FAQ

Q. Where can I find products with DisplayPort?

A. You can now find products with DisplayPort from most major personal computer manufacturers, cable and accessory manufacturers and display manufacturers. New PC's, monitors, projectors and graphic cards are replacing DVI and VGA with DisplayPort due to it's high performance, compact size connectivity versatillity.

Q. Which types of products include DisplayPort?

A. PC manufacturers are offering DisplayPort in notebooks and desktops as a single connector solution for connecting to all types of displays, including current and older generation monitors, projectors and HDTVs. DisplayPort is also available as a standard feature on the latest monitors and projectors.

Q. Are customers actively asking for DisplayPort?

A. Customers have been asking for smaller connectors, easier set up, thinner cables, fewer cables, higher color depths, higher refresh rates, higher resolutions, digital projectors, thinner and sleeker displays, and ubiquitous display connectivity from a single connection–all features that DisplayPort provides. DisplayPort is the smart choice for future PC and display compatibility. 

Q. What are the most significant benefits that DisplayPort provides a PC user?

A.  The main product benefits that DisplayPort provides are higher performance as a standard feature, ubiquitous connectivity to any display device, audio and display over a single cable, and an ultra small connector that is perfect for space-constrained applications like ultra thin notebooks, netbooks and multi-connector graphics cards. DisplayPort also enables ultra sleek, easy to use direct drive flat panel monitors. DisplayPort’s micro-packet architecture sets the stage for future display features such as single-cable, multi-function monitor connectivity and daisy-chained displays for improved multi-monitor connectivity and usage. DisplayPort provides the ultimate range of connectivity options enabling a single connector on the PC to connect to monitors, projectors and HDTVs that may have VGA, DVI, or HDMI  inputs, making DisplayPort an easy, universal and cross-application solution.

Q. Wasn’t DisplayPort conceived as a computer interface originally, or was it contemplated for CE systems since its inception?

A. DisplayPort was created to be a universal replacement for separate PC display interfaces including LVDS, DVI and VGA. DisplayPort does include many features important in consumer electronics, including surround sound audio and content protection for Blu-ray disc support.

Q. How is VESA handling the issue of interoperability to be certain that DisplayPort equipped products are able to work together?

A. VESA has developed a DisplayPort Compliance and Interoperability program to assure that products carrying the DisplayPort certified logo interoperate successfully. Look for the “DisplayPort Certified Logo” on DisplayPort products.

Q. Is there a logo program indicating that a company’s product complies with the DisplayPort standard?

A. Yes. VESA is administering a DisplayPort logo program via the DisplayPort website. Products that successfully pass the compliance and interoperability tests are eligible to receive and use the DisplayPort certified logo.

Q. How is DisplayPort different from DisplayLink? Do I really even need a dedicated display connector?

A. DisplayPort is a high performance, high bandwidth, uncompressed digital display interface designed to provide the utmost in image fidelity, response time, color accuracy, and display update rate. In contrast, DisplayLink relies upon power consuming software compression to encode and transmit display data between a PC and a monitor over USB.  For some display applications such as e-mail or word processing, this approach may deliver acceptable results, but for display applications that are performance sensitive such as 3D graphics, gaming, movie watching, content authoring, professional workstation, photo editing, and web surfing, or wherever the best possible display experience is desired, DisplayPort is the smart choice.

Q. How is DisplayPort different from HDMI? Aren’t they very similar? 

A. DisplayPort and HDMI are very different technically, and each has a different product focus. HDMI is the de-facto connection in the home theatre and is used widely on HDTVs as an A/V interface. Some PCs and monitors include HDMI to enable connectivity with HDTVs and other consumer electronics gear. While DisplayPort has a rich consumer electronics feature set, it is expected to complement and not necessarily replace, HDMI.  DisplayPort is focused on PC, monitor, and projector usages as a replacement for DVI and VGA where high performance and backwards and forwards compatibility over standard cables are valued. The DisplayPort connector is compatible with HDMI signals, enabling product interoperability. A multi-mode PC that implements both HDMI and DisplayPort only needs a simple DisplayPort cable adapter to make an HDMI connection to an HDTV.

Q. Does DisplayPort include content protection?

A. DisplayPort 1.1a supports HDCP v1.3 ensuring that protected content such as Blu-ray Disc movies may be easily viewed over a DisplayPort connection that includes HDCP support.

Q. Why are DVI & VGA being replaced in PCs, monitors, and projectors?

A. Several factors are driving the need to replace DVI and VGA within the industry. VGA is becoming increasingly difficult to implement as silicon process geometries continue to shrink with the latest chipsets and GPUs, and it is anticipated that VGA will become an extra cost feature in the near future. VGA does not have content protection, and it’s usage may be curtailed due to digital content license agreements. The large VGA and DVI connectors with thumb screws are difficult and sometimes impossible to accommodate in the latest ultra-sleek notebook and netbook designs, and connecting and securing these cables to monitors is difficult in confined spaces. Both the DVI and VGA specifications are frozen, meaning no changes may be made to make enhancements necessary for their continued support in future products.

Q. Why is DisplayPort the best DVI / VGA replacement for PCs, monitors, and projectors?

A. DisplayPort is the ideal replacement for legacy connectors since it supports the higher resolutions, refresh rates, and color depths found in monitors and the long distance performance and easy plug & play experience needed in projectors over standard cables.  Since DisplayPort uses the latest low voltage technology, it is easily supported in the next generation silicon processes found in the latest chipsets, GPUs, and display controllers, and it is an extensible VESA standard. Many of DisplayPort’s unique benefits, such as ultra sleek direct drive monitor design and single cable multifunction monitor connectivity are not available with alternatives such as HDMI. Also, business and enterprise customers may not want to implement all of the consumer electronics features that are required in HDMI products. High resolution support and high performance are standard features with DisplayPort, whereas these are optional or premium features with other interfaces. DisplayPort is designed to meet the future needs of the PC industry while preserving connectivity with DVI, VGA, and HDMI.

Q. What does 'High Performance is Standard'  mean?

A. DisplayPort simplifies the cable purchase experience by standardizing on performance. You no longer need to pay a premium to ensure that you have the right cable for your display application, or be uncertain as to whether your cable will work with your display. DisplayPort Certified cables are assured to deliver the highest resolutions, fastest refresh rates, and deepest color depths as needed by your monitor or projector. DisplayPort delivers the highest audio, display, and bi-directional communications performance in the industry without requiring consumers to buy special cables. With DisplayPort, high performance is standard.

Q. What are some examples of where high performance is important?

A. DisplayPort’s high performance is important for enabling new digital display experiences. For example, DisplayPort can easily support high end monitors featuring 2560 x 1600 resolution at 60Hz refresh rate and 10 bits per color, 1920 x 1200 resolution at 120Hz refresh rate, and Full HD monitors at 1920 x 1080 resolution and 60Hz refresh rate at 12 bits per color without latency, all over standard cables. In addition, DisplayPort enables long cable support, up to 15 meters, enabling a much anticipated easy plug and play digital experience with projectors. With DisplayPort, high performance is standard.

Q. Can DisplayPort support 3D Stereo?

A. Yes, DisplayPort  v1.1a includes protocol support for transmitting left and right eye display data. Supported 3D display formats in DisplayPort v1.1a include 720p60, 1080p24, and 1080p60.

Q. What are some of the other unique capabilities in DisplayPort?

A. DisplayPort  has many unique features that set it apart from other display interface standards. DisplayPort is designed specifically for low voltage implementation, has a unique bi-directional, high-data rate Auxiliary channel for sending commands and data between a monitor and a PC, features a micro-packet architecture that is capable of transmitting compressed as well as uncompressed display data, and features powered connectors providing up to 1.5W of power - all features unique to DisplayPort. DisplayPort also includes an optional latch on cable plugs, providing a secure connection to projectors and monitors, a necessary feature missing from HDMI.