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LAN Party Forums => Hardware Discussion => Started by: Pride on May 31, 2006, 09:53:08 AM

Title: DVI or SVGA
Post by: Pride on May 31, 2006, 09:53:08 AM

Here is something I have always wondered.

On the back of my ATI Radeon card, I have both DVI and SVGA outputs. (Photo likeness below)

My LCD monitor only has an SVGA cable on it, but I have a "convertor adapter" to go from DVI to SVGA so that I may run dual SVGA monitors on my card.

My question is... is there any performance/quality benefit if I use the adapter for the DVI port rather than plugging directly into the SVGA port?

(http://www.systemcooling.com/images/reviews/Graphic/PowerColor_9250/image5big.jpg)

Title: DVI or SVGA
Post by: The Shoctor on May 31, 2006, 10:23:49 AM

If your board looks like that? pffttt... Maybe a little tiny insignificant ammount of perceived crispness because the connector is soldered to the board... But the real answer is.

No.

But Dual Monitors KICK ASS! Actually, I can't live with just one anymore... I mean it's hard enough to do with out 4 ;)

Title: DVI or SVGA
Post by: Krurath108 on May 31, 2006, 11:03:46 AM

I have dual display config. on my radeon 9600 pro
and it actually resulted in some noticeable drops in benchmark scores. poby because it has another screen to render while gaming.

...But the dual screens are still much worth it!

Title: DVI or SVGA
Post by: The Shoctor on May 31, 2006, 11:20:03 AM

nVidia's new 9 series drivers can do some nice things.  I flip-flop between the ATI and nVidia camp depending on who is giving me more bang for my buck.

Title: DVI or SVGA
Post by: llDayo on May 31, 2006, 11:28:17 AM

I've always wondered that too, Pride. I don't think I've ever even had an adapter to plug in there, but my last two cards both had the outlet. Why make two different outputs if both are basically the same? What's the advantage of one over the other and why is Pride such a nancyboy?

Title: DVI or SVGA
Post by: The Shoctor on May 31, 2006, 11:40:11 AM

DVI AND VGA COMPLETELY DIFFERENT! All the adapter does is use the 15 pins not used by the digital connection. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVI

Title: DVI or SVGA
Post by: TekieB on May 31, 2006, 01:09:54 PM

the adapter uses analog signals put out by the dvi port, they do this for backwards compatibility, so you go digital -> analog -> digital vs straight digital

Title: DVI or SVGA
Post by: Pride on May 31, 2006, 01:13:00 PM

But my monitor is only analog... so, I assume it doesnt matter which port I use?

Title: DVI or SVGA
Post by: The Shoctor on May 31, 2006, 01:36:52 PM

If you use that adaptor you are only getting the analog signal. Same signal from both ports.

Title: DVI or SVGA
Post by: TekieB on May 31, 2006, 01:43:04 PM

IIRC your monitor had a dvi port on it (the one I used at the lan did)

edit: lcd's are natively dvi, but not all monitors have the ports

Title: DVI or SVGA
Post by: Pride on May 31, 2006, 02:28:08 PM

Hmmmm... now you got me wondering!  I'll have to double check, but I know if I had gotten a digital cable, I woudl have used it!

Title: DVI or SVGA
Post by: Billabond1 on May 31, 2006, 04:21:36 PM

sometimes they don't like to include digital cables with monitors.  VGA ones are cheaper...

Title: DVI or SVGA
Post by: Fabio on May 31, 2006, 04:24:45 PM

widescreen > Dual

Title: DVI or SVGA
Post by: TekieB on May 31, 2006, 04:37:20 PM

Quote from: "Fabio"

widescreen > Dual

Dual gives you more pixels

And I remember going "oh darn, I forgot my dvi adaptor for my powerbook" when I saw it had a dvi port

Title: DVI or SVGA
Post by: Billabond1 on May 31, 2006, 06:36:00 PM

Quote from: "Fabio"

widescreen > Dual

Or you can do what I do...both...   :2thumbsup:  

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/billabond1/fites/CIMG3470Medium.jpg)

Title: DVI or SVGA
Post by: _!Rathe!_ on May 31, 2006, 07:00:44 PM

That is what I do at work.  I have a 17 inch CRT and a 15 inch LCD (which are really close to the same size) and the LCD I have hooked to a 8 port KVM switch mounted to my desk so I can run multiple computers without moving my butt.  The CRT is a dual monitor for my main system and it is always on that one.  The KVM doesn't switch it just the LCD.

Title: DVI or SVGA
Post by: Fabio on May 31, 2006, 08:42:39 PM

Quote from: "TekieB"

Dual gives you more pixels

wasnt arguing that point... i would rather have widescreen

Title: DVI or SVGA
Post by: Vulgate on July 13, 2006, 01:06:38 AM

I love my 1680*1050....... more then my old dual setup.......

Title: DVI or SVGA
Post by: Fabio on July 13, 2006, 05:28:59 AM

exactly...

Title: DVI or SVGA
Post by: Dwg115 on July 13, 2006, 06:55:28 AM

Maybe im wrong but i always thought that since your monitor is analog at it's core the quality of the signal is not changed and only allows the monitor to use the connector.  To get a true digital signal you need a monitr with the dvi connector as well.

Title: DVI or SVGA
Post by: cuzzNkev on July 13, 2006, 10:01:50 AM

Wouldnt you think stepping down a digital signal to analog is better then analog itself?

Title: DVI or SVGA
Post by: The Shoctor on July 13, 2006, 12:20:43 PM

Not always. :)