DisplayLink

DisplayLink was founded in 2003 as Newnham Research by Dr. Quentin Stafford-Fraser and Martin King.{{cite web |title=About DisplayLink (DisplayLink Website) |url=http://www.displaylink.com/who_we_are.php |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120730053946/http://www.displaylink.com/who_we_are.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-07-30 |access-date=2008-10-08 }} The Newnham Research team invented NIVO (Network In, Video Out) designed for low-cost thin-client computing over Ethernet networks.{{cite web|title=What is a Ndiyo system?|url=http://www.ndiyo.org/systems|access-date=2008-10-08|archive-date=2008-10-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081008031402/http://www.ndiyo.org/systems|url-status=dead}} The company referred to these thin-client computers as network displays.

In 2006, Newnham Research launched its first commercially available product in partnership with the Kensington Computer Products Group: a USB 2.0 universal laptop docking station designed for the retail market.{{cite press release |title=DisplayLink launches high-speed USB graphics technology for multi-monitor computing applications |publisher=DisplayLink |url=http://www.displaylink.com/news/news110406.htm |date=2006-04-11 |access-date=2008-10-08 |quote=... its first design win with Kensington Computer Products Group, who will use the USB NIVO in a universal laptop docking station ...}}

In November 2006, Newnham Research renamed itself to DisplayLink, a name that allegedly better described their display connection technology.{{cite press release |title=Newnham Technology/Research Changes Name to DisplayLink |url=http://www.displaylink.com/news/news061106.htm |publisher=DisplayLink |date=2006-11-06 |access-date=2008-10-08}} The name is very similar to the DisplayPort display interface, which was approved by VESA earlier that year.

DisplayLink launched its first semiconductor product family, the DL-120 and DL-160 USB 2.0 graphics devices, in January 2007,{{cite press release |title=DisplayLink Launches ICs for Connecting Computer Displays via USB and Wireless USB |url=http://www.displaylink.com/news/news090107b.htm |publisher=DisplayLink |date=2006-01-09 |access-date=2008-10-08}} signaling a change in the company's business plan from FPGA-based systems to semiconductors. The DL-120 and DL-160 allow up to six additional monitors to be added to a PC through USB 2.0.

In May 2009, DisplayLink launched its second semiconductor product family, the DL-125, DL-165, and DL-195 USB 2.0 graphics devices. This DL-1x5 family brought improved performance, an increase in maximum resolution to 2048x1152, and the integration of a DVI transmitter and video DAC. The first products to ship with the new DL-1x5 chips were the Samsung Lapfit LD190G and LD220G monitors.{{cite press release |title=DisplayLink Ships Higher Performance USB Chips Delivering HD Graphics To New Samsung Lapfit Displays |url=http://www.displaylink.com/news/news190509a.htm |publisher=DisplayLink |date=2009-05-19 |access-date=2009-05-19}}

On November 17, 2009, DisplayLink announced their first Thin Client product based on their USB 2.0 virtual graphics technology, designed for Microsoft Windows MultiPoint Server.{{cite press release |title=DisplayLink Virtual Graphics to Enable Simple, Affordable 10 Seat Thin Client Computing Through Microsoft Windows Multipoint Server 2010 Technology |url=http://www.displaylink.com/pressreleaseviewer.php?type=2&id=43 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120729225505/http://www.displaylink.com/pressreleaseviewer.php?type=2&id=43 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-07-29 |publisher=DisplayLink |date=2009-11-17 |access-date=2010-02-16 }} Thin client manufacturer HP was the first to announce a product based on DisplayLink USB Graphics technology with the launch of the t100 Thin Client.{{cite press release |title=HP Expands Education Portfolio with Low-cost, Easy-to-use Technology for the Classroom |url=http://www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press/2009/091117xb.html |publisher=HP |date=2009-11-17 |access-date=2010-02-16}}

At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in 2012, DisplayLink announced several products incorporating video and graphics over a USB 3.0 "SuperSpeed USB" connection, showing substantial improvements in performance, resolution support, and video quality.{{cite press release |title=DisplayLink Virtual Graphics Powers Targus' USB 3.0 Docks, Adapters |url=http://www.displaylink.com/news/pressreleaseviewer.php?type=2&id=115 |publisher=DisplayLink |date=2012-01-10}}

At CES in 2013, DisplayLink demonstrated USB Power Delivery in which a standard USB cable is used to charge a laptop computer.{{cite web|title=DisplayLink Demonstrates New USB Power Delivery charging PC notebooks while simultaneously delivering USB Graphics, Video, Ethernet, and Audio connectivity over a single USB cable|url=http://www.displaylink.com/news/pressreleaseviewer.php?id=134|access-date=28 May 2013}}

At CES in 2016, DisplayLink announced their latest docking chip, the DL-6000 series, to support dual 4Kp60 over USB 3.0.{{Cite news|url=http://www.displaylink.com/newsroom/press-releases/displaylink-announces-advanced-dual-4kp60-usb-c-docking-chipset-usb-standard-bac-126|title=DisplayLink Announces Advanced Dual 4kp60 USB-C Docking Chipset With USB Standard-A Backwards Compatibility at CES 2016}}

At CES in 2017, DisplayLink demonstrated Wireless VR using DisplayLink graphics over a wireless 60 GHz link.{{Cite web|url=http://www.displaylink.com/newsroom/press-releases/displaylink-showcases-ultra-low-latency-wireless-vr-concept-ces-las-vegas-2017-131|title=DisplayLink Showcases Ultra-Low Latency Wireless VR Concept at CES Las Vegas 2017|website=www.displaylink.com|access-date=2017-01-17}}

In July 2020, DisplayLink was sold to Synaptics.{{Cite news |title=DisplayLink sold for $305m cash to Synaptics in deal valued at $407m |url=https://www.businessweekly.co.uk/news/hi-tech/displaylink-sold-305m-cash-synaptics-deal-valued-407m |newspaper=Business Weekly |first=Tony |last=Quested |date=20 July 2020 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919225029/https://www.businessweekly.co.uk/news/hi-tech/displaylink-sold-305m-cash-synaptics-deal-valued-407m |archivedate=19 September 2020 |accessdate=12 November 2024}}

DisplayLink's network graphics technology consists of two main components:{{cite web|access-date=2024-01-31 |date=2007-12-11 |title=No strings attached: DisplayLink's wireless USB monitors |publisher=newatlas.com |url=https://newatlas.com/displaylink-wireless-usb-monitors/8492/}}

• Virtual Graphics Card (VGC) software that is installed on a PC and;
• a Hardware Rendering Engine (HRE) embedded in or connected to a display device.

The DisplayLink VGC software is based on proprietary adaptive graphics technology. The VGC software runs on a Windows, macOS, or Linux host PC and takes information from the graphics adapter, compresses the changes to the display from the last update, and sends it over any standard network including USB, Wireless USB, Ethernet, and Wi-Fi.

After receiving the data, the HRE then transforms it back into pixels to be displayed on the monitor.

While basic network graphics technology can be used on a variety of network interfaces (Ethernet, and Wi-Fi), DisplayLink has to date only designed products around USB 2.0, USB 3.0, and Wireless USB connectivity.{{cite web |title=DisplayLink Fact Sheet |url=http://www.displaylink.com/news/resources/displaylink_factsheet.pdf |access-date=2011-09-02}}

Products with DisplayLink technology are supported on Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, macOS, Android, ChromeOS, and Ubuntu.{{cite web|title=Windows Driver Downloads|publisher=DisplayLink|url=http://www.displaylink.com/downloads/index.php|access-date=2015-09-17}}

The DL-1x0 series was the first generation of DisplayLink ICs, launched in January 2007. The family consisted of 2 products: DL-120 and DL-160, differentiated by the maximum resolution supported by the device. DL-120 is supported up to 1280x1024/1400x1050 and DL-160 up to 1600x1200/1680x1050.

The ICs supported a USB 2.0 input and a 24-bit RGB output or LVDS output. Additional chips needed in the design are an EEPROM and DDR Memory. If the design required an Analog RGB (VGA) or DVI output an additional chip was needed to convert the 24-bit RGB output to VGA or DVI.{{cite web |title=DisplayLink DL-120 and DL-160 Product Brief |url=https://archive.org/details/early-usb-2-displaylink-chip-product-brief }}

The DisplayLink website no longer shows the DL-1x0 ICs available, so they are presumed to be no longer available (as of February 2013).

The DL-1x5 series was introduced in May 2009. The family consists of 4 products: DL-115, DL-125, DL-165, and DL-195, again differentiated by the maximum resolution supported by the device. Features of the DL-1x5 family are:{{cite web|title=DisplayLink DL-1x5 Series |url=http://www.displaylink.com/technology/displaylink_hardware.php}}

• Integrated DVI, VGA, TTL, and LVDS (FPI)
• Dual-core design (DL-195/DL-165)
• Maximum resolution supported: 2048 x 1152
• Integrated USB 2.0
• DisplayLink DL 2+ Compression

The DL-3x00 series was first demonstrated at IDF in September 2011.{{cite web|title=DisplayLink Debuts First USB 3.0 Graphics Adapter At IDF |url=http://www.displaylink.com/news/pressreleaseviewer.php?id=107}} It supports dual video outputs (DL-3900 and DL-3950) and integrated 5.1 audio and Gigabit Ethernet. It also integrated a new compression scheme, called DL3.0, and content protection using HDCP 2.0 encryption.{{cite web|title=DisplayLink DL-3000 Series Product Brief |url=http://www.displaylink.com/pdf/DL-3x00_Product_Brief.pdf}}

The DL-3xxx IC won the Best of CES Innovations 2011 Design and Engineering Award Honoree.{{cite news|title=DisplayLink Named as Best of CES Innovations 2011 Design and Engineering Award Honoree |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/2010/11/09/idUS248821+09-Nov-2010+BW20101109 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411173116/http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/11/09/idUS248821+09-Nov-2010+BW20101109 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2013-04-11 | work=Reuters | date=2010-11-09}}

The DL-41xx series came out in 2013. It is a USB 3.0 to LVDS device, supporting DL3 compression and HDCP 2.0 encryption.{{cite web|title=DL-41xx Product Brief|url=http://www.displaylink.com/pdf/DL-41xx_Product_Brief.pdf|access-date=17 September 2015}} It is designed to be embedded into monitors to enable USB as a video input on displays. It is described as a low-power device, which enables it to be powered from the USB bus without the need for an external power supply. Power and video data can be delivered over a single cable.{{cite web|title=DisplayLink DL-41xx family|url=http://www.displaylink.com/technology/dl-41xx.php}}

The IC has been integrated into a number of portable USB displays from AOC, ASUS, and Taeseok.{{cite web|title=DisplayLink launches new USB monitor chip family|url=http://www.displaylink.com/news/pressreleaseviewer.php?id=145|access-date=17 September 2015}}

The DL-5xxx series was the first USB 3.0 graphics chipset to support 4K UHD resolutions. The chipset was launched in 2014 at Interop.{{cite web|title=DisplayLink launches industry leading DL-5700 USB 3.0 UHD 4K Chipset with Audio and Integrated Ethernet at Interop 2014|url=http://www.displaylink.com/news/pressreleaseviewer.php?id=152}}

The DL-6xxx series was announced at CES 2016. This version supports dual 4Kp60 displays over a USB 3.0 connection via a USB Type-C or USB Type-A connector.{{cite web|access-date=2024-01-31 |date=2016-05-31 |title=DisplayLink Announces World First — Quad 4K p60 Monitors Connected Over a Single USB Standard-A and Type-C Cable at Computex 2016 |publisher=businesswire.com |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160531006612/en/DisplayLink-Announces-World-First-%E2%80%94-Quad-4K-p60-Monitors-Connected-Over-a-Single-USB-Standard-A-and-Type-C-Cable-at-Computex-2016}}

DisplayLink technology does not install any hardware on the USB host device, therefore a driver must be installed. DisplayLink drivers for several operating systems are available.

There are unofficial reverse-engineered specifications available for older revisions of DisplayLink technology.{{cite web |title=Unofficial DisplayLink Hardware Specs |url=http://floe.butterbrot.org/displaylink/ |date=2009-01-09|access-date=2009-05-15}}

The current DisplayLink drivers (June 2017) support Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10. Support for Windows XP (32bit only) and Windows Vista is available with older DisplayLink driver versions.{{cite web|title=DisplayLink Windows Downloads|url=http://www.displaylink.com/downloads/downloads.php}}

There is no support for Windows RT versions.{{cite web|title=Which Operating systems does DisplayLink currently support|url=http://support.displaylink.com/knowledgebase/articles/543910}}

DisplayLink drivers are available for OS X 10.8 and later but newer DisplayLink chipsets require newer versions of the driver, which in turn require more recent macOS versions.{{cite web|title=DisplayLink macOS Software|url=http://www.displaylink.com/downloads/mac_downloads.php}}

DisplayLink confirmed that macOS versions 10.13.4 through 10.13.6 broke compatibility with their driver. DisplayLink is supported on macOS 10.14.

macOS 10.13.4 introduced support for external graphics processors also known as eGPUs.{{cite web|title=Use an external graphics processor with your Mac|date=24 January 2023 |url=https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208544}}

An Android app was made available in the Google Play store, called DisplayLink Desktop, in May 2015,{{cite web|access-date=2024-01-31 |date=2015-06-02 |title=DisplayLink Launches New Android App on the Google Play Store, Enabling Display Connectivity to Any DisplayLink Enabled Product |publisher=businesswire.com |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150602006180/en/DisplayLink-Launches-New-Android-App-on-the-Google-Play-Store-Enabling-Display-Connectivity-to-Any-DisplayLink-Enabled-Product}} however, it is only available for Android 5.0 Lollipop, and later. However, in their website they have programs for android. In their website they explain their Synaptics driver as:

"Enable any Android device to be a desktop workstation by installing this app and then connecting your Android device to a DisplayLink universal dock. This app will work with Android 5 (Lollipop) onwards.

Now you can use Microsoft Office, Google docs or any other productivity app on a desktop monitor with a keyboard and mouse."{{Cite web |title=Android {{!}} Synaptics |url=https://www.synaptics.com/products/displaylink-graphics/downloads/android |access-date=2024-06-09 |website=www.synaptics.com}}

The current generation of USB3 chips is supported by a binary-only driver on Ubuntu.{{cite web|url=https://www.synaptics.com/products/displaylink-graphics/downloads/ubuntu|title=Ubuntu support}} The Linux kernel 3.4 also contains a basic DisplayLink driver.{{Cite web |title=linux/drivers/video/fbdev/udlfb.c at master · torvalds/linux |url=https://github.com/torvalds/linux/blob/master/drivers/video/fbdev/udlfb.c |access-date=2025-03-31 |website=GitHub |language=en}}

A DisplayLink driver installer for Debian and Ubuntu-based Linux distributions (Elementary OS, Mint, Kali, Deepin, etc.) is available as part of the displaylink-debian project.{{Citation|last=Hodzic|first=Adnan|title=DisplayLink driver installer for Debian and Ubuntu-based Linux distributions.: AdnanHodzic/displaylink-debian|date=2019-11-29|url=https://github.com/AdnanHodzic/displaylink-debian|access-date=2019-12-01}}

There was a DisplayLink-supported open source project called libdlo with the goal of bringing support to Linux and other platforms.{{cite press release |title=DisplayLink Releases Linux Source Code for its USB Graphics Processors |url=http://www.displaylink.com/news/news150509.htm |publisher=DisplayLink |date=2009-05-15 |access-date=2009-05-15}}

DisplayLink enabled devices can be used on ChromeOS from R51 onwards.{{cite web|url=http://www.displaylink.com/downloads/chrome|title=Chrome OS support}}

An independent review published in 2011 determined that at the time, DisplayLink use led to significantly higher CPU utilization compared to displays connected by native video interfaces.{{cite web |title=USB Monitors? DisplayLink's Technology, Examined |url=https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/usb-graphics-adapter,3006-4.html |website=Tom's Hardware |date=30 August 2011 |publisher=Future US, Inc. |access-date=12 August 2021 }}

Summer 2012 Mac OS X 10.8 problems{{cite web|title=Mountain Lion Problems |url=http://displaylink.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1872}} were addressed by a new DisplayLink Mac driver announced at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show.{{cite web|title=DisplayLink Announces New USB 3.0 Mac Driver |date=8 January 2013 |url=http://news.softpedia.com/news/CES-2013-DisplayLink-Announces-New-USB-3-0-Mac-Driver-319397.shtml}} An article on DisplayLink's website said that minor issues under Mavericks (October 2013) and Yosemite (October 2014) were being resolved in collaboration with Apple.{{cite web |title=Known issues with DisplayLink on OS X 10.9, 10.10 and 10.11 (Mavericks, Yosemite and El Capitan) |url=https://support.displaylink.com/knowledgebase/articles/528023 |website=DisplayLink Support |publisher=DisplayLink |access-date=12 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116173539/https://support.displaylink.com/knowledgebase/articles/528023 |archive-date=16 November 2018 |location=Palo Alto, California |url-status=live }}

Customers have also complained that DisplayLink USB3 video-certified technologies have falsely advertised support for Linux, or not stated that it is OS-dependent when running the Displaylink 3xxx/41xx chipset.{{Citation needed|date=June 2019}}

DisplayLink finally responded to this in August 2015 by releasing a binary driver for Ubuntu that supports all current USB 3.0 ICs.{{cite web|title=DisplayLink Ubuntu driver|date=28 November 2024 |url=http://www.displaylink.com/downloads/ubuntu.php}} It is unclear if other Linux distributions will have DisplayLink support; however, details on how to port the driver to other distributions have been provided on the DisplayLink website.{{cite web|title=Porting the DisplayLink Ubuntu driver to other Linux distributions|url=http://support.displaylink.com/knowledgebase/articles/679060}}

{{reflist|2}}

• {{Official website}}
• [http://www.displaylink.com/zero_client.html DisplayLink Zero Client Overview]{{Dead link|date=November 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
• [http://displaylink.org/ DisplayLink Linux Project (libdlo)]
• [http://floe.butterbrot.org/displaylink/ Unofficial DisplayLink Hardware Specs]

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Category:Companies based in Cambridge

Category:Fabless semiconductor companies

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Category:Electronics companies established in 2003

Category:Semiconductor companies of the United States

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