What Are the Differences Between the White Digital DVI and Blue Analog VGA Ports on My Dell Graphics Adapter?

Introduction to DVI
 

With the advent of Flat Panel Displays and high performance Graphics Adapters, a new technology was required that would allow the two to communicate securely and ensure the highest possible signal quality.  To address this concern, the Digital Display Working Group developed the Digital Video Interface (DVI) format to standardize a digital video connection. 

Many Dell Flat Panels and Graphics Adapters now have DVI Interfaces available as well as the traditional, blue analog VGA connector.  See the images below for a comparison of the physical characteristics of digital DVI and analog VGA.

Example of a digital DVI Video port	Example of a traditional, analog VGA port
Example of a digital DVI Video cable	Example of a traditional, analog VGA cable

Notice that the primary distinction for the DVI connector is that the color is white instead of blue, and the DVI connector contains more pins in a rectangular shape.  The two ports are physically not compatible, and therefore each cable will only fit the correct port. 

Advantages of DVI
 

The DVI (Digital Video Interface) standard has several advantages over the analog VGA connection type:

• Video signal remains digital: Considering that both the Graphics Adapter and Flat Panel monitors process video digitally, using a digital link between the two ensures the video quality is maximized during the transfer from the Graphics Adapter to the Flat Panel.
   

  	Note:
  	Previous technology would convert the digital signal from the Graphics Adapter to an analog signal for the video cable, and converted back to digital for the Flat Panel Monitor.  This results in a degradation of the video signal.

   

• Support for future technology:  The DVI Technology will allow for many future video formats, including High-Definition Television (HD-TV) and Digital Rights Management (DRM) to ensure protected content can not be recorded and/or pirated.
• High Resolution and Refresh Rates: The DVI 1.0 specification provides for resolutions as high as 2048x1536 at 60 Hz, well above what nearly all Flat Panel Displays can currently support.

Should I Use DVI or VGA to Connect My Flat Panel?
 

The question frequently arises: "Should I use the white DVI connection or the blue VGA to connect my Flat Panel Monitor?"

Fortunately the answer is rather simple: If you have the capability to use a DVI Cable, feel free to take advantage of it! All that is required is a Flat Panel Monitor (CRT monitors cannot take advantage of DVI like Flat Panels can) and Graphics Adapter that have the white DVI port available. Simply connect the cable at both ends and ensure the Flat Panel is setup to receive a Digital Signal, which traditionally requires a press of the Input Selection button for Dell Flat Panel monitors.

	Note:
	For more information about connecting a Flat Panel monitor with a DVI cable, refer to the online User Guide.

Currently, only higher end Flat Panels and Graphics Adapters support the DVI interface. However as time moves on and the technology becomes less expensive to manufacture, expect DVI to replace the blue VGA port you have used to connect monitors since the early 1990's.

	Note:
	Although DVI provides a higher quality signal, the differences between DVI and VGA are not readily apparent to most computer owners. However if you look closely you will likely notice the more vibrant colors and crisper images available using a high quality Dell Flat Panel and Graphics Adapter.