Ports
The Belkin USB 3.0 Dual Video Docking Stand for Windows 8 Tablets offers ample ports that are intelligently located. Two USB 3.0 ports live on the right side of the dock and you can easily connect your tablet to a keyboard, a game controller, a mouse or other peripherals. Both USB ports are 5 Gbps SuperSpeed USB ports and one of them offers 2.1A power output for charging your iPad or other mobile devices. Next to the two USB ports, you’ll find a combo audio port for headphones and speakers. We tested charging an iPad 4 with Retina Display via the side USB port and it worked fine.
The ports on the back of the Belkin USB 3.0 Dual Video Docking Stand help turn your Windows 8 tablet into an able workstation. A USB 3.0 Upstream port connects the dock to your tablet via included cable and it passes the data from your tablet to monitors and peripherals. For external display options, the dock offers a DisplayPort 1.1 and a DVI-I to monitor port that also works with VGA via the included DVI to VGA adapter. The maximum resolution supported by the dock is 2048 x 1152.
Additional connectivity ports on the back of the dock include two USB 2.0 ports (perfect for keyboards and mice) and an RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet port. There is also a security lock slot and a power adapter to keep the dock in operation and pass power to the 2.1A USB 3.0 port. The dock comes with a beefy AC charger, though if you connect an additional USB hub to the dock, it’s a good idea to have a self-powered hub as the dock can’t spare that much power.
Software and Compatibility
The Belkin USB 3.0 Dual Video Docking Stand for Windows 8 Tablets requires a simple software installation. When you first connect the tablet to the dock, DisplayLink software will start the installation process. Be sure to power on the dock before connecting your tablet to it and use the Windows desktop view for the installation. Once installed, the software allows you to configure screen resolutions, set primary and secondary screen options, audio and video set-up. The process is simple enough for anyone who’s set up AV gear with their computers and certainly easy enough for your IT department. So far in our tests, we haven’t experienced any delays in video response on the external monitor. One thing that’s a little annoying, though this is an OS issue not Belkin’s, is that when you disconnect the tablet from your second screen and reconnect it, you have to rearrange the windows, as the OS doesn’t remember the previous set up.
The dock and software work with all Windows 8 tablets based on Intel Core and Intel Atom mobile CPUs and so far every Windows 8 tablet has at least one built-in USB port to work with the Belkin dock. The Belkin Dual Video Docking Stand works with maximum of two monitors. The Belkin Dual Video Docking Stand does not work with Windows RT devices. |