DVI-D and DVI-I - One in the Same?

tony1tony1
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Hi,

I have an ATI Radeon 9800 in a G4. It has a "DVI-I" port. I'm about to purchase a Dell UltraSharp 2407WFP-HC 24 display. Besides a VGA port, that I really don't want to use, it has a "DVI-D" port. Are DVI-D and DVI-I one in the same or will I need an adapter? If so what should I be looking for?



Thanks

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    berlepschberlepsch Posts: 30member
    Wikipedia says that the difference between DVI-I and DVI-D lies in the analog output that is included in DVI-I, but is missing in DVI-D. The design of the connectors is such that you can plug in your monitor's DVI-D cable directly to the DVI-I port on your ATI card without need of adapters.
  • Reply 2 of 8
    cakecake Posts: 1,010member
    Observe:

  • Reply 3 of 8
    tony1tony1 Posts: 259member
    I briefly spoke with a Dell tech today and he said that that I wouldn't have the "dual" (D) functionality. He went on to say that the picture wouldn't be as nice as if I did have that capability and side by side you could notice the difference. I asked him to explain and he wasn't very clear with his Indian accent. Can anyone please fill me in here?



    I like all the bells and whistles that this monitor offers, yet I've been offered a new Apple 23" HD for just about the same price and wondering if it would be a better choice. I work on a 30" and 23" and love them both, yet do not have the above Dell to compare to, side by side.



    Thanks,

    Tony
  • Reply 4 of 8
    seek3rseek3r Posts: 179member
    As far as I know, the only thing your cards port is missing is the ability to use an adapter on the dvi port to export analog video. Regardless, the difference between i and d is *not* the dual-link (as other posters have also pointed out), and in any case 1920x1200 is not a high enough resolution to need a dual-link port.
  • Reply 5 of 8
    berlepschberlepsch Posts: 30member
    It seems that the Dell monitor uses HDCP on its DVI port, which is most probably not supported by the ATI 9800. I am not sure if HDCP on the monitor side implies that it will only accept high res digital video from a HDCP enabled source. If this is case, then Tony will probably need to use the analog monitor inputs, and that will definitely decrease image quality at these resolutions.
  • Reply 6 of 8
    tony1tony1 Posts: 259member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Berlepsch View Post


    It seems that the Dell monitor uses HDCP on its DVI port, which is most probably not supported by the ATI 9800. I am not sure if HDCP on the monitor side implies that it will only accept high res digital video from a HDCP enabled source. If this is case, then Tony will probably need to use the analog monitor inputs, and that will definitely decrease image quality at these resolutions.



    I just re-read the specs on the card and this is what I came up with:



    Specifications:

    - 128MB DDR memory

    - Dual Integrated 10-bit per channel 400MHz DACs

    - Integrated 165MHz TMDS transmitter (DVI compliant and HDCP ready)

    - Integrated TV-Out support up to 1024x768 resolution

    - Multiple display connections

    - DVI-I port

    - VGA port

    - S-Video port

    - DVI-I to VGA & S-Video to Composite adapters include



    So, where does this put me?



    I got this info here:

    http://www.buymac.com.au/product/ati...00-pro-mac-agp



    Tony
  • Reply 7 of 8
    berlepschberlepsch Posts: 30member
    I found a bit more info on the HDCP issue. It *should* only become active when it is requested by some HD signal like Blu-Ray, or HD-TV, but not for normal computer use. If you want to use a computer for displaying these media, the driver of the graphics card is responsible for implementing the necessary encryption. This is what ATI means when the say their products are HDCP-ready - if they wanted, they could implement the standard in software.



    All in all, you can probably use the Dell monitor with your G4 using DVI at native resolution. There is a small chance, though, that it doesn't work, either because of single link or HDCP. I don't know Dell's return policy in the US - maybe you can send the monitor back if you are not satisfied with it.



    With the Cinema 23" compatibility with your card is no problem, you get the same number of pixels, plus firewire and USB, and it looks much better. Considering that the price is similar for you, I'd recommend the Cinema display.
  • Reply 8 of 8
    tony1tony1 Posts: 259member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Berlepsch View Post


    I'd recommend the Cinema display.



    Thanks and I have to agree with you at this point. My wife even reminded me of a possible restocking fee if I did have to send it back. I appreciate the extra effort you put in on this, I did pick up a few things though.



    Tony
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