VGA port is getting Rarer. Why?

[shengjie84]

Just wondering, as I was browsing through a number of GTX 460 and HD 5850 graphic cards, I realized that a lot of them did not offer a VGA port, mostly offering DVI, HDMI and some Displayport. Just curious, any particular reason why?

 

[jyjjy]

VGA is an older analog connection that is being replaced by the digital ones you listed. It is very uncommon for a new monitor to have a VGA connector at this point and as such it is slowly disappearing from video cards as well. Often cards without a VGA out will still come with a DVI to VGA adapter but as time goes on those will become less common as well.

 

[wa1]

^+1
My 3 years old monitor is still using VGA output, meanwhile newer monitors today usually came with DVI...

VGA=only good at low resolution
DVI=good up to high resolution

 

[jaguarskx]

Additionally, VGA does not support HDMI which requires a digital video connection. With a total of four display connection types, there are simply too many to include on a single card. Therefore, it makes sense for the older VGA analog port to disappear.

 

[gamerk316]

^^ I'd argue it makes sense to drop one of the three competiting digital connectors; Whats the point of having THREE different connectors for a digital signal, given how pathetically easy it is to convert from format A to B to C?

These days, with audio-passthrough built right in, it makes far more sense to go VGA and HDMI/Displayport then it does to carry a DVI output...

 

[g00fysmiley]

they usually have a dvi-vga converter in new cards. but vga is getting old, and is inferior to dvi, display port or hdmi, we're techies here, embrace the new and sell/storage the old

 

[deweycd]

Its due to advancements, the times are a changing.

 

[Railgun1369]

@wa1

What's your definition of low resolution? Just curious.

@gamerk316

I'm with you there. Everyone is so hard set it making something their own and licensing it out...it's ridiculous. Money, money, money...that's all that really comes down to unfortunately. A little off topic, but the EU recently passed a law to essentially force all cell manufacturers to standardize their charging connections. The US would hopefully follow suit.

Similar to that, why not standardize these, or any other connection for that matter.

@jaguarskx

While true natively, there are ways around that that are pretty simple. I do it now for an older HDTV.

 

[deweycd]

Similar to that, why not standardize these, or any other connection for that matter.

The are all different standards, VGA, DVI, HDMI, Display Port, the problem is that everyone thinks a different standard is better or it is an advancement over the last. The standards are stated to be VGA->DVI->HDMI->Display Port. The only difference is HDMI is to be a Media Standard, TV, DVD, Blu-Ray, etc... where as Display Port is to be a computing standard, monitors.

 

[Railgun1369]

Oh...I agree with you on all of that. I'm just saying that there's no reason all of these can't be standardized. Why not use HDMI for everything? I say that for the reason that the physical connection is small and simple. Sure, the spec was designed for media, but it has more than enough bandwidth to support larger than standard 1080p resolution. I would say that mini-HDMI would still be acceptable as well.

Since all of this is coming together anyway (typical media and the PC world), enough with all the different connections...just stick with one. It definitely makes for a happy consumer.

 

[deweycd]

Oh...I agree with you on all of that. I'm just saying that there's no reason all of these can't be standardized. Why not use HDMI for everything? I say that for the reason that the physical connection is small and simple. Sure, the spec was designed for media, but it has more than enough bandwidth to support larger than standard 1080p resolution. I would say that mini-HDMI would still be acceptable as well.

Since all of this is coming together anyway (typical media and the PC world), enough with all the different connections...just stick with one. It definitely makes for a happy consumer.

HDMI doesn't have enough bandwidth to carry higher resolutions as compared to Display Port. You can't string as long of cable, and you can run USB through Display Port. It is a better standard from computing standpoint. Its also newer so HDMI still has a place to be. We were heading to one standard with DVI until HDMI came out, which was ok for a bit, but then Display port came out. Each better then the last and thus why we can't just sit still, its advancements. If we were to stick with one standard, we would all be using Pentium 100 MHz with 32MB memory, 512MB Hard Drive, a Rage 128 video card, and 640x480 resolution. Why upgrade when we can keep using the same standard, no need to advance becasue it means we have to change and thefore have more choice.

 

[jaguarskx]

quotemsg=2238160,5,338029]^^ I'd argue it makes sense to drop one of the three competiting digital connectors; Whats the point of having THREE different connectors for a digital signal, given how pathetically easy it is to convert from format A to B to C?

These days, with audio-passthrough built right in, it makes far more sense to go VGA and HDMI/Displayport then it does to carry a DVI output...[/quotemsg]


1. To the best of my knowledge 120Hz monitors use dual linked DVI ports. I don't think that exists yet for HDMI or Display Port.

2. HDMI = This is standard for HDTVs so it will unlikely disappear.

3. Display Port = For the PC only, but not dual linked yet for 120Hz monitors. Therefore, this will not replace DVI yet.

 

[deweycd]

quotemsg=2238160,5,338029]^^ I'd argue it makes sense to drop one of the three competiting digital connectors; Whats the point of having THREE different connectors for a digital signal, given how pathetically easy it is to convert from format A to B to C?

These days, with audio-passthrough built right in, it makes far more sense to go VGA and HDMI/Displayport then it does to carry a DVI output...

1. To the best of my knowledge 120Hz monitors use dual linked DVI ports. I don't think that exists yet for HDMI or Display Port.

2. HDMI = This is standard for HDTVs so it will unlikely disappear.

3. Display Port = For the PC only, but not dual linked yet for 120Hz monitors. Therefore, this will not replace DVI yet.[/quotemsg]

Specs on Display Port:

Advantages over legacy standards
■Open, royalty-free and extensible standard to help broad adoption
■Fewer lanes with embedded self-clock, reduced EMI with data scrambling and spread spectrum mode
■Based on micro-packet protocol
■Allows easy expansion of the standard with multiple data types
■Flexible allocation of available bandwidth between audio and video
■Multiple video streams over single physical connection (version 1.2)
■Long-distance transmission over alternative physical media such as optical fiber (version 1.1a)
■Supports high resolution displays and multiple displays with a single cable
■17.28 Gbit/s of video bandwidth, enough for supporting 4 simultaneous 1080p60 displays or 2560 × 1600 × 30 bit @120 Hz
■Dual link DVI - 7.92 Gbit/s or 330 MHz pixel clock, HDMI 1.3 - 8.16 Gbit/s or 340 MHz, analog VGA - typically 400 MHz
■Designed to support internal chip-to-chip communication
■Aimed to replace internal LVDS links to display panels with a unified link interface
■Compatible with low-voltage signaling used with sub-nanometer CMOS fabrication
■Can drive display panels directly, eliminating scaling and control circuits and allowing for cheaper and slimmer displays
■Link training with adjustable amplitude and preemphasis adapts to differing cable lengths and signal quality
■Reduced bandwidth transmission for 15 meter cable (at least 1920x1080p60, 24 bpp)
■Full bandwidth transmission for 2 meter cable
■High-speed auxiliary channel for DDC, EDID, MCCS, DPMS, HDCP, adapter identification etc. traffic
■Can be used for transmitting bi-directional USB, touch-panel data, CEC, etc.
■Self-latching connector

 

[Railgun1369]

HDMI doesn't have enough bandwidth to carry higher resolutions as compared to Display Port. You can't string as long of cable, and you can run USB through Display Port. It is a better standard from computing standpoint. Its also newer so HDMI still has a place to be. We were heading to one standard with DVI until HDMI came out, which was ok for a bit, but then Display port came out. Each better then the last and thus why we can't just sit still, its advancements. If we were to stick with one standard, we would all be using Pentium 100 MHz with 32MB memory, 512MB Hard Drive, a Rage 128 video card, and 640x480 resolution. Why upgrade when we can keep using the same standard, no need to advance becasue it means we have to change and thefore have more choice.

I didn't read the BW specs of DP so my bad on that.

I wasn't referring to the internal HW in terms of standards, I'm talking about connectivity standards. The physical, external interface. Yeah, you touch on CPUs and RAM...and I'm sure that we're all better off not using some Socket 370 package or ISA based cards, but that's somewhat not the point. VGA, being analog, was eventually going to be replaced by something digital. Now we have three differences, with licensing involved, HDCP crap, backward compatibility concerns, adapters, whether legal or not, etc.

Progression is good. I'm saying companies need to get their collective heads out of their arses and make this easier for the consumer. Be innovative, yes, but don't run off on your own and say it's all that great when the competition is going to stiff you, even if it is better (HD DVD anyone...Beta...8mm even?)