Thunderbolt 3 to Dual HDMI Adapter - 4K 60Hz - Mac and Windows Compatible

Components

Thunderbolt™ 3 is the latest version of the Thunderbolt standard for connecting computers and electronic devices. It is capable of the following:

• Total bandwidth up to 40Gbps. Data transfer speeds are dependent on the other features that you are using in your setup.
• USB 3.1 Gen 2 support.
• 4K 60Hz video on one or two separate displays.
• 5K 60Hz video on a single display.
• A 10 GbE network connection between two Thunderbolt 3 compatible computers.
• Up to six devices daisy-chained from a single Thunderbolt 3 port.
• Alternate modes, such as DisplayPort Alternate Mode (DP Alt Mode).
• Bi-directional power delivery up to 100W (not all Thunderbolt 3 devices support power delivery).

USB-C and Thunderbolt 3

Thunderbolt 3 uses the USB-C connector, but not all host connections, cables, and devices with a USB-C connector support Thunderbolt 3. This means that a USB-C device is compatible with a Thunderbolt 3 host connection, but a Thunderbolt 3 device is not compatible with a USB-C host connection. Therefore, it is important to know whether you have a USB-C or a Thunderbolt 3 host, cable, or device.

To determine if your component is a Thunderbolt 3 device, look for the Thunderbolt 3 symbol (shown below). USB-C devices do not include this symbol.  For more information about USB-C, see the following FAQ: https://www.startech.com/faq/usb-c-port-capabilites.

Thunderbolt symbol: https://sgcdn.startech.com/005329/media/products/gallery_large/TBLT3MMXM.B.jpg.

Backwards compatibility

If you use an adapter, Thunderbolt 3 host connections are compatible with Thunderbolt 1 and Thunderbolt 2 devices. You can use the StarTech.com TBT3TBTADAP to make a Thunderbolt 3 host connections backwards compatible.

Thunderbolt 3 devices are not backwards compatible with Thunderbolt 1 and Thunderbolt 2 host connections.

Thunderbolt 3 uses the USB-C connector, but not all host connections, cables, and devices with a USB-C connector support Thunderbolt 3. This means that a USB-C device is compatible with a Thunderbolt 3 host connection, but a Thunderbolt 3 device is not compatible with a USB-C host connection. Therefore, it is important to know whether you have a USB-C or a Thunderbolt 3 host, cable, or device.

To determine if your component is a Thunderbolt 3 device, look for the Thunderbolt 3 symbol (shown below). USB-C devices do not include this symbol.  For more information about USB-C, see the following FAQ: http://www.startech.com/faq/usb-c-port-capabilites.

Thunderbolt symbol: https://sgcdn.startech.com/005329/media/products/gallery_large/TBLT3MMXM.B.jpg.

No, you cannot use this device to increase the maximum number of displays that a video card supports. For example, if your video card only supports up to three displays and you add this device to your setup, your display limit is still three displays.

If you have connected more than one of this device to the same computer and are experiencing display issues, you should make sure that your video card can support the number of displays that you are using in your setup.

This device requires that the Thunderbolt 3 host system provides 15W of bus power to the Thunderbolt 3 port. Thunderbolt 3 host systems that do not provide the full 15W of bus power will not work with this device.  

Refer to the information provided by the manufacturer to confirm the power delivery capabilities of your host system.

To check which version of the Thunderbolt™ software, NVM firmware, and drivers you are running, do the following:

1. Click Start.
2. Type Thunderbolt and click on the search result.
3. In the system tray, right-click the Thunderbolt icon.
4. Click Settings > Details.

Review the versions of the software package, NVM firmware, PD firmware, and drivers.  If you are not running the latest versions, navigate to the manufacturer’s website and download the latest versions. 

When you connect a Thunderbolt™ device to any Windows operating system that can support Thunderbolt 3, a pop-up message appears. To use your device, complete the following:

1. In the New Thunderbolt devices have been attached pop-up message, click OK.
2. In the User Account Control pop-up message, click Yes.
3. In the Approve Thunderbolt Devices pop-up message, do one of the following:
   • If you want to authorize your Thunderbolt devices every time that you connect them, select Connect Only Once in the drop-down list.
   • If you want to authorize your Thunderbolt devices only once, select Always Connect in the drop-down list.
4. Click OK.

If you accidentally set your Thunderbolt device to Do Not Connect in step three above, refer to the following FAQ: https://www.startech.com/faq/thunderbolt-3-denied-authentication.

If you accidentally set a Thunderbolt™3 device to not connect to your computer when prompted by the system, you can force the software to prompt you again for authentication. To do so, complete the following:

1. Right-click the Thunderbolt icon.
2. Click Approve Attached Devices.
3. Select the Thunderbolt 3 port that you want to authenticate.

You can use the Thunderbolt™ software to manage your Thunderbolt 3 devices on a computer running a version of Windows. To manage your Thunderbolt 3 devices, complete the following:

1. Click Start.
2. Type Thunderbolt and click on the search result.
3. Right-click the Thunderbolt icon.
4. Click Manage Approved Devices.

When you troubleshoot issues with a video adapter, there are some quick tests that you can complete to rule out potential problems. You can test to make sure that the following components are working correctly and are not the source of the issue:

• Video cables

• Video adapter

• Video source (such as a DVD player or computer)

• Video destination (such as a monitor or projector)

To test your setup components, try the following:

• Use the cable, video adapter, video source, and video destination in another setup to see if the problem is with the components or the setup.

• Use a different cable, video adapter, video source, and video destination in your setup to see if the problem persists. Ideally, you should test a component that you know works in another setup.

When you test your cables, it is recommended that you do the following:

• Test each cable individually.

• Use short cables when you are testing.

When you test the video source and video destination, it is recommended that you do the following:

• Remove the video adapter from your setup and test to make sure that the video source and video destination work together without the video adapter.

• Test to make sure that the video source and video destination work together at the resolution that you want to use.

Note: In order for your setup to work properly, the video source, adapter, and destination all need to support the resolution that you are using.

If your computer is not detecting your Thunderbolt™ 3 device, try the following:

• Update the Thunderbolt software on your Thunderbolt 3 host device.
• Update the Thunderbolt controller NVM firmware on your Thunderbolt 3 host device.
• Update the Thunderbolt controller drivers.
• Update your motherboard BIOS or UEFI.

For more information about how to update the software, firmware, drivers, and BIOS or UEFI, refer to the website of the manufacturer of the Thunderbolt 3 host device. The following website includes links to some of the manufacturers of Thunderbolt 3 host devices: https://thunderbolttechnology.net/updates. If the manufacturer of your host device is not listed, you should contact the manufacturer or refer to their website for more information.

For more information about how to check which version of the Thunderbolt software and firmware you are currently using, see the following FAQ: https://www.startech.com/faq/thunderbolt-3-check-software-firmware.

For more information about Thunderbolt 3 host system and motherboard compatibility, refer to the Thunderbolt 3 Compatibility and Troubleshooting guide.

If you are only getting a single display to work with your Thunderbolt™3 device, make sure that your Thunderbolt 3 host device can support two separate DisplayPort lines over Thunderbolt 3. 

While Thunderbolt 3 supports dual monitors over a single connection, not all Thunderbolt 3 host devices are designed to meet this requirement. If your Thunderbolt 3 host device does not meet this requirement, you cannot troubleshoot this issue with software, firmware, or driver updates, and you cannot use this device to achieve dual displays over Thunderbolt 3. If you are not sure whether your Thunderbolt 3 host device supports dual monitors, contact your Thunderbolt 3 host device manufacturer.

If you confirmed that your Thunderbolt 3 host device does support dual monitors and you are only seeing a single display, see the following FAQ: https://www.startech.com/faq/thunderbolt-3-update-software-firmware.

For more information about Thunderbolt 3 host system and motherboard compatibility, refer to the Thunderbolt 3 Compatibility and Troubleshooting guide.

If you receive an error message that your Thunderbolt device is not certified for PC use, try the following to resolve the issue:

1. Click Start.
2. Type Thunderbolt and click the search result.
3. In the system tray, right-click the Thunderbolt icon.
4. Click Settings.
5. Clear the Only allow Thunderbolt Devices that have been certified for PC check box.

To use a Thunderbolt 3 adapter to output to a display at 60Hz, your monitor must support the refresh rate and you need to set the monitor to work at 60Hz. By default, most monitors are set to DP1.1, which will not work with this Thunderbolt 3 device when you use a display at 60Hz. In most cases, you need to set your monitor's DisplayPort settings to DP1.2.

To resolve this issue, use the buttons on your monitor to change the DisplayPort settings to DP1.2. For more information about changing your monitor settings, refer to the website of the manufacturer of your monitor.

To output 4K to a DisplayPort display at 30Hz, your monitor must support the resolution and refresh rate. If your monitor also supports 4K at 60Hz (DP 1.2 or higher), you may also need to set the monitor to work at 30Hz. 

To resolve this issue, use the buttons on your monitor to change the DisplayPort settings to DP1.1. For more information about how to change your monitor settings, refer to the website of the manufacturer of your monitor.