You are here: Home / Archives for Digital Visual Interface

DVI: A Display Interface Falling Out of Use

March 6, 2011 by Leave a Comment

The Digital Visual Interface appeared in 1999 with hopes of replacing the traditional VGA connector. DVI did become the standard in many corners of the industry, although VGA continues to survive. The corners of the industry in which DVI took hold were in the flat panel LCD screen and video graphics card markets. DVI also became standard on a number of computers manufactured in the early- and mid-2000s. Because more and more devices being made were digital, an interface like DVI was needed in order to maintain high-quality images.

Despite being a digital device, there are actually three different connection possibilities for DVI: digital, analog and integrated. The three connections are explained in the following bullets:

  • DVI-D: This particular cable is the most authentic version of the DVI connections. It is used to connect a DVI-compatible computer with a DVI-compatible monitor. The image quality with DVI-D connections is unrivaled. The construction of DVI-D cables includes 24 pins.
  • DVI-A: This connection is high-resolution analog and is helpful when connecting a DVI-compatible computer to a VGA monitor.
  • DVI-I: The “I” in the name stands for “integrated,” which is exactly what this type of cable allows. DVI-I cables can be hooked up digital-to-digital, but they also connect two analog signals. The construction of DVI-I cables includes 29 pins.

DVI is falling out of use due to a newer technology called HDMI. The company that created DVI, Digital Display Working Group, has not updated the technology since 2001. Since 2010, television monitors have been moving away from DVI connections to HDMI, which supports high-definition images. As electronic devices advance, old interfaces cannot possibly remain the standard. While this does create a problem with backward compatibility, HDMI does partially work with DVI. Technology progresses at a warp speed. And the speed at which at which technology progresses demands that new designs and standards be created. Unfortunately, that means DVI is on its way out.

Filed Under: Advancements Tagged With: , ,

The Future Standard of HDMI

January 11, 2011 by Leave a Comment

High-Definition Multimedia Interface, or HDMI, is not as new as you might think. It’s only been the past few years that the market has seen an upswing in high-definition devices, but HDMI was actually designed back in 2002 and has been in production for nearly eight years. Since its inception, though, HDMI was thought to be where the standard was headed. Gone are the days of analog transmissions; the world is increasingly becoming an entirely digital environment.

The list of devices HDMI connects is astounding. Desktop computers, laptops, all newer video game consoles, digital televisions, DVD players, video cameras — any modern technology you can imagine — all are connected using HDMI. Despite its prevalence, HDMI is not yet the industry standard. Too many devices still exist that use old analog technologies.

But what makes HDMI so special? Its main advantage is picture quality. Because HDMI transfers video data that is not compressed, there’s no point in which the quality can deteriorate. Analog connections have to be converted to digital content when plugged into contemporary devices; HDMI is made specifically for those new devices. As of now, HDMI is semi-backward compatible with DVI-D devices, but the push is toward making HDMI the true standard and letting older ones expire.

Other than being great quality, HDMI has other advantages. HDMI works at an unparalleled speed and has 10.2Gbps of available bandwidth. The interface is also extremely user friendly. It’s what’s called an “intelligent” technology, which means there are multiple features like allow for automatic adjustments using a minimal amount of labor. One of its greatest advantages often overlooked is the fact that it was created with the future in mind. While HDMI can support current high resolutions, it is also designed to support resolutions that aren’t even used yet.

There’s no question HDMI will soon become the model for every new device. It’s time to throw away that old desktop monitor and get with the times.

Filed Under: Computers Tagged With: ,

Connections to Maximize Your Screen: From Computer to TV

December 31, 2010 by Leave a Comment

If you’ve ever been in the awkward situation of trying to show a large group of people something on your tiny computer, you know that is isn’t ideal. And have you ever just wished you could watch a movie you’ve downloaded on your computer on your big-screen television? What few people realize is that most computers can be connected to most televisions. While it may not be as simple as plugging any cord from one to the other, it is possible to achieve the results you desire with a few steps.  And you can often find long time open source software like xvid and vlc to help you watch a video file on your TV.

First, identify the inputs and outputs. You’ll need to examine the input on the TV and the output on the computer. Many TVs have what is called a VGA input. If both your computer and TV are VGA-equipped, connecting the two devices will be easy. If not, you will need to determine what connections are available to you. You are looking for any matching connection. The list that follows is an index of some of the possibilities you may face.

1. VGA to VGA. This is the best possible option, but older televisions usually aren’t manufactured with this type of input.

2. S-Video to S-Video. Both analog and digital televisions often have an S-Video input, and this option won’t compromise the quality as much as other options. If your computer doesn’t have an S-Video output, you can use an adapter.

3. DVI to VGA. You can use a DVI cable instead of a VGA cable if necessary.

4. Component video input to VGA. If your TV has a component video input (usually a digital television), you can connect it to the VGA output on your computer.

Each connection and the aspect ratio from the computer to the TV will need to be fiddled with in order for the link to work properly. But chances are, if you have the above connections, maximizing your screen is viable.

Filed Under: Advancements, Computers, Gadgets Tagged With: , , ,