Re: Advice on laptop with USB-C port and USB-Type C Multipoint Adapter (and VGA)

[rhkramer@gmail.com]

Thanks to all who replied -- I have some notes at the bottom of this email.

On Sunday, November 29, 2020 01:27:12 AM Andrei POPESCU wrote:
> On Sb, 28 nov 20, 09:07:14, Rh Kramer wrote:
> > Advice on laptop with USB-C port and USB-Type C Multipoint Adapter

> > (I guess a key thing is USB-C "alternate mode" which, iiuc, under some
> > variations, can support video -- I strongly suspect that not all
> > implementations of alternate-mode support video, and even less so, all
> > variations of video.)
> 
> Regarding video output you have to consider that VGA is analog whereas
> DisplayPort and HDMI are digital.
> 
> As far as I understand, a USB to VGA adapter is basically just a video
> card that just happens to connect via USB (instead of PCI-E or so),
> while USB to HDMI (or DisplayPort) adapters could be either an external
> video adaptor connected via USB or using "alternate mode" to route the
> digital video signal directly from the internal video adapter to the
> display (only possible with a Type C connector).
> 
> Hope this helps,

Yes, thanks, it is certainly a good start.

My current take on the subject is this:

   * I don't have enough knowledge (yet) to confidently pick a laptop that will 
work with the multiport adapter I bought with VGA output

   * I have some amount of faith that this particular laptop would work 
because one of the accessories available for it is a USB-C to VGA adapter

   * I am skeptical that I could get a reliable answer on the subject from HP 
(or any other laptop manufacturer) -- one of my indicators might be to see if 
the manufacturer has a USB-C to VGA adapter for that laptop, but, still it 
might not work with the multiport adapter

Aside: I had called it a multipoint adapter, it is a multiport adapter.

I have started reading (and will continue, probably slowly) to dig into 
DisplayPort and DisplayLink and related stuff

I did find out that a USB-C cable / connector has 24 conductors -- so it is 
conceivable (with my lack of knowledge) that some laptop manufacturers 
actually put out an (analog) VGA signal on the USB-C cable.

Conclusion: for now, I'm not going to rush to buy a laptop.  I may look for a 
mini-PC (something close to the size of a laptop) with VGA output (and things 
like an AMD processor, memory expandable to 16 GB, ...) for my development 
efforts in Buster (or maybe wipe out the Jessie installation (or make it a dual 
boot) with Buster -- I can't give up Wheezy at this point, and I really don't 
have too much "invested" in Jessie at this point.