How does CalDigit Thunderbolt 3 Mini Dock support two displays from one USB-C port?

Question

According to the FAQ for the CalDigit Thunderbolt 3 Mini Dock, two different monitors can be connected in extend mode through the single USB-C port. How is this possible if MST is not supported?

Why can one not do the same thing with other USB-C hubs like this one? It says in their FAQ that one cannot connect two external displays in extend mode on mac because of lack of support of MST.

Answer 1

The clue is in the name: Thunderbolt and USB are two different things, even though they both use the same plug and socket.

USB C offers some of the capabilities - video signal, power transmission, data; but Thunderbolt provides a greater range of data travelling down the same cable.

The Thunderbolt Dock has 2 HDMI ports, which can provide two separate video outputs. The USB hub has one HDMI port.