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I'm trying to set up my 2017 MBP with two external monitors. I have a Totu USB C Hub, TOTU 12-in-1 Type C Hub with dual HDMI inputs. It's supposed to allow me to use two external monitors with my MBP in clamshell mode but after exhausting SO and YouTube, I've found no good workaround. My machine only has two USB-C inputs (Thunderbolt 3). Anyone out here doing this?

The other posts similar to this were quite old and I'm looking for a solution specifically for newer MBP's with the two USB-C ports. Thanks,

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    I appreciate all the responses. I have tried two USB-C hubs that claim to be able to extend the desktop on a MBP with two HDMI inputs but neither have worked. I'm very disappointed that Apple has made such an easy thing next to impossible. Thanks again for your help.
    – marcmanley
    Commented Nov 9, 2019 at 16:18
  • I cannot see why you blame Apple for that. The sellers of those two USB-C hubs are clearly lying in their marketing material - that’s their problem. If you live in a country with decent consumer laws, you should be able to return them for a full refund as they can never perform as marketed. For the Thunderbolt Macs you need a Thunderbolt hub/dock in order to get dual displays with extended desktop.
    – jksoegaard
    Commented Nov 9, 2019 at 20:00
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    @jksoegaard I do blame Apple. I'm sorry, but wanting to connect your laptop to two external monitors should not be a feat of wonder to perform. Increasingly Apple has turned their backs on the pro-user who used to be a staple of their business. But as their innovation has declined so has their overall design. To do the same on a PC is pretty simple. I have been through several hubs and docs, most recently the 14-port Thunderbolt 3 dock from OWC that also doesn't work (even though it claims to do so).
    – marcmanley
    Commented Nov 11, 2019 at 19:53
  • Well, PCs do not work either if you connect incompatible equipment - such as using a Thunderbolt dock on a USB-C PC. It's just how it is. When I google the Totu USB-C hub, I see lots of listing for sale of it - every single one of them lists that it doesn't do extended desktops with Macs. Or unsupported versions of Windows for that matter - for example if you have Windows Vista, it just won't work. If you can't get the Thunderbolt 3 dock from OWC working, I suggest that you contact a technician that can help you setup things for you. Those hubs definitely do work.
    – jksoegaard
    Commented Nov 11, 2019 at 20:57
  • @jksoegaard I contact OWC and went with their 14-port Thunderbolt 3 dock. I was hoping to get a hub but I'm happy with the doc. Works fine. twitter.com/marc_manley/status/1194323237640921088?s=20
    – marcmanley
    Commented Nov 12, 2019 at 21:32

1 Answer 1

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Your problem is that you have chosen a USB-C hub - this means that MST is a requirement for supporting dual displays in a non-mirrored configuration. MST is not supported on macOS, but will work if you run Windows.

In order to get dual displays working, you'll need to either: (a) connect each monitor seperately to the two Thunderbolt ports on the Mac - directly or through your hub, or (b) get a Thunderbolt 3 hub/dock with dual display capability.

Such a Thunderbolt 3 dock could be for example the OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock. With that dock you would need to connect your two monitors to the dock like this:

Monitor A: Connected to mini-DisplayPort port Monitor B: Connected to daisy-chain Thunderbolt 3 port

Note that you'll need cables that match the inputs your monitors support. That could be for example a mini-DisplayPort to DisplayPort and a Thunderbolt 3/USB-C to HDMI cable.

The OWC dock is just one option - many other docks are available from various vendors at various price points.

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  • So I am connecting each monitor to the hub via hdmi (it has two hdmi inputs).
    – marcmanley
    Commented Nov 8, 2019 at 1:07
  • are you saying that I cannot use both hdmi inputs on the hub?
    – marcmanley
    Commented Nov 8, 2019 at 1:08
  • @marcmanley Yes, the hub you're using has been built to work with Windows. It doesn't work with macOS for dual display outputs if you want to use extended desktop. I.e. if you want the same thing display on both monitors - you can connect them both and get the same picture. If you want to have seperate monitors, this USB-C hub will never work for you.
    – jksoegaard
    Commented Nov 8, 2019 at 2:09
  • Wow. Thanks. I'll have to return it to Amazon.
    – marcmanley
    Commented Nov 8, 2019 at 3:04
  • Sounds like it, yes! Please mark my answer as accepted if you have the information you need.
    – jksoegaard
    Commented Nov 8, 2019 at 7:11

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