You are probably thinking that there can’t be much to say regarding connecting a monitor to a computer. Don’t you just run a cable between the monitor and the computer and plug in both ends? Well, although fundamentally that is true, these days there is actually much more to it.
In the good old days, there was basically just one type of cable to connect a computer to a monitor, and that was the VGA cable. The connector is typically blue and looks like this:
In the good old days, there was basically just one type of cable to connect a computer to a monitor, and that was the VGA cable. The connector is typically blue and looks like this:
VGA stands for Video Graphics Array and is pretty much going the way of the CD player. It is an analog, video only connector and does not provide a very crisp image. These days, it is the cable of last resort.
DVI (Digital Visual Interface) provides a much better image than VGA since it is digital instead of analog, but like VGA, does not carry audio signals. It is typically white or black and looks like this:
DVI (Digital Visual Interface) provides a much better image than VGA since it is digital instead of analog, but like VGA, does not carry audio signals. It is typically white or black and looks like this:
These days, the standard is pretty much HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface), appearing not only on computers, but on high-def televisions as well. It carries both video and audio. HDMI 1.4 is likely what you have on your equipment, but a new HDMI spec called HDMI 2.0 has begun to be implemented on 4K/Ultra HD televisions. The good news is that all your HDMI cables will work with either implementation. Given a new version of HDMI has been defined and implemented, it is clearly the current standard. HDMI looks like this:
One more cable is worth mentioning, and that is DisplayPort, which was developed by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA). It has very similar capabilities as HDMI, with the added benefit of being able to be used to daisy chain HD monitors together, a very attractive option for programmers, graphic artists, and others who spend all day long working on computers. DisplayPort increasingly appears on computers and monitors. This is what it looks like:
If the ports on your computer don’t match up with the ports on your monitor, not to worry: there are all sorts of adapters and converters available in the market. However, if you are buying either a new computer or a new monitor, be sure to pay attention to the ports to make sure that one way or another you will be able to connect them and the result will meet your needs.
RSS Feed