Surface Pro 4

Starflyr · 07 Jan 2018

I bought my Surface Pro 4 for traveling and was surprised that it didn't come with a DVD player app. So today I bought the $15 Microsoft player that works fine on the Surface EXCEPT for outputting a video stream. I have a small portable DVD player that inputs to the Surface via the USB port. I've tried to output the stream to a Samsung TV via the mini DisplayPort adapter connected to a HDMI cable,

On the TV, it says there is no input signal and recognizes the connection as a "computer" instead of a valid HDMI source. Does the mini Displayport output a stream such as I'm trying to do?

If not, I can still view DVDs on my Surface, but was hoping to play them on today's hotel flat screens.

Mellon Head · 07 Jan 2018

The displayport should drive and external monitor or TV just fine. What you might be running into is a limitation of the player on the Surface Pro, or the particular TV you are using.

If you have an HDMI capable monitor you can try it with, try that. If the monitor works you know it is the TV, if not, it is likely the player.

Are you sure that you have enabled the external output on the tablet? I know that some tablets and laptops don't automatically activate the external output when you plug in an external monitor. They have to be told to use it specifically, though this is generally for older lappies. Perhaps the Surface has a power saving feature in that the external screen has to be turned on manually. I'm not sure. Surfaces are a little out of my realm.

mrjimphelps · 08 Jan 2018

You should be able to use the Mini DisplayPort with a DisplayPort to HDMI adapter. Something like this:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/insigni...?skuId=5813015

Starflyr · 08 Jan 2018

mrjimphelps said:

You should be able to use the Mini DisplayPort with a DisplayPort to HDMI adapter. Something like this:

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/insigni...?skuId=5813015

I finally got my Surface Pro 4 to finally output through the Mini DisplayPort via HDMI to the TV we're using in our Scottsdale Condo.

Thanks for your inputs in helping me. My wife thanks you also as we brought a LONG DVD series to watch after we soak up the day's sun.

mrjimphelps · 09 Jan 2018

When there's a will, there's a way.

Starflyr · 10 Jan 2018

mrjimphelps said:

When there's a will, there's a way.

Strangely enough, I had a different problem than I thought. And my mini Displayport works fine fine now. The trouble was with a HDMI cable I had that worked fine with my Apple TV. So I thought the HDMI cable was good and swapped it to my Displayport where it definitely didn't work. However, replacing it with a different HDMI cable and it worked great.

The offending HDMI cable is now in the garbage can.