NUC7i3BNK DisplayPort over USB Type-C Not Working?

[JGrec1]

Hello.

• Purchased the NUC7i3BNK (the short, 7th gen i3 NUC), to power a pair of 2k ASUS displays.
  • Paired with 16GB stick of ram and NVME drive, running Arch Linux (on off-chance that's relevant).
  • This is for programming only, so the underpowered graphics should still be enough for this purpose.
• Setup is as follows:
  • nuc ~> hdmi-out ~> monitor1 (works, although xrandr detects it as a displayport monitor for some reason)
  • nuc ~> displayport over usb type-c ~> monitor2 (monitor is not detected whatsoever, using dp over type-c adapter)

After purchasing the NUC and looking over the spec sheet closer I noticed that this generation has removed the mini-displayport connector in favor of DP over the USB Type-C port.

If I had known this at the time of purchase I would have opted for something else, possibly one of the prior generation, but since it was already coming I went and purchased a cable to go from that output to a full-size displayport input on the monitor.

After having it not work and thinking it was DOA (monitor was not detected whatsoever) I ended up returning it to the manufacturer, and bought two other cables from different manufacturers, doing the same thing, one in adapter form, one in cable form.

The latter has yet to arrive, but the former has and unfortunately is giving me the same result as the original cable. For clarity's sake, here are links to the NUC, monitors, and two of the three cables I purchased (link broke for the original cable).

• https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA7HN50J6157 ACCELL U188B-006B USB-C TO DISPLAYPORT CABLE-Newegg.com
• https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812270663 BYTECC UTC-DP005MF USB Type-C™ to DisplayPort® Adapter Converter (By DP Alt Mode) USB-C to DP 4K2K Resolustion - Newegg.…
• https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856102182 Intel NUC (Next Unit of Computing) BOXNUC7I3BNK 2 x 260Pin SO-DIMM Intel HD Graphics 620 Barebone Systems - Mini / Books…
• https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236453&cm_re=asus_25%22_monitors-_-24-236-453-_-Product ASUS PB258Q Black 25" 5ms WQHD Frameless HDMI Widescreen LED Backlight LCD Monitor AH-IPS 350 cd/m2, 2560 x 1440, 100,00…

The NUC specs say it does DP 1.2 over USB Type-C, and the monitor specs say it takes DP 1.2 fullsize in... I don't know what else I'm expected to do to get this to work besides having bought the cable to connect the two.

I've sunk nearly $100 into cables now, trying to get this system to work with the second monitor... which is rediculous considering this was supposed to be a cheap little compact system that I could chuck an NVME drive into and drive my two monitors with, and easily take to work and back if needed.

I don't have any other devices that would let me test the adapter, but the chances of two from different brands being DOA has to be very, very low.

Have investigated BIOS updates for the device... says its running the 0036 revision, the latest one shown on the download page.

Any help with this would be greatly appreciated... haven't been able to find anything online about people having similar issues... seems nobody is really trying to do dual displays with these NUC systems, despite the advertising push for that use-case.

After having sunk this much time and money into it, would much rather get the issue solved than have to get rid of it on eBay or wherever and take an even greater loss on the system.

(thank you for getting this far through my less than concise description of the issue here, by the way)

[LMont13]

I got the same issue from the elements I just received yesterday:

• NUC7i3BNK
• SM961 256GB
• Kingston HyperX Impact DDR4
• Asus 15" MB169C+

When I connect the Asus screen to the NUC via DP over USB Type-C I got nothing. Even the cable doesn't get the power (there is a little led on the cable).

I will send tonight the NUC back to the shop and asked them to report it to Intel as well in case we have a board and 3rd party elements bad batch.

Now I am just afraid my new NUC will have the same problem...

[idata]

Hi JesseD,

I understand you are trying to run two monitors using ArchLinux with the Intel® NUC7i3BNK .I have been checking different ArchLinux forums and I see that some community members are having the same issue. I may add that this Linux distribution has not been validated for the Intel® NUC7i3BNK as you can confirm it below:http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/boards-and-kits/intel-nuc-boards/000005628.html http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/boards-and-kits/intel-nuc-boards/000005628.html

I was thinking that this might be a graphics drivers issue and please bear in mind that Intel does not provide direct downloads and technical support for Linux drivers. The Intel Graphics Linux driver is primarily supported by the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), the Linux distribution vendor, or by the Intel Open Source Technology Center at https://01.org/linuxgraphics https://01.org/linuxgraphics.

Additionally, I wanted to confirm if you tried a different Linux distribution.

https://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop https://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktopIn case you need more assistance or if you have any questions do not hesitate to contact us back.Allan.

[JGrec1]

Thank you for your response, Allan.

I'm curious where on the Arch forums you saw this same issue, as I've been unable to find anyone else with this problem there or anywhere else.

At any rate, I have now done installs of Ubuntu and then Fedora, and both were unable to detect the second monitor, same as Arch was giving me.

Third cable came in the mail today as well, and gave the same (lack of) results under both distributions, across a couple reboots apiece for good measure.

On a side note, both the Ubuntu and Fedora installs were less than smooth... various issues relating to the nvme drive being detected properly and bootloaders.

The Arch install meanwhile went off without a hitch on this system... which isn't a sentence I get to use very often.

Tomorrow I will try installing various graphics drivers explicitly under Arch again...

if anything happens to work I'll be sure to post here what it was.

[EOcho1]

Any way you can test with Windows 10?

[JGrec1]

I haven't installed or used Windows in a couple years... would assume I'd need to purchase it to test it out, which is something I don't intend to do.

Even if it did work with Windows, it would be irrelevant to me... much of what I'm using absolutely requires *nix and Windows versions don't even exist.

I would have to think Intel would have at least tested it under Windows though, so maybe that compatibility chart mentions it somewhere.

[LMont13]

In my case, I didn't even installed an OS. My Asus is intended to be my main screen so I just plugged it to configure the bios. And obviously I couldn't.

I was planning to use linux so I didn't purchase a windows license. Using liveCD of an Ubuntu 14.04 and a HDMI screen I couldn't make it work (or even power) either.

I guess my shop will test on windows so I will let you know what they found out.

[FOtto2]

Hi,

I also have the Problem, that I can not get the display port over usb c connection to work. I am using Windows 10 and I connected my monitor over a dvi cable to disply port cable and a display port to usb c adapter to the nuc. I think the adapter from display port to usb c is not what I need here. Are there already any tested and working adapters to connect the nuc to a monitor with dvi input?

[n_scott_pearson]

Florian,

I suggest you try to eliminate some of the interconnects. Try to find a direct USB-C to DVI adapter. Here is an example (US$19): https://www.amazon.com/CableCreation-USB-C-Adapter-Macbook-Chromebook/dp/B0125TZW24 Amazon.com: CableCreation Gold USB 3.1 Type C (USB-C) to DVI Adapter.

Hope the helps,

...S

[FOtto2]

Hi Scott,

thanks for your reply. I would try this cable https://www.amazon.de/CableCreation-Stecker-Alt-Modus-Chromebook-Schwarze/dp/B015RIVZY4/ref=sr_1_1?srs=9431443031&ie=UTF8&qid=1489391460&sr=8-1&keywords=dvi+usb+c https://www.amazon.de/CableCreation-Stecker-Alt-Modus-Chromebook-Schwarze/dp/B015RIVZY4/ref=sr_1_1?srs=9431443031&ie=UTF8&qid=1489391460&sr=8-1&keywords=dvi+usb+c

I just want to make sure, that this "DP Alt" Mode is what I need with the NUC.

[Allan_J_Intel1]

Hi Flotto,

Were you able to test different cable on your computer?

Allan.

[FOtto2]

Hi Allan,

sorry for the late answer.

It did work! Thanks a lot for your help!

Florian

[idata]

Hi Flotto,

I am glad to hear this is working for you. Thank you for taking the time and communicate this to us.Allan.

[AGiff]

I'm considering buying an Intel NUC 7i5BNK for use as a workstation where I work. I will be running Ubuntu Linux. It will be a dual monitor system. Then I came across this thread. I cannot even consider this purchase if I cannot know in advance that others are successfully using USB-C to Display Port cables/adapters under Linux to drive their own monitors. I want to drive a Dell Ultra HD 4K 24" monitor (P2415Q) with the USB-C-to-Display Port cable. I use a Dell P2415Q monitor at home with Ubuntu, but with a previous NUC generation and only in a single-monitor configuration. In the new workstation, I'd be using the HDMI to drive an older Dell SP2309W (2048x1152) 23" display.

Has anyone had success using USB-C to Display Port to drive monitors under Linux yet? If not, I shall likely have to consider a non-NUC solution, perhaps AMD-based. I'd prefer the NUC, but...

Wondering,

Aaron out.

[loudon3]

I have exactly the same problem with my Displayport monitor not working on the USB-C port on my Intel Nuc 10i3FNH3. Exactly the same cable and exactly the same cable work perfectly on the USB-C connection on my Dell laptop. On my Nuc, I have the latest version of Windows 10 with all the requisite Intel Drivers and all the latest Windows 10 updates. 

The Intel Support guy logged in remotely to my Intel Nuc and tried a few things but was unable to fix the problem - he seemed very knowledgeable and competent.