HDMI, a Second Monitor: Both are Easier to Find Than You Think

A USB 3.0 jack now has an adapter to allow HDMI video playback. There is no AC requirement since it is USB powered, and if that sounds good, so should the content since support for audio is found in this little adapter as well. By utilizing SuperSpeed USB 3.0 and its 5Gb/s speed, the USB 3.0 to HDMI with Audio adapter will be able to keep up with your technologies.

Turning your USB 3.0 jacks into HDMI display ports opens up lots of possibilities for mobility and convenience. Not only could you have a computer ready to play your footage, but bringing that footage directly to friends, family or clients is much simpler when you're able to use an HDMI connection from your computer. Your video and audio should be fine with 16:9, 16:10 and 4:3 aspect ratios being supported by this adapter.

If you're concerned about the 16:10 ratio, it is a small, vertical stretch from the typical widescreen, and a remnant from some displays prior to 2011. The USB 3.0 to HDMI includes a DisplayLink DL-3500 chip upgrades the USB 3.0 jack to make an additional monitor output to say, a client's television. Now you're in business, your ability to share video from your computer is easily expandable.

The fact that the HDMI jack is hot-pluggable just makes your workflow that much smoother. Since you aren't powering down to input a new device, you can quickly change out one monitor with the next. It should also be no problem to add a second monitor and reduce the crowd around your computer. The little black stick is a small enough draw that up to six adapters may be attached to a system. HDMI typically does carry audio, but for both video and audio to travel out of a universal serial bus is a little mind-numbing.

With USB 3.0 getting wider use, and disc drives dropping away, video producers get more ways to share their video with their computer. Who knows it might be fast enough to extend your live stream. By the way, the 5-year limited warranty is likely to carry you well into the next technological advancement. For $130, it is an expensive little piece, but when it makes use of another monitor for your video playback, it might be just the investment you're looking for.

System Requirements:

1. Desktop or notebook computer with an available USB 2.0/3.0 port (USB 3.0 recommended)

2. Windows 8 (32-/64-bit) / 7 (32-/64-bit) / Vista (32-/64-bit) / XP (32-bit) with Service Pack 3 / Server 2008 (32-/64-bit) / Server 2008 R2 – See more at: http://www.siig.com/usb-3-0-to-hdmi-with-audio.html#sthash.cmc0rhc6.dpuf

 

Correction: In our original post we mistakenly stated that the device would provide an additional HDMI input. The USB 3.0 to HDMI with Audio adapter (CE-H20W12-S1) adapts a USB 3.0 output into an HDMI output. Thank you to our commenters who brought this to our attention. We regret any inconvenience that was caused by this error.

Jackson Wong
Jackson Wong
Jackson is a fan of Star Wars, sports, foley, and games of all kinds.

Related Content