Monitor Connection Types | VGA, HDMI, Display Port, DVI, Thunderbolt, and SDI

What are the 6 Types of Video Ports?

1. VGA port

2. DisplayPort

3. DVI

4. HDMI

5. Thunderbolt

6. SDI

1.VGA Ports

VGA stands for video graphics array. VGA is an older connector port that has been in use for a long time since 1987 (see also 'What is VGA?'). The VGA connector Interface has 15 pins which are divided into three rows and the connector only carries analog data.

Vga Dvi Analogue Signals

Because VGA and some versions of the DVI connector Interface are suited for analog data, the quality of the video may become degraded at higher resolutions or at longer cable length. A VGA cable will typically have a blue color connector.

It was mainly used with the now-extinct CRT monitors (see 'What is a CRT Monitor?'), but you can still find VGA DVI connector ports on some new hardware equipment such as LCD monitors. However, VGA DVI-ports are slowly being phased out by digital and modern connections. Latest top-shelf gaming monitors we reviewed and cutting edge vertical monitors here have all ditched the analogue in favor of digital ports.

2.DVI

DVI stands for the digital visual interface. It was developed in 1999 to provide uncompressed, high-quality video connection to LCD monitors. A DVI connector will typically have a white color adapter. There are three used types of DVI port;

1.    DVI –A (analog)

2.    DVI – D (digital)

3.    DVI –I

DVI-A

The DVI –A connector is one of the types of DVI where the 'A' stands for analog. This DVI standard is used to send only analog signals. Its connector pin arrangement consists of four pins around a single flat pin and twelve additional pins.

DVI –A is capable of a maximum resolution of 1920 by 1080. It has pretty much been phased out and isn’t used on newer devices.

DVI -D

DVI -D is another version of DVI connector ports where the ‘D’ stands for digital. It’s used only to send digital signals. DVI –D is much more common compared to DVI –A but you cannot use DVI –D cable with a DVI –A equipment or vice versa.

It's available in two types; single-link, and dual-link DVI. A DVI –D single link connector uses a pin arrangement of a single flat pin and two blocks of pins each with nine pins apiece. It is capable of a maximum resolution of 1920 by 1080 at 4.59 Gbps.

A DVI –D dual link connector uses a pin arrangement of a single flat pin and three solid rows of eight pins each. It has a maximum resolution of 2048 by 1536 at 9.9 Gbps. A single-link cable sends one signal at a time whereas a dual-link cable can send two signals, allowing for higher data flow at larger resolutions.

There’s also another version of the DVI standard called DVI –I, where the ‘I’ stands for integrated which means it can carry both analog and digital signals. This means that you can use it with DVI –D or DVI –A.

DIV -I

DVI –I is also available in both the single-link and dual-link. A single link DVI connector uses a pin arrangement of a flat pin surrounded by four pins and two blocks of pins each with nine pins apiece. It’s capable of a maximum resolution of up to 1600 by 1200 at 4.95 Gbps.

Dual-link DVI uses a pin arrangement of a single flat pin surrounded by four pins and three solid rows of eight pins each. It’s capable of a maximum resolution of up to 2560 by 1600 and double the video bandwidth at 9.9 Gbps.

3.HDMI

HDMI stands for High definition multimedia interface. It’s probably the most broadly used HD signal interface for transmitting both high-definition audio and video over a single cable.

Broadly used Audio and Video Connector

HDMI cables - see also 'What is HDMI?' post -  are widely used today in different electronic products such as a monitor, Graphics card, TVs, computers, projectors, mobile devices, Xbox, video cards, PlayStation, and many more. Over the years, HDMI has been connected to more devices and has become the standard for corporate and commercial devices.

HDMI cable connectors are one of the best standards for high definition in customer electronics delivering crystal clear video as well as audio signals. Furthermore, in 2017, HDMI 2.1 was released which added another channel for network communication together with these qualities - see best HDMI 2.1 monitors, too.

• It’s capable of sending and receiving data at 100 mbits/s

• Compatible with4k video at 144hertz

• Compatible with 8k video at 165 hertz with display stream compression

• Higher resolution and refresh rates

• Video for commercial A/V or audio and video systems

Micro and Mini HDMI

There’re mini and micro versions of Hdmi out there on the market too, as smaller and smaller devices such as our smartphones and tablets increasingly become our HD AV sources.

4. DisplayPort

If you’re looking for the best display cables that transmit HD video and high Image quality, Ethernet network, and video, choose Displayport - see also 'What is DisplayPort?'.  It has a locking mechanism on one end that enables you to lock the cable into your display devices such as TV, monitor, computer, Graphics card, projector, and many others.

It was developed by VESA (Video electronics standard association).  It can also connect to the older DVI, VGA, and HDMI ports using adapters or HDMI DisplayPort converters. It has multi-monitor capabilities which allow you to use multiple computer monitors by connecting them in a daisy chain connection or configuration.

Mini Displayport

This is a version of the DisplayPort that was introduced by Apple Company in 2,008.  It uses the same technology as DisplayPort DP but it's smaller in size or mini.

Mini DisplayPort is widely used in modern tablets, graphics cards, and Apple computers.

Its daisy chain connection makes Display Port more focused on computer use than other devices such as television due to its ability to connect a chain of monitors. Here are some of its features;

• Mini Displayport 2.0 supports 4k at 240 hertz

• Mini Displayport 1.4 support 8k at 30hertz

• Display Port 2.0  supports 8k at 85 hertz

• Both 4k and 8k is supported

5. Thunderbolt

6. SDI

SDI stands for a serial digital interface which is part of a family of digital video interfaces for standardized motion pictures. SDI has a single pin connection that can transmit the uncompressed and unencrypted digital video signal.

The SDI is a simple coaxial cable that can run up to about 300 meters before losing video signal strength. Its digital connections use a BNC connector and almost all video security cameras use it to transfer motion pictures.