VGA vs. DVI/HDMI

By MariosX
in Hardware Hangout

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Grand Master

+Fahim S. MVC

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  • MVC
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High end monitors seldom use VGA instead of HDMI/DVI. They do include a VGA port in addition to the HDMI/DVI/DP port(s) probably for legacy compatibility.

DVI/HDMI/DP supports higher resolution and more accurate colour representation because of the increased bandwidth and the digital signal (meaning that two sets of conversion are taken out of the overall chain) as well as supporting copy protection technologies such as HDCP and the like.

Grand Master

PGHammer

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Hello.

I've been wondering why all monitors today (including high end) still use VGA port over DVI or HDMI ports.

Is VGA superior? what are differences between VGA and DVI or HDMi?

I still prefer even flat-panels (for computer use) with all three inputs - I bought my Acer H233H.bmid for precisely that reason in 2009.

I basically use it as a *poor tech's* KVM switch, because I can connect the single display to up to three PCs - at once.

HDMI is a plus for computers for the same reason it's been a plus for home video (especially HD) - the single cable carries both audio and video. However, it has obsolesced both sound cards and integrated/onboard audio to a large extent if your display has built-in speakers, due to the PC using HDMI audio by default if connected via HDMI - even as far back as Windows XP, never mind Vista, 7, or the Developer or Consumer Previews of Windows 8 or OS X back to Snow Leopard..

The disadvantage? Not really HDMI's fault - I've noticed that HDMI - unlike DVI or VGA - doesn't display edge-to-edge, despite the same resolution being used. Because it's not applicable to all monitors, I can't blame it on the HDMI specification.

DVI has been around far longer than HDMI - even on PCs. The widely-acknowledged debut of DVI for PCs came with ATI Technologies' All-In-Wonder 8500DV supporting DVI as *standard* - you needed an included dongle to connect to CRTs (which were still the standard PC display). DVI has an even longer history on Macs - DVI was, in fact, one of two *standard* display connectors for G3 and G4 Power Macs (the other being, naturally, the AUI port).

VGA is the moldy-oldie of standard display connections for computers (it's still supported by some flat-panel displays and even some HDTVs today, in addition to HDMI and/or DVI). However, the big reason it is still supported as an *input* is when the source supports neither DVI or HDMI.

However, why are both VGA and DVI in trouble? Margins are thin on displays - and getting thinner. Including multiple inputs - let alone all the cables to connect to those inputs - was uncommon on low-end displays in 2009; in 2009, Acer was unique among sub-$200USD FP displays in supporting all three inputs *and* including the cables for them all. Most of Acer's competition has already discarded VGA/D-sub in favor of DisplayPort when they offer an input option other than DVI or HDMI - however most offer *just* DVI and HDMI in their sub-$200USD displays, and don't include both cables. (Usually, it's the HDMI cable that is missing.)

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