Gimnicher Computer Services
  • Home
  • About
  • Testimonials
  • Technology Blog
  • Newsletters prior to 2015
  • Remote Support
  • Contact
  • Search this Site

How to Connect a Monitor to a Computer

6/15/2016

1 Comment

 
​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:​ 
​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:
​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.
1 Comment

    Author

    Hi!  This is Steve. I've created this blog to share technology information relevant to you: the home or small business user of computers and mobile devices.

    Archives

    January 2023
    November 2022
    June 2022
    October 2021
    June 2021
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

    Subscribe to our mailing list

    * indicates required

This site follows Gimnicher Computer Services’ standard Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
​Redwood City Business License Tax # 48438

Copyright © 2015