DisplayPort - what is it? DisplayPort and its purpose

By assembling your own PC, you often face a huge number of slots, connectors, wires, etc. Each of them has its name, format and size. It's difficult to remember everything. Most of us are familiar only with audio connectors and USB. But the DisplayPort - what it is and what it is used for, not everyone knows. Let's talk about this later.

Cable

DisplayPort is a cable that is the standard. Serves as a signal interface for digital monitors. For the first time it became known in 2006, when it was officially certified by the Association of Video Electronics Certification. Already in 2007 the world saw revision 1.1, in 2010 version 1.2 became known, in 4 years it was adopted 1.3, and the latter appeared in 2016. This connector is considered the most suitable for use and a relatively modern interface.

Now it is used to connect audio and video equipment, although it is more known as a tool connecting the monitor to a PC or home theater. Became so untwisted that he received a special logo and acquired a trademark.

Creature

Despite the fact that the DisplayPort connector itself became known in 2006, it started to be supported only in 2008. It is then that PCs come out, on the motherboards of which a slot for connecting this interface appears. Until 2011, manufacturers introduced a mini version of DisplayPort. Often it can be found on devices from Apple Macintosh. But the "apple" monitors have got a full modification.

MacBooks in all their diversity were delivered not just with DisplayPort, but also with a special adapter for it, which turned the outputs into DVI or VGA. Later, systems with HDMI and MiniDisplayPort began to appear. The latter option has now been transformed into Thunderbolt, which has backward compatibility, but as a whole has received improved features and provides more features to the user.

Variations

Version 1.0 was introduced in 2006. It had test characteristics, so it did not stand out as something special. Data transmitted at a speed of 8.64 Gbit / s. The length was 2 meters.

Upgrading the connector has led to the fact that the DisplayPort connection has improved thanks to fiber optic technology. Now, at long distances, the speed was stable, and the transmission occurred without losing the signal. The interface supported 40 bit HDCP.

The third update led to an increase in the data transfer rate by half. Information moved at 17.28 Gb / s. It became possible to correct the resolution, the depth of color and the frequency of the video signal. New color spaces were added, but backward compatibility with previous standards remained.

The developers introduced the DisplayPort interface, which could be connected to portable devices. In this version, there were Self-Refresh modes. It became possible to turn off the video card if the picture on the monitor remains static, saving it in the buffer. As the developers described, the technology allowed to keep the battery charge and the service life of the device.

In addition to the revisions, there were still modifications. For example, DisplayPort ++ is a double for an extended assignment. It has parallel output of HDMI / DVI signals. To synchronize, you need to buy a passive cable.

DisplayPort Alternate Mode is another modification that uses USB Type-C to transfer video data. At the same time, the data transfer rate is practically the same as direct connection. Thanks to this option, it's really possible to install a 4K resolution display.

Options

When everyone learned about DisplayPort, what it is and what it is for, they began to take interest in the parameters. So it became known that the interface works with one of the technologies for protecting content version 1.3 HDCP. Bandwidth has doubled compared to the Digital Visual Interface. Power did not require high voltages and extraneous interference. If we consider the mini version of DisplayPort, you can see that its size is 10 times smaller than the standard DVI.

I got a new interface with a lot of additional features. Now, in addition to the graphic content, it transmits audio signals. There is information about the maximum length of such a cable - about 1.5 meters. Later HDCP technology was decided to replace with DisplayPort Content Protection, which received encryption of a different bit width - 128 bits.

Over time, the transmission of information became faster and increased to 21.6 Gbit / s, while the length of the cable could be 3 meters. Correctly worked and independent streams, and the auxiliary channel became many times faster and raised the speed from 1 to 720 Mbit / s.

The interface opened the possibility for the user to use two displays at once, which would work with a resolution of 2560x1600 pixels, or four displays with a resolution of 1920x1200 pixels. The frequency in both cases would not rise above 60 Hz. For owners of one screen, the possibilities have become more comfortable. There was an option to use a resolution of 3840x2400 pixels, but from 60 Hz, or if you wanted to achieve more frame rates, then the resolution was 2560x1600 pixels.

Comparison

When everyone becomes aware that this is a DisplayPort, for which it is used, then another question arises, what is its difference with HDMI. The question is widespread and controversial to some extent. Choose what is better too hard, since there are really not many differences.

It's interesting that HDMI itself became very popular and popular. It can be found on a TV, set-top box, player, audio or video receiver, consoles, video cameras, etc. Recently, even smartphones with this interface have become known. Computers and laptops are not an exception to this list. Virtually every multifunctional device necessarily acquired this connector.

With such diversity, everyone began to forget about our hero DisplayPort. Of course, many people know this, but they also noticed that not all PCs have acquired this interface. Nevertheless, both standards work with both video content and audio, sending a signal to the screen from one device. To understand this issue, you need to consider both options carefully.

Dimensions

So, the first discrepancy lies in the size. It certainly will not help to determine what is better: DisplayPort or HDMI, but for someone it can become a key indicator. The review hero has 20 contacts and is presented in two sizes: basic and reduced. As mentioned before, the last option is designed for tablets. By the way, often DisplayPort is associated with Thunderbolt, which, although it is not officially the continuation and development of this interface, but clearly has similarities with it. It supports mini-interface functions and uses PCI Express technologies.

HDMI has 19 contacts and is presented in three sizes: standard, mini and macro. Everyone got their letter: A, C, and D. There's also the E connector, but it's rare, as it was designed for cars. The technology by which this interface operates presents friction of the contacts between each other. If the cable is firmly inserted into the connector, it clings to the socket. For better reliability, the manufacturer has installed a couple of mechanisms that block the pulling of the wire, if you just pull it.

Cables

Cable for each connector is worth considering, because here the situation is ambiguous. Many questions arise to HDMI. For this interface, there are four cables that were worked out in 2010. They are not labeled properly, so it is extremely difficult to determine their capabilities. As a result, due to the fact that there is no exact wire, its use is not regulated, and therefore problems, glitches and so on are possible.

But the DisplayPort has only one cable, it is easy to determine. It differs in universal parameters and capabilities. Provides all the necessary requirements for the systems. You can use the DisplayPort adapter to connect to the VGA screen. There are also options for connecting DVI and HDMI.

Best

As mentioned earlier, it is difficult to determine which is better. But it should be noted that HDMI was immediately designed for the consumer audience. Supports connection of TV, projector, player, etc. The development of DisplayPort was not intended to replace HDMI. DP is needed as the final product for relaying to a PC. It became a kind of complement to HDMI.

Now the problem is different. The fact is that manufacturers who work on devices of the "all-in-one" class, etc., decide that HDMI replaces everything needed on the interface panel. In fact, the placement of additional DisplayPort will not be superfluous. It expands the user experience and facilitates the work, especially for business.

If there are any problems with the connection, there is always an HDMI adapter - DisplayPort. This information is especially relevant for laptop owners. Because there is not much place, it's almost impossible to meet the DP. But connecting multiple monitors is sometimes necessary for work. It makes sense to look at laptops that already have both interfaces.