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CAC-1170 + Surface Pro 4 + Surface Dock == PROBLEM

Updated on 12-10-2016 in Adapters and Cables
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23 on 12-01-2016

I’m having an issue that I imagine will be a fairly common one moving forward and I was hoping to get some help/information on the issue.

I purchased the CAC-1170 to use my Samsung un48ju7500 as a 4K@60hz external monitor for my Surface Pro 4(SP4). The TV has a setting called “UHD Color” that when enabled disables all preprocessing and allows 4K@60hz 4:4:4. With this setting enabled and the CAC-1170 connected directly to the SP4’s mini display port everything works perfectly. When I extend my desktop to the TV and check the incoming resolution everything is working perfectly.

However, if I connect the Surface Dock to the Surface Pro 4 and connect the CAC-1170 to it, Windows 10 recognizes the TV as a monitor but extending the desktop to the TV results in a black screen with the Audio making it through only on occasion. If I lower the refresh rate to 29hz (30 won’t work either ) then it will work through the dock.

Does anyone else out there have a Surface Pro 4, Surface Dock, CAC-1170 and a 4K monitor that could test this out as well?

Even better, could the Club-3D test crew provide any information on this issue?

NOTE: When attempting to connect via the Surface Dock there is only one CAC-1170 plugged into it and nothing plugged into SP4’s mDP.

Hoping for resolution,
Aaron

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HiroProtagonist 1 on 12-01-2016

Hi Aaron, I’d be interested in taking the CAC-1170 off your hands if you don’t find a solution. It’s proving difficult to find a mini DP adapter here in the UK.

Cheers,
Hiro

aaronmmanzano on 12-01-2016

Sorry Hiro. It does work for me when directly connecting to the SP4, though without the convenience of the dock, so I’m going to continue utilizing it in this manner until further solutions arise. Good luck acquiring an adapter!

Cheers
Aaron

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RoyalKing 1 on 14-01-2016

Hi Aaronmmanzano, unfortunately the Surface dock is frustrating the connection (edid) between the mDP output and CAC-1170. We have adressed this issue with Microsoft, hopefully some sort of workaround or fix will become available in the future but so far there is no way to get it working properly with the dock in between unfortunately. 

For other Surface users, this applies to SP 3 + dock as well!

aaronmmanzano on 27-01-2016

Thanks for the update RoyalKing, it is very much appreciated. I returned the SP4 dock and tried another before i saw your response. I was going to repurchase a SP3 dock to try that but you saved me the trouble, so thanks again for that. Is there any chance a firmware update could fix this issue? Either way could you please keep me apprised on the progress? I’m sure there will be many in my exact situation finding this thread via google and any information would be great. 

Thanks for keeping customer service alive!!

aaronmmanzano

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MST1407 1 on 27-01-2016

sure we will, we did pas on this info to Microsoft however no feedback yet 🙁
We did encounter some issue with the Docking for the SP3 already with that one disturbing MST Signal that was not able to pass thru properly. We did sell our CSV-3203 docking quite well as a result of that, but not a solution for users who already have that MS Docking and also no feedback from Miscrosoft yet 🙁

aaronmmanzano on 27-01-2016

Thank you MST1407

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jpace31 6 on 14-04-2016

I am having the same issue, only I am using a Surface Book. Has there been any development on this issue. I can’t find any updated information and this thread is a couple months old. Please let me know if you were ever able to get this working.

aaronmmanzano on 14-04-2016

Hello jpace31, 

I was never able to remedy the situation. I have the unfortunate pleasure of having a mess of wires hanging out of my SP4 now every time I use it (daily) because the CAC-1170 and the new Surface Dock will not interfacecorrectly. Both of these pieces of hardware are firmware upgradable so I too was hoping for a faster resolution. RoyalKing & MST1407 has there been any response from Microsoft? Are there other avenues you can take as a work-around to Microsoft cooperation? 

Aaron

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jpace31 on 14-04-2016

That isn’t what I wanted to hear, ha. I too have the wiring mess coming from all sides of the laptop. Sucks to pay a premium for a device and have to deal with issues like these. Thanks for the quick response, hopefully we will have a solution soon.

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aaronmmanzano on 14-04-2016

No problem jpace31.

I no longer have the Surface Dock, but if you do you should update the CAC-1170 to the newest firmware and test again. I read recently that the firmware updates are regarding the reading of edid from the TV which is the problem in our case. I believe you have to email one of the mods for the newest firmware. Let me know how it goes please, I’ll def get a Surface Dock again if you get it working.

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MST1407 on 15-04-2016

Hi All,
I don’t have feedback from Microsoft.
We started with an issue with a DisplayPort MST Hub not workign when connected to the SP2 / 3 docking, Worked fien when connected directly. For the SP4 they do not make a docking anymore in which you can place the SP i believe … just an normal external universal Docking… 
Although the CAC-1170 / CAC-1070 are quite sensitive with regards to anything in between the source and the adapter … also adn MST Hub which is a lot less ensitive to that also still does not work thru the SP4 dock … you would think it would not be such a big deal to just forward a signal, but apparently more difficult than i realize …

Firmware request please email to [email protected]

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jpace31 on 17-04-2016

Aaron – Here is what I ended up doing…

Since I only have one display I am using the minidp on the Surface Book directly instead of the ports on the dock. I am using the dock for other peripherals, no displays attached to the dock. This greatly cut down on the wires coming from every direction and makes docking bearable – two connections vs four or five.

This would be easy for you to do with the SP4. Since I have a Surface Book I had to shave down the side of plastic on the minidp connector in order to make room for the dock connector, because on the Surface Book the dock connector is too close to use both the minidp and dock (without modifying the minidp connector a bit).

Anyway, this works for me since I only have one display. And since I have had the dock for months and can’t return it anymore I feel ok bout the compromise.

Hopefully MS releases a better dock at some point, since this issue is not a limitation of the video capabilities of the Surface laptops themselves (as far as I know).

Good Luck

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aaronmmanzano on 23-04-2016

Thanks for the reply jpace31,

I’ll keep holding tight for a complete solution. I’ll let you know if I come across anything.

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svandrei 3 on 23-04-2016

Microsoft released a firwmare update for the Surface dock on 4/19/2016.
The dock works much better now with DP devices (some were not working for me before).
It also supposedly works now with passive video adapters (I don’t have any to test).
But the situation with CAC-1170 is unchanged. The firmware on my CAC-1170 is 0x07 0x23, not sure if it’s the latest.

aaronmmanzano on 24-04-2016

Thanks for the info svandrei, that’s very helpful information.

MST1407 Could you chime in on if svandrei’s firmware is the latest version please?

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svandrei on 27-04-2016

Yes, apparently it’s the latest, I got reply regarding the firmware from the tech support.

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aaronmmanzano on 01-05-2016

Thanks for the reply svandrei. Please let us know if anything changes with further updates.

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svandrei 2 on 01-05-2016

Perhaps the CAC-1170 team could re-investigate the problem, now that the dock works much better for DP?

aaronmmanzano on 02-05-2016

I was hoping for the same thing. Perhaps the issue will be easier to solve this go-around.

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Eira on 13-07-2016

I just bought Surface Pro 4  with dock. Monitor is Asus PB287.
bought several cables in order to get 4k@60Hz, (org. MS, Apple, mini-DP to DP, and cac-1170.) Unfortunately, all of these cables stay at 29Hz, and SP4 does not show any 60Hz option at 4K, both for direct to SP4 as to the dock ports.

Called MS and they had no clue, would come back to me but never did. I wonder is the SP$ is capable of 60Hz on an external montor anyways?

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nbgh007 2 on 12-10-2016

Hi everybody,

I have a similar configuration, ie SP4/i7 with docking. I have also noticed that I could not use my 4K monitor (LG 27MU67) at 60Hz with the club3d mDP-HDMI adapter (CAC-1170). It was limited by either the Iris Graphics 540 driver (allowed modes) and/or the LG 27MU67 driver to 30Hz (allowed Hz).

However note that with a 4K mDP-DP cable from Lenovo (0B47091) it works at 60Hz… but with other problems at (re)boot time (http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/surfacc-surfvidadapt/docking-station-w-surface-pro-4-i7-4k-monitor-no/8c866fc3-7690-4bb7-a643-f9e8533552d1?tm=1465379325203&lc=1033). Therefore I am tempted to believe that it is a club-3d adapter problem more than a SP4 w/wo docking (I tried both config’s and got the same result).

I am actually now stuck with 2 club-3d CAC-1170 adapters (one @home, one for travel)…

MST1407 on 12-10-2016

Good day nbgh007,
We have tested the SP2, 3 and 4 with the CAC-1170 and that worked just fine.
We did need to manually make a custom resolution in the Intel Graphics Control Center for 3840×2160 at 60Hz with timing Standard set to CVT-Reduced Blanking (RB) when using a TV (for monitors that can be left at automatic). Then you can select this resoltuion from the Basic settings where it then shows. 
Unfortunately Signal converters in general tend to be very sensitive in with regards to combining them with Hubs/Switches or any other signal converters. This is also the case with the CAC-1170 / CAC-1070.
We did escalate firmware update info of the SP Docks to R&D and factory, but so far no feedback/solution (yet).

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nbgh007 on 12-10-2016

Hello MST1407,

Since I am using a monitor, ie no need for customization (“(for monitors that can be left at automatic)“, and I have also tested the SP4 without the docking, ie directly connected to the SP4, I should have no problem according to your statement… but I do have that problem as described in this forum. 

I was not aware of an “Intel Graphics Control Center” available in SP4, but I’ll look for it and see if any adjustment can change anything.

Note that I had the same problem with as well as without the docking. Therefore I doubt that it is the docking problem despite the fact that I believe that docking and/or its interface with SP4 are not without problem…

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