Before You Buy
What is the difference between a passive and active DisplayPort converter?
When you convert video from a source that uses DisplayPort or Mini DisplayPort to DVI or HDMI (for example, a computer to a monitor), you will need to consider the difference between passive and active adapters.
If the source supports dual-mode DisplayPort (also known as DP++), then you can use a passive adapter because the source can perform the conversion. If the source does not support DP++, then you need to use an active converter, which includes additional chips to perform the conversion.
Thunderbolt ports support DP++ natively. To run multiple monitors from the same computer, please see the Active Adapters section below.
Passive Adapters
Passive adapters are less expensive since they do not need to include additional chips. A quick way to check whether you can use a passive adapter is to see if the DisplayPort or Mini DisplayPort source has the DP++ symbol above it. The symbol is a D with a P inside of it, with two + signs to the left, one on top of the other.
Active Adapters
Active adapters use additional chips to make the conversion inside the adapter, regardless of whether the source supports DP++. This means that active adapters are more expensive than passive adapters.
If you want to use multiple monitors with the same computer, you should use an active adapter because some video cards cannot run the maximum number of monitors while using DP++. This is especially true if the computer has more than one DisplayPort or Mini DisplayPort connection. Check with your video card manufacturer to confirm which type of adapter you need for the setup that you would like to run.
Note: You should use passive adapters with StarTech.com MST hubs, except when you are converting from DisplayPort to VGA, since that type of conversion requires active adapters. For more information on using adapters with StarTech.com MST hubs, refer to the following FAQ: http://www.startech.com/faq/mst_hubs_passive_vs_active_adapters.
Surface Dock
If you experience issues when you connect passive video signal adapters to the Surface Dock, Microsoft recommends that you use active video signal converters instead. StarTech.com offers an active video signal converter for DVI monitors (MDP2DVIS) and for HDMI monitors (MDP2HD4KS).
Note: This issue does not apply to the Surface Pro 3 Docking Station.
This FAQ applies to these products:
DP2DVI2MM6
DP2VGAMM6
MDP2DVIMM6
MDP2VGAMM6
DP2DVI
DP2DVI2
DP2DVIADAP
DP2DVID
DP2DVID2
DP2DVIMM10
DP2DVIMM3BS
DP2DVIMM6
DP2DVIMM6BS
DP2DVIS
DP2HDMI
DP2HDMI2
DP2HDMIADAP
DP2HDMIUSBA
DP2HDS
DP2HDSW
DP2VGA
DP2VGA2
DP2VGA3
DP2VGAMM10B
DP2VGAMM15B
DP2VGAMM3B
DP2VGAMM6B
MDP2DPDVHD
MDP2DVI
MDP2DVI3
MDP2DVID
MDP2DVIMM10B
MDP2DVIMM10W
MDP2DVIMM3B
MDP2DVIMM3BS
MDP2DVIMM3W
MDP2DVIMM3WS
MDP2DVIMM6B
MDP2DVIMM6BS
MDP2DVIMM6W
MDP2DVIMM6WS
MDP2DVIS
MDP2DVIW
MDP2HDMI
MDP2HDMIUSBA
MDP2HDS
MDP2HDSW
MDP2HDW
MDP2VGA
MDP2VGA2
MDP2VGAMM10B
MDP2VGAMM10W
MDP2VGAMM15B
MDP2VGAMM15W
MDP2VGAMM3B
MDP2VGAMM3W
MDP2VGAMM6B
MDP2VGAMM6W
MDP2VGAW
MDP2VGDVHD
DP2DVI2MM3
DP2HD4KADAP
DP2HD4KS
DP2HDMM1MB
DP2HDMM2MB
DP2HDMM3MB
DP2HDMM5MB
DP2HDVGA
DP2VGAAMM2M
DP2VGAAMM3M
DP2VGDVHD
MDP2HD4KS
MDP2HD4KSW
MDP2HDMM1MB
MDP2HDMM1MW
MDP2HDMM2MB
MDP2HDMM2MW
MDP2HDMM3MB
MDP2HDMM5MB
MDP2HDVGA
MDP2HDVGAW
MDP2VGAA
MDP2VGAAMM2M
MDP2VGAAMM3M
MDP2VGDVHDW
Applicable OS:
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