[kwlug-disc] HDMI over USB 3.0 story (may be useful to you)

[Mikalai Birukou]

I got used to three monitors: two vertical for code, and the third one 
(just 19 inches) is for communication. All this was powered by nvidia 
card on Phenom box.

AMD Phenom and nvidia is a funky retro mix that has flashes in video 
recording (KWLUG recording was affected), and even ssse3 is missing 
(used by QEMU) for device simulator. This forced me to go to retro 
laptop, Lenovo ThinkPad E540.

ThinkPad E540 has vga, hdmi, two usb 3.0. Two big screens for crisp text 
need digital signal, vga doesn't cut it. So, vga is for smaller 19 inch 
monitor, and hdmi is for one code screen.

Eurika moment came with actual reading about usb 3.0 -- it can be used 
for video.

Attempt 1 was using usb-A to usb-C adapter and trying hdmi thing that 
works with PinePhone (DisplayPort over usb something). But system didn't 
recognize it.

Search lead me to usb 3.0 to hdmi with DisplayLink chip in it. I am 
fuzzy on exact details, but it seems that newer systems may work with 
simpler usb-to-video parts, while my older system needs that chip.

Driver for mint (ubuntu genes) from 
https://www.synaptics.com/products/displaylink-graphics/downloads/ubuntu 
just worked with the adapter that has arrived an hour ago. Blind buying 
of other adapter would be a money waste. With DisplayLink I paid 60CAD 
vs 30CAD that flows around.