Probably, every user of a personal computer or laptop was faced with the issues of connecting a monitor or TV to it, as well as the state of the quality of the resulting image. And if earlier it was quite problematic to get a high-quality picture on the screen, today this problem does not exist at all. Of course, if your device has a DVI connector. We will talk about it, as well as consider other existing interfaces for displaying an image on the screen.
Types of connectors for displaying images on a computer monitor or screen
Until recently, all personal computers had an exclusively analog connection to the monitor. To transfer the image to it, the VGA (Video Graphics Adapter) interface with a D-Sub 15 connector was used. Experienced users still remember the blue plug and the 15-pin socket. But, besides him, video cards had other connectors designed to display images on a TV screen or other video device:
- RCA (Radio Corporation of America) - in our way "tulip". An analog connector designed to connect a video card to a TV, video player or VCR using a coaxial cable. Has the worst transmission characteristics and low resolution.
- S-Video (S-VHS) is a type of analog connector for transmitting a video signal to a TV, VCR or projector, dividing data into three channels responsible for a separate base color. The signal transmission quality is not much better than the "tulip".
- Component Connector - Three separate tulip outputs used to output images to a projector.
All of these connectors were in widespread use until the late 1990s. Of course, there could be no question of any quality of speech, since both televisions and monitors at that time had a very low resolution. Now we cannot imagine how it was possible to play computer games while looking at a TV screen with a cathode ray tube.
With the turn of the century, with the introduction of digital technology in the development of video devices, RCA, S-VHS and component output have become less common. The VGA interface lasted a little longer.
A bit of history
The principle of operation of a conventional video card was that the digital image at the output from it had to be converted into an analog signal by means of a RAMDAC device - a digital-to-analog converter. Naturally, such conversion degraded the image quality at the initial stage.
With the advent of digital screens, it became necessary to convert the analog signal at the output. Now the monitors are equipped with a special converter, which again could not but affect the image quality.
And here, in 1999, seemingly out of nowhere, DVI appeared - the newest digital video interface, thanks to which we can enjoy the perfect picture on the screen today.
This interface was developed by an entire group of companies, which included Silicon Image, the Digital Display Working Group, and even Intel. The developers came to the conclusion that there is no need to convert a digital signal to analog, and then vice versa. It is enough to create a unified interface, and the image in its original form will be displayed on the screen. And without the slightest loss of quality.
What is DVI
DVI stands for Digital Visual Interface. The essence of its work lies in the fact that a special coding protocol TMDS is used for data transmission, which is also a development of Silicon Image. The method of signal transmission via a digital video interface is based on the sequential sending of information, previously implemented by the protocol, with constant backward compatibility with the analog VGA channel.
The DVI specification provides for a single TMDS connection at up to 165 MHz and a transfer rate of 1.65 Gbps. This makes it possible to get the output image with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 with a maximum frequency of 60 Hz. But here it is possible to simultaneously use a second TMDS connection with the same frequency, which allows you to achieve a throughput of 2Gbps.
With such indicators, DVI left far behind other developments in this direction and began to be used on all digital devices without exception.
DVI for the general user
If you do not delve into the jungle of electronics, the digital video interface is just a special encoding device that has a corresponding connector on the video card. But how do you know if a computer or laptop has a digital output?
Everything is very simple. Connectors for video cards with a digital interface cannot be confused with others. They have a specific look and shape that differs from other nests. Besides, the DVI connector is always white, which makes it stand out from the rest.
In order to connect a monitor, TV or projector to a video card, you just need to plug in the plug of the required wire and fix it with special hand-screwed screws.
Resolution and scaling
However, neither digital coding nor special video card connectors have completely solved the problem of computer compatibility with the monitor. There was a question about image scaling.
The fact is that all monitors, screens and TVs that already have a DVI connector are not capable of outputting a higher resolution than is provided for by their design. Therefore, it often happened that the video card produced a super-quality picture, and the monitor showed it to us only in a quality limited by its capabilities.
Developers caught on in time and began to equip all modern digital panels with special scaling devices.
Now, when we connect the DVI connector on the monitor to the corresponding output on the video card, the device instantly adjusts itself, choosing the optimal operating mode. We usually do not pay any attention to this process and do not try to control it.
Video cards and DVI support
The first NVIDIA GeForce2 GTS series graphics cards already had built-in TMDS transmitters. They are still widely used today in Titanium cards as they are integrated into renderers. The disadvantage of the built-in transmitters is their low clock frequency, which does not allow achieving high resolution. In other words, TMDS is not using its advertised 165 MHz bandwidth to its maximum. Therefore, we can say with confidence that NVIDIA at the initial stage failed to adequately implement the DVI standard in its video cards.
When video adapters began to be equipped with an external TMDS operating in parallel with the built-in one, the DVI interface was able to deliver a resolution of 1920x1440, which exceeded all expectations of the company's developers.
In the Titanium GeForce GTX series, there were no problems at all. They effortlessly provide an image with a resolution of 1600x1024.
ATI took a completely different path. All its video cards with DVI-outputs also work from integrated transmitters, but they are supplied complete with special adapters such as DVI - VGA, connecting 5 analog DVI pins to VGA.
Maxtor specialists decided not to bother at all and came up with their own way out of the situation. The G550 series graphics cards are the only ones with a dual DVI cable instead of two signal transmitters. This decision allowed the company to achieve a resolution of 1280x1024 pixels.
DVI connector: types
It is important to know that not all digital connectors are the same. They have different specifications and designs. In our everyday life, the following types of DVI connectors are most often found:
- DVI-I SingleLink;
- DVI-I DualLink;
- DVI-D SingleLink;
- DVI-D DualLink;
- DVI-A.
DVI-I SingleLink connector
This connector is the most popular and demanded one. It is used in all modern video cards and digital monitors. The letter I in the name means “integrated”. This DVI connector is special in its own way. The fact is that it has two combined transmission channels: digital and analog. In other words, it is a DVI + VGA connector. It has 24 digital pins and 5 analog pins.
Considering that these channels are independent of each other and cannot be used simultaneously, the device independently chooses which of them to work with.
By the way, the first such integrated interfaces had separate DVI and VGA connectors.
DVI-I DualLink connector
DVI-I DualLink is also capable of carrying an analog signal, but unlike SingleLink it has two digital channels. Why is this needed? Firstly, to improve the bandwidth, and secondly, everything again comes down to resolution, which is directly proportional to the image quality. This option allows you to expand it to 1920x1080.
DVI-D SingleLink connector
DVI-D SingleLink connectors do not have any analog channels. Letter D informs the user that this is a purely digital interface. It has one transmission channel and is also limited to a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.
DVI-D DualLink connector
This connector has two data channels. Their simultaneous use makes it possible to obtain 2560x1600 pixels at a frequency of only 60 Hz. In addition, this solution allows some modern video cards, such as, for example, nVidia 3D Vision, to reproduce a three-dimensional image on a monitor screen with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 with a refresh rate of 120 Hz.
DVI-A connector
In some sources, the concept of DVI-A is sometimes encountered - a digital connector for transmitting an exclusively analog signal. In order not to mislead you, let us immediately indicate that in fact such an interface does not exist. DVI-A is just a special plug in cables and special adapters for connecting analog video devices to the DVI-I connector.
Digital connector: pinout
All of the listed connectors differ from each other in the location and number of contacts:
- DVI-I SingleLink - has 18 pins for digital and 5 for analog;
- DVI-I DualLink - 24 digital pins, 4 analog, 1 - ground;
- DVI-D SingleLink - 18 digital, 1 ground
- DVI-D DualLink - 24 digital, 1 ground
The DVI-A connector also has its own unique pin assignment. Its pinout consists of only 17 pins, including the ground.
HDMI connector
The modern digital video interface also has other types of interconnecting communications. For example, the HDMI DVI connector is in no way inferior in popularity to the listed models. On the contrary, thanks to its compactness and the ability to transmit an audio signal along with digital video, it has become a must-have accessory for all new TVs and monitors.
HDMI stands for High Definition Multimedia Interface, which stands for High Definition Multimedia Interface. It appeared for the first time in 2003 and has not lost its relevance since then. Every year there are new modifications of it with improved resolution and bandwidth.
Today, for example, HDMI makes it possible to transmit video and audio signals without loss of quality over cables up to 10 meters long. The bandwidth is up to 10.2 Gb / s. Just a few years ago, this figure did not exceed 5 Gb / s.
This standard is supported and developed by the world's leading electronics manufacturers: Toshiba, Panasonic, Sony, Philips, and others. Almost all video devices manufactured by these manufacturers today must have at least one HDMI connector.
DP connector
DP (DisplayPort) is the latest connector to replace the HDMI multimedia interface. With high bandwidth, minimal loss of quality during data transfer and compactness, it was intended to completely replace the DVI standard. But it turned out that not everything is so simple. Most modern monitors do not have appropriate connectors, and changing their production system in a short time is an impossible task. In addition, not all manufacturers are particularly keen on this, which is why most video equipment is not equipped with the DisplayPort standard.
Mini connectors
Today, when more mobile devices are used instead of computers: laptops, tablets and smartphones, it becomes not very convenient to use ordinary connectors. Therefore, manufacturers such as Apple, for example, began to replace them with smaller counterparts. First VGA became mini-VGA, then DVI became micro-DVI, and DisplayPort became mini-DisplayPort.
DVI adapters
But what if, for example, you need to connect a laptop to an analog monitor or other device that has a DVI connector to a digital panel with HDMI, DisplayPort? This will help special adapters, which today can be purchased at any electronics store.
Let's consider their main types:
- VGA - DVI;
- DVI - VGA;
- DVI - HDMI;
- HDMI - DVI;
- HDMI - DisplayPort;
- DisplayPort - HDMI.
In addition to these basic adapters, there are also varieties of them that provide connection to other interfaces, such as USB.
Of course, with such a connection, there is a loss in image quality, even between the same type of devices that support the DVI standard. An adapter connector, no matter how high-quality it is, cannot solve this problem.
How to connect a TV to a computer
It's easy to connect a TV to a computer or laptop, but you need to determine which interface is equipped with both devices. Most modern television receivers have built-in connectors that support DVI. It can be either HDMI or DisplayPort. If the computer or laptop has the same connector as the TV, it is enough to use the cable that usually comes with the latter. If the wire was not included in the kit, you can freely buy it in the store.
The operating system of the computer will independently determine the connection of the second screen and offer one of the options for its use:
- as the main monitor;
- in clone mode (the image will be displayed on both screens);
- as an additional monitor to the main one.
But do not forget that with such a connection, the image resolution will remain the same as provided by the screen design.
Does cable length affect signal quality?
The length of the cable connecting the device and the screen affects not only the signal quality, but also the data transfer rate. Taking into account the modern characteristics of connecting wires for various digital interfaces, their length should not exceed the established indicators:
- for VGA - no more than 3 m;
- for HDMI - no more than 5 m;
- for DVI - no more than 10 m;
- for DisplayPort - no more than 10 m.
If you need to connect a computer or laptop with a screen located at a distance exceeding the recommended one, you must use a special amplifier - repeater (signal repeater), which can also distribute the channel to several monitors.
What to connect to where? After reading our article on the purpose of computer connectors, you will no longer have this question). In the photo where the system unit is shown, we have highlighted two areas where computer connectors may be present. If the connector is in the area marked with 1, it means it is from a built-in device. In area 2 there are connectors for individual devices and it is more important to use them in some cases, we will discuss this below. Connectors are usually present in the front of the system unit (either on the front, or on the side or top). It should be understood that in addition to the appearance of the connector, there is also a standard for data transfer through it, so sometimes it happens that there is only one connector, but it supports different data transfer standards and you can insert different "plugs" into it, such as in the Power eSATA described below. From now on we will refer to Area 1 and Area 2
Most commonly used computer connectors
So, the most important connector of a computer, without which nothing will work, is the power connector, we did not select it as a separate area. Usually there is a switch next to it to completely turn off the computer (when it is turned on, but your computer does not work - an electric current walks through some circuits of the system unit)
VGA / SVGA monitor connectors
The upper blue connector - VGA / SVGA - is used to connect a monitor, it is gradually becoming a thing of the past, on some computers it may already be absent. It is being replaced by the more modern DVI located under it (white in the photo). This connector may have different variations, in this case, the photo shows a connector that can only transmit a signal in digital form
There are DVIs with the ability to transfer data in an analog way and at different speeds, while the combination of holes in the connector may vary. It should be noted that both VGA and DVI connectors can be present simultaneously in both Region 1 and Areas 2, in this case, the monitor should be connected to Area 2 since in Areas 1, as a rule, the connectors (along with the built-in video card) are automatically disabled. There are DVI-VGA adapters for connecting a VGA monitor to a DVI output.
HDMI (TV or monitor connection)
As such, HDMI was not intended to be used to connect monitors, but it is increasingly present in new computers. HDMI is convenient for connecting a TV as a monitor, it simultaneously transmits both video and sound.
USB2.0 and USB3.0
USB is used to exchange data with various devices - mice, keyboards, printers, scanners, cameras, flash drives, external hard drives, game devices and even sound speakers. This connector has become so common that it is even used to charge mobile devices on many power supplies, in cars, and even on public transport. Charging is possible due to the fact that all of these connectors have two contacts through which power is supplied to the connected device, which is quite enough for recharging mobile devices and powering many other devices.
But the USB ports have some differences in data transfer rates. Your computer, if it is not very old, should have USB 2.0 connectors. These are regular USB ports like the picture above. However, there are faster USB 3.0, as a rule, they are blue (as in the picture below). If the device that you connect to the computer supports USB 3.0, then it is better to connect it to the "blue" USB - this way the data exchange will be faster. Faster devices can be external hard drives, webcams, etc.
In general, there is no difference in which USB to connect the device, it will usually work through any USB connector after installing the drivers (if necessary), you can also use any USB to charge your gadgets, unless otherwise indicated in the instructions. Do not forget that USB is present not only on the front panel of the system unit, but also in Region 1 and maybe in Areas 2, if there is a shortage of USB, all of them can and should be used.
Audio connectors
The number of these connectors may vary. In addition, they can be duplicated on a computer and located both in Region 1 so and 2 and on the front panel. These connectors are usually made in different colors. Light green - used to connect one pair of stereo speakers. Pink - microphone connection. Blue - line-in for connecting other audio devices and recording sound from them to the computer. At the same time, if you have two or three green connectors on your computer, you can simultaneously connect speakers and headphones to them and select which device to output sound to in the computer settings. Sound card software may provide the ability to override the assignment of sound connectors. Audio connectors in other colors are used to connect additional speakers.
Ethernet (8P8C, RJ45 standard)
This connector is for connecting to the network. It can be a network without Internet access, or an Internet network. Usually it has built-in "lights" that blink to signal the operation of the network device.
PS / 2 keyboard and mouse connector
These connectors are still found, but less often and less often. They are used to connect a mouse (light green connector) and a keyboard (purple connector). There are times when there is one connector, half painted in light green, the other half in lilac - then you can connect both a mouse and a keyboard to it.
It is advisable to connect devices to these connectors while the computer is turned off, otherwise the device may not work.
Rarely used connectors
DisplayPort
Port for connecting monitors and video devices. The first devices with this port were released in 2008. In some cases, it can be more beneficial for both the manufacturer and the consumer, it can be used to work with stereoscopic images.
Connecting an external hard drive via e-SATA
Connector for external hard drives. Signal compatible with SATA (which are inside the computer). Older versions of the connector provide for the transfer of data only without powering the device with an electric current. More modern Power eSATA can power the device and even connect USB devices to them! That is, in one connector there are two at once - USB and e-SATA. It is not known how much the standard and the connector will take root, since external hard drives connected via USB 3.0 are more common.
Optical S / PDIF
An optical connector (data is transmitted using light, not electricity) S / PDIF or Sony / Philips Digital Interface is used to connect audio devices. Designed based on the professional audio industry standard.
IEEE 1394 (Firewire, i-Link)
IEEE 1394 is a high speed serial data bus. Various companies use Apple's Firewire brands, SONY's i.LINK brands, etc. The company Aplle had a hand in the development. At its core, the connector is similar to USB. This port, most likely, will not gain widespread acceptance due to licensing fees for each chip for this port in favor of Apple.
Obsolete connectors
Why are the following ports on the computer that we will describe in this article obsolete? This is due, as a rule, to the low data transfer rate, the cumbersomeness of the connector itself. If they are present in your computer, then we can say that it is no longer the first freshness)
COM port
It is similar to VGA in size, but it has not three, but two rows of contacts (besides, the computer has a connector - "male", that is, with pins). The connector was used to exchange data with an external modem, sometimes it was used to transfer data from computer to computer, to connect a mouse. In general, it was "in use" about the same as now USB. It was popular for connecting homemade devices, sensors, etc. Some devices to this day can emulate a connection via a COM port, although physically it will be USB.
LPT port
This LPT parallel data transmission connector was mainly used to connect printers, plotters.
A modern personal computer would never have gained such immense popularity if it only performed computational functions. The current PC is a multifunctional device, with the help of which the user can not only carry out any calculations, but also perform a lot of different things: print text, control external devices, communicate with other users using computer networks, etc. this huge functionality is achieved with the help of additional devices - peripherals that are connected to a personal computer through special connectors called ports.
Personal computer ports
Port- an electronic device that runs directly on the motherboard of a PC or on additional boards installed in a personal computer. The ports have a unique connector for connecting external devices - peripherals. They are intended for the exchange of data between a PC and external devices (printers, modems, digital cameras, etc.). Quite often, one more name for ports can be found in the literature - interfaces.
All ports can be conditionally divided into two groups:
- External- for connecting external devices (printers, scanners, plotters, video image devices, modems, etc.);
- Internal- for connecting internal devices (hard drives, expansion cards).
External ports of a personal computer
- PS / 2- port for connecting a keyboard;
- PS / 2- port for connecting a "mouse";
- Ethernet- port for connecting a local network and network devices (routers, modems, etc.);
- USB- port for connecting external peripheral devices (printers, scanners, smartphones, etc.);
- LPT- parallel port. Serves to connect nowadays outdated models of printers, scanners and plotters;
- COM- serial port RS232. Serves for connecting devices such as dial-up modems and old printers. Now obsolete, practically not used;
- MIDI- a port for connecting game consoles, midi keyboards, musical instruments with the same interface. Recently, it has practically been supplanted by a USB port;
- Audio In- analog input for line output of audio devices (tape recorders, players, etc.);
- Audio Out- analog audio signal output (headphones, speakers, etc.);
- Mikrophone- microphone output for connecting a microphone;
- SVGA- port for connecting video display devices: monitors, modern LED, LCD and plasma panels (this type of connector is outdated);
- VID Out- the port is used to output and input a low-frequency video signal;
- DVI- port for connecting video display devices, more modern than SVGA.
Serial port (COM port)
One of the oldest ports installed in PCs for over 20 years. In the literature, you can often find him classic name - RS232... Data exchange using it occurs in a sequential mode, that is, the transmission and reception lines are one-bit. Thus, information that is transmitted from a computer to a device, or vice versa, is divided into bits that follow one after another sequentially.
The data transfer rate provided by this port is not high and has a standardized range: 50, 100, 150, 300, 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 14400, 38400, 57600, 115200 Kbps.
A serial port was used to connect to a PC such "slow" devices as the first printers and plotters, dial-up modems, mouse manipulators, and even for connecting computers to each other. No matter how slow its speed, in order to connect the devices to each other, only three wires were required - the communication protocol was so simple. It is clear that a larger number of conductors in the cord were required for full-fledged operation.
Today the serial port is practically no longer used and has been completely replaced by a younger, but also faster "brother" - USB port... It should be noted, however, that some manufacturers still equip their motherboards with a COM port. However, the very name - "serial port" is still used by software developers. So, for example, Bluetooth devices, ports of cell phones are often represented exactly as a "serial port". This is, perhaps, somewhat confusing, but this is done for the reason that the data transfer in them is also carried out sequentially, but at a higher speed.
If for some reason you may need a COM port, but your PC does not have it, then for this purpose you can use an adapter that connects to a modern USB port available on all modern PCs, and on the other hand, such an adapter has serial port connector. There is, however, one limitation, if the software accessed directly the hardware of a real COM port, then it will not work with such an adapter. In this case, you need to purchase a special board that is installed inside your PC.
Structurally, the serial port of the PC has a male connector (with protruding pins):
Today, the 25-pin serial port connector is largely obsolete and has not been installed on a PC for several years. If the manufacturer supplies the motherboard with a COM port, then this is a 9-pin DB9 connector.
It is an interface for connecting devices such as printers, scanners, and plotters.
Allows you to simultaneously transfer 8 bits of data, albeit in one direction - from the computer to the periphery. In addition to this, it has 4 control bits (as in the case of data bits, control bits are transmitted from the PC to an external device), and 4 status bits (these bits can be "read" by the computer from the device).
In recent years, the LPT port has been improved and it has become two-way, that is, it has become possible to transmit data bits through it in both directions. Today it is outdated and practically not used, although motherboard manufacturers still include it in its composition.
Enthusiasts and radio amateurs often use this port to control any non-standard devices (crafts, etc.).
USB interface
USB Is the abbreviation for the port's full name - universal serial bus.
It is one of the most widely used ports on a personal computer today. And this is no coincidence - its specifications and ease of use are truly impressive.
The data exchange rate for the USB 2.0 interface can reach - 480 Mbit / s, and for the USB3.0 interface - up to 5 Gbit / s (!).
Moreover, all versions of this interface are compatible with each other. That is, a device using a 2.0 interface can be connected to the USB3.0 port (in this case, the port will automatically lower the speed to the required value). Accordingly, a device using a USB 3.0 port can be connected to a USB 2.0 port. The only condition is that if a speed higher than the maximum speed of USB 2.0 is required for normal operation, then normal operation of the peripheral device will not be possible in this case.
In addition, the popularity of this port is also due to the fact that the developers have included one very useful feature in it - this port can serve as a power supply, for an external device connected to it. In this case, no additional block is required to connect to the electrical network, which is very convenient.
For the USB 2.0 version, the maximum current consumption can reach 0.5A, and in the USB3.0 version - 0.9A. It is not recommended to exceed the specified values, as this will lead to the interface failure.
Developers of modern digital devices are constantly striving for minimization. Therefore, structurally, this port can have, in addition to the standard connector, also a mini-version for miniature devices - mini-USB... It has no fundamental differences from the standard USB port except for the design of the mini-USB connector itself.
Almost all modern devices have a USB port for connecting to a PC. Ease of installation - the connected device is recognized by the operating system almost immediately after connection, making it possible to use such a port without special "computer" knowledge. Printers, scanners, digital cameras, smartphones and tablets, external drives are just a small list of peripheral equipment that currently uses this interface. The simple principle is "plug and play" have made this port a truly bestseller of all personal computer interfaces available today.
Fire-Wire Port (Also known as IEEE1394, i-Link)
This type of interface has appeared relatively recently - since 1995. It is a high speed serial type bus. Data transfer rates can be up to 400 Mbps in IEEE 1394 and IEEE 1394a, 800 Mbps and 1600 Mbps in IEEE1394b.
Initially, this interface was developed as a port for connecting internal drives (such as SATA), but the licensing policy of Apple, one of the developers of this standard, required payment for each controller chip. Therefore, today only a small number of digital devices (some models of cameras and camcorders) are equipped with this type of interface. This type of port was not widely used.
The value of this interface can hardly be overestimated, as a rule, it is he who is used to connect a personal computer to a local network or to access the Internet in most cases. Almost all modern PCs, laptops and netbooks are equipped with an Ethernet port built into the motherboard. This is easy to verify if you inspect the external connectors.
To connect external devices, a special one is used, which has the same on both ends connectors - RJ-45 containing eight contacts.
The cable is symmetrical, and therefore, the order of connecting devices does not matter - any device of your choice can be connected to any of the identical cable connectors - a PC, a router, a modem, etc. Marked with an abbreviation - UTP, common name - "twisted pair"... In most cases, for both home and office use, a Category 5 cable of the UTP-5 or UTP-5E brand is used.
The speed of data transmitted over the Ethernet connection depends on the technical capabilities of the port and is 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps and 1000 Mbps. It should be understood that this bandwidth is theoretical, and that in real networks it is slightly lower due to the peculiarities of the Ethernet data transfer protocol.
Also, it should be borne in mind that not all manufacturers install high-speed chips in their Ethernet controllers, since they are very expensive. This leads to the fact that in practice, the actual data transfer rate is much lower than indicated on the packaging or in the specification. As a rule, almost all Ethernet cards are compatible with each other and from top to bottom. That is, newer models that have the ability to connect at a speed of 1000 Mbps (1 Gbps) will work without problems with older models at speeds of 10 and 100 Mbps.
To visually check the integrity of the connection, the Ethernet port has Link and Act indicators... Link indicator - lights up green when the physical connection is correct and working, that is, the cable between the devices is connected, it is intact, the ports are working. The second Act indicator is usually orange and blinks when data is being transmitted or received.
Internal ports of a personal computer
As mentioned above, the internal ports are designed to connect peripherals such as hard drives, CD and DVD-ROM drives, "card readers", additional COM and USB ports, etc. Internal ports are either located on the motherboard, or on additional expansion cards installed in the system bus.
Nowadays outdated interface for connecting old models of hard drives ("hard drives", HDD). After the creation of the SATA interface, it received the name PATA-interface, or abbreviated - ATA. PATA - ParallelAdvanced Technology Attachment... This parallel data transfer interface for connecting drives was developed in mid-1986 by the now famous WesternDigital company.
Depending on the manufacturer, the motherboard can contain from one to four IDE channels. Modern manufacturers, as a rule, leave only one IDE port for compatibility, and recently it has also been excluded from the motherboard, being completely replaced by the modern SATA interface.
The data transfer rate in the latest version of the EnhancedIDE interface can reach - 150 Mbit / s. The devices are connected using an IDE cable with 40 or 80 cores for the old or new type of interface, respectively.
Typically, using one cable, you can connect up to two devices at the same time to one IDE port. In this case, with the help of jumpers on the drives, which determine the "seniority" of devices working in pairs, the operating mode is selected - on one device - Master and for another Slave.
You can connect either devices of the same type, for example, two hard drives or two DVD-ROMs, or different ones in any combination - DVD-ROM and HDD or CD-ROM and DVD-ROM. The connector for the connection does not matter, you just need to pay attention that the two connectors for connecting the peripherals are displaced for convenience to one of the ends of the loop.
It should also be borne in mind that by connecting a "fast" device designed for an 80-wire cable using the old 40-wire cable, you will greatly reduce the exchange rate. In addition, if one of the devices in a pair has an old (slow) ATA interface, then the data transfer rate in this case will be determined by the speed of this device.
If you have two IDE ports and two drives inside your PC, to increase the data exchange speed, you need to connect each drive to a separate IDE port.
This interface is a development of its predecessor, the IDE, with the only difference that, unlike its "older friend", it is not a parallel, but a serial interface. SATA - SerialATA.
Structurally, it has only seven conductors for its operation and a much smaller area of both the connector itself and the connecting cable.
The data transfer speed of this interface is much higher than the outdated IDE and, depending on the SATA version, is:
- SATARev. 1.0 - up to 1.5 Gbps;
- SATARev. 2.0 - up to 3 Gbps;
- SATARev. 3.0 - up to 6 Gbps.
Just like the IDE-interface, the cable for connecting devices is “universal” - the connectors are the same on both sides, but unlike its “brother”, now using one SATA cable, you can connect only one device to one SATA port.
But there is hardly any need to be upset about this. Manufacturers have made sure that the number of ports is sufficient for a wide variety of applications, installing up to 8 SATA ports on one motherboard. The third revision SATA port is usually bright red.
Additional ports
Most motherboards are equipped by manufacturers with an additional number of USB ports, and sometimes even one additional COM port.
This is done for the convenience of the user. Most modern desktop PC cases have USB connectors installed on the front panel for convenient connection of external drives. In this case, there is no need to reach for the back wall of the system unit and "get" into the USB-connector, which is brought out to the rear panel.
Such a connector is on the front panel and connects to an additional USB port installed on the motherboard. Among other things, the USB interfaces displayed on the rear panel may simply not be enough, in view of the large number of peripheral devices, in this case you can purchase additional bracket with USB connectors and connect them to additional ports.
All of the above applies to other ports installed on the motherboard. For example, a COM or FireWireIEEE1394 serial port may simply not be output to the rear panel of a personal computer, but it is present on the motherboard at the same time. In this case, it is enough to buy a suitable train and bring it outside.
It would be technically incorrect to call these connectors ports, although the method of connecting additional boards to them is still somewhat similar to other familiar ports. The principle is the same - stuck it in and turn it on. In most cases, the system will find the device itself and request (or install automatically) drivers for it.
Such buses are installed, for example, an external graphics card, a sound card, an internal modem, a video capture card, and other additional expansion cards that allow the PC to expand its functions and capabilities.
PCI and PCIe buses are incompatible with each other, therefore, before purchasing an expansion card for yourself, you need to clarify which system buses are installed on the motherboard of your PC.
PCIex 1 and PCIex 16 are modern implementations of the older PCI bus developed in 1991. But unlike its predecessor, it is a serial bus, and in addition, all PCIe buses are connected in a star topology, while the old PCI bus was connected in parallel to each other. In addition, the new tire has such advantages as:
- Hot swappable boards;
- The bandwidth is guaranteed;
- Data integrity control during reception and transmission;
- Managed power consumption.
PCI Express buses differ in the number of conductors connected to the slot, with the help of which data exchange with the installed device is carried out (PCIex 1, PCIex2, PCIex 4, PCIex 8, PCIex 16, PCIex 32). The maximum data transfer rate can be up to 16 Gbps.
"Daddy" must go with "Mom"
Every computer, be it a desktop system or a laptop, uses a huge number of connectors, both internally and externally. Can you name each of them and explain the purpose? Books often contain too bad descriptions, or they are not sufficiently illustrated. As a result, readers are often confused and lost.
In our complete guide, we'll try to solve this problem by sorting out all the existing interfaces. We have equipped the article big amount illustrations that will clearly tell you about the slots, ports and interfaces of your PC, as well as about the whole range of devices that can be connected to them. Our guide will be especially useful for beginners who often do not know the purpose of this or that interface. And you need to connect the peripherals now.
But there is one consolation: almost every connector is very difficult (if not impossible) to connect incorrectly. With rare exceptions, you will not be able to connect the device "in the wrong place". If there is such a possibility, we will definitely warn you. Fortunately, damage caused by misconnection is not as common today as it used to be.
We've broken down the tutorial into the following parts.
- External interfaces for connecting peripherals.
- Internal interfaces located in the PC case.
External interfaces for connecting peripherals
USB
Connectors U niversal S erial B us (USB) is for connecting external peripherals such as a mouse, keyboard, portable hard drive, digital camera, VoIP phone (Skype), or printer to your computer. In theory, up to 127 devices can be connected to a single USB host controller. The maximum transfer rate is 12 Mbps for USB 1.1 and 480 Mbps for Hi-Speed USB 2.0. USB 1.1 and Hi-Speed 2.0 connectors are the same. The differences lie in the transmission speed and set of functions of the USB host controller of the computer, and of the USB devices themselves. You can read more about the differences in our article... USB provides devices with power, so they can operate from the interface without additional power (if the USB interface provides the necessary power, no more than 500 mA at 5 V).
There are three types of USB connectors in total.
- Connector "type A": usually found on a PC.
- Type B connector: Usually found on the USB device itself (if the cable is detachable).
- Mini USB connector: Commonly used by digital camcorders, external hard drives, etc.
USB Type A (left) and USB Type B (right).
USB extension cable (must be no longer than 5 m).
Mini USB connectors are commonly found on digital cameras and external hard drives.
The USB logo is always present on the connectors.
Twin cable. Each USB port provides 5V / 500mA. If you need more power (say, for a mobile hard drive), then this cable can also be powered from a second USB port (500 + 500 = 1000 mA).
Original: in this case, USB only provides power for the charger.
USB / PS2 adapter.
FireWire cable with a 6-pin plug on one end and a 4-pin plug on the other.
The official name IEEE-1394 is the serial interface commonly used for digital video cameras, external hard drives and various network devices. It is also called FireWire (from Apple) and i.Link (from Sony). Currently 400-Mbps IEEE-1394 standard is being replaced by 800-Mbps IEEE-1394 b(also known as FireWire-800). Typically FireWire devices are connected via a 6-pin plug that provides power. The 4-pin plug has no power. FireWire-800 devices, on the other hand, use 9-pin cables and connectors.
This FireWire card provides two large 6-pin ports and one small 4-pin port.
6-pin power connector.
4-pin connector without power supply. This is commonly used on digital camcorders and laptops.
"Tulip" (Cinch / RCA): composite video, audio, HDTV
The color coding is welcome: yellow for video (FBAS), white and red tulips for analog audio, and three tulips (red, blue, green) for HDTV component output
Cinch connectors are used in conjunction with coaxial cables for many electronic signals. Typically tulip forks use the color coding shown in the following table.
| Colour | Usage | Signal type |
| White or black | Sound, left channel | Analog |
| Red | Sound, right channel (also see HDTV) | Analog |
| Yellow | Video, composite | Analog |
| Green | Component HDTV (Y brightness) | Analog |
| Blue | Component HDTV Cb / Pb Chroma | Analog |
| Red | Component HDTV Cr / Pr Chroma | Analog |
| Orange / yellow | SPDIF sound | Digital |
A warning. It is possible to confuse the digital SPDIF plug with the analog composite video connector, so always read the instructions before connecting the equipment. In addition, the color coding of SPDIF is completely different. Finally, you can confuse the HDTV red tulip with the right audio channel. Remember that HDTV plugs always come in groups of three, and the same can be said for jacks.
Tulip plugs are color-coded differently depending on the signal type.
Two types of SPDIF (digital audio): tulip on the left and TOSLINK (fiber optic) on the right.
The TOSKLINK optical interface is also used for digital SPDIF signals.
SCART to Tulip adapter (composite video, 2x audio and S-Video)
Vocabulary
- RCA = Radio Corporation of America
- SPDIF = Sony / Philips Digital Interfaces
PS / 2
Two PS / 2 ports, one colored, the other not.
Named after the "old lady" IBM PS / 2, these connectors are widely used today as standard interfaces for keyboard and mouse, but they are gradually giving way to USB. The following color coding scheme is common today.
- Purple: keyboard.
- Green: mouse.
In addition, today it is quite common to find PS / 2 sockets in a neutral color, both for a mouse and a keyboard. It is quite possible to mix up the keyboard and mouse connectors on the motherboard, but it will not do any harm. If you do this, you will quickly find an error: neither the keyboard nor the mouse will work. Many PCs won't even boot if the mouse and keyboard are not properly connected. The fix is very simple: swap the forks and everything will work!
USB / PS / 2 adapter.
VGA port on graphics card.
PCs have been using the 15-pin Mini-D-Sub interface for connecting a monitor (HD15) for a long time. With the correct adapter, you can connect such a monitor to the DVI-I (DVI-integrated) output of your graphics card. The VGA interface carries red, green and blue signals, as well as horizontal (H-Sync) and vertical (V-Sync) sync information.
VGA interface on monitor cable.
Newer graphics cards usually come with two DVI outputs. But with a DVI-VGA adapter, you can easily change the interface (on the right in the illustration).
This adapter provides information for the VGA interface.
Vocabulary
- VGA = Video Graphics Array
DVI is a monitor interface designed primarily for digital signals. So that you do not need to convert the digital signals of the graphic card to analog, and then do the reverse conversion in the display.
A graphics card with two DVI ports can work simultaneously with two (digital) monitors.
Since the transition from analog to digital graphics has been slow, graphics hardware designers are allowing both technologies to be used in parallel. Plus, modern graphics cards can handle dual monitors easily.
Widespread interface DVI-I allows you to use both digital and analog connections at the same time.
Interface DVI-D is very rare. It only allows digital connection (no possibility to connect an analog monitor).
Many graphics cards come with a DVI-I to VGA adapter that allows you to connect older monitors with a 15-pin D-Sub-VGA plug.
Complete list of DVI types (most commonly used interface with analog and digital connections DVI-I).
Vocabulary
- DVI = Digital Visual Interface
RJ45 network cables are available in a variety of lengths and colors.
Twisted pair connectors are most commonly used in networks. Currently, 100-Mbps Ethernet is giving way to Gigabit Ethernet (it operates at speeds up to 1 Gbps). But they all use RJ45 plugs. Ethernet cables can be divided into two types.
- A classic patch cable that is used to connect a computer to a hub or switch.
- Crossover cable that is used to connect two computers together.
Network port on a PCI card.
Modern maps use LEDs to display activity.
In Europe and North America, ISDN devices and network equipment use the same RJ45. It should be noted that RJ45 plugs allow hot plugging, and if you're wrong, nothing bad will happen.
RJ11 cable.
RJ45 and RJ11 are very similar to each other, but RJ11 has only four pins, while RJ45 has eight. In computer systems, RJ11 is mainly used to connect to telephone line modems. In addition, there are many RJ11 adapters, since telephone sockets in each country may have their own standard.
RJ11 port on laptop.
RJ11 modem interface.
RJ11 adapters allow you to connect different types of telephone sockets. The illustration shows a socket from Germany.
S-Video interface.
The Hosiden 4-pin plug uses different lines for luminance (Y, luminance and data sync) and color (C, color). Separating luminance and color signals achieves better picture quality than Composite Video Interface (FBAS). But in the world of analog connections, the HDTV component interface comes first in terms of quality, followed by S-Video. Only digital signals like DVI (TDMS) or HDMI (TDMS) provide better picture quality.
S-Video port on graphics card.
SCART
SCART is a combined interface widely used in Europe and Asia. This interface combines S-Video, RGB and analog stereo signals. YpbPr and YcrCb component modes are not supported.
SCART ports for TV and VCR.
This adapter converts SCART to S-Video and analog audio ("tulips").
HDMI
This is a digital multimedia interface for uncompressed HDTV signals up to 1920x1080 (or 1080i), with built-in Digital Rights Management (DRM) copyright protection. Current technology uses 19-pin type A plugs.
We have yet to come across any consumer equipment using 29-pin Type B plugs that support resolutions greater than 1080i. HDMI uses the same TDMS signal technology as DVI-D. This explains the emergence of HDMI-DVI adapters. In addition, HDMI can provide up to 8 channels of 24-bit 192 kHz audio. Please note that HDMI cables cannot be longer than 15 meters.
HDMI / DVI adapter.
Vocabulary
- HDMI = High Definition Multimedia Interface
Internal interfaces located in the PC case
Four SATA ports on the motherboard.
SATA is a serial interface for connecting storage devices (today these are mainly hard drives) and is intended to replace the old parallel ATA interface. The first generation Serial ATA standard is widely used today and offers a maximum data transfer rate of 150 Mbps. The maximum cable length is 1 meter. SATA uses a point-to-point connection where one end of the SATA cable is connected to the PC's motherboard and the other to the hard drive. Additional devices are not connected to this cable, unlike parallel ATA, when two drives can be "hung" on each cable. So the "master" and "slave" drives are a thing of the past.
Many SATA cables come with caps to protect the sensitive contacts.
SATA power in different formats.
This is how SATA hard drives are powered.
Cables are available in a variety of colors.
Although SATA was designed for use inside a PC case, a number of products provide external SATA interfaces as well.
SATA drives can be powered in two ways: via a classic Molex plug ...
... or with a dedicated power cable.
The parallel bus transfers data from hard drives and optical drives (CD and DVD) and back. It is known as Parallel ATA (Parallel ATA) and is now being replaced by Serial ATA. The latest version uses a 40-pin 80-core wire (half to ground). Each such cable allows you to connect a maximum of two drives, when one works in the "master" mode, and the other in the "slave" mode. Usually the mode is switched with a small jumper on the drive.
IDE ribbon cable.
DVD drive connection: the red strip on the ribbon cable should always be near the power connector.
ATA / 133 interface for classic 3.5 "hard drive (bottom) or 2.5" version (top).
If you would like to connect a 2.5 "laptop drive to a regular desktop PC, you can use the same adapter.
Warning: in most cases, it is impossible to connect the interface incorrectly due to the protrusion on one side, but old cables may not have it. Therefore, follow the following rule: the end of the cable, marked with a colored stripe (most often red), should always coincide with pin number 1 on the motherboard, and should also be closer to the power connector of the CD / DVD drive. To prevent miswiring, many cables and connectors lack a single pin or pin hole in the middle.
One ribbon cable supports the connection of two devices: say, two hard drives or a hard drive paired with a DVD drive. If two devices are connected to the loop, then one should be configured as "master" and the other as "slave". To do this, you have to use a jumper. Usually it is set to one or another setting. If in doubt, refer to the documentation (or the manufacturer's website).
Vocabulary
- ATA = Advanced Technology Attachment
- E-IDE = Enhanced Integrated Drive Electronics
AGP slot with a latch for a graphics card.
Most graphics cards in consumer PCs use the Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) interface. Older systems use the PCI interface for the same purpose. However, PCI Express (PCIe) is intended to replace both interfaces. Despite the name, PCI Express is a serial bus, while PCI (without the Express suffix) is parallel. In general, PCI and PCI Express buses have nothing in common, apart from the name.
AGP graphics card (top) and PCI Express graphics card (bottom).
Workstation motherboards use the AGP Pro slot, which provides additional power for the power-hungry OpenGL cards. However, it can also be used for conventional graphics cards. However, AGP Pro never gained widespread acceptance. Usually gluttonous graphics cards are equipped with an additional power socket - for the same Molex plug, for example.
Additional power for graphics card: 4- or 6-pin socket.
Additional power for graphics card: Molex socket.
The AGP standard has gone through several updates.
| Standard | Bandwidth |
| AGP 1X | 256 MB / s |
| AGP 2X | 533 MB / s |
| AGP 4X | 1066 MB / s |
| AGP 8X | 2133 MB / s |
If you like to dig into hardware, then you should remember about two levels of interface voltage. AGP 1X and 2X operate at 3.3V, while AGP 4X and 8X only require 1.5V. In addition, there are Universal AGP cards that fit any type of connector. To prevent erroneous insertion of cards, AGP slots use special protrusions. And the cards are slots.
The top card has a slot for AGP 3.3 V. In the middle: a universal card with two notches (one for AGP 3.3 V, the other for AGP 1.5 V). Below is a card with a cutout on the right for 1.5V AGP.
Motherboard expansion slots: PCI Express x16 lanes (top) and 2 PCI Express x1 lanes (bottom).
Two PCI Express slots for installing two nVidia SLi graphics cards. Between them you can see a small PCI Express x1 slot.
PCI Express is a serial interface and should not be confused with PCI-X or PCI buses, which use parallel signaling.
PCI Express (PCIe) is the most advanced graphics card interface. At the same time, it is suitable for installing other expansion cards, although there are very few of them on the market so far. PCIe x16 offers twice the bandwidth of AGP 8x. But in practice, this advantage never showed itself.
AGP graphics card (top) versus PCI Express graphics card (bottom).
From top to bottom: PCI Express x16 (serial), two parallel PCI and PCI Express x1 (serial) interfaces.
| PCI Express Lines | Throughput in one direction | Total throughput |
| 1 | 256 MB / s | 512 MB / s |
| 2 | 512 MB / s | 1 GB / s |
| 4 | 1 GB / s | 2 GB / s |
| 8 | 2 GB / s | 4 GB / s |
| 16 | 4 GB / s | 8 GB / s |
PCI is a standard bus for connecting peripherals. Among them are network cards, modems, sound cards and video capture cards.
Among mainstream motherboards, the most common PCI bus is 2.1, which runs at 33 MHz and is 32 bits wide. It has a bandwidth of up to 133 Mbps. Manufacturers have not widely adopted PCI 2.3 buses with a frequency of up to 66 MHz. That is why there are very few cards of this standard. But some motherboards support this standard.
Another development in the world of the parallel PCI bus is known as PCI-X. These slots are most commonly found on server and workstation motherboards because PCI-X provides higher bandwidth for RAID controllers or network cards. For example, the PCI-X 1.0 bus offers up to 1 Gbps bandwidth with a 133 MHz bus frequency and 64 bits wide.
The PCI 2.1 specification currently provides 3.3V supply. The left cutout / tab prevents the installation of the old 5V cards shown in the illustration.
Notched card as well as PCI slot with key.
RAID controller for 64-bit PCI-X slot.
The classic 32-bit PCI slot is on the top, and three 64-bit PCI-X slots are on the bottom. The green slot supports ZCR (Zero Channel RAID).
Vocabulary
- PCI = Peripheral Component Interconnect
The following table and illustrations show the different types of power connectors.
Standard power connector.
| AMD | |
| Socket 462 | |
| Power standard | ATX12V 1.3 or higher |
| ATX plug | 20-pin |
| AUX plug (6-pin) | Not used |
| Rarely used | |
| Socket 754 | |
| Power standard | ATX12V 1.3 or higher |
| ATX plug | |
| AUX plug (6-pin) | Not used |
| Connector P4 (4-pin 12V) | Sometimes present |
| Socket 939 | |
| Power standard | ATX12V 1.3 or higher |
| ATX plug | 20-pin, sometimes 24-pin |
| AUX plug (6-pin) | Not used |
| Connector P4 (4-pin 12V) | Sometimes needed |
| Intel | |
| Socket 370 | |
| Power standard | ATX12V 1.3 or higher |
| ATX plug | 20-pin |
| AUX plug (6-pin) | Rarely used |
| Connector P4 (4-pin 12V) | Rarely used |
| Socket 423 | |
| Power standard | ATX12V 1.3 or higher |
| ATX plug | 20-pin |
| AUX plug (6-pin) | Rarely used |
| Connector P4 (4-pin 12V) | Needed |
| Socket 478 | |
| Power standard | ATX12V 1.3 or higher |
| ATX plug | 20-pin |
| AUX plug (6-pin) | Not used |
| Connector P4 (4-pin 12V) | Needed |
| Socket 775 | |
| Power standard | ATX12V 2.01 or higher |
| ATX plug | 24-pin, sometimes 20-pin |
| AUX plug (6-pin) | N / A |
| Connector P4 (4-pin 12V) | Needed |
| Connector P4 (8-pin 12V) | 945X chipset with support for dual-core CPUs or higher requires this connector |
24-pin ATX plug (Extented ATX).
20 pin ATX male to motherboard.
20-pin ATX cable.
6-pin EPS connector.
Come and go: drive power connector.
20/24-pin connector (ATX and EATX)
Do not do that. The 4-pin extender from 20 to 24 pins of the ATX plug cannot be used for the 12V auxiliary AUX connector (however, it is too far away). The 4-pin expander is for the Extended ATX port and is not used on 20-pin ATX motherboards.
Here's how to do it: A separate 4-pin plug plugs into the 12V AUX port. It is easy to recognize: two golden and two black cables.
Many motherboards require additional power connections.
The choice of a video card can also be influenced by the monitor available or intended for purchase. Or even monitors (plural). So, for modern LCD monitors with digital inputs, it is very desirable that the video card has a DVI, HDMI or DisplayPort connector. Fortunately, all modern solutions now have such ports, and often all together. Another subtlety is that if you need a resolution higher than 1920 × 1200 via the digital output DVI, then you must definitely connect the video card to the monitor using a connector and cable with Dual-Link DVI support. However, now there are no problems with this anymore. Let's consider the main connectors used to connect information display devices.
Analog D-Sub connector (also known as VGA-exit or DB-15F)
This is a long-known and familiar 15-pin connector for connecting analog monitors. VGA stands for video graphics array or video graphics adapter. The connector is designed to output an analog signal, the quality of which can be influenced by many different factors, such as the quality of RAMDAC and analog circuits, so the quality of the resulting image may differ on different video cards. In addition, less attention is paid to the quality of the analog output in modern video cards, and for obtaining a clear picture at high resolutions it is better to use a digital connection.
D-Sub connectors were virtually the only standard until the widespread adoption of LCD monitors. Such outputs are still often used to connect LCD monitors, but only budget models that are poorly suited for games. To connect modern monitors and projectors, it is recommended to use digital interfaces, one of the most common of which is DVI.
Connector DVI(variations: DVI-I and DVI-D)
DVI is the standard interface most commonly used for digital video output to LCD monitors, with the exception of the cheapest. The photo shows a rather old video card with three connectors: D-Sub, S-Video and DVI. There are three types of DVI connectors: DVI-D (digital), DVI-A (analog), and DVI-I (integrated):
DVI-D- purely digital connection, avoiding loss in quality due to double conversion of digital signal to analogue and from analogue to digital. This type of connection provides the highest quality picture, it outputs the signal only in digital form, digital LCD monitors with DVI inputs or professional CRT monitors with built-in RAMDAC and DVI input (very rare specimens, especially now) can be connected to it. This connector differs from DVI-I in the physical absence of some of the pins, and the DVI-to-D-Sub adapter, which will be discussed below, cannot be plugged into it. Most often, this type of DVI is used in motherboards with an integrated video core, it is less common on video cards.
DVI-A- This is a rather rare type of analog connection via DVI, designed to output analog images to CRT receivers. In this case, the signal is degraded due to the double digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital conversion, its quality corresponds to that of a standard VGA connection. Almost never occurs in nature.
DVI-I Is a combination of the two options described above, capable of transmitting both an analog signal and a digital one. This type is most often used in video cards, it is universal and with the help of special adapters supplied with most video cards, you can also connect a regular analog CRT monitor with a DB-15F input to it. This is what these adapters look like:
All modern video cards have at least one DVI-output, or even two universal DVI-I connectors. D-Sub is most often absent (but they can be connected using adapters, see above), except, again, for budget models. To transfer digital data, either a single-link DVI Single-Link solution is used, or a two-link solution - Dual-Link. Single-Link transmission format uses one TMDS transmitter (165 MHz) and Dual-Link uses two, it doubles the bandwidth and allows screen resolutions higher than 1920 × 1080 and 1920 × 1200 at 60 Hz, supporting very high resolution modes like 2560 × 1600. Therefore, for the largest LCD-monitors with a high resolution, such as 30-inch models, as well as monitors intended for outputting stereo images, you will definitely need a video card with two-channel DVI Dual-Link or HDMI version 1.3 output.
Connector HDMI
Recently, a new consumer interface has become widespread - High Definition Multimedia Interface. This standard provides simultaneous transmission of visual and audio information over a single cable, it was developed for television and cinema, but PC users can also use it to output video data using an HDMI connector.
In the photo on the left - HDMI, on the right - DVI-I. HDMI outputs on video cards are now quite common, and there are more and more such models, especially in the case of video cards designed to create media centers. Viewing high definition video content on a computer requires a video card and monitor that supports HDCP content protection and is connected with an HDMI or DVI cable. Video cards do not have to carry an HDMI connector on board, in other cases, the HDMI cable is connected via an adapter to DVI:
HDMI is another effort to standardize universal connectivity for digital audio and video applications. It immediately received strong support from the electronics giants (the group of companies developing the standard includes companies such as Sony, Toshiba, Hitachi, Panasonic, Thomson, Philips, and Silicon Image), and most modern high-definition output devices have at least would be one such connector. HDMI allows copy-protected digital audio and video to be transmitted over a single cable, the first version is based on 5 Gbps bandwidth, and HDMI 1.3 extended this limit to 10.2 Gbps.
HDMI 1.3 is an updated specification of the standard with increased bandwidth, increased clock frequency up to 340 MHz, which allows you to connect high-definition displays that support more colors (formats with color depth up to 48-bit). The new version of the specification also defines support for new Dolby standards for lossless compressed audio transmission. In addition, there were other innovations, in the 1.3 specification a new mini-HDMI connector was described, which is smaller in size compared to the original. These connectors are also used on video cards.
HDMI 1.4b is the latest new version of this standard, released not so long ago. HDMI 1.4 introduces the following major innovations: support for the stereo display format (also called "3D") with alternate frame transfer and active glasses for viewing, support for Fast Ethernet connections HDMI Ethernet Channel for data transfer, Audio Return Channel, which allows digital audio to be transmitted in the opposite direction , support for 3840 × 2160 up to 30 Hz and 4096 × 2160 up to 24 Hz resolution formats, support for new color spaces and the smallest micro-HDMI connector.
HDMI 1.4a has significantly improved stereo support with new Side-by-Side and Top-and-Bottom modes in addition to specification 1.4 modes. And finally, a very fresh update to the HDMI 1.4b standard took place just a few weeks ago, and the innovations of this version are still unknown to the general public, and there are no devices with its support on the market yet.
Actually, the presence of the HDMI connector on the video card is optional, in many cases it can be replaced by an adapter from DVI to HDMI. It is uncomplicated and therefore comes with most modern video cards. Moreover, modern GPUs have a built-in audio chip, which is required to support audio transmission over HDMI. On all modern AMD and NVIDIA video cards, there is no need for an external audio solution and corresponding connecting cables, and there is no need to transfer audio from an external sound card.
The transmission of video and audio signals via a single HDMI connector is in demand primarily on cards of the middle and lower levels, which are installed in small and quiet barebones used as media centers, although HDMI is often used in gaming solutions, largely due to the proliferation of household appliances with such connectors.
Connector
Gradually, in addition to the common DVI and HDMI video interfaces, DisplayPort solutions are appearing on the market. Single-Link DVI transmits video signal with a resolution of up to 1920 × 1080 pixels, 60 Hz and 8 bits per color component, Dual-Link allows you to transmit 2560 × 1600 at 60 Hz, but already 3840 × 2400 pixels under the same conditions for Dual- Link DVI is not available. HDMI has almost the same limitations, version 1.3 supports signal transmission with a resolution of up to 2560 × 1600 pixels at 60 Hz and 8 bits per color component (at lower resolutions - and 16 bits). Although the maximum capabilities of DisplayPort are slightly higher than that of Dual-Link DVI, only 2560 × 2048 pixels at 60 Hz and 8 bits per color channel, it has support for 10-bit color per channel at 2560 × 1600, as well as 12 bit for 1080p.
The first version of the DisplayPort digital video interface was adopted by VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association) in the spring of 2006. It defines a new, licensed, royalty-free universal digital interface for connecting computers and monitors and other multimedia technology. The VESA DisplayPort group, which promotes the standard, includes major electronics manufacturers: AMD, NVIDIA, Dell, HP, Intel, Lenovo, Molex, Philips, Samsung.
DisplayPort's main rival is HDMI with HDCP write protection, although it is more intended for connecting consumer digital devices such as iPods and HDTV panels. Another competitor previously could be called Unified Display Interface - a less expensive alternative to HDMI and DVI connectors, but its main developer, Intel, refused to promote the standard in favor of DisplayPort.
The absence of royalties is important for manufacturers, because they must pay licensing fees to HDMI Licensing for the use of HDMI in their products, which then divides the funds between the holders of the rights to the standard: Panasonic, Philips, Hitachi, Silicon Image, Sony, Thomson and Toshiba. Ditching HDMI in favor of a similar "free" universal interface would save graphics card and monitor manufacturers a lot of money - it's clear why they liked DisplayPort.
Technically, the DisplayPort connector supports up to four data lines, each of which can carry 1.3, 2.2, or 4.3 Gbps, up to 17.28 Gbps in total. Modes with a color depth of 6 to 16 bits per color channel are supported. An additional bi-directional channel intended for transmission of commands and control information operates at a speed of 1 Mbps or 720 Mbps and is used to service the operation of the main channel, as well as to transmit VESA EDID and VESA MCCS signals. Also, unlike DVI, the clock signal is transmitted over signal lines, and not separately, and is decoded by the receiver.
DisplayPort has the optional DPCP (DisplayPort Content Protection) copy protection feature developed by AMD and uses AES 128-bit encoding. The transmitted video signal is not compatible with DVI and HDMI, but the specification allows for their transmission. DisplayPort currently supports a maximum data rate of 17.28 Gbps and a resolution of 3840x2160 @ 60Hz.
The main distinguishing features of DisplayPort are: open and extensible standard; support for RGB and YCbCr formats; color depth support: 6, 8, 10, 12 and 16 bits per color component; full signal transmission at 3 meters, and 1080p at 15 meters; Supports 128-bit AES-encoding DisplayPort Content Protection, as well as 40-bit High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP 1.3); higher bandwidth compared to Dual-Link DVI and HDMI; transmission of several streams over one connection; compatibility with DVI, HDMI and VGA using adapters; simple extension of the standard to meet changing market needs; external and internal connection (connecting an LCD panel in a laptop, replacing internal LVDS connections).
The updated version of the standard - 1.1, appeared a year after 1.0. Its innovations include support for HDCP copy protection, which is important when watching protected content from Blu-ray and HD DVD discs, and support for fiber-optic cables in addition to the usual copper ones. The latter allows you to transmit a signal to even greater distances without loss in quality.
DisplayPort 1.2, approved in 2009, doubled the bandwidth to 17.28 Gbps to support higher resolutions, refresh rates and color depths. Also, it was in 1.2 that support for the transmission of multiple streams over one connection for connecting multiple monitors appeared, support for stereo image formats and xvYCC, scRGB and Adobe RGB color spaces. A smaller Mini-DisplayPort connector for portable devices has also appeared.
The full-size external DisplayPort connector has 20 pins, its physical size is comparable to all known USB connectors. The new type of connector can already be seen on many modern video cards and monitors, it looks like both HDMI and USB, but it can also be equipped with latches on the connectors, similar to those provided in Serial ATA.
Before AMD bought ATI, the latter announced the supply of video cards with DisplayPort connectors - already in early 2007, but the merger of the companies postponed this appearance for a while. In the future, AMD announced DisplayPort as a standard connector as part of the Fusion platform, which implies a unified architecture of the central and graphic processors in a single chip, as well as future mobile platforms. NVIDIA keeps up with the competition with a wide range of DisplayPort graphics cards.
Samsung and Dell were the first monitor manufacturers to announce support and announcement of DisplayPort products. Naturally, such support was first received by new monitors with a large screen diagonal and high resolution. There are DisplayPort-to-HDMI and DisplayPort-to-DVI adapters, as well as DisplayPort-to-VGA, which converts a digital signal to analog. That is, even if only DisplayPort connectors are present on the video card, they can be connected to any type of monitor.
In addition to the above connectors, old video cards also sometimes have a composite connector and S-Video (S-VHS) with four or seven pins. They are most often used to output a signal to outdated analog television receivers, and even on S-Video, the composite signal is often obtained by mixing, which negatively affects the picture quality. S-Video is better in quality than composite cinch, but both are inferior to YPbPr component output. Such a connector is available on some monitors and high-definition TVs, the signal is transmitted through it in analog form and is comparable in quality to the D-Sub interface. However, in the case of modern video cards and monitors, it simply does not make any sense to pay attention to all analog connectors.
