DVI cable: dual-link or single-link?

[Evenkeel]

As I mentioned in my post below, I just received a Dell 2407WFP monitor, my first flat panel, and an upgrade from a dying Viewsonic CRT. I wanted to make sure I had a cable here when it arrived. Since I didn't know if the monitor came w/cables when I ordered it (it does; both VGA and single-link DVI), I bought a dual-link DVI cable from CompUSA--for $50 frakkin' bucks! Sheesh!

I thought I had read somewhere that this monitor required a dual-link DVI cable to pump out the full 1920 x 1200 rez at 32-bit color, but the cable that came w/the monitor is single-link. (I do know, at least, how to tell the 2 types of cables apart: by the number of pins.) It seems to work just fine w/the single-link cable.

But my question is, would it work better w/the dual-link cable? (I don't want to crack open the package from CompUSA until I know if I'll gain anything by using it, because I want to return it if it won't gain me anything.) I.e., better/faster pixel rate, higher refresh rate allowed, better for viewing videos/DVDs, etc.? Or is the single-link cable showing the display as good as it will get?

BTW, I mentioned in my previous post that the monitor is hooked up to an ATI X1950 Pro card, which most definitely supports dual-link.

 

[chizow]

While single-link is technically out-of-spec at 1920x1200, there's enough built-in headroom in the spec that it runs fine. Unless you have problems with the supplied Dell cable (pretty high quality actually), there's no reason to keep that overpriced $50 cable. If you wanted to run a dual-link cable for whatever reason (extra mojo or voodoo power+1 idk), you can get one a lot cheaper at monoprice.com

 

[Evenkeel]

Originally posted by: chizow
While single-link is technically out-of-spec at 1920x1200, there's enough built-in headroom in the spec that it runs fine. Unless you have problems with the supplied Dell cable (pretty high quality actually), there's no reason to keep that overpriced $50 cable. If you wanted to run a dual-link cable for whatever reason (extra mojo or voodoo power+1 idk), you can get one a lot cheaper at monoprice.com

I have a dual-link on order from the Egg--cost around $8.

If replacing the single-link cable in use now, w/the dual link, makes any difference, what actual difference might I see? IOW, if dual-link improves things over single-link, what would it actually improve?

 

[Matt2]

single link is fine.

 

[Evenkeel]

Originally posted by: Matt2
single link is fine.

Right... Not trying to be a pain here, really, just trying to understand. I realize the single-link cable is "fine"--after all, the monitor I'm looking at right now is using a single-link, and it's got a darn purty picture.

What I'm trying to find out is, will using a dual-link cable make the image on the monitor better than "fine". I.e., does the Dell 2407WFP's DVI-in port have the extra pins for dual-link, or are the pins simply not there? And if they are there, and I do use a dual-link, will I see a difference in the image quality?

The 3/20/07 issue of PC Mag, in the "Ask Loyd" section, has a Q&A on single-link vs. dual-link. Loyd says, in part, "A single-link DVI connector maxes out at 165 MHz, or about 3.7 gigabits per second. About the best you can do with that bandwidth is 1920 x 1200 pixel resolution."

What this sounds to me like, is that the single-link cable is right at its "ceiling" in bandwidth, tho chizow above said there was some built-in headroom in the spec.

Basically, since this is my first LCD monitor, and it's a pretty nice one, I'd like to feed it all the bandwidth it can handle. So, again, not trying to be a PITA, but will attaching a dual-link cable to this monitor make any difference, or not?

 

[Matthias99]

Basically, since this is my first LCD monitor, and it's a pretty nice one, I'd like to feed it all the bandwidth it can handle. So, again, not trying to be a PITA, but will attaching a dual-link cable to this monitor make any difference, or not?

No. It can only 'handle' 1920x1200, and single-link DVI can output that resolution. Having more (wasted) bandwidth will not somehow magically make extra pixels get rendered. The 2407FPW doesn't have a dual-link DVI input anyway.