Monitors - BNC vs D-Sub inputs - Please explain

[Kursun]

I plan to buy a monitor. I see that some monitors have BNC inputs as well as the usual D-Sub inputs. I am not sure about the advantages BNC offers over D-Sub. Do you advice buying a monitor with BNC inputs as well as the usual D-Sub input?

A guy I asked said with normal D-Sub VGA output PCs, BNC doesn't offer any advantages and that BNC connection may offer better resolution with equipment which have such specific video output, like medical equipment.

At a supermarket I saw an interconnect that converts D-Sub VGA output to BNC. Is there any advantage in using that interconnect if you have a monitor that has both inputs?

PS: The monitors I'm considering are Iiyama Pro410 (with BNC input, but doesn't come with a BNC interconnect cable) and Philips Brilliance (without BNC input).

Thanks.

 

[Shmorq]

If you run your monitors at very high resolutions, you may see an improvement. But personally, when I switched to BNC, I've noticed no difference at all and I run at 1600x1200.

All that the BNC does is to help reduce interferences. Also, plug & play won't work if your monitor is hooked up via BNC cables.

 

[DoctorBooze]

Shmorq, that's not quite all, the co-ax cables used for BNC hookups also preserve the signal better, designed as they are specifically for carrying very high frequency signals. The effect is more obvious on UHF/cable TV, but it's the same. You should get sharper edges using co-ax cable, which should make small text and detailed drawings clearer.

Some VGA cables have co-ax cable embedded in them. Most don't, but if you buy a particularly good monitor, you may be lucky enough to get one.

Some VGA to BNC adapters don't use co-ax cable. This utterly defeats the point and is a waste of time.

If you ever feel the need to extend your VGA cable though, switch to co-ax cables with BNCs if you can. You will *really* see the difference if you try and use a 20' VGA extender vs. BNCs.

So, in short, it's not the connectors per se, it's the cable, but BNCs are suited to co-ax cables while D-subs aren't.

 

[Shmorq]

That's very interesting... Do you know of anyway of checking if a VGA cable uses coax lines without cutting it open?