DVI connectors with an P3SVGA

classic Classic list List threaded Threaded
16 messages Options
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

DVI connectors with an P3SVGA

Joe Ford-2
I had planned to use my one video monitor which has has both a VGA connector and DVI connector with my PC and the P3SVGA. I ordered a cable with VGA male and DVI male connectors to interface the SVGA. However, the cable I got has a DVI connector which does not match the one on the monitor. The cable has a DVI-A while monitor appears to accept either a DVI-D or DVI-I, I'm not sure which it is. I gained what little I know about DVI from the internet. It would seem the DVI-A (analog) is the only connector that will work with VGA. But I could be wrong.


A second monitor would be nice but due to available space I would prefer just one. Does anyone know enough about the DVI offer advice?  Thanks.


Joe
k4nvj
K3 #5858
K2#4155
K1#764
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: DVI connectors with an P3SVGA

Mike K2MK
Hi Joe,

Save your money, it won't work. My understanding is that DVI is a digital format and the SVGA card is an analog format. So while you can get cables and and/or adapters that will fit they just won't work. I haven't received my SVGA card yet but in preparation I conducted an experiment with my PC using a DVI adapter. I connected the VGA output of the PC to the DVI input of the monitor using a DVI adapter on the end of the VGA cable. The monitor won't recognize the analog signal on the DVI input.

So here's what I did. My PC has both a VGA and a DVI output. I used the VGA output from the PC to drive the primary monitor. I then used the DVI output from the PC to drive the secondary monitor. I then put a VGA cable on the other input to the secondary monitor and have it in position to attach to the P3 as soon as UPS drops off the card. I only use the secondary monitor to display the VE7CC cluster program and there is a front mounted button on the monitor to switch between the two inputs.

If your PC has a VGA and DVI output you can do exactly what I did with your single monitor.

The only difficulties incurred were trying to get the PC display program to properly identify monitor number 1 and monitor number 2. I fiddled with it for quite a while but I don't remember what I did to get it right. You should have no problem with only one monitor.

(As an aside, you can get very inexpensive DVI adapters in all of the various formats on eBay by way of China or other Asian destinations). Usually for under $3.00 including shipping).

73,
Mike K2MK


Joe Ford-2 wrote
I had planned to use my one video monitor which has has both a VGA connector and DVI connector with my PC and the P3SVGA. I ordered a cable with VGA male and DVI male connectors to interface the SVGA. However, the cable I got has a DVI connector which does not match the one on the monitor. The cable has a DVI-A while monitor appears to accept either a DVI-D or DVI-I, I'm not sure which it is. I gained what little I know about DVI from the internet. It would seem the DVI-A (analog) is the only connector that will work with VGA. But I could be wrong.

A second monitor would be nice but due to available space I would prefer just one. Does anyone know enough about the DVI offer advice?  Thanks.

Joe
k4nvj
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: DVI connectors with an P3SVGA

Tom Azlin N4ZPT-2
I discovered the same thing. Guy at the local small computer shop said
do not bother. So I checked my weather computer to discover it had a DVI
connector in back then just bought a DVI-D cable which the display card
recognized fine. then used the now empty VGA connector/cable with the
P3. Works nicely.

73, tom n4zpt

On 3/22/2012 5:17 PM, Mike K2MK wrote:

> Hi Joe,
>
> Save your money, it won't work. My understanding is that DVI is a digital
> format and the SVGA card is an analog format. So while you can get cables
> and and/or adapters that will fit they just won't work. I haven't received
> my SVGA card yet but in preparation I conducted an experiment with my PC
> using a DVI adapter. I connected the VGA output of the PC to the DVI input
> of the monitor using a DVI adapter on the end of the VGA cable. The monitor
> won't recognize the analog signal on the DVI input.
>
> So here's what I did. My PC has both a VGA and a DVI output. I used the VGA
> output from the PC to drive the primary monitor. I then used the DVI output
> from the PC to drive the secondary monitor. I then put a VGA cable on the
> other input to the secondary monitor and have it in position to attach to
> the P3 as soon as UPS drops off the card. I only use the secondary monitor
> to display the VE7CC cluster program and there is a front mounted button on
> the monitor to switch between the two inputs.
>
> If your PC has a VGA and DVI output you can do exactly what I did with your
> single monitor.
>
> The only difficulties incurred were trying to get the PC display program to
> properly identify monitor number 1 and monitor number 2. I fiddled with it
> for quite a while but I don't remember what I did to get it right. You
> should have no problem with only one monitor.
>
> (As an aside, you can get very inexpensive DVI adapters in all of the
> various formats on eBay by way of China or other Asian destinations).
> Usually for under $3.00 including shipping).
>
> 73,
> Mike K2MK
>
>
>
> Joe Ford-2 wrote
>>
>> I had planned to use my one video monitor which has has both a VGA
>> connector and DVI connector with my PC and the P3SVGA. I ordered a cable
>> with VGA male and DVI male connectors to interface the SVGA. However, the
>> cable I got has a DVI connector which does not match the one on the
>> monitor. The cable has a DVI-A while monitor appears to accept either a
>> DVI-D or DVI-I, I'm not sure which it is. I gained what little I know
>> about DVI from the internet. It would seem the DVI-A (analog) is the only
>> connector that will work with VGA. But I could be wrong.
>>
>> A second monitor would be nice but due to available space I would prefer
>> just one. Does anyone know enough about the DVI offer advice?  Thanks.
>>
>> Joe
>> k4nvj
>>
>
>
> --
> View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/DVI-connectors-with-an-P3SVGA-tp7396878p7397038.html
> Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: DVI connectors with an P3SVGA

Bob Nielsen-2
In reply to this post by Mike K2MK
DVI connectors will do both analog and digital, if the connected device supports both.  My first generation Mac Mini had a DVI connector which I used with a DVI cable to a digital monitor.  It also came with a DVI-SVGA adapter which I later used with an analog monitor.

Bob. N7XY

On Mar 22, 2012, at 2:17 PM, Mike K2MK wrote:

> Hi Joe,
>
> Save your money, it won't work. My understanding is that DVI is a digital
> format and the SVGA card is an analog format. So while you can get cables
> and and/or adapters that will fit they just won't work. I haven't received
> my SVGA card yet but in preparation I conducted an experiment with my PC
> using a DVI adapter. I connected the VGA output of the PC to the DVI input
> of the monitor using a DVI adapter on the end of the VGA cable. The monitor
> won't recognize the analog signal on the DVI input.
>
> So here's what I did. My PC has both a VGA and a DVI output. I used the VGA
> output from the PC to drive the primary monitor. I then used the DVI output
> from the PC to drive the secondary monitor. I then put a VGA cable on the
> other input to the secondary monitor and have it in position to attach to
> the P3 as soon as UPS drops off the card. I only use the secondary monitor
> to display the VE7CC cluster program and there is a front mounted button on
> the monitor to switch between the two inputs.
>
> If your PC has a VGA and DVI output you can do exactly what I did with your
> single monitor.
>
> The only difficulties incurred were trying to get the PC display program to
> properly identify monitor number 1 and monitor number 2. I fiddled with it
> for quite a while but I don't remember what I did to get it right. You
> should have no problem with only one monitor.
>
> (As an aside, you can get very inexpensive DVI adapters in all of the
> various formats on eBay by way of China or other Asian destinations).
> Usually for under $3.00 including shipping).
>
> 73,
> Mike K2MK
>
>
>
> Joe Ford-2 wrote
>>
>> I had planned to use my one video monitor which has has both a VGA
>> connector and DVI connector with my PC and the P3SVGA. I ordered a cable
>> with VGA male and DVI male connectors to interface the SVGA. However, the
>> cable I got has a DVI connector which does not match the one on the
>> monitor. The cable has a DVI-A while monitor appears to accept either a
>> DVI-D or DVI-I, I'm not sure which it is. I gained what little I know
>> about DVI from the internet. It would seem the DVI-A (analog) is the only
>> connector that will work with VGA. But I could be wrong.
>>
>> A second monitor would be nice but due to available space I would prefer
>> just one. Does anyone know enough about the DVI offer advice?  Thanks.
>>
>> Joe
>> k4nvj
>>
>
>
> --
> View this message in context: http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com/DVI-connectors-with-an-P3SVGA-tp7396878p7397038.html
> Sent from the Elecraft mailing list archive at Nabble.com.
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

_____
N7XY DX Cluster Node - telnet to n7xy.net, port 7300





______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: DVI connectors with an P3SVGA

ve3dvy
In reply to this post by Joe Ford-2
There are different flavours of DVI
DVI-a   is analogue and can be adapted to VGA
DVI-d  is digital only and cannot be adapted to vga without an expensive
($150+) adapter.
DVI-I  is integrated digital and analogue. and can be adapted to VGA
with a basic adapter.

if you Google "DVI types" and look for images in your results there are
plenty of pictures showing how to tell what you have.
its quite possible that your monitors  DVI connector could be DVI-I   my
PC in the shack has VGA out only and is connected via VGA to DVI cable
to the monitor

On 3/22/2012 1:17 PM, Joe Ford wrote:
> I had planned to use my one video monitor which has has both a VGA connector and DVI connector with my PC and the P3SVGA. I ordered a cable with VGA male and DVI male connectors to interface the SVGA. However, the cable I got has a DVI connector which does not match the one on the monitor. The cable has a DVI-A while monitor appears to accept either a DVI-D or DVI-I, I'm not sure which it is. I gained what little I know about DVI from the internet. It would seem the DVI-A (analog) is the only connector that will work with VGA. But I could be wrong.
>
>
> A second monitor would be nice but due to available space I would prefer just one. Does anyone know enough about the DVI offer advice?  Thanks.
>

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: DVI connectors with an P3SVGA

Tom Azlin N4ZPT-2
In reply to this post by Bob Nielsen-2
Hi Bob.

I have a lot of DVI-to-VGA adapters but they turned out to not be DVI-D
(digital only) but rather DVI-I (both analog and digital) to VGA. There
is also DVI-A (analog only) connector. My monitor has a DVI-D and a VGA
connector so the DVI adapters I had and could find would not fit.

73, tom n4zpt

On 3/22/2012 9:59 PM, Bob Nielsen wrote:
> DVI connectors will do both analog and digital, if the connected
> device supports both.  My first generation Mac Mini had a DVI
> connector which I used with a DVI cable to a digital monitor.  It
> also came with a DVI-SVGA adapter which I later used with an analog
> monitor.
>
> Bob. N7XY

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: DVI connectors with an P3SVGA

Joe Ford-2
In reply to this post by Joe Ford-2
Thanks for all your inputs on this.

My PC has only one video out and it is VGA. Studying the pictures of DVI connectors, the DVI input on my monitor is DVI-D so it will not accept DVI analog.


I could add a video card with DVI output to my PC. However, searching the internet it appears there are inexpensive cards with DVI but they are for DVI-A. The cards with DVI-D output are more expensive.

So probably a new monitor with the inputs I need is the best way to go.

Joe
k4nvj
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: DVI connectors with an P3SVGA

ve3dvy
Just had a quick look at Tigerdirect (Canadian version) and they had
plenty of adapters that were under $20    all with VGA  some with DVI-d
and DVI-I    none with DVI-a   at least for the ones that showed the
connector in the photo.   also many of these also had HDMI as well.    
these were PC express   there was also some agp cards that had DVI-I  
for just over $30    still cheaper than a monitor.  based on this you
should be able to easily find one at your local computer store that will
work for you.  I am sure I have one or two AGP cards in my junk box.    
if your DVI cable is DVI-D  it will fit the DVI-I and will work for
digital input.



On 3/23/2012 5:59 AM, Joe Ford wrote:

> Thanks for all your inputs on this.
>
> My PC has only one video out and it is VGA. Studying the pictures of DVI connectors, the DVI input on my monitor is DVI-D so it will not accept DVI analog.
>
>
> I could add a video card with DVI output to my PC. However, searching the internet it appears there are inexpensive cards with DVI but they are for DVI-A. The cards with DVI-D output are more expensive.
>
> So probably a new monitor with the inputs I need is the best way to go.
>
> Joe
> k4nvj
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: DVI connectors with an P3SVGA

Matthew D. Fuller-2
In reply to this post by Joe Ford-2
On Fri, Mar 23, 2012 at 05:59:55AM -0700 I heard the voice of
Joe Ford, and lo! it spake thus:
>
> I could add a video card with DVI output to my PC. However,
> searching the internet it appears there are inexpensive cards with
> DVI but they are for DVI-A. The cards with DVI-D output are more
> expensive.

I'm not sure there are any video cards with DVI outs that only spit
analog out them.  Seems pretty pointless.  If it'd got a DVI port on
the card, I'd take it as given that it has TMDS digital data coming
out of it.


--
Matthew Fuller     (MF4839)   |  [hidden email]
Systems/Network Administrator |  http://www.over-yonder.net/~fullermd/
           On the Internet, nobody can hear you scream.
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: DVI connectors with an P3SVGA

Bill K9YEQ
I have found I am able to feed analog signal from a DVI PC output into an
analog/DVI monitor using and adapter out of the DVI output.   (FYI-I build
PC's and do various desk topping for a living.)  I don't think a conclusion
can be drawn about DVI outputs from all the various vendors.  Adapters for
Monitors/cards were included in earlier models.

73,
Bill
K9YEQ


-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Matthew D. Fuller
Sent: Friday, March 23, 2012 9:52 AM
To: Joe Ford
Cc: Elecraft
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] DVI connectors with an P3SVGA

On Fri, Mar 23, 2012 at 05:59:55AM -0700 I heard the voice of Joe Ford, and
lo! it spake thus:
>
> I could add a video card with DVI output to my PC. However, searching
> the internet it appears there are inexpensive cards with DVI but they
> are for DVI-A. The cards with DVI-D output are more expensive.

I'm not sure there are any video cards with DVI outs that only spit analog
out them.  Seems pretty pointless.  If it'd got a DVI port on the card, I'd
take it as given that it has TMDS digital data coming out of it.


--
Matthew Fuller     (MF4839)   |  [hidden email]
Systems/Network Administrator |  http://www.over-yonder.net/~fullermd/
           On the Internet, nobody can hear you scream.
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: DVI connectors with an P3SVGA

Matthew D. Fuller-2
On Fri, Mar 23, 2012 at 11:27:58AM -0500 I heard the voice of
Bill K9YEQ, and lo! it spake thus:
>
> I have found I am able to feed analog signal from a DVI PC output
> into an analog/DVI monitor using and adapter out of the DVI output.

Right, but that's orthogonal.  Many cards with DVI can provide analog
out through the port, yes.  My point though is that I'm not aware of
any that don't provide digital (and I can't imagine what the point of
such a thing would be).


Or, more verbosely: The point of the DVI connector is to give a
digital output (hence the Divital Visual Interface ;).  For hysterical
raisins, there are pins on the connector that can also carry a
VGA-style analog signal.  So a DVI port can theoretically give you
analog, or digital, or both.  Or neither, I guess, but then it's just
for show  ;)

But there'd be no point in having a card's DVI port only speak analog,
and not digital; you might as well just put a DE-15 and be done with
it, as it gives you exactly the same capabilities (and the DE-15 will
be higher quality than the analog pins over DVI).  So it's a pretty
safe assumption that any video card with a DVI port is capable of
talking digital out of it; it may also talk analog (I know some do; I
don't know whether it's common or rare lately), but it's staggeringly
unlikely for a card to do (analog && !digital).

Re Joe's mail that I originally replied to:

  > I could add a video card with DVI output to my PC. However,
  > searching the internet it appears there are inexpensive cards with
  > DVI but they are for DVI-A.  The cards with DVI-D output are more
  > expensive.

I'm not sure what card he's finding that has a DVI-A (only analog)
connector on it.  I suspect he's just misreading or something's
mislabelled, as there's no real point to that as a port on a card
(you'd generally only find it as a cable, or possibly a monitor-side
port).  Every DVI card I've ever seen has a DVI-I port (physical pins
for both A/D; whether it actually has analog signal on them I don't
know).



--
Matthew Fuller     (MF4839)   |  [hidden email]
Systems/Network Administrator |  http://www.over-yonder.net/~fullermd/
           On the Internet, nobody can hear you scream.
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: DVI connectors with an P3SVGA

~BG~
"Hysterical Raisins" aside, DVI-A cables/connectors do exist, they're just
rather rare.

Some people also confuse the DMS-59 connector as a DVI connector.  It's
becoming more common on some display adaptors for dual-monitor on desktop
PCs targeted corporate environments (I see tons of old Dells and HPs with
these at the local TRW Swap meet all the time, not to mention we've got'em
at work as well).

http://www.molex.com/molex/products/family?key=dms59

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/video/P69708/Qnvs280_EN/connect.htm


./ben
W6MCM


On Fri, Mar 23, 2012 at 11:17 AM, Matthew D. Fuller <[hidden email]> wrote:

> On Fri, Mar 23, 2012 at 11:27:58AM -0500 I heard the voice of
> Bill K9YEQ, and lo! it spake thus:
>
>
> Or, more verbosely: The point of the DVI connector is to give a
> digital output (hence the Divital Visual Interface ;).  For hysterical
> raisins, there are pins on the connector that can also carry a
> VGA-style analog signal.  So a DVI port can theoretically give you
> analog, or digital, or both.  Or neither, I guess, but then it's just
> for show  ;)
>
> Re Joe's mail that I originally replied to:
>
>  > I could add a video card with DVI output to my PC. However,
>  > searching the internet it appears there are inexpensive cards with
>  > DVI but they are for DVI-A.  The cards with DVI-D output are more
>  > expensive.
>
> I'm not sure what card he's finding that has a DVI-A (only analog)
> connector on it.  I suspect he's just misreading or something's
> mislabelled, as there's no real point to that as a port on a card
> (you'd generally only find it as a cable, or possibly a monitor-side
> port).  Every DVI card I've ever seen has a DVI-I port (physical pins
> for both A/D; whether it actually has analog signal on them I don't
> know).
>
>
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: DVI connectors with an P3SVGA

Joe Ford-2
In reply to this post by Joe Ford-2
My one monitor has 2 inputs, one is the standard VGA and the other is a DVI-D (3 rows of 8 pins and 1 flat pin). So if I had a card with a DVI-D out I should be able to connect the PC to the monitor. I googled "DVI-D". One of the hits was Amazon and it showed many cards but they only described the outputs as DVI, not DVI-D or DVI-A. And the photos did not show the connector up close. I was just guessing that because they were cheap they were analog but I had no way of knowing for sure.


There must be monitors with DVI-A female (and only DVI-A) otherwise why have such a connector. When I ordered a VGI to DVI cable what I was sent was the VGA/DVI-A cable which is of no use to me. My PC which is several years old has only the 15 pin VGA output. If my monitor had a DVI-I input, which it doesn't, it should work with this cable, because it will work digital or analog..


My PC has the 15 pin output and the P3SVGA has that connector also. If I'm going to have only one monitor it will have to have 2 of the 15 pin inputs or one 15 pin and one DVI-A.
Or I'll need to go to 2 monitors.

Thanks for the advice.

Joe
k4nvj
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: DVI connectors with an P3SVGA

Matthew D. Fuller-2
On Fri, Mar 23, 2012 at 02:14:21PM -0700 I heard the voice of
Joe Ford, and lo! it spake thus:
>
> There must be monitors with DVI-A female (and only DVI-A) otherwise
> why have such a connector. When I ordered a VGI to DVI cable what I
> was sent was the VGA/DVI-A cable which is of no use to me.

That's the general use case for DVI-A connectors; going from the DVI
controller end to a VGA on the device end.

A general purpose video card will practically always have a DVI-I
(both outputs) socket on the back.  Into a DVI-I port, you can plugin
a DVI-A plug (passing only analog), a DVI-D plug (passing only
digital), or a DVI-I plug (passing both).

Both electrically and physically, the DVI-I is a superset; both itself
and the two more specialized variants can plugin to it.  Hence, why
the card will almost certainly be DVI-I.  And since there's not much
point using a DVI port if you're only going to output analog and no
digital, you can pretty well assume any card is putting out at least
the digital side.  Certainly anything in the last 5 or 6 years, since
LCD's are the lion's share of the market.  My video card is something
like 7-8 years old, and it has 2 digital-out DVI ports on it.


If you're going to a LCD, you pretty well always want a digital in.
Even when they take analog (as in a 15-pin VGA), they just turn that
into digital internally, since that's how it controls the pixels.  So,
a LCD will generally have a DVI-D port.  Maybe occasionally a DVI-I,
just for the extra connector compatibility (you can put a DVI-D plug
into a DVI-I port, but not vice versa), but the analog side will
probably not be connected.

On the other hand, a CRT needs that analog steering; that's how it
moves the beam and turns it stronger and weaker.  There may be some
CRT's out there with a digital in (I haven't seen any, but It Stands
To Reason(tm)), but if so, they're going to have to convert it into
analog internally to be able to display the signal (sorta the opposite
of putting analog into a LCD).  So, a common config for this is a
cable with a DVI-A on one side, and a DE-15 VGA connector on the
other.  Possibly, it may have a DVI-I connector on the device side
instead, and only hook up the analog pins, but usually not, since that
cuts down on the ports it can hook into (it could only hook up to a
DVI-I, not a DVI-A).


I doubt there are many device-side DVI-A ports.  There're sure to be
some, for weird special needs, but I'd definitely expect them to be
niche cases.  If something really wants analog, it would just use
DE-15 since that's already all over the place on analog eq.  There may
be some use of device-side DVI-I, for devices that could take either
digital or analog.  But then, it's common enough to just have both a
DVI and a VGA like on your monitor, so that's probably uncommon too.


> My PC which is several years old has only the 15 pin VGA output. If
> my monitor had a DVI-I input, which it doesn't, it should work with
> this cable, because it will work digital or analog.

If it did, yah.  I'd expect such monitors to be rare though; having a
VGA port to handle an analog in is still so standard, there's probably
not much point in adding the complexity of trying to take analog over
the DVI too.


> I was just guessing that because they were cheap they were analog
> but I had no way of knowing for sure.

I'd bet they're all just digital.  It's _more_ work to turn it into
analog, after all.

For a ref, look at the Radeon 5000 series at Newegg:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007709%20600030349%20600007320&IsNodeId=1&name=Radeon%20HD%205000%20series

The 7000 series are mostly out now, so the 5000 is almost 2 gens back.
The 4000's are old enough they're actually often more expensive.
There's a good selection of 5450's under $30 shipping and all, and
they all have at one analog (VGA) and 2 digital (DVI and HDMI) outs.
You could poke around for a 4/5000 on ebay maybe, but I'm not sure
you'd actually save much in the end at those prices, and you wouldn't
get as good a return policy.


> My PC has the 15 pin output and the P3SVGA has that connector also.
> If I'm going to have only one monitor it will have to have 2 of the
> 15 pin inputs or one 15 pin and one DVI-A.

You could try getting a KVM switch and just switch the one 15 pin
between the two.  But a cheap KVM will fuzzy the picture all up, and
an expensive one would be expensive.  It'd be way cheaper and you'd be
way happier spending 30 bucks on a video card.


> Or I'll need to go to 2 monitors.

Well, any excuse...   8-}


--
Matthew Fuller, N3TZJ
<[hidden email]>
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: DVI connectors with an P3SVGA

Bill K9YEQ
In reply to this post by ~BG~
I made no claims, just that with some monitors and card the adapter works.
To be safe, just use a monitor with a VGA connector and get past all this
probability for problems.  The adapters can be very cheap, but if you happen
to have one that works with an earlier DVI/VGA monitor, try it before
investing. The safest bet is a dual vga/dvi card out output video card, or
dvi/vga input on the monitor.  The adapters or cables are truly a crap
shoot.  Anyone who builds or works on desktops would probably tell you that.


I am not sure what this meant:  "K9YEQ, and lo! it spake", but, test your
stuff before spending $'s.

73,
Bill
K9YEQ
KX3 Field Test #12


-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of ~BG~
Sent: Friday, March 23, 2012 4:09 PM
To: Elecraft
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] DVI connectors with an P3SVGA

"Hysterical Raisins" aside, DVI-A cables/connectors do exist, they're just
rather rare.

Some people also confuse the DMS-59 connector as a DVI connector.  It's
becoming more common on some display adaptors for dual-monitor on desktop
PCs targeted corporate environments (I see tons of old Dells and HPs with
these at the local TRW Swap meet all the time, not to mention we've got'em
at work as well).

http://www.molex.com/molex/products/family?key=dms59

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/video/P69708/Qnvs280_EN/connect.htm


./ben
W6MCM


On Fri, Mar 23, 2012 at 11:17 AM, Matthew D. Fuller <[hidden email]> wrote:

> On Fri, Mar 23, 2012 at 11:27:58AM -0500 I heard the voice of Bill
> K9YEQ, and lo! it spake thus:
>
>
> Or, more verbosely: The point of the DVI connector is to give a
> digital output (hence the Divital Visual Interface ;).  For hysterical
> raisins, there are pins on the connector that can also carry a
> VGA-style analog signal.  So a DVI port can theoretically give you
> analog, or digital, or both.  Or neither, I guess, but then it's just
> for show  ;)
>
> Re Joe's mail that I originally replied to:
>
>  > I could add a video card with DVI output to my PC. However,  >
> searching the internet it appears there are inexpensive cards with  >
> DVI but they are for DVI-A.  The cards with DVI-D output are more  >
> expensive.
>
> I'm not sure what card he's finding that has a DVI-A (only analog)
> connector on it.  I suspect he's just misreading or something's
> mislabelled, as there's no real point to that as a port on a card
> (you'd generally only find it as a cable, or possibly a monitor-side
> port).  Every DVI card I've ever seen has a DVI-I port (physical pins
> for both A/D; whether it actually has analog signal on them I don't
> know).
>
>
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
Reply | Threaded
Open this post in threaded view
|

Re: DVI connectors with an P3SVGA

Dave New, N8SBE
In reply to this post by ~BG~
Beware of HP docking stations at swaps, since there is a rash of those
with fried DVI outputs.  At my work QTH, we recently moved from Dell
laptops (poor quality) to HP laptops (possibly even poorer quality, but
cheaper, if that's even possible), and DVI outputs from the HP docking
stations started failing left and right.  For a while, the IT folks were
replacing the HP docking stations en masse, but finally gave up on it,
since the replacements were all starting to fail, also.  My docking
station bit the dust last week, crippling my productivity since I rely
heavily on using Windows 'extended desktop' so that I can easily copy 'n
paste between program windows, since Windows insist on popping a window
that gets input focus automatically to the top of the Z order on the
screen (I miss Unix/Linux at work, I really do).

Their solution?  They now replace the DVI cable from on failed docking
stations to the external display with a VGA cable.  Issue solved.  What
a crock.  The external display is definitely now not as crisp.

So, if you see piles of HP docking stations in the flea markets, you
will know why, and if DVI connectivity is important to your particular
setup, you will steer clear.

73,

-- Dave, N8SBE

On 3/23/2012 5:08 PM, ~BG~ wrote:

> <snip>
> Some people also confuse the DMS-59 connector as a DVI connector.  It's
> becoming more common on some display adaptors for dual-monitor on desktop
> PCs targeted corporate environments (I see tons of old Dells and HPs with
> these at the local TRW Swap meet all the time, not to mention we've got'em
> at work as well).
>
> http://www.molex.com/molex/products/family?key=dms59
>
> http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/video/P69708/Qnvs280_EN/connect.htm
>
>
> ./ben
> W6MCM
>
>
>
<snip>
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html