VGA and DVI Ports To Be Phased Out Over Next 5 Years

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VGA and DVI Ports To Be Phased Out Over Next 5 Years

Posted by Soulskill on Friday January 20, 2012 @04:41AM from the think-of-the-connectors dept.

angry tapir writes "Legacy VGA and DVI display ports are likely to be phased out in PCs over the next five years, according to a study by NPD In-Stat. Intel and Advanced Micro Devices are ending chipset support for VGA by 2015. The VGA interface was originally introduced in 1986 and DVI was introduced in 1999."

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why phase out DVI? by Spy+Handler · 2012-01-20 04:43 · Score: 5, Insightful

it gives me crystal-clear digital connection to my monitor, and unlike HDMI, it works every time without fail.
1. Re:why phase out DVI? by godrik · 2012-01-20 04:45 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Trying to close the analog hole I guess. Using "smart" HDMI can more easily be used with DRMs. Coupled with machine you can not choose the OS of, and you might have quite annoying copy protection schemes.
2. Re:why phase out DVI? by Ynot_82 · 2012-01-20 04:52 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  The "Analogue Hole" is unaffected by digital restrictions
  It's the illegitimate* analogue re-capturing of a legitimately decoded digital stream
  Think TV-capture card
  * From "their" POV
3. Re:why phase out DVI? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-20 04:53 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  From the consumer's standpoint - displayport and HDMI are nice, small connectors. Smaller connector means you can build smaller devices. Thinner laptops. More dense arrangements of ports on the back of your box, etc.
  From the standpoint of the media companies, it's another step towards getting rid of analog output.
4. Re:why phase out DVI? by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-20 05:00 · Score: 0, Insightful
  
  Just as long as they dont get rid of D-SUB!
5. Re:why phase out DVI? by SuricouRaven · 2012-01-20 05:03 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Indeed. Or you can use various unlicenced decryption methods, in which case you don't need an HDCP compliant anything. Pirates win again.
6. Re:why phase out DVI? by Anrego · 2012-01-20 05:04 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  DVI was confusing to non-geeks.
  You had, what..
  DVI-D, DVI-A, and DVI-I .. plus "single link" and "dual link" thrown in for good measure, and different cables supporing subsets of those and adapters and a variety of "this works with that, but not this other thing".
  HDMI is HDMI .. you plug it in and not worry about whether you are using the right mode / cable for your setup.
7. Re:why phase out DVI? by jythie · 2012-01-20 05:10 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  I suspect it is less because they want to close the analog hole.. and more 'because they can'. This is a huge power trip, and executives who push tech companies to do stuff like this successfully will have promotions and new oppurtutnies awaiting them because they showed how far they can piss.
8. Re:why phase out DVI? by jythie · 2012-01-20 05:11 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  Unless it doesn't work....
9. Re:why phase out DVI? by eobanb · 2012-01-20 05:25 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Then again there's HDMI 1.0, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, then for cables there's Standard, Standard with Ethernet, High Speed, plus converter cables to/from DVI, DisplayPort, VGA, and then of course there's HDCP...
  ...It's always going to be confusing to 90% of people no matter what.
  
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10. Re:why phase out DVI? by Wrath0fb0b · 2012-01-20 05:28 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  [DVI] gives me crystal-clear digital connection to my monitor, and unlike HDMI, it works every time without fail.
  Trying to close the analog hole I guess. Using "smart" HDMI can more easily be used with DRMs. Coupled with machine you can not choose the OS of, and you might have quite annoying copy protection schemes.
  Nevermind that HDMI is electrically equivalent (adapters are under $3.
  Nevermind that DRM operates at different layer than the physical interface, which itself is different from the electrical interface.
  Nevermind that HDMI and DVI, by virtue of the above, support the . Note that this is independent of whether a particular display does.
  No, no, forget all that nonsense, the real question I have for your post is how you think anyone can try to close the analog hole by deprecating a digital interface?!
11. Re:why phase out DVI? by Kjella · 2012-01-20 05:29 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Ah yes, but neither DVI graphics cards nor DVI monitors required HDCP so it would always downgrade but then refuse to play protected content. HDMI has always had HDCP, it is required. So they are getting rid of the last unencrypted connections, of course HDCP is broken but still. Now you will no longer get a picture on an unlicensed device without being a criminal under the DMCA.
  
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12. Re:why phase out DVI? by GrumpySteen · 2012-01-20 05:46 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Using an unlicensed decryption program to decrypt a Blu-Ray DVD that you own, rented or borrowed in order to watch it on a non HDCP compliant system it is not piracy, no matter what the MPAA tells you. It may or may not violate the DMCA, but it is absolutely not piracy.
13. Re:why phase out DVI? by man_of_mr_e · 2012-01-20 05:50 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  How exactly do you send sound over DVI? You can with HDMI, so how are they identical?
  
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14. Re:why phase out DVI? by Fallingcow · 2012-01-20 06:02 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  As best I can tell the problem is that they created a "smart" spec for the cable then didn't force manufacturers to only put them on "smart" devices, or didn't make a certain degree of smartness and sensible fallbacks part of the spec. Consequently, we've got a bunch of idiot devices that think they're smart and do all kinds of dumb things that a "dumb" connection like VGA wouldn't allow.
  Instead of "just work" we've got "just work IF your devices like each other and IF you turn them on in the correct order (note, not always the best or most intuitive order) and IF you have a shaman do the HDMI dance first." My guess is a bit tighter spec and better testing requirements tied to using the HDMI name/logo would have reduced these problem from nearly universal to occasional, at least.
  If nothing else the devices all ought to have a "stop trying to be smart and FUCKING DO EXACTLY WHAT I TELL YOU TO DO" mode. You think your source isn't 5.1? BULLSHIT, yes it is. You think you ought to defer to another device for audio out? NO, you're the goddamn audio receiver and I want you to NEVER do that. You went to sleep, woke back up, and now you think there's no capable audio device connected to your HDMI port and you'll continue to think that until I restart you? NO, just send the goddamn bits, because you're wrong.
  Actually, that's what the override mode should be called: "Just send the goddamn bits"
15. Re:why phase out DVI? by Bensam123 · 2012-01-20 08:07 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Only DVI natively converts to VGA as it's built into the spec (four pins on the connector). HDMI and DP do not have pins for that. In order to convert from HDMI/DP to VGA you need a $60-70 converter, not a $10 adapter like you can use with DVI.
16. Re:why phase out DVI? by EdIII · 2012-01-20 08:11 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Adapters? I wuv adapters!
  How much do they cost? I know a bunch of clients and businesses that will be utterly delighted that their investment in hundreds of LCD monitors is going to be destroyed without the additional purchase of hundreds of adapters to work with new computers they purchase. It's not like they are going to spend the money to buy all new monitors.
  Business does not upgrade unless it absolutely has to do so (in my experience) and will attempt to retain the investment in every single piece of hardware they have. Take a guess why XP is till being used damn near everywhere in so many businesses? No reason to upgrade that justifies the cost of the licensing and retraining. I have a ton of LCD monitors that support DVI, but are connected with VGA simply because the thin/thick clients don't have DVI connectors.
  If we have not even switched over to DVI completely in business yet, what makes them think they can switch us to HDMI/Display Port? There has to be millions of perfectly good LCD monitors out there with DVI connectors capable of high resolutions that can be in service for at least another 5-10 years from today.
  VGA is understandable, but why on Earth get rid of DVI just yet?
  I just hope they are not dicks and there is a $100-$200 Display Port monitor out there when they do. It's not like those monitors are plentiful today on the market.
All about HDCP by TankSpanker04 · 2012-01-20 04:46 · Score: 5, Insightful

I suspect the driving force toward HDMI-only is anti piracy efforts in the form of mandatory HDCP on any new display hardware.
Ain't happening by DesScorp · 2012-01-20 04:47 · Score: 5, Insightful

We've still got serial ports. There are still motherboards with a parallel port, for goodness sake. VGA ain't going away anytime soon.

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Deep breath everyone. DVI==HDMI by slimjim8094 · 2012-01-20 04:51 · Score: 5, Insightful

While I like DVI and have a monitor that uses it, going HDMI only is not a big deal. HDMI is just DVI plus a little extra, for audio, and the cost of that "little extra" is already negligible.
This means that a DVI-DVI, HDMI-HDMI, and DVI-HDMI cable are the same price. I spent $5 on one a few years back.
No difference! Unbunch your panties

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30 Years of VGA by scorp1us · 2012-01-20 04:52 · Score: 5, Insightful

Lets hope that whatever follows has the same longevity as VGA. In a world where we've invented USB 3 times (USB, mini USB and micro USB) with non-compatible connectors in just 11 years, the future does not look as good.

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MPAA by tepples · 2012-01-20 05:00 · Score: 2, Insightful

Until Columbia, Disney, Fox, Paramount, Universal, and Warner use whatever SOPA and PROTECTIP become to shut down the web sites and finances of the makers of such adapters.
Business use laptops and projectors by dogbertsd · 2012-01-20 05:07 · Score: 4, Insightful

It may be that many of you in the home market won't miss VGA, but in most corporate offices, VGA is the only common connection supported by the projectors in most conference rooms. While an adapter is an option, I suspect that laptops marketed to businesses will have VGA adapters for longer than the next five years as the refresh cycle for projectors is generally much longer than the refresh cycle for laptops.
1. Re:Business use laptops and projectors by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-20 05:23 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  are you also going to supply us with the money for that upgrade. I would rather keep my employees employed than upgrade something that works fine as is thank you very much...
  also, you sound like youare watching to much HDTV... gotta have everything updated... you may as well chastize us for not having granite counter tops too.
Re:DVI is HDMI without sound and video cards by Nick+Ives · 2012-01-20 05:26 · Score: 4, Insightful

DVI is HDMI without sound and video cards are not the best for sound and PC displays do not have more then 2 speakers any ways.
Does any PC display with HDMI have some kind of DD pass though or 5.1 or more analog out?
Video cards are as good for digital sound as anything. All they do is take the digital signal from your applications and send them digitally over HDMI. Barring driver bugs, it's just the same as any digital output on anything.
I think for DD pass-through a device has to support DD. I have my 360 connected to my TV and my TV connected to my surround sound and DD5.1 works fine. My TV doesn't support DTS though, so I have to connect my PS3 directly to my surround sound in order for that to work.

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