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All external monitor issues

mshanklin

New Member
The problem I have is that the Surface Pro 3 is in landscape mode when without the keyboard, with the keyboard, and even when plugged into the docking station with or without the keyboard,.....but the second you plug in a monitor to the docking station it gets locked into portrait mode. I don't know what to do to get the SP3 out of portrait mode when on the docking station and with a monitor plugged in...
 

Nuspieds

Active Member
Suppose you have a web page open in monitor. Then you disconnect the dock and web page is now shown in the tablet. Do the fonts look blurred in this case? Also, what scaling are you using for monitor and tablet?
I have 3 external monitors, all Dell 30" 2560x1600, and when I undock, I have never had any blurry issues--even when I was using an SP2 with a USB dock.

The only issue I experience after undocking is scaling and I need to logout/login or reboot to fix the issue. Note that the system is still very much usable and the fonts are crisp; it is just that some UI text elements of some apps get a distorted scaling after undocking.
 

woodenbowls

New Member
have a Dell u2410, i just hooked it up to the SP4 thru the dock, using mini-displayport to hdmi plug then hdmi cable...
it worked all day yesterday, then i disconnected dock cable to SP4 until today, i re-plugged dock to surface and ... Dell u2410 doesnt wanna show picture anymore :( ... i unplugged dock power, i reset surface, i switched monitor inputs.. nothing

in the SP settings it shows a second screen when i plug the cable, but greyed config, and it wont apply Extend or Duplicate ...

hulp!
 

SirGadden

New Member
Suppose you have a web page open in monitor. Then you disconnect the dock and web page is now shown in the tablet. Do the fonts look blurred in this case? Also, what scaling are you using for monitor and tablet?
No blurry fonts no, but there is some scaling issues if I connect the Surface to the monitor when I'm already logged in to Windows.
Using 200% scaling on my Surface.
I think it's 100 or 125% on my Dell...
Edit: It's 125% on the Dell :)
 
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unni

New Member
The problem I have is that the Surface Pro 3 is in landscape mode when without the keyboard, with the keyboard, and even when plugged into the docking station with or without the keyboard,.....but the second you plug in a monitor to the docking station it gets locked into portrait mode. I don't know what to do to get the SP3 out of portrait mode when on the docking station and with a monitor plugged in...

In Settings->Display Settings, there is an option "Lock rotation of this display". For me, it is greyed out when I click on monitor rectangle. Is that by any chance enabled for you?

____

Saw in another forum. DisplayLink has released some driver update that may fix some issues with Surface Dock & monitors.

The 7.9 M5 update released today has the following fix for the Surface Dock:

  • Disconnecting the Microsoft Surface from the Microsoft Dock could cause embedded monitor to stay blank.
Also includes other general Windows 10 fixes as well:

  • Disconnecting the Microsoft Surface from the Microsoft Dock could cause embedded monitor to stay blank. (21695)
  • On some configurations, the system configuration may repeat even after reboot. (21626)
  • Blue screen with TDR failure when changing mode/resolution on Windows 10. (21584, 21389, 21583)
  • Mouse pointer flashing on some adapters/docking stations with Windows 10. (21372)
  • Screen swapping or blinking when connecting an external monitor which was previously used on primary graphics card on Windows 10 (21352, 21604)
  • Citrix VDA from Citrix version 7.6 was not supported (21032)
  • DisplayLinkUserAgent.exe can generate abnormal CPU load. (21156)
  • Some Windows 10 configuration may get a blue screen with TDR failure while docking or undocking. (20724)
  • Monitor hotplug was not always detected when in low power mode. (21275)

Download link: Windows

Waiting to see if it will appear in MS update.
 
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I just jumped into the pool, this time with a SP4 vs the SB. My Dock is connected to a LG 34UM95-P and it is 'blanking' out randomly (well it seems to be doing it to P@#$@ me off, but I will assume it is random). I also tried it connected directly to the SP4 as well.

I will try the driver that mentioned, but this is disappointing. I thought that by now I could get a stable SP from Microsoft :(

EDIT: downloaded and could not detect the display as a displayport?? restarted and still have the monitor going blank...... Very disappointing.

EDIT 2: Just installed the drivers manually from link above, and no help. Changed from DP1.2 settings, no help, now Switched to a Display Port -> HDMI adapter on the same monitor and it seems to not BLINK...
 
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Edgar_BCN

New Member
No blurry fonts no, but there is some scaling issues if I connect the Surface to the monitor when I'm already logged in to Windows.
Using 200% scaling on my Surface.
I think it's 100 or 125% on my Dell...
Edit: It's 125% on the Dell :)
I'm getting my Surface Pro 4 this Monday and I can't decide which monitor to buy, I'm in between yours and U2414H.

I'm not sure if high resolution is really good for office and general use. I also have an XPS 13 and it's high resolution makes impossible to work with virtual machines (using VMWare Player), all is so tiny!

I would try with 16:10 Full HD instead 16:9, but the U2415 model from Dell is currently unavailable.

Any suggestion? Are you happy with the U2515H?

Thanks!
 

unni

New Member
I have been making notes based on comments from others in various forums so that I can get the right kind of monitor. For the time being, I have decided to wait and see if MS will fix the scaling and blurriness issues. I am posting those notes below hoping it would be useful for someone.

My notes after this line. Please note that there could be mistakes in these.
_____________

Monitor Requirements

  • Shouldn't use MST. Should have SST?
  • 4k @ 60 Hz - 2 4k monitors may work only at 30Hz
  • Display port version - 1.2, 1.3 or greater
  • Look for something with same scaling as Surface.
  • QHD = 2560 x 1440
  • 4K = 3840 x 2160
  • Surface 4 resolution: 2736x1824
  • Surface 4 aspect ratio: 3:2
  • Surface 4 scaling: 200%
Observations
  • Ideal scaling for 27 inch 4k monitors is 125% or 150% because of its size.
    • This makes it not suitable for Surface because of the 200% scaling.
    • So better to get smaller monitors with resolution equal to or greater than Surface's.
You really want a monitor that looks great with the same desktop scaling as what you prefer on your SP4. That way, you don't have to sign out every time you hook up your external monitor to convert to its scaling. I personally prefer 175% scaling on my SP4.
Initially, I tried the Dell 27" 4k P2715Q monitor for the SP4 because I thought it would be a good match. It's a beautiful monitor but the resolution scaling doesn't quite match up. The ideal scaling for this monitor is 125% or 150% because of its size.
I found that the Dell 24" P2415Q (same 4k resolution) looks perfect at 175%, so that's what I'm using now. It also looks quite good at 150% if you're used to that.
  • Monitors with 2560x1440.
    • Looks like scaling is a problem with these.
    • Font blurriness doesn't seem to be an issue.
  • Monitors with 1920x1080.
    • May have both scaling and font blurriness issues.
List of monitors that people have commented about
 
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philippe554

New Member
Hello
I have a problem with my sp4 + dock.
1 1080p monitor connected to the dock with a (cheap/ebay) mDP to HDMI adapter works fine.
Now i bought a second 1080p screen and stuff gets weird. Sometimes it connects them both, but most of the time it stays trying and flashing the screens.
Once everything works, it is stable until the next reboot/dock disconnect.
I already found in other posts that i need an active adapters because hdmi needs a clock and mDP doesn't. (or the dock supports just 1 clock)
But why does it works somethimes if there is just 1 clock for 2 monitors? Do I need to be lucky to sync the 2 monitors?

All screens/calbles/adapters work individually in all kinds of combinations.

Another thing i tried: using 1 mDP to DVI and 1 to HDMI. This works most of the time, but also not always. Also there are weird green pixels on the screen (That could be the adapter)

I hope i get some help before spending even more money on 2 expensive adapters.
Thanks
Philippe
 

MaxBuck

Member
I have been making notes based on comments from others in various forums so that I can get the right kind of monitor. For the time being, I have decided to wait and see if MS will fix the scaling and blurriness issues. I am posting those notes below hoping it would be useful for someone.

My notes after this line. Please note that there could be mistakes in these.
_____________

Monitor Requirements

  • Shouldn't use MST. Should have SST?
  • 4k @ 60 Hz - 2 4k monitors may work only at 30Hz
  • Display port version - 1.2, 1.3 or greater
  • Look for something with same scaling as Surface.
  • QHD = 2560 x 1440
  • 4K = 3840 x 2160
  • Surface 4 resolution: 2736x1824
  • Surface 4 aspect ratio: 3:2
  • Surface 4 scaling: 200%
Observations
  • Ideal scaling for 27 inch 4k monitors is 125% or 150% because of its size.
    • This makes it not suitable for Surface because of the 200% scaling.
    • So better to get smaller monitors with resolution equal to or greater than Surface's.

  • Monitors with 2560x1440.
    • Looks like scaling is a problem with these.
    • Font blurriness doesn't seem to be an issue.
  • Monitors with 1920x1080.
    • May have both scaling and font blurriness issues.
List of monitors that people have commented about

Evidently my "eMachines" monitor is actually an Acer model E211H. Size is 21.5". I have no issues with scaling or font blurriness; using it as a desktop expansion. It's no longer available, but Acer has several other current models with similar specs.
 

Edgar_BCN

New Member
For whom be interested, I finally bought a Dell Ultrasharp U2415 display (1920x1200, 24", 16:10) and works like a charm with my Surface Pro 4.

Connected using mini DP to DP cable (included within the box), forcing DP 1.2 in monitor's settings, and letting Windows decide scaling (100%), and everything is just expected, perfect for general use (not gaming or multimedia).

The only problem I'm facing is a little blurry text with office (2016) applications, nothing not living with otherwise.
 
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