The DVI connector on a device is given one of three names, depending on which signals it implements: Unless you’re well versed in the world of connecting computers, monitors, and everything in between, you might not be familiar with some of the essential details such as which cables are necessary to connect all of the key components and which ports to use. In particular, DVI cables are a popular choice for supporting monitor displays. Learn more about DVI cables, and how they differ from some of the other options you might discover when setting up your favorite computer monitor. What is DVI? MicroCross DVI (Digital Visual Interface) Connector System" (PDF). Molex. November 1999 . Retrieved 31 January 2023. 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. In December 2010, Intel, AMD, and several computer and display manufacturers announced they would stop supporting DVI-I, VGA and LVDS-technologies from 2013/2015, and instead speed up adoption of DisplayPort and HDMI. [18] [19] They also stated: "Legacy interfaces such as VGA, DVI and LVDS have not kept pace, and newer standards such as DisplayPort and HDMI clearly provide the best connectivity options moving forward. In our opinion, DisplayPort 1.2 is the future interface for PC monitors, along with HDMI 1.4a for TV connectivity".

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. Female M1-DA connector pins (view of plug) DVI port on a Sony HD CRT TV that complies with EIA-861 DVI output connector on a computer DVI-A stands for analog signals only, which means it can only transmit video signals in an analog format. While this type of connection may have been beneficial for older computer systems, it is not compatible with newer display technologies.

DVI is limited to the RGB color model while HDMI also supports YCbCr 4:4:4 and YCbCr 4:2:2 color spaces, which are generally not used for computer graphics. DVI's digital video transmission format is based on panelLink, a serial format developed by Silicon Image that utilizes a high-speed serial link called transition minimized differential signaling (TMDS).

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.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) Unified Display Interface (UDI) was proposed by Intel to replace both DVI and HDMI, but was deprecated in favor of DisplayPort. IEEE 1394 was proposed by High-Definition Audio-Video Network Alliance ( HANA Alliance) for all cabling needs, including video, over coax or 1394 cable as a combined data stream. However, this interface does not have enough throughput to handle uncompressed HD video, so it is unsuitable for applications such as video games and interactive program guides. 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. With this knowledge in mind, you’ll be able to make informed decisions when selecting the right cable for your setup. Can DVI cables transmit 3D video signals?