Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about DisplayPort on Dell Laptops and Desktops

A Port or Connector:

A Port or Connector on a Dell product has either holes or a slot that matches the plug or device that you are connecting to the Port.

DisplayPort (DP):

This is an industry standard that defines the cables, connectors, and the communications protocols used as a digital display interface DP was designed to replace the Video Graphics adapter (VGA), Digital Video Interface (DVI), and Flat Panel Display (FPD)-Link connections, but was backwards compatible using various adapters.

How does it work?

Externally DisplayPort is a more robust connector and port that the old VGA, DVI connections. There are no thumbscrews to secure the plug and it is not as easy to bend pins in the end of the connector. DisplayPort is the first display interface to rely on packetized data transmission. This kind of communication is found in standards such as USB, Ethernet and Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) Express. The DisplayPort protocol is based on small micro packets, which by embedding the clock stream in the data stream - allows higher resolutions for fewer pins.

DisplayPort can be used to transmit video and audio simultaneously, but you can transmit either on their own if you want. The video signal path can have six to sixteen bits per color channel. The audio path can have up to eight channels of 24-bit uncompressed audio. This interface can carry bi-directional USB signals.

The DisplayPort connector can have one, two, or four data pairs (lanes) in a Main link. The effective data transfer rates are 1.296, 2.16, 4.32 Gb/s or 6.48 Gb/s per lane (or 80% of the total).

There are several types of DisplayPort port and connectors in use. Select your version from the tabs below to see the available ports and plugs and what they can do:

• DP
• Mini DP
• Micro DP
• Type-C DP
• Also Known As

DisplayPort

DP was developed to replace the old VGA, and DVI standards, and manufacturers widely adopted it. The name simply means DisplayPort.

DisplayPort is backwards compatible with VGA and DVI by using the appropriate adapters.

The transfer rates depend on the version that you are running as it has continued to be improved since it came out in May 2006.

Port

Plug

Mini DisplayPort

Mini DisplayPort came out in 2008 and was used primarily on Apple products.

Mini DisplayPort took the standard connector and made it smaller. It is now being replaced with the new Thunderbolt connector standard.

The transfer rates depend on the version that you are running.

Port

Plug

Micro DisplayPort

Micro DisplayPort came out in 2014 and was used primarily on Smartphone, Tablets, and Ultrabook products.

Micro DisplayPort took the mini connector and made it smaller again.

The transfer rates depend on the version that you are running.

Type-C DisplayPort

Type-C DisplayPort came out in September 2014 and was based on the Type-C USB connector.

Type-C DisplayPort is the DisplayPort Alternate mode on the USB Type-C connector standard.

The transfer rates are the same as USB 3.1 and includes power delivery (USB-PS 2.0) in the same port and connector.

Also Known As

There are several other companion standards to DisplayPort. There is:

• Direct Drive Monitor (DDM)
• Embedded DisplayPort (eDP)
• Internal DisplayPort (iDP)
• Portable Digital Media Interface (PDMI)
• Wireless DisplayPort (wDP)
• SlimPort
• Mobility DisplayPort (MyDP)
• DisplayID
• DockPort

They are all variations of the DisplayPort connector for specialized uses.

The revisions chart the changes in the technology that made the port and speeds improve over time:

A common question is which is better DisplayPort or High-Definition Multi-Media (HDMI). I go into their common categories, and see how they match up:

The connectors

The connectors between DisplayPort and HDMI are similar in range and reach. Mini DisplayPort is more prevalent on Apple devices, whilst the mini-HDMI is seen more on Smartphone and Tablet devices.

The cables

DisplayPort cables are simple. There is one type of cable and it supports all the current standards but cannot cover the same wide spread of capabilities like the HDMI cables. Length wise DisplayPort can have a regular 65-foot cable, for a fiber cable it can be hundreds of feet long. There are four (4) cable standards for HDMI, but they are not often labeled correctly. Using a cable that is not up to the job you want it to do can be problematical. There is no maximum cable length defined for HDMI in its standards. However, depending on the cable type, they can carry out a wide variety of jobs. For simplicity DisplayPort wins, however for specialized multimedia jobs you would go with the correct HDMI cable type.

Video and Audio Streams

DisplayPort interface can support from two screens (2560x1600 pixels) up to four (4) screens (1920x1200 pixels) with each screen receiving independent video and audio streams. With additional interfaces, you can daisy-chain compatible monitors to have as many as six (6) screens connected to one source. Whereas HDMI can handle a single video stream and a single audio stream, so it can only drive one display at a time. HDMI is fine for one screen, but if you want multiple screens - DisplayPort is the way to go.

The conclusion

DisplayPort was designed specifically for devices as the ultimate display interface to replace the older video standards. However, it works more as a complement to HDMI that a replacement of it.

HDMI was designed for Home Entertainment - Home Theaters, projectors, Televisions, Blu-ray players and the like. HDMI is still the best for this environment.

HDMI has had the better uptake by manufacturers, so is the more ubiquitous standard commonly available.

The answer as to which is better - it depends on what you want to do with it. Home entertainment uses: Stay with HDMI. Productivity, and Business uses: Consider what DisplayPort can do for you.

So far there has not been a popular operating system that has not supported DisplayPort. Everything from Apple, Linux, and Windows have support for these DisplayPort standards built into their operating systems from the base up.

You can check your warranty status on the link below.

• Warranty status

The first step is to check the ports, the connector, and the cable for any wear and tear or damage that might be causing you problems:

1. Checking for damage is basic, it is looking at the DisplayPort port and visually checking if there are any:

   • Cracks in the plastics surrounding the port?
   • Any part of the port crimped or bent?
   • Any pins from inside the port bent or missing?
   • Any parts of the port missing or broken off?
   • Any damage to the device's male connector?
   • Any damage to the cable from the connector to the device?

2. If you identify any of the above, you must have in place a complete care warranty or be prepared for a chargeable repair call. (Your local Technical Support team provides a quote for this repair.)

3. If there is no damage to the port, the cabling or the external device then carry on with the next step.

4. Does the external DisplayPort device and cabling work ok in another laptop or desktop?

   • Yes, then proceed with the next step.

   • No, then you must replace the external device or cable as appropriate.

5. Plug the external device to the port using the cabling. If you move the connector whilst it is plugged into the DisplayPort port, does it affect whether the device is picked up or not?

   • Yes, then contact your local Technical Support team to take the connection issue further.

   • No, then go to the next step.

6. Have you ruled out a software issue in any way? There are three basic ways to accomplish this.

   1. You can two way swap your Hard Disk Drive (hard drive) with one from a similar working device and see if the fault follows the hard drive to a new machine or if the issue stays with your laptop or desktop? Follow your User Guide for instructions on removing any hardware parts as the steps change from model type to the model type or you can search on our support site using terms such as "your products model type," "CRU" and "removal" to find a guide specific to your machine.

   2. You can boot from an Ubuntu Live CD and check to see if you experience the same issue in another operating system. (Regardless of the operating system in use on the laptop or desktop.) Ubuntu live CDs allow you to boot the operating system off the CD without installing it on your Hard Drive. You can download an ISO of the CD on the Download link below. Tap rapidly at the F12 key when the device boots to the Dell Splash screen and choose the DVD drive option from the boot once menu that appears:

      • Ubuntu ISO Download Link 

   3. You can run a factory restore or reinstall your Operating system.

7. Was the issue seen once the operating system and Software was ruled out?

   • No, then the issue is resolved.

   • Yes, then contact your support to take this further, they take you through some hardware diagnostics. These are built into your laptop or desktop, and you can also access more on the Dell Support Site by entering your service tag.

See the additional information section at the bottom of this article for contact us instructions.

When in use and undocked, the default audio output for a Dell laptop is the internal speakers.

When docked with a DisplayPort or HDMI monitor with a headphone output, the audio output changes automatically to the DisplayPort or HDMI connected laptop. This is regardless of any speaker configuration on the display device.

A no audio condition (loss of sound) may be encountered until the default output is changed back to the internal speakers of the laptop. (For example: If the external display has no internal or external speakers, or has no speaker bar attached.)

The audio device drivers always check for DisplayPort and HDMI audio devices installed in Windows. If the are detected, Windows automatically makes the switch to the DisplayPort or HDMI audio device.

On monitors with no speakers but a headphone output, this results in no sound until the audio device is manually changed back to the laptops speakers.

This is the laptop working as it should. To switch back to internal speakers, follow these steps:

1. Right Click the Start button, click Control Panel from the menu.

2. Click hardware and sound, then Manage Audio devices in the Sound section, the sound window opens.

3. Click Speakers, then click Set Default, then OK and close the control panel window

There does not appear to be any doubt that the DisplayPort standard has a clear-cut advantage in the Business computer market.

However, the truth is that not many consumers are aware of the benefits of this hardware. Without customer demand to keep them in use, these types of port can end up replaced with a more generic port such as HDMI.

It is native support for higher resolutions, and multiple displays are an obvious positive factor. The innovations and new connectors coming out only make this standard more versatile still.

The current trend has seen most DisplayPort ports being replaced with HDMI on most new Consumer devices. However, they continue to show a strong presence on Business devices.

With the constant improvement seen, DisplayPort can only go from strength to strength. It must ensure that its benefits are known to the typical end user, so they can request its benefits from the manufacturers.