Question about AirPlay 1080p streaming in Mountain Lion/Thunderbolt display

I'm looking into buying some external monitors for my 2011 MBP 15" with Thunderbolt. I was looking into a dual monitor setup but that is tricky and requires an expensive adapter.

I noticed in Mountain Lion you can stream 1080p content over AirPlay. I was wondering what the lag on this streaming was like, and if it was an acceptable way of setting up dual monitors. Also if the connectivity would drop, and so on. I'm assuming because its Apple that the connection would be fluid and basically like a wire. I was also wondering what generation of Apple TV supports this, and whether you could say have two streams going at the same time, (i.e. have triple monitors).

The other option is the Thunderbolt display. I was wondering if there was any chance that in 2 years a Windows PC would be compatible. I doubt it would, but I was checking. The reason is I'm not sure what computer I'll have after 2 years, I don't want my monitor to become useless.

 

Windows PCs can already run Apples displayport monitor. Graphics cards that have a Displayport out just need a little displayport/mini-displayport adapter, and there are some for running of HDMI as well.

I doubt trying to stream a whole desktop picture over airplay would be very good... if it can even do that.

 

If you go that way with a Windows/Linux computer is the connection flawless? I have an MBP, but I'd like the display setup to last five years or so, and I might get a new computer two years from now, of an as of right now unknown OS.

Yeah I was thinking doing a 1080p wireless would be bad, but I was assuming if Apple let you do that, it must be acceptable.

 

Apple's monitor uses a standard mini displayport for video, it will work with any device that uses the same standard for video output. You won't get all of the additional benefits as those require Thunderbolt (along with the appropriate drivers) but the video portion would still work fine like any other monitor.

As for Mountain Lion's AirPlay abilities, I actually haven't come across much. I know that AirPlay display mirror on an iPad 2 and iPad 3 isn't all that great and lags quite a bit. I don't know if that is due to the iPad or if it comes from mirroring a display across an 802.11n network.

If the lag and stutter are due to the iPad, Apple may have a chance. If not, they would have to implements some mean compression in order for things to work properly. I'm hoping Apple can figure it out but I wouldn't expect to play any games using AirPlay let alone try to watch some video content that isn't directly being cached by the AppleTV.

 

Hmm, so my plans of dual monitors may be scrapped. I was also thinking of replacing the HDMI line from my TV to my computer with AirPlay. I watch online shows that aren't available on Netflix using this method (i.e Hulu etc) and the content is either 720p or 480p. Do you have any idea on whether this is actually a possibility? The content isn't from apple, so I don't think they can do bufferring, it would have to be done through mirroring only.

My understanding of Apple's monitors is the thunderbolt display is physically incapable of syncing with anything without thunderbolt. The mini dp can however sync with other devices.

 

I don't see any reason to buy the Apple branded monitor in your case... I never get Apple Monitors really. I've heard of people connecting dual monitors to the older style Macbook Pros, but I do not know what method they used... possibly some type of thunderbolt hub?

 

I don't think anything like that exists. You can daisy chain the thunderbolt monitors, but thats a $2K 2 monitor setup vs. a $400 if you get TN and $600 if you go e-IPS.

I like the glossy display on my MBP, thats why I was glancing at the Cinema display. I also really want a dual monitor setup but I can't get it because my laptop only has one output display port (which is super annoying for me). The only other option I see is a WQHD 27" and those are all that expensive. There is something called the Matrox Dual Head but it doesn't seem to give you true dual monitor functionality.

 

I'm surprised there isn't just a hub for Thunderbolt yet... but...

could you use something like this?
Sonnet - Echo Express Thunderbolt PCIe Expansion Chassis

with a graphics card inside of it set up for 2 monitors?

its very expensive, but you can get a good GPU to go in there too... and its probably cheaper than buying 2 of Apples monitors.

 

with the price of that, you might as well just sell your 2011 mbp and get a 2012 mbp with multiple displayport connections.

 

Thats definitely somewhat of an idea, it would help with gaming too I suppose but the problem is I don't really game anything that isn't Blizzard on the computer anymore. If that was cheaper I think I would go for it. The other point is for $600 I think I could upgrade to the retina MBP as well.

I'm thinking synergy with an old computer running linux is probably looking like the only option ATM for me to get dual displays unless someone makes a thunderbolt to dual displayport adapter which doesn't seem too hard, but nobody has it. Or a thunderbolt hub that is like $30 like USB hubs.

Unless I go for the retina MBP. Not sure if that is a good idea or not.

 

if you haven't bought yet... the Retina version is awesome

 

send a pm to kctech1, she has already did that and was talking about multi monitor setups in another thread in this same subforum. search for it.

 

no need I found this thread. xfire what all do you want to run on your external displays? if its high res video ( 1080+ ) or gaming your more or less limited to TB displays chained ( no forseeable TB hubs ) or an overpriced eGPU setup of somesort. if its more data related ( web work, e-mail documents etc, you can use usb to HDMI/DVI units like this

StarTech Professional USB DVI External Dual or Multi Monitor Video Adapter at Memory Express

 

Well I have a TV for high resolution video. Mainly my second monitor would be for productivity purposes, to have a webpage open while I work on some code, or to have two pages of code open.

Do you have any experience with the cheaper ones on eBay, e.g: 1080P USB 2.0 to DVI/VGA/HDMI Video Adapter Converter | eBay.

I'm not sure I want to spend more then a hundred dollars on an adapter like that. However for $30 its not a bad idea. I've heard that in Lion USB to HDMI/DVI slows down the operating system is this true? What kind of performance can you expect, would it affect normal browsing behavior? At this minute I am running Snow Leopard but I was planning on upgrading to mountain lion.

Blaargh though, I wish Apple would realize a monitor is something they should make more compatible with other devices. For example Apple doesn't make a game console so it would be nice to be able to hook up an Xbox 360 to it (so if I have to travel to a place for a month I can bring my monitor and game on it for example). I wouldn't even mind getting the thunderbolt display, I just don't want to spend that kind of cash and have it be incompatible with my other devices.

 

the cheap ones work great, for light display work, im still using antique uv 12+ units which are about $10 on fleabay now.

Ive thought this for years. heck im still waiting for GOOD multi-monitor support from them at all, OSX goes nuts past 3 displays and i need a pile of third party apps for sizing, shifting, locking windows and pallets etc.

 

Do USB to HDMI converts work natively (without external software running)?

 

once the drivers are loaded they are plug and play normally.