Same here. And since MAC OSX support was publicly shown at CES I am really hoping for it to be released soon so that I can finally ditch the DualHead2Go and start using my Lenovo USB 3.0 dock instead.

[Wim]

Hi All

OK - The first public Alpha (alpha 2 - alpha 1 was internal for CES) is now available in the beta forum:

http://displaylink.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=46

I'm going to close this thread as any further updates about 2.0 and support for the DL-3xxx should now happen in the beta forum.

Thanks

Wim