DVI Plug question ?

phpdog

Senior member
Jun 26, 2003
609
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Hi ,

I just got a new Graphics card and it had a DVI connection as we'll as the normal d-sub connection , it came with an adaptor to plug my normal d-sub montor connection into the DVI port .

Since my monitor hasent got a DVI connection and im only using this adaptor will i get any benefit from the DVI connection over the normal d-sub using this adaptor ?

btw , my monitor is a LCD 17" TFT .

 

rbV5

Lifer
Dec 10, 2000
12,632
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There is no advantage since the adaptor just uses the analog pins from the DVI-I connector. You might choose one over the other in the case of interference on the monitor using one of the ports, but for the most part there is no difference.
 

Peter

Elite Member
Oct 15, 1999
9,640
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The adapter gets you the same kind of signal. It's there so you can plug TWO analog monitors.
 

Gamingphreek

Lifer
Mar 31, 2003
11,679
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81
I would recommend using the Analog for an Analoge monitor. Otherwise the Signal goes from Analog to Digital back to Analog. Just has less interference.

-Kevin
 

phpdog

Senior member
Jun 26, 2003
609
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Ahh that sounds cool, so i can plug 2 monitors into my PC .

Could i play a game on 1 monitor and like have the other monitor browsing IE or somethiing ?

I have a 17" TFT with a DVI connection and a 15" TFT with a normal analog could i plug these 2 in or would it have to be 2 analog monitors ?
 

Matthias99

Diamond Member
Oct 7, 2003
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Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
I would recommend using the Analog for an Analoge monitor. Otherwise the Signal goes from Analog to Digital back to Analog. Just has less interference.

-Kevin

???

Using a DVI->VGA adapter doesn't convert anything. DVI-I plugs provide both analog and digital output; the adapter just lets you get the analog part only, for monitors that take an analog input.
 

Matthias99

Diamond Member
Oct 7, 2003
8,808
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Originally posted by: phpdog
Ahh that sounds cool, so i can plug 2 monitors into my PC .

Could i play a game on 1 monitor and like have the other monitor browsing IE or somethiing ?

Yes, although most fullscreen games will not like it if you try to click on anything on the second monitor. Games that can run in a window are usually fine.

I have a 17" TFT with a DVI connection and a 15" TFT with a normal analog could i plug these 2 in or would it have to be 2 analog monitors ?

Of course you could plug them both in. Why would they put a DVI port on there if you couldn't use it???

 

phpdog

Senior member
Jun 26, 2003
609
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Yeah i know the DVI port can be used , i meant can i use it with the analog port both together at the same time . Also if i can use two analog monitors at the same time .I didnt know if you could mix the two .

I thought mabye the DVI port was there just to give you a choice of which monitor you can use , either if you have a DVI monitor or analog , i didnt know if the 2 ports can be used together at the same time . ;)

I kinda wondered why they didnt just put two DVI ports or 1 DVI port and supply adaptors for them . Then there would be no need for the analog port , the fact that they left it on led me to belive that using an analog monitor through the DVI port with an adaptor would have a performance drop.

Im currently using my analog monitor through the DVI port with adaptor and there no drop in performance playing halflife2 the FPS and picture quality are the same . If there is then its not noticable .
 

Matthias99

Diamond Member
Oct 7, 2003
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Originally posted by: phpdog
Yeah i know the DVI port can be used , i meant can i use it with the analog port both together at the same time . Also if i can use two analog monitors at the same time .I didnt know if you could mix the two .

I thought mabye the DVI port was there just to give you a choice of which monitor you can use , either if you have a DVI monitor or analog , i didnt know if the 2 ports can be used together at the same time . ;)

I kinda wondered why they didnt just put two DVI ports or 1 DVI port and supply adaptors for them . Then there would be no need for the analog port , the fact that they left it on led me to belive that using an analog monitor through the DVI port with an adaptor would have a performance drop.

Im currently using my analog monitor through the DVI port with adaptor and there no drop in performance playing halflife2 the FPS and picture quality are the same . If there is then its not noticable .

There's no performance drop. Why would there be? As stated previously, the DVI-I port provides either analog or digital. And why would they put dual ports on there if you couldn't use them both? :confused:

They provide DVI and VGA so that you can use a DVI monitor if you have one, while still maintaining the ability to use dual monitors. The only reason not to go with dual DVI-I is cost -- you need a second TDMS (digital transmitter) chip on the board to drive a second DVI port. You normally only see it on 'professional' cards, and on high-end consumer-level boards.
 

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,587
10,227
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Originally posted by: phpdog
I kinda wondered why they didnt just put two DVI ports or 1 DVI port and supply adaptors for them . Then there would be no need for the analog port , the fact that they left it on led me to belive that using an analog monitor through the DVI port with an adaptor would have a performance drop.
There are some cards (8500 VIVO or AIW, I think?), that only have a DVI-I port, no analog VGA, because they use the space on the bracket for other connectors (input/output breakout cables).

I still prefer using just the regular analog VGA port if that's what I'm connecting - I've seen a few too many "accidents", due to the fact that the DVI-to-VGA dongle sticks out a bit too far, and if you yank on the cable too hard, the dongle tends to self-destruct. Obtaining another one, not via mail-order, is still a bit too difficult than it should be. It took me a week to source one locally - I should have just mail-ordered one. :(

Originally posted by: phpdog
Im currently using my analog monitor through the DVI port with adaptor and there no drop in performance playing halflife2 the FPS and picture quality are the same . If there is then its not noticable .

More or less the output should be the same. I'm using an FIC Radeon 9200 with DVI-I, VGA, and TV-out ports, and there is a very slight difference in terms of analog signal quality when using the dongle. Not much, but it's there. The fact that I'm running the signal through an analog mechanical VGA switchbox kind of amplifies the difference though. Running straight to the monitor you might not ever notice.

That issue wouldn't affect your game's FPS in any way though.