No, it is not recommended to use the USBC-PDMON if your computer does not have a USB-C port. The portable display monitor requires a full-featured, video-capable USB-C or Thunderbolt connection to function properly.
Why the USBC-PDMON Requires a USB-C Port
By default, the USBC-PDMON requires a direct connection to a host device that supports DisplayPort Alternate Mode (DP Alt Mode) for video output. Additionally, the USB-C connection is necessary to handle the Power Delivery (PD) required to operate the monitor and provide pass-through charging. Systems lacking a full-featured USB-C port with these capabilities cannot transmit the necessary video and power signals without some specific workarounds.
Workaround or Alternative Options
It is possible to use the USBC-PDMON with a non-USB-C system if the following requirements are met:
- The system must have an HDMI or DisplayPort video output port. Alternatively, a USB video adapter may be used to provide an HDMI or DisplayPort output.
- A bidirectional HDMI to USB-C or DisplayPort to USB-C cable is required. Most HDMI/DisplayPort to USB-C cables on the market are not bidirectional unless explicitly advertised as such. Plugable sells a bidirectional USB-C to DisplayPort cable in USBC-DP
- A USB-C power supply must be connected to the USBC-PDMON. The bidirectional video cable cannot provide enough power to turn on the display by itself, so supplemental USB-C power is required.
To set up the USBC-PDMON with a non-USB-C system:
- Connect the HDMI or DisplayPort end of the bidirectional cable to the computer’s video output port.
- Connect the USB-C end of the bidirectional cable to the USBC-PDMON’s dedicated host USB-C port (marked with a laptop icon)
- Connect a USB-C power adapter to the USBC-PDMON’s PD pass-through capable USB-C port (labelled with a plug icon).
Once both the bidirectional video cable and USB-C power adapter are connected, the USBC-PDMON may be able to receive video from the non-USB-C system, assuming all of the requirements above are met.
