That said, only the latest-generation graphics cards have HDMI 2.1 support, so you are more likely to be better off using a DisplayPort cable, as it offers enough bandwidth to handle up to 4K resolution at up to 120Hz and can be found on a much wider range of graphics cards. a b Manchester, Gary (1999). The VESA Digital Flat Panel (DFP) Standard: A White Paper (PDF) (Report). VESA Marketing Committee. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 12, 2016. When it comes to analog vs. digital signals, the difference lies in the way information is transmitted. Analog signals are continuous waves that represent sound or images, while digital signals are discrete binary code (0s and 1s) that represent the same information. Because P&D was a physically large, expensive connector, a consortium of companies developed the DFP standard (1999), which was focused solely on digital video transmission using a 20-pin micro ribbon connector and omitted the analog video and data capabilities of P&D. [4] :3 [5] :4 DVI instead chose to strip just the data functions from P&D, using a 29-pin MicroCross connector to carry digital and analog video. [8] Critically, DVI allows dual-link TMDS signals, [9] meaning it supports higher resolutions than the single-link P&D and DFP connectors, which led to its successful adoption as an industry standard. Compatibility of DVI with P&D and DFP is accomplished typically through passive adapters that provide appropriate physical interfaces, as all three standards use the same DDC/EDID handshaking protocols and TMDS digital video signals. [10] :§1.3.7 MicroCross DVI (Digital Visual Interface) Connector System" (PDF). Molex. November 1999 . Retrieved 31 January 2023.

DVI would of course continue to be used, despite the emergence of HDMI. Laptops are expected to last around five years, and although desktop PCs can easily change graphics cards, it’s an expense that many consider pointless. Plus, there are plenty of occasions where there’s no need to have sound going to the display, such as the typical office setup, where users will use headphones. Just as DVI coexisted with VGA for several years, so DVI and HDMI continued to work together. Although DVI is considered an older display technology and has connections and ports that look similar to VGA, they’re not the same. One of the biggest differences is the supported signals. Even though DVI is no longer the brand standard for visual display connections, it’s still useful since it can support both digital and analog signals. Plus, as the first widely used digital display technology, it serves as a basis for newer technologies that would go on to replace it. So it’s the same as VGA? However, in a world that was transitioning between analogue and digital displays, it was just perfect. Nobody wanted to have to change their DVD player and TV, or computer and monitor when they could just change one. With DVI’s ability to mix analogue and digital, consumers and businesses could upgrade hardware at their own pace, item by item. There are a number of factors that go into choosing the best monitor cable type to connect to your display with. You’ll be limited by the physical port options on your display and your source device, whether it’s a games console, desktop PC, a laptop, or something else entirely. There are also bandwidth limitations to consider, which can affect the maximum resolution and refresh rate that your monitor can run at, and additional features like HDMI’s ARC and eARC can be another factor to consider.To promote interoperability between DVI-D and HDMI devices, HDMI source components and displays support DVI-D signalling. For example, an HDMI display can be driven by a DVI-D source because HDMI and DVI-D both define an overlapping minimum set of supported resolutions and frame buffer formats. In addition to digital, some DVI connectors also have pins that pass an analog signal, which can be used to connect an analog monitor. The analog pins are the four that surround the flat blade on a DVI-I or DVI-A connector. A VGA monitor, for example, can be connected to a video source with DVI-I through the use of a passive adapter. Since the analog pins are directly compatible with VGA signaling, passive adapters are simple and cheap to produce, providing a cost-effective solution to support VGA on DVI. The long flat pin on a DVI-I connector is wider than the same pin on a DVI-D connector, so even if the four analog pins were manually removed, it still wouldn't be possible to connect a male DVI-I to a female DVI-D. It is possible, however, to join a male DVI-D connector with a female DVI-I connector. [12] Technology and customer demands would eventually spell the end for VGA, however. While the technology was designed to work up to a maximum of 640×480 pixels, it could theoretically be pushed to 1080p. But because of the new digital video technologies coming in, manufacturers of graphics cards and other players didn’t really produce hardware to meet these needs in the analogue world. VESA Plug and Display (P&D) Standard, Version 1" (PDF). Video Electronics Standards Association. June 11, 1997. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 4, 2003.

When selecting a DVI cable type, make sure to get a double-link cable. This is because a dual-link DVI cable can support up to 2560 x 1600 resolution, while a single-link cable can only support up to 1920 x 1200 resolution. ( HP.com) You’ll love how DVI-I combines both analog and digital signals, making it a versatile option for all your display needs. With DVI-I compatibility, you can use this type of connector to connect various devices that support both types of signals. This means that you don’t have to worry about whether your device supports analog or digital signals because DVI-I works with both. Depending on your choice of monitor cable types, you’ll need to buy a monitor cable as well. Cable Matters carries a large selection of cables in nearly every format mentioned so far. For newer standards like Thunderbolt, HDMI, and DisplayPort, it’s best to opt for the newest and most capable cables for maximum future-proofing. Thunderbolt: an interface that has the same form factor as Mini DisplayPort (in version 1 and 2) or USB-C (in version 3 and 4) but combines PCI Express (PCIe) and DisplayPort (DP) into one serial signal, permitting the connection of PCIe devices in addition to video displays. It provides DC power as well. To be clear, DVI is no longer the standard for display connections. But there are scenarios where this slightly older technology still shines. Specifically, DVI provides a higher frame rate when working with displays that are 1080p.

What is DVI?

Most graphics cards and monitors from 2002 onwards had HDMI and DVI ports (indeed, VGA stubbornly persisted until well into the 2010s). It’s not that new technology will always win straight away, it’s that millions of consumers and businesses are running legacy equipment and they need to be able to connect things together. If you shop around, you can still find mid-range PC graphics cards that have a DVI slot, and they’re great for double-monitoring – you can use that old 1280×1024 as a reference monitor while you use your 1920×1200 as your main screen. HDMI vs VGA vs DVI The DVI connector on a device is given one of three names, depending on which signals it implements: The Best DVI Cable for 144hz | The Technology Land". thetechnologyland.com. 2019-08-21 . Retrieved 2022-07-14. One of the main reasons DVI is no longer considered the premiere display technology is because it’s limited solely to visual content. In contrast, HDMI and many other types of display technologies can transmit both audio and visual content. The ability to streamline connections and reduce the total number of cables needed make other technologies more attractive. But older monitors will still support DVI connections.