optical video connectors?

[Anarchist420]

Why are all of the leading video connector standards metal-based rather than light based? Is it because more bandwidth requires more impedance or is it because of something else?

I've always thought 100 ohms input impedance is a little high, but then DL-DVI already isn't enough bandwidth.

 

[ericloewe]

I'd say it's the interface. It's a lot easier to use electric signals that can easily be manipulated by silicon logic and a few caps and resistors than to use light, which would have to be reconverted into electric signals that are then processed.
For short range, copper is good enough and is much easier to use (due to economies of scale it's also cheaper).

As far as I know, DL-DVI can drive any display out there, except maybe some exotic ones with very, very high resolutions and refresh rates...

 

[BrightCandle]

We are starting to get to optical connectors becoming a reality but at the moment the interface for any decent amount of bandwidth is too expensive. IBM and Intel are both making progress however and I expect we'll be looking at monitors running on optical soon enough when Intel lightpeak is released.