Tom's Hardware > All Reviews > Components > Graphics Cards > The TFT Connection: Do NVIDIA and ATi Deliver?

The TFT Connection: Do NVIDIA and ATi Deliver?

12:02 PM - November 29, 2004 by Lars Weinand

11. DVI Compliance Tests, Continued
12. DVI Jitter Management
13. Causes For Jitter With DVI
14. DVI Transmitter Compliance Test
15. Graphics Card Comparison: DVI Compliance Test
16. ABIT RX600PRO-256
17. ATI Radeon X800 XT PE
18. MSI FX-5700 Ultra-TD128 (MS8938)
19. MSI FX5950 Ultra-VTD256 (MS8946)
20. MSI NX6800 Ultra-T2D256
21. Conclusion

You've finally decided to replace your bulky, workhorse CRT monitor with a modern, stylish and compact TFT display. You might think making the switch involves merely unplugging your analog cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor and plugging in your new digital TFT display. Replace the old monitor with the TFT, connect it to your VGA card, and you're done, right? Not necessarily.

Since we're talking about computers here, things are hardly ever straightforward. There are some issues to look out for, at least if you're aiming for the best results, meaning optimal image quality.

So what needs to be considered when using a TFT display? The answer involves learning the basics of how DVI (Digital Visual Interface) works, which is gradually replacing the classical VGA connection between the graphics card and the monitor. Our main focus here is on the graphics card, which is responsible for generating the DVI signal. We also tested six NVIDIA and ATI-based graphics cards for DVI compliance.