MacBook Air 13" Docking Station

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I have a 13” MacBook Air that I currently am using with a Mini DisplayPort to VGA adaptor to dual screen on my desk, I have a wired keyboard, USB headset attached all the time.

As it stands it works, but my desk is a mess and I am always worried about having to plug in and out cables everytime I leave the desk, got to a meeting etc.

I’ve been looking at docking stations and port replicators but I can’t seem to find any that definitively will support two VGA or two DVI displays, ideally I’d like to dock the mac and have two identical displays bracket mounted on the desk. I’ve looked at the Hengedock and that does not seem to support dual displays.

Anyone have any suggestions or am I on a hiding to nothing unless I go down the route of a USB Video adaptor ..which again would just be an additional perhiperial hanging off either the mac or docking station?

Tokyo

From what I've just seen of the Henge Dock online, it doesn't have any built in intelligence, but rather extends the thunderbolt and USB port on the RHS of the macbook air away from the computer. Assuming that this is the case, then whatever setup you are running on your desk right now should run using the dock. Perhaps the one concession you might have to make would be to get a USB hub, so that all USB devices can be plugged in to the USB port that the dick accesses.

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mike_ie wrote: »

From what I've just seen of the Henge Dock online, it doesn't have any built in intelligence, but rather extends the thunderbolt and USB port on the RHS of the macbook air away from the computer. Assuming that this is the case, then whatever setup you are running on your desk right now should run using the dock. Perhaps the one concession you might have to make would be to get a USB hub, so that all USB devices can be plugged in to the USB port that the dick accesses.

The problem I see with the henge dock is that the mac has to be closed in the dock, limiting me to a single screen.

There are some welkin thunderbolt replicators which seem to have a number of Thunderbolt / Mini DisplayPorts on them ... but I can't seem to make out if that would allow me to dual screen to two VGA/DVI monitors ... to me it looks like it will take a VGA/DVI and a Thunderbolt display, I can't justify splashing out on two thunderbolt displays when I already have two 24" displays.

Kavrocks

whippet wrote: »

There are some welkin thunderbolt replicators which seem to have a number of Thunderbolt / Mini DisplayPorts on them ... but I can't seem to make out if that would allow me to dual screen to two VGA/DVI monitors ... to me it looks like it will take a VGA/DVI and a Thunderbolt display, I can't justify splashing out on two thunderbolt displays when I already have two 24" displays.

I'm going to presume you meant Belkin. None of those Belkin docks I have seen have any extra Thunderbolt ports, if you have one that does I'd love to see it. Whichever route you go down you will have to connect at least 1 cable to the Mac. Your first post reads as if you don't even want this?

The Belkin Express 2 Dock should suit your needs. It has 2 USB ports for your keyboard and headset, a thunderbolt port which you can use a miniDisplayPort to DVI adapter in and a HDMI port with which you can use a HDMI to DVI adapter with. It requires you connect 1 of the Thunderbolt ports to your Mac.

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Kavrocks wrote: »

I'm going to presume you meant Belkin. None of those Belkin docks I have seen have any extra Thunderbolt ports, if you have one that does I'd love to see it. Whichever route you go down you will have to connect at least 1 cable to the Mac. Your first post reads as if you don't even want this?

The Belkin Express 2 Dock should suit your needs. It has 2 USB ports for your keyboard and headset, a thunderbolt port which you can use a miniDisplayPort to DVI adapter in and a HDMI port with which you can use a HDMI to DVI adapter with. It requires you connect 1 of the Thunderbolt ports to your Mac.

That was what I was looking at, the Belkin dock (a port replicator really) says it has 2x thunderbolt ports .. my question really is will this allow me to support two displays via a Mini DisplayPort adaptor?

I don't mind having a single cable to attached to the notebook if I have the two screens properly mounted. Mind you it is a pricey bit of kit.

Kavrocks

whippet wrote: »

That was what I was looking at, the Belkin dock (a port replicator really) says it has 2x thunderbolt ports .. my question really is will this allow me to support two displays via a Mini DisplayPort adaptor?

Yes as I mentioned above. 1 of the Thunderbolt ports has to be connected to your Mac so you only have 1 left. I have not found anything which increases your number of Thunderbolt ports (which I presume is what you are also looking for). I presume this is because Thunderbolt devices are supposed to be daisy chained.

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never copped that, just from reading the specs where they say 2x Thunderbolt ports i assumed they were two available ports. So I would need this coupled with a HDMI - VGA adapter .. adding an extra €40 or so ..

shanec1928

something like this maybe? Link

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shanec1928 wrote: »

something like this maybe? Link

that seems identical to the belkin one .. I suppose the only question I now have is can the MBA support the two displays .. on the elgato spec sheet is says that the dual display option is subject to the ability of the host .. which is the MBA. I'm still none the wiser !