why are DVI cables so big?

[nageov3t]

just something that's always puzzled me... managing computer monitor cables to make my desk look neat has been a challenge since the days when I was on a 15" CRT screen, and it's only gotten worse as I've upgraded to dual screens.

given that HDMI cables are relatively thin and easily managed, is there something unique in DVI that makes the cables so unwieldy?

 

[shortylickens]

Shielding, which isnt often needed but they do it anyway.

I went from unshielded to shielded and didnt see a difference.

 

[fuzzymath10]

I think it depends on the gauge of the cables too. The ones that come with Dell monitors are pretty thin, which I like. No signal issues and not that much thicker than HDMI. I got one from a friend that in his words was "soviet era" that was about 1cm thick. I keep it as a backup and for kicks, but it's quite unwieldy.

 

[Subyman]

They have 24 wires plus ground and possibly four more for analog. Hdmi has 19 wires. You can get smaller dvi cables that only support single link data, but it will limit your resolution and/or refresh rate.

 

[corkyg]

Mine connect to the computer backplane, and then go out of sight behind the desk and into the back of the monitor. Fact is, the only time I ever see the DVI cable is if some major component is being changed. So, in my world, the cable size really is wholly unimportant. It is nice to know all these parameters, which, with a buck will get me a cup of coffee.

 

[Rossco4]

does an overlong cable make it defective?
Hello first post
I've just switched from VGA to DIV-D cable between my new PC and new monitor. I now have a row of pink spots across the screen at 2/3rds up and, above that, some twinkling green lights in the top quarter. There are other red spots, eg on some panels on some web pages and green shimmering spots in the grey areas top and bottom
Seems to be a bad cable - it was cheap, so will switch back to VGA if I cant make it work better. It is 3m long whilst it only needs to be less than a metre as the monitor is next to the PC. Any explanations/remedies out there please? I have the cable plugged straight into the mobo as there is no graphics card

 

[OVerLoRDI]

This is one of the downsides of Monoprice cables. They tend to be massively thick.

 

[Insert_Nickname]

They have 24 wires plus ground and possibly four more for analog. Hdmi has 19 wires. You can get smaller dvi cables that only support single link data, but it will limit your resolution and/or refresh rate.

You actually get FLAT HDMI cables if space is a premium. Can't say anything about signal/cable quality as I have never tried them...

Generally with cables its the connector that costs money, not the actual cable itself.

 

[Ferzerp]

does an overlong cable make it defective?
Hello first post
I've just switched from VGA to DIV-D cable between my new PC and new monitor. I now have a row of pink spots across the screen at 2/3rds up and, above that, some twinkling green lights in the top quarter. There are other red spots, eg on some panels on some web pages and green shimmering spots in the grey areas top and bottom
Seems to be a bad cable - it was cheap, so will switch back to VGA if I cant make it work better. It is 3m long whilst it only needs to be less than a metre as the monitor is next to the PC. Any explanations/remedies out there please? I have the cable plugged straight into the mobo as there is no graphics card

This is what you can expect from a digital connection when all of the signal is not making it out the other end. It isn't *necessarily* your cable, but yes, what you are describing can be caused by a bad cable.