[zombie0]

The dock is definitely the weak link in my Surface Book experience. Still waiting for two 4K monitor support.

[Telex2112]

Still waiting... Come on Microsoft. At least try and help those who are affected by this by releasing a known issues area and ETAs on a fix. It's not that difficult.

[BenF]

Glad it's not just me. I have two Dell 4K monitors. Either one of them works plugged into the Surface Book directly, and either one will work plugged into the Surface Dock. But plug the second into the dock and the first won't work. Odd thing is that the monitor still sees that it is plugged in, the error message isn't the no cable message, it's the no signal message. I spent an hour on the phone with Microsoft today, they wanted me to reset the Surface Book! Grrr.

--- Ben

[zombie0]

I spent an hour on the phone with Microsoft today, they wanted me to reset the Surface Book! Grrr.

That is the part that gets me mad. I think they are well aware that the Surface dock does not yet support two 4K monitors. And they need to tell their customers and customer support representatives precisely that. They need to prevent their customer service from instructing customers to spend needless time and effort on nonsensical troubleshooting busywork such as "resetting" (which I assume to mean return to factory configuration) their Surface Books.

It shows too much disrespect to the customer to not yet have communicated the known issues.

[stefray]

Got the exact same issues with same hardware (i7/8gb) both viewsonic 24in monitors but little twist,, if i do 1 vga, 1 dvi i got working with NO flicker but dvi has big gap of space on the left where vga support full 1980 resolution. if i do both vga connections, then its exactly the same problem, flickering like crazy on only 1 monitor. If i do both dvi, it detected both monitors but wouldn't turn on. I will see if i have latest build of driver and test out tomorrow.. This is not acceptable for almost 2.5k system.. Microsoft should be better than this.

[zombie0]

I haven't heard a credible confirmation of two 4K monitors working on the Surface Dock from any real world user, so I find it a bit funny that the new Surface Pro 4 ad seems to show two 4K monitors attached to a dock.



I mean, obviously, that's awesome. That's precisely why I have two 4K monitors! But it doesn't work!

So, Microsoft, let's get that thing fixed up, please?

[BenF]

Follow-up: I spent 2 hours on the phone with Microsoft yesterday, they had a group of engineering folks there, and I gave remote control of the machine. They tested every which way, installed newer (unreleased) drivers, messed with settings, all while having me plug cables in and out for them. When all was said and done they acknowledged the problem, said they were going to look into it, and asked if they could contact me when they had something else to test. So, no resolution, but at least some acknowledgment of the problem.

--- Ben

[Spongers8X]

So it sounds like only those with 4K monitors continue to have the issue, am I reading that correctly? Ever since the firmware update I have had zero issues with my dock(s), and have been extremely happy overall. Though my monitors are 1080p not 4K.

Posted via the Windows Central App for Android

[zombie0]

The following write-up by a SP4 owner was sent to me:

https://www.petri.com/run-two-4k-monitors-surface

Note that the Surface Pro 4, unlike the Surface Book, does not obscure its internal mini-DisplayPort port while docked. So its possible for SP4 users to use the built-in port while docked. Us poor Surface Book chumps are not so lucky. If you care about 4K support, please let Microsoft know this needs to be dealt with!

[zombie0]

Based on the link above, I have gone to the length of filing down one of my DisplayPort connectors:



Unfortunately, this configuration does not work on the Surface Book. If the Surface Dock is connected, the monitor that is attached to the base (keyboard) is powered off. Once the dock is disconnected, that monitor will be powered up. In other words, even with this configuration, the Surface Book only powers a single 4K monitor at a time.

[tdf2001]

I have a few more data points. Using a couple of ASUS cheapo 1080p monitors and along with two mDP to HDMI adapter cables I was not able to get both monitors to work using the monitors' HDMI ports. When I switched one cable to DVI, I got both working, if I follow a specific power on order. I ordered a couple of Dell P2415Q 4k monitors and set up one up. One works fine in 4k mode along with one of the ASUS in 1080P, again only if I use the DVI port and follow a strict power on order. I have not tried dual 4k yet (I am missing on mDP to DP cable) but after reading all these posts, I am not even sure I will try...

[Lgodt]

I am having a similar problem. I have one HDMI monitor and one DVI. I can get either one to work individually, but not both at the same time. I am interested in your 'special power up sequence'....willing to try anything!

[tdf2001]

This works for my two identical 1080P Asus monitors but only if the first monitor uses HDMI and the second monitor the DVI port.

1. Reboot Surface Book with dock disconnected. Power off/on dock.
2. Connect dock to Surface with only the hdmi monitor attached to the dock
3. Wait for it to recognize the monitor
4. Disconnect dock
5. Connect DVI monitor to dock
6. Reconnect dock to Surface Book

At this point the Surface recognizes the second monitor and I can configure them via Display Settings. This configuration works with the Surface screen in use (3 monitors total) or the Surface shut.

I ordered two Dell P2415Q 4k screens. I am able to get one Dell and one ASUS to work following the same procedure starting with the Dell first. This gives me one 4k monitor and one 1080P. I had no luck getting both Dells to wrok at the same time but have not tried much yet.

[zombie0]

Thank you tdf2001 for posting a procedure that works for your configuration. I've given it a try with my two 4K monitors and unfortunately, at step #6, the "panic" state that I am familiar with sets in.

In this state, all of the monitors slowly cycle on and off repeatedly. The first 4K will briefly show a desktop and then turn off and repeat, the internal display will do the same. The second 4K will cycle between indicating "No signal" and "Sleep imminent." (To be clear, the second 4K monitors never shows a glimpse of the Windows desktop). Meanwhile, the USB devices are power cycled as well, and the USB detach and attach sound effects are repeatedly played.

It's as if the dock is attempting to power up the second 4K monitor, encountering an exception, and "rebooting" itself (the dock), causing all attached devices to be re-recognized. Which then re-recognizes the second 4K monitor, which it attempts to power up again, and the process repeats.

[Lgodt]

Thanks for the help - unfortunately, it didn't work for me. I can get all three screens (SB, HDMI, DVI) to work in duplicate mode, but in extend I can only get one of the externals to work...either will work when the other is unplugged. When both plugged in, it is just the DVI that works - very frustrating!

[tdf2001]

Bump to see if any recent firmware updates made a change for anyone? I am able to get a 4k Dell P2415Q to work in conjunction with a generic 1080p ASUS similar as described in #38. The 4k monitor is doing 60hz with no issues. I have zero luck when trying to have the dock drive two Dell P2415Q monitors. I tried the second one via a mDP -> DP cable and mD -> HDMI adapter cable into the monitor's HDMI port. Neither config was able to produce a picture on the second screen. The surface is 'detecting' the second screen but no pictures ever shows and it can't be configured via the Windows display config panel at all. I even tried the new Intel beta display drivers with no luck. The beta driver did, however, get rid of it crashing every 5 minutes.

[BenF]

Quick update, although I am sure everyone else is seeing the same. Latest firmware updates have NOT fixed the problem.

--- Ben

[Spongers8X]

For the last few weeks I have zero issues with both docks I have. Every time I have plugged them in the displays have come up correctly without issue. Not sure why my experience is different, but I have been extremely happy since the latest firmware update. I did not however take the beta Intel drivers floating around the interwebs.

[BenF]

Got some updates today, did not fix the issue.

One suggestion I was given was to daisy chain the two monitors, so one is fed by the dock and the second by the first. That does display an image on both, but unfortunatley it's a duplicated image, not an extended display, so that won't work.

Also, MS Surface support told me that a max refresh rate of 30 Hz would have to be used to drive both 4k monitors. That would be pretty bad if it even worked, but, nope, it didn't.

--- Ben

[zombie0]

Based on a tip from the other Surface forums, I have been able to drive both of my 4K monitors concurrently. But with several concessions that I feel are utterly unacceptable in the long term.

Namely:

• The Surface Book's internal display must be disabled. This is accomplished by configuring power management to keep the Surface on while the lid is closed.
• The 4K displays run at 30 Hz as you mention, which is unacceptable when using a monitor. These are not televisions (I've used 30 Hz 4K televisions as monitors, but I did so voluntarily, having enjoyed the massively lower price of a television; if you buy and use a monitor you expect 60 Hz). Furthermore, the Macbook Pro does not have this limitation. It's embarrassing and clearly not what they intended.
• Windows Hello is effectively rendered meaningless because the camera is blocked by the device being closed.

To me this seems like a stop-gap until a proper solution is implemented. Microsoft had better deliver proper dual 4K monitor support or I will ultimately retire my Surface Book as a workstation replacement. This experience has already turned all of my colleagues off from this generation of Surface devices, which is a real shame.

[tdf2001]

You might want to set a custom resolution and up the Hz from 30 to 50.

[Matthew Warrilow]

I had this exact same issue with my surface book, I got 2 identical monitors and the new surface dock, I bought 2 HDMI to MiniDisplayPort and hooked it up, sure enough, flickering, bouncing between screens etc. Just by chance I tried changing one of my HDMI to MiniDisplayPorts out for a VGA to MiniDisplayPort (my screens had HDMI and VGA in) and this fixed it! I do not know why it made a difference, so now one of my screens is connected to the surface dock using HDMItoMiniDisplayPort, and one using VGAtoMiniDisplayPort, and this has fixed the issue. all 3 screens are now working. Anyone else had this fix work for them?

[BenF]

What resolution and refresh rate do you have it working at?

I do have both screens running at highest res, but had to drop refresh to 30 Hz. :-(

--- Ben

[zombie0]

What resolution and refresh rate do you have it working at?

I do have both screens running at highest res, but had to drop refresh to 30 Hz. :-(

Ben,

In order to run my two 4K monitors at the same time with the Surface Dock, it is necessary to:

1. Close the Surface Book's lid, thereby disabling the built-in display. Using Power Management, you can configure the device to stay on while closed.
2. Run the DisplayPort 1.2 4K monitors at 30 Hz.
3. Give up on Windows Hello since the Book is closed.

If you're thinking those concessions suck, you're right. They are bad enough that I got snarky about it and ranted at my blog:

Microsoft concedes Surface Book incapable of dual 60Hz 4K / Tiamat

[Bluerain]

This isn't good.

I day trade and need both 4k and 60 Hz to work and having to close the Surface Book's lid ,which will disable the built-in display.

Using Power Management to keep the surface on isn't going to cut it for me.

I waited so long for this Book and now it's useless to me.

Hopefully a fix comes soon ,otherwise I have to move on.