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Surface Pro 4 (etc); observations from long term use?

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Dormouse:
Thanks.
It has been a real pig to deal with and isn't stable.
The ports on the Surface and dock are mini displayport.
I have been through connections via Displayport, HDMI, DVI and VGA on the monitors.
Nothing worked initially on the dock. But I got them (mostly) to work direct. And sometimes they would then work on the dock. Though not necessarily twice. And not at the correct resolution.
I now have 2 monitors working from the dock. One on DVI and one on VGA. Not at the optimum resolution but functioning. Although the function has been coming and going. I can live with this although it is not what I planned and may not prove reliable.

Would have been easy to be diverted by Internet memes that said my intended monitors  (I switched one out. I hadn't got it working but may have been able to but changed my mind about which monitors to use.) didn't work on W10. I knew they did because they did before.

So, sort of OK for now. Judgement suspended.

wraith808:
It has been a real pig to deal with and isn't stable.
-Dormouse (July 10, 2016, 03:07 PM)
--- End quote ---

Are we talking about just the monitors?  Or the device in general?

Dormouse:
Device in general remains really nice.

Apart from the monitor issue, the dock usually works.
The monitor issue has really irritated me. Seems to be a widespread issue affecting many monitors and makes, and should,  I  would have thought, have been fixable but no sign of MS doing so. It would be easier if it worked or didn't work but when a solution works sometimes, but not always, you can never sit down to work knowing it will be there.

I've switched one of my big monitors back to my desktop.  Probably a better idea tbh. I can manage OK with the current set up so long as it keeps working and keeps its settings. Maybe I'd have fewer resolution problems if I'd got the graphics card option but saw nothing on the Internet to suggest that.

Dormouse:
I think, maybe, I might have found a working solution.

The setup described above stopped working completely, let alone just being unreliable. I think I have tried every known type of cable, adapter and interface (active and passive) but the Surface Dock never simply worked/s with them although there have been occasional glimmers of function. Latest drivers and Windows OS installed. I considered getting other monitors; would probably have been cheaper in the end than all the cables and adapters etc but would have been a relatively big expense in one lump and I had no faith that even an approved monitor would work.

I found that the Surface was becoming by far my least used device. I used my Samsung Note extensively - a better tablet anyway - and also used my desktop quite a lot. And the Surface only when there was no alternative. A much nicer device than my other laptop but equally under utilised.

But now, I hope, (and actually believe) I have a solution. I have attached another dock. This time a Plugable USB dock. I attached it first to the Surface and then to the Surface Dock and it simply worked as if working was never something to be questioned. I am using both docks mostly because I have them both, but prefer to avoid regularly attaching and detaching the dock to the USB port; the MS magnetic charger/connector is easily attached and detached without any mechanical stress on the port. It is very early days, and it might turn round and bite me, but it feels stable just as it ought to be.

It will mean I use the Surface very much more. I've been happy to use it for portability and when I'm just doing one thing, but I really like a lot of screen space for my usual multitasking.

Dormouse:
And has carried on working.
Bought a mouse/keyboard combo just to use with it (Logitech MX800). Tried a cheaper one first (but mouse button didn't work) and then the MX800 (but had to return it because the i key didn't work - but knew it was a much better option for me). And in doing that worked out why the Dock was such a big issue for me.

I spend a lot of time leaning back in my chair, keyboard on lap, mouse on chair arm. Eyes about 4 or 5 feet from the screen. I use the backwards/forwards/zoom controls on the mouse all the time. Productivity slumps if I can't do it.

So now using the Surface most of the time as my main computer, though it still doesn't displace the Samsung. Happy bunny  :)
 

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