Sparkle X-Link turns USB ports into video adaptors

by Parm Mann on 17 June 2009, 11:12

Tags: X-Link, Sparkle

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Taiwan's Sparkle Computer Company is getting in on the USB-to-DVI adaptor market today by announcing its own X-Link solution.

X-Link, pictured below, is essentially a small external adaptor with a built-in DisplayLink DL-160 chip that turns any available USB 2.0 port into a DVI interface that's able to power monitors up to a resolution of 1,680x1,050 or 1,600x1,200.

It's a useful little solution for those wanting a multi-monitor setup without investing in more than one GPU, and, according to Sparkle, up to six X-Link modules can be used on a single system, allowing for a plug-and-play six-screen setup.

Not using DVI-equipped monitors? Not to worry, the Taiwanese manufacturer has you covered and bundles each X-Link with DVI-to-HDMI and DVI-to-VGA adaptors.

There's no mention of pricing or availability just yet, but the X-Link will support multiple operating systems - including Windows XP, Windows Vista and Mac OS X.



HEXUS Forums :: 12 Comments

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Seems too good to be true on paper. If it works, with no lag or graphical glitches then great :) I'm sure it'll be a winner.
It'll be interesting to see if this can be built on for high performance graphics with the arrival of USB3.
b0redom
It'll be interesting to see if this can be built on for high performance graphics with the arrival of USB3.

That's what i was thinking, AFAIK USB currently doesn't have the bandwidth for using the attached monitor for anything like games.
If the HDMI output is good enough for 720p HD video, it may well be on to a winner, especially if they can keep the price down; I'd love HDMI out on my laptop :/
Looks like a great product - if it's priced OK it would be really useful for loads of applications. I don't think it would be much good for gaming but I doubt that's their target market anyway.