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DVI connectors | View information about DVI connectors within our Technology Website Directory section by reviewing this area of our website. We provide a wealth of information online to help our visitors become better informed about Computer Buzz. |
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DVI connectors
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The Digital Visual Interface (DVI) is a video interface standard designed to maximize the visual quality of digital display devices such as flat panel LCD computer displays and digital projectors. It is designed for carrying uncompressed digital video data to a display.
Previous standards such as the analog VGA were designed for CRT-based devices. CRTs are rapidly disappearing and being replaced with LCDs, so Computer Buzz strongly recommends that you become familiar with the basics of DVI technology at your earliest convenience. Read on.
With a basic single link DVI cable, the largest resolution possible at 60 Hz is 2.75 megapixels which, for all practical purposes, allows a maximum screen resolution at 60 Hz of 1915 x 1436 pixels (standard 1.33 ratio), 1854 x 1483 pixels (1.25 ratio) or 2098 x 1311 (widescreen 1.6 ratio). Some DVI connectors also have provision for a second, or "dual" link, allowing even higher resolution. When more bandwidth is required than is possible with a single link, the second link is enabled, and alternate pixels may be transmitted on each, allowing resolutions up to 4 megapixels at 60 Hz. The DVI specification mandates a fixed single link maximum pixel clock frequency of 165 MHz, where all display modes that require less than this must use single link mode, and all those that require more must switch to dual link mode. The second link can also be used when more than 24 bits per pixel is required.
In general, cable lengths from 1 to 15 feet (4.5m) will work for displays at resolutions of 1920x1200. Cable lengths up to 50 feet (15m) can be used with displays at resolutions up to 1280x1024.
The DVI connector contains pins to pass the DVI-native digital video signals. In the case of dual-link systems, additional pins are provided for the second set of data signals. As well as digital signals, the DVI connector includes pins providing the same analog signals found on a VGA connector, allowing a VGA monitor to be connected with a simple plug adapter. This feature was included in order to make DVI universal, as it allows either type of monitor (analog or digital) to be operated from the same connector.
The DVI connector on a device is therefore given one of three names, depending on which signals it implements:
-DVI-D (digital only)
-DVI-A (analog only)
-DVI-I (integrated, digital & analog)
The connector also includes the provision for a second data link for high resolution displays, though many devices do not implement this. In those that do, the connector is sometimes referred to as DVI-DL (dual link).
You can easily tell exactly which kind of DVI connector you are dealing with by simply glancing at the pin configuration.
The long flat pin on a DVI-I connector is wider than the same pin on a DVI-D connector, so it is not possible to connect a male DVI-I to a female DVI-D by removing the 4 analog pins. It is possible, however, to connect a male DVI-D cable to a female DVI-I connector. Many flat screen LCD monitors have only the DVI-D connection so that a DVI-D male to DVI-D male cable will suffice when connecting the monitor to a computer's DVI-I female connector.
DVI is the only widespread video standard that includes analog and digital transmission options in the same connector.
(Adjacent image shows dual-link DVI-D male cable connector.)
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DVI-D (single link)
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The long flat pin on the left is NOT flanked by four smaller pins, so this tells us that this connector is digital only, not analog or integrated.
The six-pin gap between the two 9-pin clusters indicates that this is a single-link connector, not a dual-link.
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DVI-I (single link)
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The four analog pins surrounding the long flat digital pin on the left make this an "integrated" connector.
The six-pin gap between the two 9-pin clusters on the right tells us that this is a single-link connector, not a dual-link.
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DVI-D (dual link)
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The solitary long flat pin on the extreme left tells us that this is a digital connector only; it can not carry an analog signal.
The rectangular 24-pin (8 by 3) arangement on the right indicates that this is a dual-link connector that is potentially capable of driving a higher resolution display (if you have one connected) than a single-link DVI.
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DVI-I (dual link)
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The four small pins clustered around the long flat digital pin on the left indicate that this is an "integrated" connector that will carry both digital and analog signals if they are available.
The rectangular 24-pin (8 x 3) array on the right tells us that this is a dual-link connector that is potentially capable of driving a higher resolution display (if connected) than a single-link DVI.
This is as good as it gets for DVI connections.
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DVI-A (analog only)
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Although this connector has a long flat pin on the left that usually indicates a digital signal, the asymmetrical arrangement of smaller pins on the right makes this an analog-only connector.
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