DisplayPort vs. HDMI vs. DVI vs. VGA | Hacker News Reader

DisplayPort vs. HDMI vs. DVI vs. VGA

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19 pointsDoXShadow9 comments

Analog:

- VGA: video card to computer monitor. Multiple resolutions and refresh rates. Additional display information available on connection allowing auto configuration. Point to point.

- SCART: appliance to TV connector. Audio and multiple video signal formats on the same cable. Handover signaling (tells the TV to switch to a specific input).

Digital:

- DVI: analog or digital connector (VGA fallback). Display information. Limited pixel rated. Point to point.

- HDMI: DVI without analog support, but audio signal multiplexed. Content protection. TV oriented: 1.0: Full-HD 60Hz. 3D, 4K, etc required standard updates. Inter-device signaling (CEC: remote control commands routing.)

- DP: PC oriented video signal: bandwidth oriented, multiple display video signals over a single cable: switch or daisy chaining for splitting. USB multiplexed. Audio multiplexed. Does not care about your refresh rate or resolution, only that you pixel rate is within the limits.

This is an extremely low content article. Certainly not worth posting on HN. I was expecting some in depth discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of each connector and its underlying protocol. Instead it's a tiny one paragraph definition of each. Terrible.

....and the content is copied from Wikipedia. What's the actual value of this "article" ?

"USB Type-C will replace DisplayPort, which replaced HDMI, which replaced DVI, which replaced VGA, which is what every projector still uses." - Shaun McCance https://twitter.com/shaunm/status/577943078553661440

The good thing about dedicated video connectors is that with simple checks (pin 5 and 7 in short circuit), you can detect and output via passive connector adapters. That's why a DP to VGA adapter is so cheap: is is the PC that is detecting and generating the VGA signal. (See DP++ for when you are missing pins)

Huh ? The DisplayPort protocol won't be replaced. USB Type-C just allows using the DP protocol with the USB connector. It'a just a alternative.

Let's see how much time it takes for GPUs to remove DP ports ....

I still prefer DVI for its satisfyingly solid and chunky connectors, with positive retention screws. I've seen bent pins but I don't think I've seen anyone completely break one in the way that HDMI does.

Sadly DVI connectors are thicker than my laptop.

> It’s important to note that all HDMI cables are the same, so don’t go spending big bucks on HDMI cables.

This is only partially true, there are plenty of low-spec junk HDMI cables that people try to reuse only to find it doesn't support some part of the newer specs. Agree that you shouldn't spend a ton of money on them though.

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