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According to a study by Jon Peddie, multi-display systems can increase productivity up to 42 percent for an average person. Ever since the technology of connecting multiple monitors came to existence, it has enabled us to work on multiple documents efficiently and simultaneously. Presently, the demands of working on multiple devices are increasing. Displayport cables, also known as Multi-Stream (MST) makes it possible for you to email, manage your excel sheets, and presentations everything at the same time.
If you are thinking of setting up a Multi-Stream transport for yourself then scroll down to learn how you can do the same.
Brief History of MST:
While the size of the devices is shrinking day-by-day, it is getting difficult to find alternative parts like VGD, DVI, HDMI, computer cables, etc. This setback was seen as an opportunity for the Video Electronics Standards Association. They started developing MST technology which will allow a DisplayPort to extend your desktop across various screens. It was first introduced in DisplayPort 1.2 (2009) and it has been in the market after that.
There are two types of system configurations available to use the MST. First, you can use MST with daisy-chainable displays which should compulsorily have MST functionality. And this configuration is known as Daisy Chaining
1. Daisy Chaining
Basically, “Daisy Chaining” is a term that describes the capacity to connect a series of devices together with a single standard DisplayPort cable between two or more possible devices. The new version of DisplayPort v1.2 daisy-chainable displays contains both a DisplayPort input and an output. Here, the DisplayPort output connects to the next downstream display. Hence, this type of arrangement, where you have one DisplayPort cable between various monitors provides a less complicated system configuration.
It is important that each of the displays except the last display in the chain should have DisplayPort v1.2 receivers and transmitters. The last display in the MST hub can be DP 1.1 monitor which only has DisplayPort input and lacks DisplayPort output.
The operating system on the source device sees the daisy chain as separate displays. They act as if they connect via their own separate inputs.
In the Daisy Chaining, there are three screens connected to each other with a single DisplayPort cables.
For this to work, first you need to connect the cable screen to the laptop or PC, which addresses the three as separate displays.
2. MST Hub Configuration
This is the second type of MST hub configuration. This hub provides the MST functionality by splitting up the DisplayPort 1.2 video. Usually, the video streams from the source device and routes independently to each display device. What happens in the MST Hub Configuration is that instead of extending a single screen, all the screens behave like independent displays with the individual operating system. What you have is basically an extended version of your desktop.
One of the major benefits of MST hub configuration is that it allows the use of od non-DisplayPort 1.2 monitors or legacy monitors. You might have them in a form of VGA, DVI or HDMI with the attached DisplayPort Computer Cable to VGA/DVI/HDMI converters. The one and only factor behind limiting the number of displays is the graphics card.
Other MST Supported Devices:
New additions in the market will certainly have to support MST. By that, it includes tablets such as Microsoft Surface and other Android Phones. Apple has a record of slow adoption of MST in its devices.
Build MST Hub Using USB Adapters:
It is a likely scenario that your device doesn’t support the DisplayPort yet. Still, it is possible to use a USB 3.0 port to connect multiple monitors using an external video card adapter. In fact, DisplayPort and the USB-IF announced that they will be supporting DisplayPort over USB-C or you can say type C mode. Hence, USB-C cable will be able to carry DisplayPort audio and video with data and power cut as well. All we need to do is to wait for the software and hardware support updates. As this exciting upgrade would surely make technology-lovers happy.
Concluding
MST (Multi-Stream Transport) hub allows you to share a single DisplayPort or Mini DisplayPort signal with multiple monitors. With MST hub, it will either have a DisplayPort or a mini DisplayPort connector. Select the appropriate hub for the port on your computer or tablet. The key point of using MST hub is that it allows the use of different displays that is: duplicating your primary display, extending your display across multiple monitors, creating a video wall. You can make a choice according to your requirements to enable multitasking. As that is the most efficient way of combining all the tasks together which saves time. Eventually, you can save time on time-consuming operations and streamline your processes together.