Category Archives: News

Maximizing USB 3.0: Plugable’s New PC Dock

USB 3.0 is growing fast, especially with the latest support from Intel (USB 3.0 built into all new chipsets), Microsoft (USB 3.0 stack built in to Windows 8), etc.

So we’re excited to be launching our new Plugable UD-3000 dock to upgrade your Windows PC with an extra USB 3.0 attached display (multiple monitors!), gigabit network, speakers, microphone, 2 free USB 3.0 ports, and 4 free USB 2.0 ports. All in one device. And all with one cable for super quick dock & undock of your laptop.

UD-3000 frontal viewPorts on the back of the Plugable UD-3000

The UD-3000 fully leverages the power of and higher throughput of USB 3.0 (up to 5 Gbps). With its premium 4A power adapter, a single integrated driver, and all components tested together, it’s the best way to make the most of your Windows PC’s USB 3.0 port. And it’s backwards compatible with all Windows USB 2.0 PCs, too.

USB has been amazingly successful, with over 10 Billion devices sold. USB 3.0′s 10x jump in performance, full backward and forward compatibility with USB 2.0/1.1 devices and hosts, lots of hardware choices, small price premium, and open standards — it’s not a surprise that USB 3.0 is winning the battle for ubiquity as a next-generation bus.

But USB 3.0 is still not yet as hassle-free and stable as USB 2.0. We still see conflicts between some devices, some hubs, etc. So there’s a huge advantage to getting all this functionality in one package, all tested together. And because we provide public, web-based support, it’s easy to see and google for problems and solutions, if anything goes wrong. Or just email support@plugable.com for quick, private support and answers to your questions.

Some notes on what to expect for USB 3.0 dock performance and compatibility:

  • Drivers. All the major functions of the dock (graphics, network, audio) are provided by a single integrated chip and driver from DisplayLink (DL-3700). Especially for the upcoming Windows 8 release, you’ll want to download and install the latest driver from DisplayLink to get all the latest fixes and features. We link to our latest recommended driver at http://plugable.com/drivers/displaylink/ And you can install the drivers even before ordering or having your unit arrive, to make sure all’s well and easy once you plug in the dock. Note these drivers are for Windows only — there is no Mac or Linux driver for DisplayLink’s DL-3×00 chips at this time.
  • USB 2.0. The dock can be used with any USB 2.0 Windows PC with no loss in functionality. But note that there’s no magic: performance will be at USB 2.0 speeds. So graphics at high resolutions could lag a little, along with slower network performance and any USB 3.0 devices connected to the front 2 ports will operate at USB 2.0 speeds. But it’s a great way to future-proof your purchase — you can use this dock now, and upgrade your PC to USB 3.0 later
  • Graphics Performance. USB 3.0 lifts the lid on graphics performance vs. USB 2.0, but you’ll only notice that at the highest resolutions when playing video, etc. Lower res or normal application use works just as well with USB 2.0. Also, many performance problems we see have to do with PC configuration (Aero disabled, or anti-virus software slowing things down) — and those types of problems will be no different between USB 2.0 and USB 3.0.
  • Network Performance. With the latest DisplayLink drivers (version 6.2 M1 or higher), you can achieve performance of 350-450 Mbps on a 1000 Mbps network. This is with a low-level benchmark – file copies will not be as efficient. While this is less than the 700-900 Mbps you’ll see with a built-in network card, it’s faster than most broadband connections. And we expect this speed to improve with future driver updates.
  • USB Performance. The dock has 2 USB 3.0 ports on the front and 4 USB 2.0 ports on the back. These provide full power, performance, and compatibility for all USB 2.0 devices. And the front 2 ports provide full USB 3.0 power (900mA) with the market-leading USB hub chipset (VIA VL811). We find that most USB 3.0 devices work well through a USB 3.0 hub, but that compatibility is more fragile than with USB 2.0 — some devices (like our own U3 SATA dock) must be connected directly to a USB 3.0 host port. And while USB 2.0 device performance won’t change through a good hub, with a USB 3.0 hub, you may see some performance differences. As devices and hubs improve over time, we expect this will improve.

We hope that background helps. We’re excited about this one-stop-shop for some big gains with USB 3.0. And as a final bonus, we’ve launched at the introductory price of $99 (limited time). Combined with our online support and no-hassle returns through Amazon, it’s an no-stress decision.

Please feel free to post with any questions or comments – we’re happy to provide any details not covered here. Thanks to all our customers for going out of their way for Plugable products!

Plugable UD-3000 USB 3.0 Docking Station for Windows PCs (DVI/VGA to 2048x1152, Gigabit Ethernet, Audio, 2 USB 3.0 Ports, 4 USB 2.0 Ports, 4A AC Power Adapter) Product Details $129.00

UPDATED: Plugable Products on Mac OS X 10.8 (aka Mountain Lion)

Listed below are our latest updates about how to make your Plugable products work on Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion with all the caveats shared by customers. If you read this post before and notice changes, it’s because we’ve revised our advice based on differences between our test results and what many customers were reporting. For now, in all cases we are recommending the solutions that have worked for everyone.

Any Plugable products not listed below have not yet been tested or have no Mac support (USB 3.0 graphics adapters, USB 3.0 docking station, Windows Easy Transfer cable).

Product
Type		 Products
Tested		 Drivers
Needed		 Download Site/
Setup Notes
10/100 Ethernet Adapter USB2-E100 N Uninstall previously installed third-party ASIX AX88772 driver before upgrading 10.7 or 10.8, to use Apple’s built-in drivers.
Gigabit Ethernet Adapter USB2-E1000 Y Leave the Gigabit adapter unplugged. Go to network settings and delete any existing USB Gigabit Ethernet interfaces by highlighting and clicking the minus button.

Download and install drivers from:
plugable.com/products/usb2-e1000/drivers

After installation and reboot, plug in the adapter.

Go to network settings. If a new USB Gigabit interface hasn’t been created, then click the plus button, and add a new interface for the USB Gigabit Ethernet adapter.

Click the gear button, choose to set the service order, and drag the Gigabit Ethernet interface to the top of the list to make it your primary network connection. Approve the change to return to the main network settings screen.

Click Apply in network settings.

If the status in network settings goes green with a good IP address (not 169.x.x.x), the adapter is working properly.
USB 2.0 Graphics Adapters UGA-2K-A,UGA-165,
USB-VGA-165,
UGA-125		 Y Uninstall any old DisplayLink drivers before upgrading from 10.7.x.After upgrade, download and install the production version of DisplayLink’s v1.8 driver (or later) for OS X at DisplayLink’s Mac driver page.

Note that the performance of USB graphics on Mac is not yet at the same level as Windows. And some customers have reported crashes and hangs after installing DisplayLink drivers on Mountain Lion. See DisplayLink’s Mac user forum for the latest details. There is a specific thread on possible causes of Kernel panics.

We are filing bugs with DisplayLink based on Plugable customer feedback. If your system is not performing properly once you have installed the latest DisplayLink drivers, please contact us at support@plugable.com for assistance.
USB 2.0 Universal Docking Stations UD-160-A, DC-125 See Notes Follow the instructions above for the 10/100 Ethernet adapter and the USB 2.0 graphics adapters.
Hard Drive Dock USB3-SATA-U3 N
Serial Adapter PL2303-DB9 Y http://plugable.com/drivers/prolific/ (Mac security settings must allow installation of executable files from anywhere)
Hubs, Switches, Extension Cables N 10.8 has a regression where USB Hard Drives attached to a Mac through a USB hub may report “drive wasn’t ejected properly” on return from sleep. We have customer reports of this issue in particular with USB 3.0 hubs like USB3-HUB4

Please feel free to comment here or e-mail us at support@plugable.com with your findings, questions, or problems. We’re here to help.

Plugable USB 2.0 to 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN Network Adapter (ASIX AX88178 Chipset) Product Details $25.00

Plugable’s New USB 3.0 to VGA Adapter

We’re pleased to announce the latest expansion of our USB 3.0 product line with the USB3-VGA: Plugable’s USB 3.0 to VGA graphics adapter for Windows PCs.

Most monitors, TVs, and projectors still have the familiar 15-pin VGA input port for attaching a computer. Don’t let VGA’s age fool you. Images on your display will look exactly the same when transmitted through a VGA connection as they would through all the competing, latest-and-greatest video connection types (DVI, Dual-Link DVI, multiple versions of HDMI, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt, etc.). Customers are used to VGA, and we’re happy to offer a USB 3.0 adapter that works with their existing display devices.

This new USB 3.0 to VGA graphics adapter offers the same ease of use as our highly regarded USB 2.0 to VGA adapter but supports a higher range of display resolutions (up to 2048×1152/1920×1200) and includes the ability to provide high-definition video to a 1080p-capable VGA display or projector.

These improvements are made possible by USB 3.0′s faster data transfer speeds of five gigabits per second versus USB 2.0′s 480 megabits per second and by the improved data compression capabilities in the DisplayLink DL-3100 chipset. The DL-3100 chipset uses the host computer’s central processor and graphics processor more efficiently than its USB 2.0 predecessor, making the USB3-VGA outshine USB 2.0 to VGA adapters even on computers without any USB 3.0 ports.

Adapter USB Version Video Output Max Resolution Supported OS*
USB3-HDMI-DVI USB 3.0/2.0 HDMI, DVI 2048×1152 Windows
USB3-VGA USB 3.0/2.0 VGA 2048×1152 Windows
UGA-2K-A USB 2.0 HDMI, DVI, VGA 2048×1152 Windows, Mac OS X
UGA-165 USB 2.0 HDMI, DVI, VGA 1920×1080 Windows, Mac OS X

*See product detail pages for specific version information.

The one drawback of the DL-3XXX chipset is that it’s only supported by DisplayLink on Windows right now–including the soon-to-release Windows 8. Sorry Mac and Linux customers, but there are no OS X or Linux drivers for our USB 3.0 graphics adapters. Please continue to use Plugable’s USB 2.0 graphics adapters for now.

Now that we have digital and analog adapters, think about your usage scenarios to make the best purchase decision.

  • If your monitor or projector only supports an HDMI or DVI connection, you’ll want to go with the USB3-DVI-HDMI.
  • If that monitor or projector only has a VGA input, the USB3-VGA is for you.
  • If you can hook up with any of these three display types, it may come down to price or the displays you intend to purchase in the future.

As with all Plugable graphics adapters, you can connect up to six to your Windows PC either directly (if you have enough open USB ports) or through a self-powered USB hub connected to your PC. Our new USB3-HUB4 four-port USB 3.0 hub with a four-amp power supply offers an easy, cost-effective way to connect four USB3-VGA graphics adapters through a single USB 3.0 port on your PC.

If you have questions about Plugable’s new USB 3.0 to VGA graphics adapter or any of our other USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 products, don’t hesitate to leave us a message below or to write to us at support@plugable.com. We’re here to help.

Plugable USB3-VGA USB 3.0 to VGA Adapter for Windows (Supports Monitors up to 1920×1080, DisplayLink DL-3100 chip) Product Details $49.95